I know Mick is a hard worker and a good recruiter, but now it's time to really start coaching. By most accounts, he is going to have more and better talent.

I don't think I am overreacting. I understand Mick had less than Big East talent to work with the last couple of years. I agree that there was improvement during the middle of the season, but I was very discouraged by the relapse that happened at the end of the year - losing the last 7 games.

I expect UC to struggle early next season, but here is what I am looking for once they get their feet wet.

1. Consistent strong effort throughout the whole game, every game, all year long.

2. I saw little to no improvement on the offensive end from the inside players this year. It amazes me that nobody took Adam H aside and showed him how to dunk a basketball. The man is almost 7 feet tall! I hope this was more a reflection on Adam than on the coaching staff and I do not want to go through another year of missed layups, weak ball handling, and bad passes. And it was not just Adam - you can throw Sikes and Biggie in there as well.

Question - Should Mick offer Corie Blount a job? I think he would be a big help for coaching the interior players.

3. A winning record.

4. Hopefully - at the very least - an NIT bid.

5. Reversing the downward trend with attendance. If UC has a winning record, that should happen.

Next year is a critical year for Coach Cronin and his staff. I am not saying he should be let go after just three years if all of the goals I listed are not met, but another sub .500 year will only make the natives even more restless, and will no doubt hurt attendance, and possibly future recruiting.

If we don't see a drastic cut in turnovers (90% of these are strictly mental errors), it comes back to coaching.

It's amazing how Mick call - must have been four - time outs early in the second half and it did nothing to stop Bradley's momentum.

I don't care what kind of a coach you are, when you have one player on the team that can put the ball inside the basket- it's going to be tough to win games.

Looking at the roster, I'm surprised they won any games this year.

As bad as the offense has been lately- I don't blame it on Cronin. Guys have had open looks and could not make shots. If guys made a few bunnies here and there and guess what? We beat DePaul, Bowling Green, Providence, UCONN, and Bradley.

The team has outrebounded nearly every opponent on their schedule, that tells me effort is there. The defense has played much better this year. And barring the UAB, ND, Georgetown, and UCONN games- the team was in every contest until the end. Much different from last year. But there is only so much you are going to get with a lack of experience and talent on the floor.

Bottom line is: What do you expect when you try to field a Big East team with 2nd rate JUCO players?

I know you are all frustrated, but Mick gets a free pass these past 2 years given the hand he was dealt.

Bearcatbdub Wrote:And barring the UAB, ND, Georgetown, and UCONN games- the team was in every contest until the end. Much different from last year. But there is only so much you are going to get with a lack of experience and talent on the floor.

I think this is the most important point when looking at this team. We were in most of the games we lost and had a chance to win. Being able to finish games is something that usually comes with experience. The only player we have with more than 1 year of D-1 experience is a walkon in Branden Miller. Unfortunately due to the fact Mick had to recruit leftover JUCO players when he got the job, we will have nearly the same situation next year as the only players with more than a year of experience will be Vaughn and Miller.

Bearcatbdub Wrote:I don't care what kind of a coach you are, when you have one player on the team that can put the ball inside the basket- it's going to be tough to win games.

Looking at the roster, I'm surprised they won any games this year.

I have been screaming this all year. They have won with one very good player and the rest players that nobody good really wanted. How on earth can you expect more than what they gave us. It was a miracle that we were 8-5 in the Big East at one time and a incredible coaching job by Mick to get these guys to play at the level they played at for awhile. Oh, Mick did start with pretty much the death penalty with no players.

I would have loved to see Davis and McClain play more this year as I think they are very good players. I will say that Davis was too careless with the basketball and McClain was hurt so Mick probably made the right decision. I just think this year would have been better served by playing Davis and Biggie more to set up the team for next year, but my guess is Mick felt too much loyalty to the Seniors (which I cannot blame him one bit).

Adam H. may have been a good defender but flat out showed why nobody recruited him. No toughness at all around the basket. Williamson was the only other starter that had half way decent talent.

I personally cannot wait until next year. The key for us is to find a 1. Davis or Wright must step up at the 1 for us to have any chance at a solid team next year. The year after that look out, this team could be very, very good...

I still cannot explain Adam. This guy can dunk! I have seen him do it hundreds of times in the Shoe. I watched him last year shoot a round of threes in open court several times and make 18 out of 20 many times. I saw him shoot shots from all around the lane and swish everything. I honestly thought he would be the best shooter on the team. He gets himself in excellent position on the floor for rebounds etc. I guess he freezes in game situations is the only explanation. It's ashame he did not get to play two years. He will go down as one of the most unusual players ever to play here. I have never seen anything like last night's miss underneath. I do think If he played along side of Mike Williams for the two years or Hernol Hall as expected things may have been different. Oh well, he is a great person and I hope he has success back in Europe. I think With Mike Williams, Yancy and Belton you will see guys who can really finish plays like we are used to. I think we need to really hope the guard play improves, our turnovers are unacceptable ant any level. Cash, Vaughn, Dixon and hopefully Ward should help. Davis needs tons of work on his ball skills and also his attitude! Bishop needs work and needs to shoot 300 shots a day. Lets hope we can snag one more big man too. Our offense is offensive! Go Bearcats!

Bearcat T Wrote:I have never seen anything like last night's miss underneath.

I have... about 70 times this season

Adam was far too predictable this year. Get a decent rebound and then throw it off the backboard. Here's to next year. :drinky2:

I think Warren's injury cost at least three games at the beginning and Gentry's at least three down the strecth. We beat Pitt and Bradley with Gentry. On to recruiting the last couple spots and next year. Let's hope this team devotes themselves to the offseason workouts....and hours a day of shooting!

"T", I agree with you.

This season was lost before it started.

Once the seniors knew they wouldn't make the Big Dance (when they lost consecutively to Georgetown and Pittsburgh (away)), that is all she wrote. I think the players packed it in once they knew they were eliminated.

We all knew and know that the future was sitting on the bench this year in the form of freshmen and coming in this Fall ('08 class). But Mick couldn't just bench the JUCO's who came in and saved the program's honor (atleast) by fielding a team. It was a no-win situation. You have to be fair to the guys who helped you get by...........while knowing you're future was on the bench and in recruiting.

Bearcat T Wrote:I still cannot explain Adam. This guy can dunk! I have seen him do it hundreds of times in the Shoe. I watched him last year shoot a round of threes in open court several times and make 18 out of 20 many times. I saw him shoot shots from all around the lane and swish everything. I honestly thought he would be the best shooter on the team. He gets himself in excellent position on the floor for rebounds etc. I guess he freezes in game situations is the only explanation. It's ashame he did not get to play two years. He will go down as one of the most unusual players ever to play here. I have never seen anything like last night's miss underneath. I do think If he played along side of Mike Williams for the two years or Hernol Hall as expected things may have been different. Oh well, he is a great person and I hope he has success back in Europe. I think With Mike Williams, Yancy and Belton you will see guys who can really finish plays like we are used to. I think we need to really hope the guard play improves, our turnovers are unacceptable ant any level. Cash, Vaughn, Dixon and hopefully Ward should help. Davis needs tons of work on his ball skills and also his attitude! Bishop needs work and needs to shoot 300 shots a day. Lets hope we can snag one more big man too. Our offense is offensive! Go Bearcats!

He started the season averaging 8 pts a game and has great footwork. Plays good fundamental defense and rebounds well. He is an absolute headcase when it comes to making an open shot in an in-game situation. By the end of the year, even his free throws were affected. This kid seriously needed to check in with a sports psychologist. Every bit of those missed shots was in his head. It was like he was on the free-throw line with 1 sec remaining and down by 1 all game long! I have never seen anything like it.