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The disrespect is palpable.

I think it will be good motivation.

i wouldn't say it's disrespect. it's wholly realistic at this point. with that said, thar be lots of experience and a lot of high level production. not elite, but solid yeoman type sh!t. if jeremiah can take the next step and get around sixteen a game, become the focal point of our offensive, jules become a reliable second option and one of the greensboros pan out, this could be a sleeper cuz you know what yer gonna get with the nigerians. physical inside presence that's been lacking the past couple years. good deep bench, wes can definitely succeed with this bunch on paper

The preseason poll is meaningless...

The ONLY poll that counts is the last one.

(10-13-2021 09:41 PM)Lush Wrote:  i wouldn't say it's disrespect. it's wholly realistic at this point. with that said, thar be lots of experience and a lot of high level production. not elite, but solid yeoman type sh!t. if jeremiah can take the next step and get around sixteen a game, become the focal point of our offensive, jules become a reliable second option and one of the greensboros pan out, this could be a sleeper cuz you know what yer gonna get with the nigerians. physical inside presence that's been lacking the past couple years. good deep bench, wes can definitely succeed with this bunch on paper

I'm optimistic about our new coach and players, but respect is earned, not given. I'd be thrilled if the team finished third in conference with a tournament bid, and I think that may be a realistic goal. However, I'll be satisfied just to have an improved showing over last year's disaster.

CBS gives preseason rankings for all 358 D-1 teams. UC is #122:

Quote:122. Cincinnati: New coach Wes Miller will need one year to work out some kinks, get his system in place, and by the middle of '22-23 we'll see Cincinnati back in the top 80. Get this: Cincy has the No. 1 and No. 2 active shot-block leaders in men's D-I on its roster: UNCG transfer Hayden Koval (337) and Mississippi State transfer Abdul Ado (249). Some sultans looming around the rim.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basket...22-season/

(10-14-2021 07:04 AM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  CBS gives preseason rankings for all 358 D-1 teams. UC is #122:

Quote:122. Cincinnati: New coach Wes Miller will need one year to work out some kinks, get his system in place, and by the middle of '22-23 we'll see Cincinnati back in the top 80. Get this: Cincy has the No. 1 and No. 2 active shot-block leaders in men's D-I on its roster: UNCG transfer Hayden Koval (337) and Mississippi State transfer Abdul Ado (249). Some sultans looming around the rim.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basket...22-season/

Bolded, this alone bodes well for a more exciting season and defensive prowess sorely lacking last season.

(10-14-2021 02:31 AM)Former Lurker Wrote:  

(10-13-2021 09:41 PM)Lush Wrote:  i wouldn't say it's disrespect. it's wholly realistic at this point. with that said, thar be lots of experience and a lot of high level production. not elite, but solid yeoman type sh!t. if jeremiah can take the next step and get around sixteen a game, become the focal point of our offensive, jules become a reliable second option and one of the greensboros pan out, this could be a sleeper cuz you know what yer gonna get with the nigerians. physical inside presence that's been lacking the past couple years. good deep bench, wes can definitely succeed with this bunch on paper

I'm optimistic about our new coach and players, but respect is earned, not given. I'd be thrilled if the team finished third in conference with a tournament bid, and I think that may be a realistic goal. However, I'll be satisfied just to have an improved showing over last year's disaster.

I’ll be happy if we’re in competition for the tournament most of the year. This is a rebuild.

(10-13-2021 07:11 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

Excited to see us hold a mini-camp in Indy. Into the 1980s UC always drew talent out of the Hoosier State and up into Chicago. Other than a one off here or there we have not consistently drawn any talent in what is just a stone’s throw away from our backyard. I get the competition issues with IU, Purdue, Louisville, OSU, etc but we could still do better.

Cats are going to be a top 50 team this season. I think everyone has underestimated four things.

1. Coaching change, Brannen was awful and was actively destroying the program. Having a coach this isn’t sabotaging the program is huge win.
2. Softer schedule, this allows the easily pick up 10 wins to build confidence.
3. Additions to roster, front court help will go a long way to making this defense a lot better
4. Home court advantage, last year was bad but UC doesn’t drop games at home with people inside the building. No way games like Xavier and USF are lost inside a crazy Fifth Third Arena. Cats lose at most two home games all year this season and none to non tournament level teams.

Respect is earned?

How quickly we forget who carried the torch for this conference the last umpteen years. We earned respect because Cincinnati is printed on the front of the jersey.

Houston is legit. Memphis- has any team done less with more? We are just as good as Wichita, UCF, or SMU.

Guess we will have to prove it on the court.

(10-14-2021 07:31 AM)Dannyboy Wrote:  

(10-14-2021 02:31 AM)Former Lurker Wrote:  

(10-13-2021 09:41 PM)Lush Wrote:  i wouldn't say it's disrespect. it's wholly realistic at this point. with that said, thar be lots of experience and a lot of high level production. not elite, but solid yeoman type sh!t. if jeremiah can take the next step and get around sixteen a game, become the focal point of our offensive, jules become a reliable second option and one of the greensboros pan out, this could be a sleeper cuz you know what yer gonna get with the nigerians. physical inside presence that's been lacking the past couple years. good deep bench, wes can definitely succeed with this bunch on paper

I'm optimistic about our new coach and players, but respect is earned, not given. I'd be thrilled if the team finished third in conference with a tournament bid, and I think that may be a realistic goal. However, I'll be satisfied just to have an improved showing over last year's disaster.

I’ll be happy if we’re in competition for the tournament most of the year. This is a rebuild.

I agree with those expectations in your first sentence. I can't really tell what this team is going to look like.

We have 5 guys from last year's team: Davenport, DeJulius, MAW, Saunders, and Mason Madsen. That's a decent core of returning players. There's also Lakhin, who didn't play last season.

3 guys transferred in from Miller's team at UNCG: Hensley, Koval, and McGinnis.

Ado and Newman are senior transfers from big schools (Miss. St. and Clemson).

Then there's Oguama, who was by all accounts a pretty big-time transfer from Wake.

That seems like a pretty good amount of pretty solid talent, and they are all vets--Lakhin is the only freshman. Should be an interesting year. Who will play and how much? What kind of system? Anyone watch Miller's prior teams and know what he likes to do?

(10-14-2021 08:54 AM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  Cats are going to be a top 50 team this season. I think everyone has underestimated four things.

1. Coaching change, Brannen was awful and was actively destroying the program. Having a coach this isn’t sabotaging the program is huge win.

I think this will be huge...also I'd add last year we were trying to fit a ton of new pieces in a COVID year with really odd off season practice time. IF you look at last season a ton of the teams with a lot of new pieces underachieved, while teams with experience lived up to expectations. We saw progress from the young guys throughout the season and won't have that big disadvantage this year.

(10-14-2021 08:54 AM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  2. Softer schedule, this allows the easily pick up 10 wins to build confidence.

i think you overrate the ranking value of wins over bad teams. While for us it might be nice to have some room to grow without picking up losses, those wins don't really help your ranking. All good ranking systems adjust for SOS.

(10-14-2021 08:54 AM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  3. Additions to roster, front court help will go a long way to making this defense a lot better

Absolutely, I think we'll be drastically improved on defense. I think we'll be a top 30-50 team on the defensive end.

(10-14-2021 08:54 AM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  4. Home court advantage, last year was bad but UC doesn’t drop games at home with people inside the building. No way games like Xavier and USF are lost inside a crazy Fifth Third Arena. Cats lose at most two home games all year this season and none to non tournament level teams.

Definitely will help win some of the close home games we lost.


I am not as confident we'll be a top 50 team (Though I think it's possible). I see them as a top 75 kenpom, NIT type team. Beyond that is possible but it will require a big jump offensively (which I think is less certain than the huge jump defensively).

(10-14-2021 09:17 AM)Bearcatbdub Wrote:  Respect is earned?

How quickly we forget who carried the torch for this conference the last umpteen years. We earned respect because Cincinnati is printed on the front of the jersey.

Houston is legit. Memphis- has any team done less with more? We are just as good as Wichita, UCF, or SMU.

Guess we will have to prove it on the court.

Different coach, different players. The fellows who "carried the torch" aren't here anymore.

I love when a football season is so great that you get shocked by the rapid approach of November basketball.

(10-14-2021 10:11 AM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(10-14-2021 08:54 AM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  Cats are going to be a top 50 team this season. I think everyone has underestimated four things.

1. Coaching change, Brannen was awful and was actively destroying the program. Having a coach this isn’t sabotaging the program is huge win.

I think this will be huge...also I'd add last year we were trying to fit a ton of new pieces in a COVID year with really odd off season practice time. IF you look at last season a ton of the teams with a lot of new pieces underachieved, while teams with experience lived up to expectations. We saw progress from the young guys throughout the season and won't have that big disadvantage this year.

(10-14-2021 08:54 AM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  2. Softer schedule, this allows the easily pick up 10 wins to build confidence.

i think you overrate the ranking value of wins over bad teams. While for us it might be nice to have some room to grow without picking up losses, those wins don't really help your ranking. All good ranking systems adjust for SOS.

(10-14-2021 08:54 AM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  3. Additions to roster, front court help will go a long way to making this defense a lot better

Absolutely, I think we'll be drastically improved on defense. I think we'll be a top 30-50 team on the defensive end.

(10-14-2021 08:54 AM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  4. Home court advantage, last year was bad but UC doesn’t drop games at home with people inside the building. No way games like Xavier and USF are lost inside a crazy Fifth Third Arena. Cats lose at most two home games all year this season and none to non tournament level teams.

Definitely will help win some of the close home games we lost.


I am not as confident we'll be a top 50 team (Though I think it's possible). I see them as a top 75 kenpom, NIT type team. Beyond that is possible but it will require a big jump offensively (which I think is less certain than the huge jump defensively).

Maybe they don’t hit the top 50 but this teams flirts with tournament contention all year and probably could finish anywhere between 35 and 75 depending on the breaks.

(10-14-2021 10:11 AM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(10-14-2021 08:54 AM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  Cats are going to be a top 50 team this season. I think everyone has underestimated four things.

1. Coaching change, Brannen was awful and was actively destroying the program. Having a coach this isn’t sabotaging the program is huge win.

I think this will be huge...also I'd add last year we were trying to fit a ton of new pieces in a COVID year with really odd off season practice time. IF you look at last season a ton of the teams with a lot of new pieces underachieved, while teams with experience lived up to expectations. We saw progress from the young guys throughout the season and won't have that big disadvantage this year...


I am not as confident we'll be a top 50 team (Though I think it's possible). I see them as a top 75 kenpom, NIT type team. Beyond that is possible but it will require a big jump offensively (which I think is less certain than the huge jump defensively).

I don't think the OP knows what the meaning of "sabotage" is but I agree with your take on last year - it was a mullet nearly everywhere with experience (or lack of it) being a big factor.

As far as this year, we've still got a team full of guys largely unaccustomed to playing together in a system that will be new to almost all of them. There seems to be good talent but plenty of patience will likely be required. Top 75 with a shot to be much higher if Wes can bring things together sounds reasonable to me.

I don’t think anyone knows what to expect from this staff and this roster. We don’t even know what type of system we’ll mostly be running.

It will at least be better than last season’s garbage.

After last season, and in particular, last off season, I would take anything in that 35 - 75 range and be happy for Miller Time Year 1

(10-14-2021 04:35 PM)Cal1362 Wrote:  After last season, and in particular, last off season, I would take anything in that 35 - 75 range and be happy for Miller Time Year 1

Yes and I hope he does not make them practice hard.