University of Cincinnati Sports: Providence 81, UC 79

Sunday, March 02, 2008

Providence 81, UC 79 - post game

That was one very bad loss for UC any way you slice it. This was a team that had lost five in a row and nine of its last 10 and still might not make the Big East Tournament. Now at 13-15, it's becoming less and less likely that the Bearcats are going to be playing anywhere after the Big East Tournament.

“We played bad defense for the third straight game,” said UC coach Mick Cronin. “We were at home this time. We really had no excuse. We should have done a much better job on the defensive end of the floor. To have a team come in here and shoot 50 percent against us in regulation is inexcusable.”

57 Comments:

at 4:40 PM

Anonymous said...

My, oh my. UC struggles at home in regulation, and finally falls in OT, versus an extremely powerful Providence team. Simply a TREMENDOUS defensive effort put forth by the players of the front running Big East COY candidate, Sippin’ Mick! Really got the guys motivated for this one, didn’t he?
If this season has pleased you to no end, just you boys and girls wait around until next year!

Since they lost this one, I wonder if even that new, little, petite, whatever its name is, tournament will even want UC. You know, the one that Sippin' Mick has been courting. It's sure is great though that we no longer have to worry about going out in the second round of the real tournament. Or, for that matter, even the second round of the inferior NIT...

Sincerely,

President of the ‘We Love Mick No Matter What’ Fan Club

at 4:44 PM

Cheviot Sports Authority said...

Thank you Mick for the no excuses.

Seems St CSA was pretty accurate with evaluations of this team after all. But then I am not one to say I told you so.

St. CSA

at 4:49 PM

Anonymous said...

Hey Bill -

this was my second game of the year -

the referee's were the worst in the first half, and I am teh last one to complain about them.

that being said, the second half they were a non-factor.

I really saw a poorly coached game by mick. he had a bad one, it happens.

Providence has much less talent than UC, but they played hard. In the beginning of the OT, they were throwing up 3's like UC used to, and missing badly. But UC's lack of defense looked like no backside help all game long. wow - it was pathetic, and that's being generous.

I'm glad he's recruiting talent, but you have to prepare them and coach them. The weird comment from Dixon was that the style of UC allows the players to play. That rubbed me the wrong way, as teams that have a bunch of individuals playing generally lose.

And this is late in the season for the team to not play well or together. They have digressed.

And was Vaughn sick? He was taken out a lot and sat.

This was very bad basketball - I really do not understand how some posters get excited over the future.

Second sub-0.500 year.

Disappointed and not too thrilled with mick's coaching.

at 4:52 PM

Anonymous said...

Would all of you Sippin' Mick lovers please crawl out and tell us just what a great coach we now have? That way maybe we'll have something to be happy about after such a completely lifeless performance. Oh, that's right, Sippin' showed some life when he got teed on a stupid traveling call. Great move by a great coach. Sure got the refs' attentions and straighed them out.

"I don't know, Chuck. They just don't listen..."

at 5:06 PM

Anonymous said...

Another spectacular post from one of Chuggin' Bob's cronies.

No - we don't love Mick no matter what. What we do love is UC basketball - something you and your kind do not. You are not a UC fan, so why do people like you keep posting this crap?

It was a terrible loss and Cronin did get outcoached. This one hurt. The NIT was their only hope and now it is most likely gone. I guess you think he should be fired now?

There ought to be a law that prevenets morons from using the internet.

at 5:08 PM

Anonymous said...

two-three more losses to go this year. We're still on course for a great season of BB in 2010...maybe?

Thank you to UC FB and BK for taking the pressure and focus off of UC BB, for expecting a winning BB program.

at 5:40 PM

Anonymous said...

Just some thought as to why some of us berate this sorry, current UC administration.

I, for one, thought that Huggins had pretty much worn out his welcome after the infamous video incident. That, however, does not excuse the absolutely ignorant handling of his dismissal and the obliteration of our BB program, from which we have yet to recover.

And, no one knows how long it will be until BB fully recovers. There's a ton of speculation about it, but that is all it is. After this completely lifeless perfomance today, does it now seem closer or even further into the future?

So, the great present UC coach likes the idea of all the teams making the Big East tourney, does he? That's because it'll be one less thing for him to be laughed at about. Like last year when his team missed...and maybe next year if only 12 would made it.

at 6:57 PM

Anonymous said...

If you don't have the guts to post your name you shouldn't put a post up here. You obviously know nothing about college basketball. UC was torn apart a few years ago and Mick has done a fantastic job getting them where they are today. This team is limited on offence and that will improve over the next few years. Are you related to Andy Kennedy or something? Get off Mick's back and watch him get UC back to the top of college basketball. Tim from West Chester

at 7:11 PM

Anonymous said...

Anon 6:57 aka Tim in w.c.,

Was your head deeply buried in the sand today? You certainly didn't attend or watch the game, or probably even listen to it.

That was one of the most sorry performances from a UC team in decades. The looked totally unprepared for the game and uncoached during it. And all of that against a very bad team.

Try paying attention without your blinders on.

at 7:13 PM

Anonymous said...

Anon 5:06,

Wish there were such a law. It would certainly then keep you off!

at 8:24 PM

Anonymous said...

It's not the negativity that bothers me when I read these posts, it's the stupidity of the comments.

Attacking each other...still not letting go of Huggins....the Sippin' Mick garbage...it goes on and on. No wonder why writers often find blogging to be absurd. Look what Bill has to read with these comments.

REAL UC fans who get it - fans who remember the Tony Yates disaster and how Huggins rebuilt the program - have an idea of what real expectations are.

This is year two for Mick. The announcers on ESPNU were talking about how UC should be considered for the field of 65 if they finished the season strong. Whether you agreed with that assessment or not, who in their right mind would have thought that UC would even be in that position? Who REALLY thought they'd play this well in conference play?

If you truly expected more than what you're getting THIS season...not next year or the year after...but THIS season...then you are absolutely clueless.

This is a program that is trying to work several freshmen into the rotation, whose go to guy is just a soph., and until recently with JW, lacked a true 2nd scroing option. Yet they've pulled off several quality wins.

Mike Williams comes back next year, the solid recruiting continues and the program is getting national recognition and respect for it. I no longer live in Cincy, but I see just about every game in NYC on TV (obviously a Big East market), and trust me, people notice.

So, if you truly expected more, you're not being realistic. You need to come back down to earth. If you're one of the realistic ones, you realize days like this can happen.

Bottom line is, some folks on here just need to be heard, but what they really need is a reality check.

at 8:50 PM

Anonymous said...

It is inexcusable, Mick, but I'm sure you will come up with some excuses within the next day or two anyway. :rolls eyes:

Mick seems to know nothing at offense and only has knowledge of defense to a degree. Opposing coaches seem to have adjusted to Mick's stall tactics and Mick seems to have no answers to their moves.

But he's going to be the Big East Coach of the Year, isn't he? I wonder if Calhoun will still stay that after his UConn team crushes UC to send them to 14-16 or 13-17 and 9-9 or 8-10 in the conference?

This is a below average team still and might well be that way even in CONFERENCE soon; you know, the conference that they started showing their great "improvement" in supposedly.

Sippin' Mick Moniker Maker

at 9:03 PM

Anonymous said...

Bad refs, bad effort, but still a good shot at the NIT, which didn't seem possible in December.

at 9:20 PM

Anonymous said...

I think they were tired 2nd half.

at 9:36 PM

Anonymous said...

Now who called the Seniors the Saviors? Was thst Hoard or Sippin Mick? I would call them the salvage crew. What an terrible display of effort and coaching today. Mick is no Huggs.

at 9:38 PM

Anonymous said...

When UC loses the remaining the games they will only have 13 wins which is only 2 more Ws than last year. Now that in a great improvement Mick.

at 9:42 PM

Dave in Omaha said...

So much for the COY talk. Still exceeded season expectations IMO, but they sure did hit the wall when they could have continued to rise. Tough to expect them to win at GT or Pitt, but todays gave was a must. A home against an inferior (recordwise at least) opponent-playing for far less than you are...

Just a bad loss anyway you look at it.

Williamson played well.

at 10:04 PM

Anonymous said...

I don't think there are games in which Williamson and Vaugh are bad, but there are some where it seems they are just out of steam.

This team has performed beyond what I expected of it, but I don't think they can salvage the NIT now.
Winning their last two games would do it, but I don't think they can win at UConn, so I just don't see it happening.

at 11:16 PM

Anonymous said...

Does Mick still think this team deserves an NCAA bid? Him saying that a week or so ago was one of the dumbest things I've heard a coach say in a very long time. Does he think we're that stupid? Or is he that stupid? It'll be a few years until we get back to that level.

at 1:02 AM

Anonymous said...

Good to see you coming around, Dave. About time.

11:16 - it's sad but shouldn't be unexpected with Mick. He always acts like his team's disrespected and they seem to turn in some of their worst performances right after he makes such embarrassing comments.

leegero - Huggins had UC in the tourney by his third year following the Yates disaster. Not trending positive for Sippin' Mick in that regard right now.

And I guess Bill decided not to ask Mick about Williamson's punch/thug act? That was one sad, embarrassing display.

Sippin' Mick Moniker Maker

at 1:56 AM

Anonymous said...

CSA, what were your great predictions? Where are they? Are they as good as the prediction about Gransberry going nuts on us?

at 7:36 AM

Anonymous said...

Anon 11:16 PM,

Probably, the answer to both of your questions is yes. It's like living in a dream world. Both for Sippin' Mick and those who love him so. He really thinks we're that stupid (some are, if you read the blog) and he himself is likely also that stupid. Yesterday, he "coached" a team that looked completely unprepared for a very weak Providence team and looked lost for most of the game. Aren't we so glad that we now have such a great coach. "It is what it is" - and it may not be all that much. Yet, it is somewhat amusing to see him always sippin' on that cute little water bottle.

Sincerely,

President of the 'We Love Mick No Matter What' Fan Club

at 8:25 AM

Unknown said...

Bill, is it possible that Coach Cronin made a mistake in the psychological preparation of this team when he announced that they had a shot at the NCAA?

I wonder if some teams (this one) play better as an underdog, believing without a doubt that they have to play better than they really are, because they really are not that good.

Take a team like that and give them any sign to the contrary, and they could lose some kind of edge; something that makes them delight in proving the experts wrong.

The psych stuff is probably way over-sold, but you can't help but wonder.

at 8:46 AM

Anonymous said...

So much for coach of the year and the great turnaround this season. Lose the last two games and we win 13 this year. A two game improvement over last year's disaster. Thank goodness the football program is on the rise. Makes up for the continued decline of the basketball program.

at 8:49 AM

Anonymous said...

For all you Huggs lovers......I have one word:

Canisius

Every coach has a bad game. Enough said, idiots.

at 9:02 AM

Cheviot Sports Authority said...

This response to a completely unrelated topic is meant for JT only. I know it has absolutely nothing to do with the discussion on this thread. But didn't Gransberry have 18 rebounds against UC? That is pretty damn impressive if not all that meaningful at this point.

JT, I rarely make what some call predictions. I make evaluations based on facts and my own objective observations. I view things realistically and do not buy the hype just because it comes some sports talk host or beat writer (no offense meant to Bill Koch). By the way I am usually right.

at 9:57 AM

Anonymous said...

Yes..Huggins had them in the tourney by 3rd year. He also had much better players. I think Banks, Robinson, Gibson, Starks, et all...had much more to offer Huggins when he came in, then Cronin had with McGowan and Brandon Miller. Much more. Not to mention the competition difference in leagues. I don't think the Metro or GMC hold up very well against today's Big East.
And if the team improves even close to what it did from last year, to this year..they will be in the tourney.
Maybe instead of focusing on a bad loss, you should look back at the progess they made this year..wins at WVA, at Louisville, vs Villanova, and vs Pitt.

at 10:40 AM

Anonymous said...

Doesn't it bother anyone else that we now have to sometimes wait HOURS before comments are posted?

It's as though neither Bill nor the Enquirer cares about, or possibly wants to bother with a UC blog.

Of course, when comments close to not totally flattering the Enquirer are expressed, they are simply not posted.

I KNOW!

at 11:37 AM

Anonymous said...

To those complaining about delays in posting. I must admit that I can hardly wait until the sophomoric and empty postings of some of you regulars appear. Delays of mere minutes are agony. What negatively biased slants will burble forth? Please, I must know now!!!

Now about basketball. I attented the game on Sunday and was saddened by the lack of energy and focus of our players. We rarely reacted to ball screens on defense while at the same time could not set good screens for Vaughn. My grade for Cronin on the season is falling from B+ to just a B at this point.
I also cannot wait until we have a power forward that can finish with a powerful move to the basket.

at 11:46 AM

Anonymous said...

Anon 11:37,

Thank you very much for your quite sophomoric rant. And, if you actually would be paying attention, you would learn that, on many occasions, that comments appear hours later and not simply minutes, as you SO inaccurately state.

Of course, your rating of the current UC coach is just about as accurate. There's a pattern forming here...

at 12:11 PM

Cheviot Sports Authority said...

Bearcats will finish 10-12th in the BE. They were predicted to finish 12th. Last season they lost 19 games this season in spite of a couple of nice upsets, they will lose 18 or 19.
Quite an improvement in my book and with the five seniors and one soph getting the majority of the minutes this season, it could be worse next year. But then what do I know?

St CSA

at 12:31 PM

Anonymous said...

"I don't know, Chuck. They just don't listen..."....Was that not Huggins' old excuse line? Huggins always blamed his kids for a lose. It was never his fault for a sorry game plan.

Watching Huggy ball the last few years he coached here was painful. Flat out painful. The glory days have long been gone from coach Huggins. He stopped running the open post offense for god knows what reason. His teams were aweful against the zone D's. There was never any movement on the offensive end. The ball was force fed into the post.

I am a '92 grad that followed his teams to the final four and to the elite 8. He WAS an awesome. Huggins changed his style, and frankly it was boring to watch the last few years. There were many sub-par teams, mid majors and some not so mid majors that put butt kickens on Huggins' coached teams. But people tend to forget those in order to bash the current coach. Come on people stop living in the past.

at 1:32 PM

Anonymous said...

I have a comment for those who think they are being rational by reminding people how long it takes to restore a program. The comment is that there was no need for this program to have to be rebuilt in the first place. And before you run off and accuse me of being a "Huggins lover" (which I am) remember that even with Huggins gone, there was an opportunity to save the program. Retaining Andy Kennedy would have accomplished that. But, instead, Nancy needed to remove everyone who ever shook hands with Huggins, and they let Kennedy get away. And that is where I think everyone has a right to suggest that UC screwed this thing up, and the fans shouldn't be told - "Gee, it's going to take ten years to get to the NCAA".

at 1:49 PM

Anonymous said...

Lose the lsst couple games by a couple points and Cronin is the worst coach in the history of UC.

Win a couple games by a couple points and Cronin shoulda won by so much more.

On and on and on.
Wailing and beating of the chest ad infinitum.
Boring.

If UC beats Depaul and wins two in the tourney, they finish .500. It's a decent start to the rebuild.
Next year they are much better.

Hey, moderators, you keep posting these inane comment about Sippin Mick. Have the guts to post rational rebuttals.

at 2:05 PM

Anonymous said...

Anon 1:49,

We have the crow slow cooking in the crock pot for you after the next two losses. Did you watch the fiasco Sunday, or even listen to it? They looked both unprepared and lost on the court against the very weak Providence Friars. Let's just keep pretending that Mick's a great coach and that this is all going to work out fine. And, keep on sippin' on Mick's koolaid!! Because everybody's got a dream. Yeah, yeah...

at 2:10 PM

Anonymous said...

1:32 Anon Andy had the job less than 9 months & couldn't make sure his players were going class resulting in 2 of the 5 starters being ineligible for the post season. But I guess since he was Bob's assisant he probably wasn't aware of the fact that they were suppose to be going to class. By the way what exactly do you like about a coach that starts 13-0 & then goes 6-9 once conference play starts? Also 1 of the 6 wins was against Presbyterian who finished the season 5-25.

at 2:15 PM

Anonymous said...

Anon 1:49,

Wow! That's something that I never thought I would EVER see. One of you Sippin' Mick Lovers complaining about the moderation. It was in your weak behalf that it was initiated in the first place. And you're complaining??? LOL

at 4:12 PM

Anonymous said...

On good blog sites, posts with profanity or insulting material or that ridicules other bloggers or the head coach are removed by the site adminstrator and if the poster persists then his privaleges are suspended. I find the word "Sippin" insulting. No other Bearcat site would allow posts that include the words Sippin, Scarecats, etc. If you have something intelligent to say, do it without insulting the Bearcat Nation.

at 4:19 PM

Anonymous said...

hey 12:31 -

Those Huggins teams may have been boring, but at least they were NCAA Tourney caliber and not "no tourney at all" caliber like Sippin' Mick's team. They at least played defense. Mick's team does nothing and could well not make even the "CBI" tournament, meaning they wil be well below the top 100 teams for the year. And that's with a top-15 recruiting clas and tons of seniors.

Sippin' Mick Moniker Maker

at 6:12 PM

Anonymous said...

Please delete the non-informative, derisive posts. They only prove to remind how much we need a true mental health plan in this country.

Next year uc goes 11-7 in big east, qualifies for ncaa, gets booted in second round, and the derisive posts will still flow.

go Bearcats!!!!

at 6:19 PM

Anonymous said...

hey Bearcat in Atlanta -

The team isn't "insulting." It's simply an indictment on Mick's coaching style (staring into space).

And Mick did seem to state into space more lately than usual yesterday, which seemed to show he's given up on the season. I'm sure Bill won't allow the post because I mentioned him staring into space yesterday, but it's true.

Of course Bill also ignored Williamson's thug act, so what else is new?

at 7:37 PM

Anonymous said...

Anon 6:19,

It's no problem, because Bill made up for allowing your comments to post and by NOT allowing mine, which were addressed to Bearcat in Atlanta. It's very selective moderating. Wonder if these comments will also be "moderated" and of course, we all know that means not posted.

at 8:28 PM

Anonymous said...

CSA why don't you evaluate yourself and your fat "A" and get a life. You are not some holier than thou, you are a low life troll, that is being realistic.

at 8:34 PM

Anonymous said...

UC is the ONLY team in the country with NO THIRD YEAR SCHOLARSHIP players. They may be seniors but they are picked over JUCO seniors and a Sophomore. Heck Xavier barely beat a down and out UC game at HOME. BTW didn't this horrible team, even worse last year BEAT X?????? And Mick is the bad coach???? How bad is sean then??

at 8:48 PM

Anonymous said...

jt,

you da man. You tellum CSA off real good. Him sure listen to you, cause you da man.

And, I'm so glad to see you're a real Mick Lover. No pretense with you. Please enjoy your tremendous coach. But, when the excuses run out two years from now and he looks like a fish out of water,or a coach out of his league, just don't forget that CSA told you so.

And for all you other geniuses trolling this evening, I AM NOT Cheviot Sports Authority. There's just the one and only official CSA!

at 11:15 PM

Anonymous said...

Anon 8:48

And in 2 years when Mick has them contending for the Big East title and a Final Four bid, do you and CSA and SMMM and others like you promise to stop posting on this blog? I am willing to leave this blog if that doesn't happen in 2 years, but I have a strong feeling that it will.

at 12:20 AM

Anonymous said...

They could even contend next year for a BEast title.

They are bringing in some serious talent that can all score.

Yancy, Aldridge-already averaged 20 ppg in D1, Mike Williams - former 5* McDAA recruit, Cash Wright who will be as good as Downey and Dixon who will be a stud can all score. Add that to Deonta, Biggie, Larry Davis, Bishop and company and they will be very deep and be able to score a lot of points.

Suckin' Sean Miller Lite

at 12:30 AM

Anonymous said...

hey 11:15 -

Is that feeling as "strong" as JT's that UC will land Hopson? (rolls eyes)

What makes you think Mick could ever build a Final Four team? They have such little talent coming in so far that you seem to have no basis for such an opinion.

The 2008 recruiting class is not even ranked in the top-25 so far. The 2007 class was ranked No. 15, yet they are a below average collection of talent thus far.

Sippin' Mick Moniker Maker

at 1:43 AM

Anonymous said...

JT,

The class your are gushing over is not even ranked in the top-25 so far.

This year's top-15 class can barely score 50 or 60 points in many games and yet you expect a lot of points out of a class ranked much lower at this point?

Sippin' Mick Moniker Maker

at 2:35 AM

Anonymous said...

Va Jay Jay Anon

Ummmm, Mick did build a Final Four team when he worked for Pitino at Louisville. DUH!!

The 2008 Recruiting Class if FAR from being complete. Who really cares about ratings anyway? What recruiting expert sees every high school and prep player in the country play? What was D.Wade rated? Where was Lofton rated?

OSU's class was rated #6 last year and they won't even make the NCAA tourney this year, so obviously ratings don't mean much.

He not only gets Aldridge in the class, but Williams will be back also.

I don't call a McDAA coming in and a guy that already averaged 20 ppg this year "Little" talent.

Other coaches in the BEast know we are going to be tough to contend with next year, and they are slightly more knowledgeable than you, va jay jay.

Suckin' Sean Miller Lite

at 8:08 AM

Anonymous said...

Question: Has this blog now become a magnet for dreamers?

While hardly viewing this season as a great success, I do view it as a miracle of sorts. Winning as many games as they have with only 2 actual Big East level players and a starter that shouldn't even be on the floor except as a crowd favorite at the end of games (ala John Meeker) is a miracle of sorts. Whether it is because of the coaching or in spite of it, I can't really say, but I'm hardly a delusional fan AND I, for one, am not entirely sold on ANY coach, including Mick, that is still unproven at this level. Time will expose if he is a good one, or not.

As far as dreamers go, JT certainly is leading the pack, but he has plenty of company.

at 8:27 AM

Anonymous said...

JT/12:20,

I've watched Yancey Gates a few times, and I question whether he's a first year impact scorer in college. He likes to go to the middle and use his size advantage (6-8) against smaller high school opponents.

That won't work in college, so he's got some retraining to absorb.

Maybe by the end of his first year, but I wouldn't count on big scoring out of him early in the season.

at 8:47 AM

Anonymous said...

I would bet on the experience of a 2 star, 4 year college player over the impact of a 1 year, 5 star player. The 5 stars are gone after a year, and then what do you have?

How likely are K-State or USC to take it all this year? Not very.

One could make a case for recruiting 1-3 star players.

at 1:49 PM

Anonymous said...

There is no reason to think that Gates cannot come in here and contribute immediately. He is as big as Dejuan Blair and Patrick Patterson and handles the ball better and has a better shot than they do.

at 2:01 PM

Anonymous said...

To Dreamin' JT:

Mick did not "build" the recruiting class. Ultimately Pitino was responsible for that class and I imagine most of the players wanted to play for him and didn't make their final decision because Sippin' Mick.

And the "McDonald’s All-American" has yet to prove he can score more than a few points per game. He sure wasn't sharp at Texas.

He might be good, but to praise him now seems to be a bit of a rush in judgment.

Sippin' Mick Moniker Maker

at 4:02 PM

Anonymous said...

Hey moniker maker, how many times did you watch Williams play at Texas? I know the answer is zero, so how can you say he definitely was sharp when you have never seen him play?

Thought so.

at 5:17 PM

Anonymous said...

4:02 -

I looked at his stat. line. It spoke for itself.

Sippin' Mick Moniker Maker

Previous Posts

Sunday, March 02, 2008

Providence 81, UC 79 - post game

57 Comments: