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(01-18-2023 09:05 PM)BrooklynRocket Wrote:  I think USF has been the only place we've never lost at during conference play since we've been an AAC team.

That would be crazy because Mick couldn’t buy a win there during the Big East years.

(01-18-2023 08:56 PM)levydl Wrote:  Almost feel bad for USF. They have been awful but annoying for so long now.

USF is the inverse Cincinnati: pretty good at soccer (both genders), baseball, and women's softball (we don't even have a program, but anemic in the two revenue sports.

(01-18-2023 08:14 PM)namrag Wrote:  Ezikpe looks like he might have one foot out of the doghouse over the last game and tonight.

Ezikpe is built like a Bearcat. He has the bulk to bang around in there, and not get bullied in the paint. I thought his minutes tonight were very impressive. Don't know where he's been or why, but he can definitely help us down the stretch.

(01-18-2023 09:01 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(01-18-2023 08:56 PM)levydl Wrote:  Almost feel bad for USF. They have been awful but annoying for so long now.

Brian Gregory's teams always have a weeknight on campus student open gym feel to them.

Gregory is such a provably mediocre coach. What a silly hire. I'd give the job to a super young guy or the first woman head coach or something, at least it might be interesting.

With Gregory, I always think about when UC trounced one of his good Dayton teams and Maxiell told the media that he knew they were going to win at pregame because he looked over and Gregory was pale and scared.

(01-18-2023 09:30 PM)JUSTGOPLAY Wrote:  

(01-18-2023 08:14 PM)namrag Wrote:  Ezikpe looks like he might have one foot out of the doghouse over the last game and tonight.

Ezikpe is built like a Bearcat. He has the bulk to bang around in there, and not get bullied in the paint. I thought his minutes tonight were very impressive. Don't know where he's been or why, but he can definitely help us down the stretch.

I thought so too when I first saw him. Undersized, big shoulders, strong, csn move a bit. I'm glad he's gotten a few good minutes the last few games, but he hasn't shown much.

(01-18-2023 09:10 PM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  

(01-18-2023 09:05 PM)BrooklynRocket Wrote:  I think USF has been the only place we've never lost at during conference play since we've been an AAC team.

That would be crazy because Mick couldn’t buy a win there during the Big East years.

Who was their PG who dribbled super low to the ground and slowed everything down and controlled the game? He was hurt all the time, but those USF teams would beat UC like 48-46 every game or whatever. Just garbage basketball.

(01-18-2023 10:35 PM)levydl Wrote:  

(01-18-2023 09:01 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(01-18-2023 08:56 PM)levydl Wrote:  Almost feel bad for USF. They have been awful but annoying for so long now.

Brian Gregory's teams always have a weeknight on campus student open gym feel to them.

Gregory is such a provably mediocre coach. What a silly hire. I'd give the job to a super young guy or the first woman head coach or something, at least it might be interesting.

With Gregory, I always think about when UC trounced one of his good Dayton teams and Maxiell told the media that he knew they were going to win at pregame because he looked over and Gregory was pale and scared.

It's not just that they hired him, It still blows my mind that Brian Gregory has been a head coach in a top 10 conference for 18 of the last 19 years. UD fans wanted to run him out of town back in 2006. He parlayed a 7th and 8th place finished in the A10 his last two seasons into the Georgia Tech Job.

He never even finished .500 in the ACC (or higher than 9th) but was only out of work for a year when he got the South Florida job. He's never even finished .500 in AAC and his best finish was a tie for 7th. Just a magical run of inexplicable employment.

2nd place AAC. Big game Sunday.

(01-18-2023 11:51 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(01-18-2023 10:35 PM)levydl Wrote:  

(01-18-2023 09:01 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(01-18-2023 08:56 PM)levydl Wrote:  Almost feel bad for USF. They have been awful but annoying for so long now.

Brian Gregory's teams always have a weeknight on campus student open gym feel to them.

Gregory is such a provably mediocre coach. What a silly hire. I'd give the job to a super young guy or the first woman head coach or something, at least it might be interesting.

With Gregory, I always think about when UC trounced one of his good Dayton teams and Maxiell told the media that he knew they were going to win at pregame because he looked over and Gregory was pale and scared.

It's not just that they hired him, It still blows my mind that Brian Gregory has been a head coach in a top 10 conference for 18 of the last 19 years. UD fans wanted to run him out of town back in 2006. He parlayed a 7th and 8th place finished in the A10 his last two seasons into the Georgia Tech Job.

He never even finished .500 in the ACC (or higher than 9th) but was only out of work for a year when he got the South Florida job. He's never even finished .500 in AAC and his best finish was a tie for 7th. Just a magical run of inexplicable employment.

...And he keeps getting extensions and raises at USF.

(01-19-2023 02:45 AM)bcat1997 Wrote:  2nd place AAC. Big game Sunday.

Sucks it's so close to Bengals/Bills. I still expect at or near capacity crowd for Memphis State

(01-19-2023 02:45 AM)bcat1997 Wrote:  2nd place AAC. Big game Sunday.

That Temple game is going to really be a thorn in our side overall.

How in the hell did this team lose to Temple and NKU...

(01-18-2023 08:41 PM)namrag Wrote:  They showed the UC bench and I noticed Hensley.
When’s the last time he played?
Seems like he hasn’t seen the floor in a while…..

I love the fact that he has shortened the bench. One of my biggest criticisms of him last year. Only so many minutes to go around. Put the team in the best position to succeed…

(01-19-2023 08:32 AM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(01-19-2023 02:45 AM)bcat1997 Wrote:  2nd place AAC. Big game Sunday.

That Temple game is going to really be a thorn in our side overall.

How in the hell did this team lose to Temple and NKU...

This team has to score to win. Off shooting nights most likely hanging an L on this group.

(01-19-2023 08:32 AM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(01-19-2023 02:45 AM)bcat1997 Wrote:  2nd place AAC. Big game Sunday.

That Temple game is going to really be a thorn in our side overall.

How in the hell did this team lose to Temple and NKU...

Temple isn't a bad team. Just really inconsistent. It's the kind of game good teams lose on the road all the time.

The NKU game was a disaster, no doubt.

(01-19-2023 08:34 AM)Bearcatbdub Wrote:  

(01-18-2023 08:41 PM)namrag Wrote:  They showed the UC bench and I noticed Hensley.
When’s the last time he played?
Seems like he hasn’t seen the floor in a while…..

I love the fact that he has shortened the bench. One of my biggest criticisms of him last year. Only so many minutes to go around. Put the team in the best position to succeed…

I think last year a lot of that was trying to find guys who could play at this level. They weren't going to be a tournament team and he wanted to see everything he had for the next few years.

I should have taken my resting blood pressure at the final buzzer. It would probably have been the best of the season.

It was an enjoyable game to watch and like others here I was excited to see DeJulius break out of his slump and the whole team make shots. Skillings shows so much potential and finished better at the rim last night. With Vik on the bench some, both Ezikpe and Oguama played some defense and put the ball in the hoop.

To me, rebuilding the program is about consistently beating the bad teams in the conference on the road, playing competitively with Houston/Memphis/UCF, and winning against all the others at home. I still believe this team could reach 19 wins before the AAC Tourney and that's real progress.

Before I get ahead of myself, what is the selection process these days for the NIT? I recall conference regular season champs that don't earn the autobid in their conferences now get NIT invitations? The opportunity to participate isn't as wide open as it once was.

(01-19-2023 08:51 AM)OKIcat Wrote:  I should have taken my resting blood pressure at the final buzzer. It would probably have been the best of the season.

It was an enjoyable game to watch and like others here I was excited to see DeJulius break out of his slump and the whole team make shots. Skillings shows so much potential and finished better at the rim last night. With Vik on the bench some, both Ezikpe and Oguama played some defense and put the ball in the hoop.

To me, rebuilding the program is about consistently beating the bad teams in the conference on the road, playing competitively with Houston/Memphis/UCF, and winning against all the others at home. I still believe this team could reach 19 wins before the AAC Tourney and that's real progress.

Before I get ahead of myself, what is the selection process these days for the NIT? I recall conference regular season champs that don't earn the autobid in their conferences now get NIT invitations? The opportunity to participate isn't as wide open as it once was.

This would be disappointing and for me its the floor. Both kenpom and bartorrvik have 20-win projections after sweeping our road games this past week. But UC has been playing like a top 35 team since December 9 (using bartorrvik numbers) and I think that projection is low as to what they should do. I'm thinking 21+ wins should be the goal at this point.

(01-19-2023 08:34 AM)Bearcatbdub Wrote:  

(01-18-2023 08:41 PM)namrag Wrote:  They showed the UC bench and I noticed Hensley.
When’s the last time he played?
Seems like he hasn’t seen the floor in a while…..

I love the fact that he has shortened the bench. One of my biggest criticisms of him last year. Only so many minutes to go around. Put the team in the best position to succeed…

Which includes Davenport coming off the bench. That's a round peg in a round hole move.

(01-19-2023 08:55 AM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(01-19-2023 08:51 AM)OKIcat Wrote:  I should have taken my resting blood pressure at the final buzzer. It would probably have been the best of the season.

It was an enjoyable game to watch and like others here I was excited to see DeJulius break out of his slump and the whole team make shots. Skillings shows so much potential and finished better at the rim last night. With Vik on the bench some, both Ezikpe and Oguama played some defense and put the ball in the hoop.

To me, rebuilding the program is about consistently beating the bad teams in the conference on the road, playing competitively with Houston/Memphis/UCF, and winning against all the others at home. I still believe this team could reach 19 wins before the AAC Tourney and that's real progress.

Before I get ahead of myself, what is the selection process these days for the NIT? I recall conference regular season champs that don't earn the autobid in their conferences now get NIT invitations? The opportunity to participate isn't as wide open as it once was.

This would be disappointing and for me its the floor. Both kenpom and bartorrvik have 20-win projections after sweeping our road games this past week. But UC has been playing like a top 35 team since December 9 (using bartorrvik numbers) and I think that projection is low as to what they should do. I'm thinking 21+ wins should be the goal at this point.

Right now 12-6, 21-10 NIT bubble is probably the likely result but it’s possible this team gets to 13 league wins and locks in an NIT bid and makes a push at the NCAA tournament with a conference tournament run.

(01-19-2023 08:44 AM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(01-19-2023 08:32 AM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(01-19-2023 02:45 AM)bcat1997 Wrote:  2nd place AAC. Big game Sunday.

That Temple game is going to really be a thorn in our side overall.

How in the hell did this team lose to Temple and NKU...

Temple isn't a bad team. Just really inconsistent. It's the kind of game good teams lose on the road all the time.

The NKU game was a disaster, no doubt.

Agree. Temple is also tied with us at 5-2 in the conference [along with Tulane].