Pitt 73, UC 67 - postgame
UC relies on basically two players to do its scoring. John Williamson (27 points) and Deonta Vaughn (24) combned for 51 of UC's 67 points, but that's not what had Mick Cronin concerned after the game.
“I could care less who scores,” Cronin said. “I don’t care if one guy gets 67. It’s all about percentages. What I’d like is the guys that aren’t scoring, if they’d play a little better on the defensive end and keep DeJuan Blair off the glass.”
UC shot its second-best percentage of the season (48.1 percent) and made 8 of 18 from 3-point range, but gave up 44 points in the second half and allowed Pitt to shoot 51.9 percent after intermission.
With the way Bearcats struggle to score, they have no chance when they play defense like that.
posted by bill koch at 10:59 PM
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Post a Comment*Must be Mick's "Coach of the Year" coaching that got the team to play such inspired defense in such a HUGE game.
Sippin' Mick Moniker Maker
Tough loss...The last of our "winnable" roadies? Dissapointing game. Gotta win the two homies.
That game was worth watching alone when I saw Cronin mouth the F bomb to the ref as he was walking away.
It was in the first half, and clear as day, the words were, "mother F***k*r."
Anyone else get a kick out of that?
On the bright side:
Since St. John's lost at Georgetown (by fewer points than UC did mind you), UC clinched a spot in the Big East Tournament, didn't they?!
Wow, UC made the Big East Tournament!!!! We're going to the big tourney!!
The future is sun glasses-wearing-worthy bright.
Sippin' Mick Moniker Maker
Very evenly played game, home team won, UC held up well against a big physical team, played hard, tough loss. Nothing to hand their heads about. I was proud of the effort they gave, just been short a couple horses all season.
When Risin Star Mick looks at film, he'll see Blair pushing off all over the place. Guy got away with two obvious travels too. Refs called a very uneven game.
Is it my imagination or is Gentry just about worthless lately down the stretch? Two ridiculous travels, bad passes, bad fouls. He looks bad right now. And McClain played like a high schooler the last two games.
Plus side: Bishop was active offensively and defensively and made some nice plays. I liked what I saw, he's starting to contribute.
Risin Star Mick Moniker Maker
I saw it! He should have yelled more. Blair is a beast, but he pushes his way around all game. But they'll learn from it and get stronger.
Pitt is 95-10 in their building's history. No shame in losing by 6 there.
Seems like uc makes a little run in the beginning of the second half, and then the wheels fall off. ND, Gtown, Pitt.
Is it the lack of adjustments or are the guys getting tired?
Gentry travels everytime he gets the ball. Adam H can't hold on to an inbounds pass and tips in a missed three point shot for Pittsburgh. Other than Williamson, can't wait to see these seniors go.
Jury is still out on Cronin but I don't have alot of confidence in his coaching abilities.
They played a hell of a game and for me that's what counts. Finally a game where Williamson and Vaughn were hot at the same time. Here's hoping they can light it up on Sunday when I'll be at the game :)
Not to worry, boys and girls! There's now the new petite losers tourney that Cronin has been courting! Things are so great now that some UC fans are actually excited that we are in the conference tournament this year. The conference tournament!! And we might even be in the new little, tiny, petite tournament. Perfect for teams who just missed out by being on the bubble of the losers NIT. This area is SO accepting of mediocrity that it's just mindboggling. That's probably why the UC administration didn't hesitate to demolish our BB program. Thanks BOT and Nancy for bringing us to the sorry level of the Bungles and Reddregs!
As stated 3 weeks ago, it looks like 10-8 or 11-7 and a #6 or #7 seed in the Big East tournament. Madison Square Garden and a shot at the NIT. Mick has done an outstanding job this year, having saved the program and turned things around so quickly. He is doing as well as W.Virgina and he started off with less to work with. To go from 2-10 in the Big East to 10-8 is Big East coach of the year material.
Jury is in and the verdict is Mick is a good coach.
Actually wish that Williamson had another year or two AND had someone who could play in the paint alongside him. This team is greatly lacking in so many areas with the exception of the 2 and 4 positions, namely Vaughn and Williamson. I can't help but think that this team is at the minimum two years away and then only if Vaughn has a Steve Logan type senior year.
My goals when mick came in to repair the massive damage done to the UC basketball program was the fllowing:
Year 1: Field a team
Year 2: Make the Big East Tournament in Madison Square Garden
Year 3: NIT
Year 4: NCAA Tournament
It looks like Mick has us one year ahead of schedule. Go Mick. Go UC.
Anon 7:01,
Mick not being concerned that outside of Williamson and Vaughn, the remainder of the team only had 16 points may not have him concerned, but it did me. That means that the two of them scored over 75% of the points and he's not concerned??
As far as you not having a lot of confidence in Mick's coaching abilities, who honestly does? Only the few, very vocal members of the 'We Love Mick No Matter What Fan Club' strongly support Mick.
The vast majority are in a wait and see position, except also for the few, very vocal 'Mick Haters' on the blog.
When will this "feel good" season long story for UC BB end? Not soon enough.
Looking forward to FB 2008 and BB 2010.
So UC loses by six, with the line 11, on the road, to a more talented team, and it's because Mick is a terrible coach? This is why UK fans and X fans have the reputation they do, they spend more time tearing down other teams than they do cheering for their team.
No shame in being below 500.
We are UC.
Pitt clearly got the 'home court' advantage with the refs. Once Blair realized that he wasn't going to get called for pushing off, he had a field day.
I can't knock on Adam H too much. He is what he is and you should realize not to expect much more than what we got out of him last night. Plus, he plays decent defense.
Marvin Gentry looks bad though. You expect you seniors to step up and he has been no where near stepping up. Jamal Warren needs to pick it up as well. 54 minutes between the two of them, 0 points. Maybe Williamson can just them a lesson about how to step up.
McClain needs a ton of off season work. But he is just a freshman, so I can't knock him too much. It should be fun to see that freshman class develop these next few years.
7:01, you mean besides the fact he's managing to keep his team in games with one reliable player in Vaughn and marginal/inconsistent players like Williamson, Gentry, Sikes, Warren, and Adam? Losing by 6 at Pitt is nothing to be ashamed of. And he's outcoached everyone's new John Wooden (Sean Miller) in both games head-to-head.
7:01 Anon -
You seem to have made up your mind about Mick's coaching abilities for the jury to still be out.
You guys didn't honestly think UC would be one of the Big East's elite teams, three years removed from the complete demolition of a program that had been successful for the past couple decades, did you? If you did, you don't know much about college basketball and the recruiting process. Most of the players on our team are glorified high school seniors with diplomas in terms of college basketball experience. You didn't expect them to come into the program and carry it, did you? You surely didn't expect juco players like Marvin Gentry and foreign imports like Hrycaniuk to come in and be the cream of the college draft class did you? Most of these players, besides the freshmen, are stop-gap players who Cronin had to recruit in a hurry to simply field a team last year. The fact that he has a winning record in the Big East at this point is a miracle.
This team is playing pretty good defense. Defense generally indicates the team is adhering to teamwork and defensive fundamentals, i.e. sound coaching. Their offense is lagging. You can't teach a player's shots to fall. That takes matured talent, something that this program doesn't possess at the time.
I'm sure you'll come around again when our program is a competitive Big East team and our recruitment classes constantly rank in the top 25. Until then, your whining and so-called "expertise" of college basketball fall on deaf ears.
We don't have a true offensive threat inside.
Cronin is coaching just fine.
Yet another: Risin Star Mick Moniker Maker
I think people need to hold off on proclaiming Mick a good or bad coach as of yet. He has done a good job this year with marginal talent.
But the first year you can really judge Mick (at least judge him as bad) would be in two years. When Vaughn is a senior and this freshman class is in their junior season.
I don't think there are many coaches that would have done better with this UC team.
10:43 Chris,
It's nice to see an intelligent poster on this blog for a change.
That was a great post.
10:43 Chris from anon 7:01
I am giving Cronin the benefit of the doubt but his era is looking very similiar to the Ed Badger years. It is not whining in regards to my comments on Gentry and Adam H. Anyone who watched the game last night saw these mistakes.
My opinion is no more "expertise" than your opinion. I do know that this city is becoming very comfortable with the quality of sports in this town. The Reds have 7 losing seasons in a row and the Bengals have had 1 winning season since 1991. I hope that Cronin does bring back the excellence in basketball for UC and not follow the road of the pro franchises.
Chris,
Thanks for bringing a sensible post to this blog. I am amazed at the so-called basketball "experts" whose ridiculous posts are proof they have no sense of realism. To not be able to see the progress of this year's team from start to finish is amazing. Last year (when we played tough competition), we got blown out consistently - I mean by 30-40 points. This year, they got over that hump (with the exception of G'Town) and are in games and winning quite a few. The next step is winning consistently -the three game spurt that they just went on shows that that is starting to take place. I can't wait for next season and I am going to enjoy the rest of the season while I still can. GO CATS!
Anon 8:42,
Sure you want to count your chickens before they hatch? I think your original choices are more likely. This team has only two players and if either is off, they are plenty capable of losing to absolutely anyone.
That Pitt team beat Duke this year and we hung with them all game and had oppportunities to win.
That should make us all feel good. When we get the calvary next year we will win games like this.
It looked like WIlliamson played inside last night. Also, we lost our inside presence before the season started when Mike Williams went down.
Teams like Rutgers, St. Johns, South Florida and Providence have had more time to build their programs that Mick has. What are their excuses? Mick had to field a team in two months. Recruiting usually takes 2-3 years to reap benefits.
I'm still shocked!
I've benn wrong about Mick, I'm starting to see the light, guys. How could I have been so wrong?
My apologies for the silly Sippin tag I've hung on him. Kinda disrespectful actually, that's why I've invented the new moniker, Risin Star Mick Moniker Maker. He's turning into a fine coach and is In Fact a Risin Star on the National Scene. Can I get back on the bandwagon, I promise never to be a fair weather fan again.
OH and would I be fair in identifying myself as the Sipping Mick Monicker Maker?
Nice try at trolling, back at ya. UC played great last night for the level of talent they have, and I for one am proud of their game. They are far from rebuilt, and yet they scare almost everybody in the league, glaring flaws and all. Impressive work by an impressive coach. Mark my words, in two years you guys will think M.C. The Hammer Coach is the best thing to happen in a long time. He can flat out coach.
You can always tell what's happening when the "intelligent and sensible" people tell one another how intelligent and sensible each other is. It means the 'We Love Mick No Matter What Fan Club' members are out in force. Mick's already the greatest. Of course, living in an area with the terribly average Reds and the lousy Bengals, who have had ONLY one winning season since my son's been alive, as he pointed out to me due to my complete disinterest in mediocrity. And, he'll be seventeen next month! Maybe Mick is something great in this area...LOL
How do you compare Mick and the UC team in 2007-08 to what Huggins has done at W.Virgina in the same year? Do you consider Huggins coaching to be superior to Mick's in the current season?
Also, can anyone name a team in the Big East that has had the same success as the Bearcats did as a member of Conference USA?
We need to get Risin Star Mick into an big bright red suit next year against Huggy Bear, Huggins ain't gonna steal his thunder again. Mick Cronin,,,,,,The Ketchup Man, the perfect foil to the mustard man.
Bob's team certainly didn't mustard up a very good effort against UC, they had to play Ketchup all night. They got sandwiched in a bunch of The Polish Demon's Picks, which left then in a permanent pick hole. We'll see how it goes when they come here next year to play in our burg(er). Sandwich, naybody?
Er............ah.,,,hmmmm.
Long live Risin Star Mick. Especially in McDonald's All American Ketchup Red.
Hey JT-
Quit trying to make Pitt out to be better than they are.
They had lost three in a row before getting to face UC.
UC is a cure to teams' losing streaks.
Sippin' Mick Moniker Maker
Chris-
Don't tell Andy Kennedy you can't teach players how to shoot.
He's turning their offense into something incredible. Next year's team should be an absolutely powerful offensive unit for him.
Just because Mick doesn't seem to know anything at all about offense doesn't mean you should make falsities.
Sippin' Mick Moniker Maker
A few posts back, I asked what objective criteria people would look at in order to judge improvement or not by this team.
The most common were: RPI, SOS, W/L, BE tourney, post-season.
I will leave those smarter than I to judge what the facts mean, but here they are.
RPI: (from Realtime RPI)
2007 - 175
2008 - 78
SOS:
2007 - 47
2008 - 5
W/L:
2007 - 11-19
2008 - 13-14
Big East:
2007 - 2-14
2008 - 8-7
BE Tourney:
2007 - Out
2008 - In
Postseason:
2007 - Out
2008 - ?
Hey 2:41, you should look at the RPIs.
Lord Mick and the Bobcats let me down. I had predicted a 33 point victory. I am shocked.
Monclova Steve,
I agree with the stats you've presented and that they don't lie.
Probably our perspectives differ though. I view last year as completely horrendous. It couldn't have been much worse unless Tony Yates would return - Yikes! So, basically anything wouldn't be as bad as it was last year. We're still likely two years away before we're really back and meaningful again. And, that'll be a great time again.
And thanks to the "Official Adam H. Fanclub" for reporting how well he played last night!
CSA,
The only two shocking things on this blog these days are:
1) The comments show up quickly
2) The comments are posted
Moderator Protester
Anon 4:01,
Adam H. and Gentry were competing last night to see who could play worse. Ended in a complete tie. That's senior leadership for ya!
My Man the Polish Demon fought the good fight against a superior foe, bringing a tear to my eye and images of Mel Gibson in Braveheart. Did anybody see his left handed running across the lane hook and foul by the big boy Blair? The man had two put backs last night that even Rick Jarvis raved about.
The inbounds play was not designed for him, another Cat collapsed into his area, leaving confusion on the pass's direction. Adam at least went for the ball, which the other cat did not. Course you boo birds and Risin Star Mick Haters won't let facts get in the way.
Gentry screwed up royally, not The Polish Demon. He looked about as talented as Ron Allen last night. The guy has a knack for bricks. And McCLain looks scared out there. He's a project. Pass the seasoning, please.
Adam My Main Man's numbers: 3-5 shooting, 6 boards. Decent numbers against a man-giant pushing off a night. He's not the reason they lost the game. Not even close.
My favorite pre-Nancy post:
"My goals when mick came in to repair the massive damage done to the UC basketball program was the fllowing:
Year 1: Field a team
Year 2: Make the Big East Tournament in Madison Square Garden
Year 3: NIT
Year 4: NCAA Tournament
It looks like Mick has us one year ahead of schedule. Go Mick. Go UC."
I hate the fact I missed the NIT tournament - did UC win it all? By already playing in the NIT, which by the way is NOT the Big East tourney, you would be correct in saying UC is one year ahead of schedule.
Bravo!
Are you available to do my next year's taxes too?
Can you share next week's winning lottery numbers?
What is the weather in 4 weeks?
Hey 1:09
You say you got "complete disinterest in mediocrity" and proclaim your separateness from UC basketball. Hopefully you cover your son's eyes when they're on TV. Yet you and Your Buddy The Self Proclaimed Cheviot expert read the blog and post like crazy, showing contrary to your proclamations an extreme interest UC Basketball as it is today. At least come out and admit you're still a bigtime fan, albeit a closeted one. We'll forgive you, much like the prodigal son. Enough with the numerous complaints and cheap shots at many of the guys. We know you still love UC BBall, warts and all.
Feigning disinterest and smugness is akin to You went to see Dave Matthews not because you secretly like him, but because you wanted to see if the equipment broke. Uhhh, doubt it.
I believe the term for fans who only follow a front runner is fair weathered. DO you really want to fit that?
Risin Star Mick Moniker Maker
Raisin Czar,
We meet again so soon. Please learn to read. Even a dumb former football player like myself can understand the written word. It's the Reds and Bengals that I view as mediocre. Sadly, you needed that spelled out for you. Of course, if you were a dumb former football player like myself, likely it wouldn't have been necessary. Is Sylvan open in the evenings?
JT -
But they were still a team in uttery disarray. And the committee looks at poor records near the end of the season closely. So their RPI might not be so representative of where they are right now.
Sippin' Mick Moniker Maker
5:15
I merely commented on what you actually wrote. Maybe you might enjoy a little remedial action yourself.Football players do receive a lot of blows to the head. I called Sylvan, they said they would squeeze you in. I'll even offer a ride.
I never said I was smart, but I do know how to read.
I'm the Rsisin Bran Raisin Czar
Raisin the Flag for the Risin Star
Yeah Mick Cronin Moniker Maker
Peace out. Go Cats.
signing off from Cincinnati, the center of the basketball universe
How is Andy Kennedy doing? I haven't checked in the past few weeks. Can someone tell me? I'm a huge fan and he really knows how to run an offense.
Sippin' Mick Moniker Maker
Did Pitt beat Duke this year. YES
Did Pitt beat Georgetown this year. YES
Pitt has so much more talent than us it is not funny. They were picked to finish 4th in BEast, we were picked 12th and in 7th place now.
I saw AK and his crew lost at UK. Something Gardner Webb couldn't do at UK.
hey 9:20 -
And UC could still finish close to 12th. Look at the standings.Plus more than 1/3 of UC's conference wins were against St. John's, South Florida and Rutegers; teams that would struggle in many conferences.
And JT - Ole Miss probably lost at UK because Gillispie is a real coach whose team has won almost all of their games down the stretch in his first year at the helm.
Sippin' Mick Moniker Maker
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