Oponent: South Florida Bulls
Conference: Big East
Record: 6-11
Last Five: 0-5
Venue: Fifth Third Arena
Time: 7PM
TV: FSN Ohio Alternate Channel or ESPN3
This is a big game for UC, not just to see how they respond after coming up short for the first time this season. But the true importance of this game lies in a single, crucial fact, this is the only respite the Bearcats are going to get during the current five game swing. After the Xavier game when you looked ahead at the next five you saw games at Nova, Notre Dame, Syracuse and St. Johns. The long home game is this one against the Bulls. This game is also the only one I felt reasonably confident about. But the most important thing in the long term is that for UC to make an NCAA run this season the Bearcats must win the games in the Big East in which they are favored. Letting games like this one slide into the losing column is a sure fire way for the team to be relegated to the NIT and for Mick Cronin to be relegated to unemployment. USF has played well of late, they pushed UConn to OT on the road and hung in there with Louisville and Villanova in home games. But they are not a good team, this is a game UC has to win to make the NCAA Tournament.
Go Cats! Beat the Bulls!