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Ballin' is a Habit: Previewing your College Hoops Weekend
Sat. 3:00 pm: Cincinnati @ No. 19 Marquette: Cincinnati is reeling a bit. After picking up road wins against Georgetown and UConn, there was chatter that the Bearcats were actually the second-best team in the Big East. The inability to keep up that kind of play knocked the Bearcats back to the pack, however. Now Marquette is one of the teams that is getting put into that conversation, but they are coming off of a recent loss to Notre Dame. Of note: the Bearcats are one of the best road teams in the Big East, if not the country.
Cincinnati poses deep challenge - JSOnline
"I think any time you’re playing 6-6 and under in a league like our’s, you don’t have a lot of protection," said Williams. "When you’re playing 7 ½ or eight guys that are all 6-6 and under, regardless of where the game is or who you’re playing, I think you’re at a deficit from beginning.
Know Your Opponent: Marquette Golden Eagles | February
Marquette turns it over the 5th fewest times a game, 13. Cincinnati turns it over 9, which is the fewest. However, Marquette has forced the highest number of turnovers and therefore the most per game, with the 3rd best turnover percentage, 23.2%. Cincinnati is 7th. The Bearcats are tied for 2nd in the league in steal percentage at 13.5%. UC opponents have a steal percentage of 6.
The Bearcats are doing their best to make turnover margin a relevant statistic in Basketball. It will have to be today.
A Brief By-The-Numbers Look at Cincinnati - Anonymous Eagle
1) Yancy Gates can be taken out of the game. I'm not just referring to his 6 game suspension for his role in the brawl. Before the suspension, Gates was averaging 34.4 minutes per game and didn't accrue more than 3 fouls in any of the 8 games. Since the suspension, Gates is averaging 28.8 minutes per game and has picked up at least 4 fouls in four of Cincinnati's 10 games, including each of the last two and fouling out in their four point win over Villanova. When he's not in foul trouble, he can be a dominant force with 3 double-doubles in Big East play, all in games when he wasn't in foul trouble. But even when he's having a major impact on the game, it might not be in Cincinnati's best interest: Two of those double-doubles came in losses: 77-74 at West Virginia and 60-53 at home to a Syracuse team without Fab Melo.
Its a valid point in general, but not for Marquette. Not for today. The Golden Eagles will be without Chris Otule and Davante Gardner out the task becomes herculean. Marquette simply doesn't have anyone else big enough and strong enough to contain Gates inside.
Know Your Opponent: Marquette Golden Eagles | February
Marquette turns it over the 5th fewest times a game, 13. Cincinnati turns it over 9, which is the fewest. However, Marquette has forced the highest number of turnovers and therefore the most per game, with the 3rd best turnover percentage, 23.2%. Cincinnati is 7th. The Bearcats are tied for 2nd in the league in steal percentage at 13.5%. UC opponents have a steal percentage of 6.
The Bearcats are doing their best to make turnover margin a relevant statistic in Basketball. It will have to be today.
Williams savors time with seniors - JSOnline
Bearcats Breakfast 2.10.12 - Paul Dehner
takes on today's game off the top