The Significance of Today’s ECU Game Can’t Be Underestimated

Before the Bengals hoopla this afternoon, the Cincinnati Bearcats have some business to attend to.

Wes Miller’s Bearcats, now 14-6 overall and 4-3 in the American, head down to Minges Coliseum for a Greenville, North Carolina date with the East Carolina Pirates.

The game will be at high noon on ESPNU.

After a tough loss to Temple, Cincinnati has a shot at placing itself firmly back in the race for a trip to the NCAA Tournament with a win today. A loss drops Cincinnati to .500 in the league and will make it much more difficult for them to claw their way back into the race.

11-8 (2-5 AAC) ECU is no slouch. Cincinnati’s 79-71 win at Fifth Third Arena earlier this month was a battle. Cincinnati took a big halftime lead but Joe Dooley’s rapidly improving Pirates team played erratic if fantastic second half basketball, making that a genuinely competitive game.

Let’s hope that the energy of Cincinnati’s first half 49-29 lead is the prevailing feeling of this afternoon’s game.