University of Cincinnati Sports: UC 72, Rutgers 68

Saturday, February 09, 2008

UC 72, Rutgers 68 - OT

Vaughn scored 13 of UC's 16 points in overtime.

59 Comments:

at 8:23 PM

Anonymous said...

No gloom and doom comments from the anti Mick crowd....hmmmm.

at 8:26 PM

Anonymous said...

we played pretty poorly as a team, but still managed to pull this one out. I'll take it. One more step on our way to the conference tourney.

I think I'll give credit for this win to nancy. haha, just kidding.

at 8:28 PM

Anonymous said...

There is no reason that UC should have had to go to overtime.
Except that Mick's coaching allowed us to lose the lead.
Not to mention he had two chances to draw up the winning play in overtime. Both complete disasters.
Vaughn bailed him out in overtime, sometimes players are good enough to overcome coaches that are "Sippin."

at 8:33 PM

Anonymous said...

Rutgers is a bad team, but did beat Pitt at Pitt, something not many teams do.

This team is frustrating to watch sometimes and I'm sure frustrating to coach at times too. Again, Mick needs time to get his guys into the program and develop them. They should be a Top 25 team within 2 years.

at 8:33 PM

Anonymous said...

I see Ole Piss is 3-5 in The SEC. The 'Cats are 6-5 in the much tougher BE. I guess we hired the right coach after all.

at 8:34 PM

Anonymous said...

Actually, the rate at which UC scores out of a timeout is high, way higher than when Huggs was here, and i love Huggs btw...how do you know it wasn't something Mick said to Vaughn that got him going at the end? I'd bet in the real world you couldn't coach your way out of a wet paper bag, but you're the John Wooden of blog coaching second guesses.

at 8:35 PM

Anonymous said...

Just listening to the postgame, Hoard said UC is now 3-3 on the road in the Big East. Only Georgetown has more road Big East victories this year.

at 8:37 PM

Anonymous said...

8:33 -

Actually Ole Miss is still a tourney team at this point, while UC is not even close. Try again. Kennedy = tourney worth team so far. Mick = not even the back end of the NIT (have to be .500 to make it).

Mick's coaching in this game tonight was terrible even with the win. Too much reliance on the inside game. Getting Williamson involved more in the offense is OK but that doesn't mean he has to take our best shooter out of the game and make everything go through Williamson. This team's offense continues to show very little future promise with all the freshman playing big minutes next year.

Mick's adjustments and strategy in this one seemed highly suspect.

at 8:37 PM

Anonymous said...

You mean like... Vaughn, "Please save me!"
I can't draw up any plays that work! Help"

at 8:38 PM

Anonymous said...

Hate to tell you I don't think that the Big East is better than the SEC this year.

at 8:40 PM

Anonymous said...

8:35 -

Too bad they don't win enough at home like the teams in the top slots in the current conference standings.

at 8:41 PM

Anonymous said...

UC SOS-5

Ole Piss SOS-44

The only team in the top 42 of the RPI with a losing conference record. AK and his crew with their patty cake nonconference schedule are overrated.

at 8:42 PM

Anonymous said...

8:28 You are a complete MORON. Please don't post any more. You're wasting your time and everyone else's. Your comment proves how little someone like yourself knows about the game.

With the roster Mick has, he has a better conference record than Huggs (with a dominating win over Huggs) and a better record than Kennedy has (much weaker conference). If you don't want to root for the Cats, go to Morgantown or Mississippi. Trust me...you won't be missed.

You are ridiculous and flat out dumb.

at 8:45 PM

Anonymous said...

I'm just glad Vaughn's little nap in the second allowed him to get over his hangover from the night before for OT.

Is it illegal to have Vaughn and Williamsom shoot well in the same game?

at 8:47 PM

Anonymous said...

8:23, this sorry coaching performance got you excited? You certainly don't expect much from a coach if you view this as good. If Vaughn wouldn't have awakened from his deep sleep or Rutgers wasn't worse than UC at the line, this would definitely have been an 'L'

at 8:47 PM

Anonymous said...

Hate to tell you I don't think that the Big East is better than the SEC this year.

Well,rather than just using blind speculation, let's take a look:

RPI:
Big East 3
SEC 4

Avg Non-Conf SOS
Big East 7
SEC 15

Average Non-Conf RPI
Big East 2
SEC 5

at 8:51 PM

Anonymous said...

I'm a UC fan. I like Mick, and wish AK and Huggins all the best.

The fact that we are even discussing this issue is that we still employ NaZi. Usually when a situation like Huggins and NaZi occurs, its in the best interest of the organization to let both of them go.

Well we're half way there. We will never be healed while NaZi remains. The BOT should show a act of courage and fire NaZi and the ones which were there when this screwup occurred should resign for the good of the university.

at 8:52 PM

Anonymous said...

It's nice to see some stats for a change to back up statements. Good job!

at 8:53 PM

Anonymous said...

The comment about not drawing up a winning play twice is completely accurate.
At the end of the game Mick had two full timeouts called to draw up a winning play.
We got crap.

at 8:54 PM

Anonymous said...

8:47

UC was 12-20 from the line, Rutgers was 13-23. How's that really worse?

at 8:54 PM

Anonymous said...

8:51, couldn't agree more. But now the "Living In The Past" denouncers will crawl out from under the baseboard and blast you.

at 8:56 PM

Anonymous said...

8:47: The coaching performance doesn't excite me, a win excites me...I expect the coach to put his team in the position to win and that's what he did, apparently. What also excites me is when some people show more about themselves by things they say than what they're actually saying and most readers/posters on here can see it clearly. Some of you are just so bitter and angry over something that happened 2 years ago and can't get over it, I'll leave it up to the majority of readers/posters to judge which of us is correct.

at 8:57 PM

Anonymous said...

With the Big East it is the eye ball test vs. the SEC.
You watch the teams and you know who is better.
I'm a Bearcat fan, but the fact as bad as the 'Cats are and are now 6-5 is an indictment on how weak much of the league is.
They would be burried in the SEC.

at 8:58 PM

Anonymous said...

8:47 -

There you go again, letting facts ruin someone's stupid opinion.

at 8:58 PM

Anonymous said...

8:54, you're right. However, it's difficult to distnquish between terrible and horrible. Both terms would fit either team's free throw perfomance tonight. - 8:47

at 8:59 PM

Anonymous said...

Hey 8:47, that looks like a clean sweep for the Big East vs the SEC. Shows the intelligence level of some of the "Mick haters" on this blog.

As for Ole Piss, they should be able to right their ship on Monday against Presbyterian (possibly). More top notch OOC competition for the Rebels (yeah right). Hubert Davis on College Gameday just called Ole Piss his "Biggest Disapointment" today.

I think it's funny that comments by some all year long talk about how UC is a one-man scoring team. We finally have someone else step up to score and they talk about how Vaughn bailed them out. That is what a star does for his team. He takes over the game when it is needed.

at 9:02 PM

Anonymous said...

mick could have drawn up the best play in the world, but if it's not executed properly then who cares, the fletcher to martin to levitt play could have also been blamed on huggin's inability if messed up...

at 9:07 PM

Anonymous said...

8:57

Why do you post something like that when 8:47 just posted proof that the Big East is better than the SEC?

Outside of Tennessee, who else is there in the SEC? Florida maybe, that's about it...

at 9:13 PM

Dave in Omaha said...

Who whines about a conference road win? Mixk should have done this. Hggs would have done that. Kennedy would have done something else...blah,blah,blah...

You take the roadie and get out of town. 6-5 in conference with winnable home games coming...

Nice win. Vaughn did what your top players should do at crunch time. Carried the load.

at 9:14 PM

Anonymous said...

Yeah I guess those back to back national championships mean nothing to you.

at 9:23 PM

Anonymous said...

8:37

I like how you preface your statement by stating that Ole Miss is a tourney team "at this point".

Yes they are right now, but if they don't finish above .500 in the conference, they won't be in no matter what their overall record is.

at 9:25 PM

Cheviot Sports Authority said...

What a great victory over an outstanding team. Gets me excited about UC basketball.

at 9:34 PM

Anonymous said...

To all the geniuses on this blog criticizing Cronin's coaching job this year -

I was just watching the G'Town vs. L'ville game on ESPN. Dickie V. and Jay Bilas (I think its Bilas) were talking about who deserves the Big East coach of the year. And who did they mention? Mike Bray of ND and....Mike Cronin. I can understand why most of you remain anonymous.

at 9:37 PM

Anonymous said...

Those back to back national championships mean nothing with regards to this season.

You made one of the stupidest arguments I have ever heard on this blog. That is saying a lot.

at 9:37 PM

Anonymous said...

CSA, I already made that point earlier. Please read the blog before posting. - Your Buddy

at 9:42 PM

oldtimer said...

To the guy or guys who think the two out of bounds plays were bad calls:

What would you have called. based on the personel on the floor? I'm calling your bluff here, tell me the right call, Mr Know it all. Be specific, break it down for us dumb ones here. Diagram it for us. Add some real substance to your opionions. You seem to feel you know enough about coaching to analyze and fault Cronin's. If your expert analysis can break down what went wrong in detail, what defense Rutgers ran, and who did or didn't do what they were supposed to for UC, then I'll credit your understanding of the play and listen to your explanation of the correct call.
Or are you just a second guesser with no real knowledge or understanding of the game to add? And quite honestly a whiner to boot.

I'm all ears, pal. Take it away. And how do you know what you think is the right play isn't what Cronin called and somebody got screened or picked by a lucky or smart defensive call? There's no guarantees any play will work.

Second guessers are just guys who never make it to first guessers.

Team won a close one. Period. Good coaches and fans take any win they can get. Incredibly this team is still in hunt for NCAA bid with a strong close. Remote, but SOS and Top 50 record are there. Opposing coaches and announcers love this team's spirit. These guys are fighters and overacheivers who won't quit. And buddy a lot of that is just plain ol'
good coaching.

at 9:43 PM

Anonymous said...

Sippin Mick should be National coach of the year not just Big East. I look for the Bearcats to win out now, including the Big East tourney and go very deep into the NCAA tourney.

at 9:50 PM

Anonymous said...

That guy Mini Mick or whatever they call him certainly is an outstanding coach. We had this game already marked up as a 'W'.

at 9:53 PM

Anonymous said...

What a windbag. Must be past your bedtime oldtimer.

at 10:06 PM

Dave in Omaha said...

UC was a preaseason pick of 15 or 16 in ALL Big East previews that I saw....

Can anyone say (or admit) OVERACHIEVERS?

Haters, hate all you want! The bandwagon will be here when you get back on

at 10:24 PM

Anonymous said...

In the end, a win is a win is a win, no matter how you wanna spin it.

None of your hatred, name calling, whining and what-ifs matter. Bearcats won.

The story ends.

at 10:32 PM

Anonymous said...

Dave, the only reason they were picked that low is because no one had any faith in Sippin' Mick.

This team has a top-15 recruiting class and tons of players finishing their second year and they are still below average at this point.

I would do anything for the team to instead be 16-5 like one certain SEC team which has risn from the ashes...but they aren't even close. One under .500 vs. ELEVEN over.

The team is below average. Anyone considering Mick for Coach of the Year now is either crazy or just paying lip service to creat conversation.

at 10:45 PM

Anonymous said...

Anyone considering Mick for Coach of the Year now is either crazy or just paying lip service to creat conversation.

And yet they could still manage to spell the word "create" successfully when asked.

at 10:57 PM

Anonymous said...

Cronin is going to be Big East Coach of the Year, regardless of what anonymous/Cheviot says.

To go from 2 wins last year to potentially 8-9-10 this year with their lack of depth, size and experience while beating three ranked teams is going to get him COY.

Know why--the coaches make the vote, not axe grinding sourpuss fans. I think the coaches are better qualified to say who can coach and who can't.

at 11:08 PM

Greg C. said...

Once again, Bill, I implore you to remove anonymous posting.

at 11:11 PM

Anonymous said...

10:32

That one certain SEC team who is 16-5 better make sure they finish with a plus .500 conference record or they won't be dancing in the NCAA tourney. Of course to do that, they would have to win some conference road games which has been difficult for them this entire year.

Ole Miss is starting to tail-off while UC continues to rise. But don't worry Ole Miss should beat 2-22 Presbyterian on Monday...

at 11:14 PM

Anonymous said...

Greg C., it's ALL anonymous unless we ALL use our complete and REAL names.

at 11:32 PM

Anonymous said...

Is this team hard to watch? No doubt! Is this a great team loaded with talent? No. Is Mick Cronin a great coach? Too soon to tell.
But the fact is the Bearcats are 6-5 in the Big East (tied for 6th). Did ANYONE expect this at the beginning of the season? No.
Is this a great team having a great season? No.
Is the improvement shown by this program remarkable? To all but a small minority of people -- YES.
Is Bob Huggins or Andy Kennedy a better coach than Mick Cronin? It's irrelevant. They're not here anymore.
Is the Big East better or worse than the SEC? It's irrelevant.
Why aren't some people (like CSA) "excited" about UC's improvement? It's irrelevant.
Why do a dwindling number of anonymous posters persist in ripping Mick Cronin -- not just for his "bad coaching" (albeit without facts to back it up), but his height, clothes, and the infamous "sippin' Mick moniker? Who cares? They're irrelevant.
The Bearcat fans have boarded the train to the future. The train is pulling out slowly and cautiously. In the rear-view mirror we can see and hear a small group of people -- thinking they are clever -- yelling insults at us.
But, as the train has moved down the tracks, their voices and faces get more shrill yet more faint. No one on the train cares what they have to say anymore.
They have also become irrelevant.
Go Bearcats!

at 11:54 PM

Anonymous said...

Monclova Steve,
Thanks for the great short story and all the support. I really need it! - Sippin' Mick

at 12:09 AM

Anonymous said...

Hey 10:45 -

All you could dispute about my post was an obvious typo? I'll take that seven days a week.

The fact is the team is still below average through nearly two full years under Mick. Ole Miss is above average.

Must be their great tradition getting them ahead faster than UC, LOL.

I'm sure some will say: "No, it's their experience." By that token, shouldn't Williamson, Sikes, Gentry be better than they were last year? They aren't, and in some cases they're worse. I somehow doubt they'd make a huge jump as "experienced: third-year players next year.

at 12:24 AM

Anonymous said...

Greg C., it's ALL anonymous unless we ALL use our complete and REAL names.

No it's not.

By creating a handle and using the Blogger format and a required e-Mail address, you are restricted to that handle until you sign out, then log-in as someone else and have a different e-Mail address.

Doing away from the anonymous postings is not about who you are specifically but keeping anonymous posters from running amuck as multiple voices instead of the one and highjacking a thread without being held responsible. The webmasters could easily block your IP address.

I don't know of many (or any) newspaper sites that allow anonymous postings at all. I work in federal government and our customer service boards require you to register for these very reasons.

(I mostly use the nickname function on the Cincy.com blogs because my wife has a Blogger site and it aggravates the hell out of her to keep logging back in after I've been on the computer.)

But I'd have no qualms with a rule of requiring a handle and e-Mail address to use the boards. It would eliminate most of the trolls and BS.

at 12:30 AM

Anonymous said...

For the life of me I have no idea why anyone who is a UC fan would be so obsessed with what Ole Miss and West Virginia are doing.

These coaches have been gone 2 and 3 years and these coaches are not coming back and the situation of their programs are not anywhere close to that of UC's.

Without knowing for sure, I don't imagine Kansas fans are checking the boxscores each game to see how Roy Williams is doing at North Carolina. Or Kentucky fans give a flip about Rick Pitino is doing at Louisville. Or Illinois fans whining about Bill Self at Kansas. Or Clemson fans bellyaching about Rick Barnes at Texas.

So this obsession about Ole Miss and West Virginia is mentally and maturely juvenile.

at 12:34 AM

Anonymous said...

Because RickNmd, they're not UC fans. They're merely a bunch of loser crybaby trolls looking for attention, nothing more.

at 12:42 AM

Anonymous said...

Rick:

Thank 8:33 p.m. They're the one who brought up Ole Miss on this thread. Others just responded in kind.

at 8:41 AM

Anonymous said...

Hey 12:09 - UC is above average in the conference this year (6-5) and Ole Miss is below average in conference this year (3-5). Anyone can schedule a cupcake non-conference schedule like Ole Miss did and go 13-0, it's what you do against evenly matched or better opponents that shows the kind of team you are.

If UC can somehow get to 11 conference wins and win a game or 2 in the BE tourney, I think they would get some serious consideration for a tourney bid and would be a definite lock for the NIT.

at 8:53 AM

Anonymous said...

to all the nancy whiners

If you have a degree from uc which most of you don't. When you have 40,000 plus applications for 10,000freshman slots, doyou think the value of your degree will go up. UC is much better off as are we. Do we thank Huggs. Don't think so.
Go Mick. Go Bearcats!!!!!!!

at 10:43 AM

Anonymous said...

The overall record matters most to the committee and one team is eleven over .500 while the other is one below.

Plus, it's not like a cupcake non-conference schedule would have helped UC. They lost to Bowling Green.

at 11:23 AM

Anonymous said...

10:43

The team that lost to Bowling Green did not have Warren at the point. Warren steadies this team and is a leader.

Take when Warren came back (against UAB) from then out when the team started to play better, they still had to play Xavier and Memphis along with Ill. State on the road (who is proving to be a good mid-major team) and replace them with some lesser foes and this team could be 14-9 instead of 11-12. If they are 14-9 now (6-5) in conference and go on to win 10 conference games and a game or two in the BE tourney that puts them at 19-20 wins and a probable NCAA tourney bid.

Ole Miss is getting exposed as a team with a weak non-conference schedule who cannot win on the road in conference and unless something changes, they will be in the NIT when it is all said and done.

UC is showing great improvement over the year, going from losing to Belmont and BG at home to beating Louisville and WVU on the road, along with Vill, Syr, and Pitt at home and playing Xavier, Memphis and UCONN tough.

Remember, the OOC schedule was set 2-3 years ago when Huggs still planned on being here and having Downey, Walker, Bennett and potentially Mayo and Beasley.

at 11:37 AM

Anonymous said...

To Bill -

I also hope that you will no longer allow anonymous posts. It makes it really hard to follow "who" is saying what.

Previous Posts

Saturday, February 09, 2008

UC 72, Rutgers 68 - OT

59 Comments: