Down The Drive - Cincinnati Bearcats Basketball Week 5A Cincinnati Bearcats blog for the moderately intelligenthttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48741/downthedrive-fave.png2014-12-13T23:47:20-05:00http://www.downthedrive.com/rss/stream/71217902014-12-13T23:47:20-05:002014-12-13T23:47:20-05:00Bearcats and Nebraska Play A Terrible Game
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<figcaption>Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Oh and Nebraska won, but that's beside the point</p> <p>Look at this point the wool should be fully removed from everyone's eyes. Whatever talk Mick spits about changing the way that the Bearcats play is irrelevant. He is incapable of coaching an offense that is, in any way shape or form competent. Not even good, A good offense would be the moon to Mick at this point.</p>
<p>So this is what we are going to have for Bearcats basketball for the foreseeable future, unwatchable basketball on a scale that beggars belief even on the level of generally hard to watch college basketball. The problem is that Mick has no idea how to coach offense. Or if he knows how to he has no interest in coaching it. So these kind of games are going to be endemic.</p>
<p>That's fine if the only goal is to win games on a game by game basis, Mick has proven that UC can do that. But if he ever wants UC to get back to a final four, make regular runs deep into the tournament or, heavan forbid, win a national championship he needs to get better coaching offense. The bottom line is that UC can't win big playing like this. Something has to give but here is the thing, nothing will</p>
https://www.downthedrive.com/2014/12/13/7389009/cincinnati-and-nebraska-set-basketball-back-40-yearsMatt Opper2014-12-13T19:39:53-05:002014-12-13T19:39:53-05:00Bearcats and Huskers Gamethread
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<figcaption>Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Bearcats are starting one of the most important seven day stretches of the season when they take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers tonight in Lincoln.</p> <p>The Huskers have endured a fast and brutal fall from just the second preseason ranking in program history. The <a href="https://www.cornnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cornhuskers</a> have already dropped games to Rhode Island, Creighton and Incarnate Word. I, like most of you I am guessing, have heard of the first two schools, and thus don't find those losses to be quite so problematic. Incarnate Word is a different matter, its not just that they lost. It was that they lost in appallingly dumb fashion to a team<a target="_blank" href="http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=400595404"> that is playing in Division 1 for the first time this season</a>.</p>
<p>The Cornhuskers are coming into this game on a two game losing streak, but they are a very dangerous team for the Bearcats to play.They have a couple of very proficient scorers in <span>Terran Petteway</span> and <span>Shavon Shields</span>. However, of the three teams on the docket on this Saturday to Saturday run the Huskers are the one the Bearcats match up best with. The question is what UC team will we see tonight, the one that played their most complete game of the season against an OK Stony Brook team, or the one that looked lost and utterly hopeless against Ole Miss? We will find out soon enough.</p>
<p>So here goes the gamethread, lets make it happen Bearcats.</p>
https://www.downthedrive.com/2014/12/13/7388523/bearcats-and-huskers-gamethreadMatt Opper2014-12-13T11:23:16-05:002014-12-13T11:23:16-05:00The Layup Line: Nebraska
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<figcaption>Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>From preseason #21 in the country to losing at home to Incarnate World: what should the Bearcats expect from the Cornhuskers?</p> <p>Three times last year the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.downthedrive.com/">Cincinnati Bearcats</a> had 7 or more days to prepare for a game. The results? <i>Not great. </i>They took Houston to the woodshed in February and lost to Harvard in the NCAA Tournament. But the first time they had a week-long break last year was just before the Crosstown Shootout, <i>and we all know how that ended.</i></p>
<p><b>I wonder if there's really something to this 7+ day break?</b> Would you be shocked if the 'Cats came out ice cold playing in an away arena? And what if they scored 10 unanswered right after tip-off?</p>
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<li> <b>Game:</b> Saturday, December 13 @ 9:00pm ET</li>
<li> <b>Location:</b> Pinnacle Bank Arena; Lincoln, NE</li>
<li> <b>TV/Radio:</b> Big Ten Network; 700 WLW</li>
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<p>Neither scenario would completely surprise me, and you could credit both to having such a long break in between games (<i>they're out of sync</i> or <i>that rest really refueled them</i>).</p>
<p>Nonetheless, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.cornnation.com/">Nebraska Cornhuskers</a> are going to<b> provide quite the challenge tonight.</b> As I mentioned in the teaser above, Nebraska was ranked #21 in the preseason polls, but now come off back-to-back losses to Creighton and Incarnate World.</p>
<p>In other words, they're probably pissed and really want a victory. <b>Especially at home.</b></p>
<p>Junior guard Terren Petteway <i>(#5)</i> is still there, and he's still a beast - averaging over <b>20 points a game</b> and leading the team in assists.</p>
<p>Guard/Forward Shavon Shields is the other scoring threat at <b>18 points a game</b>. And when I say "the other scoring threat" I mean that. No other Cornhusker averages more than 6.8 points a game. Last year, the Bearcats were able to hold Shields to 2 points on 1-11 shooting.</p>
<p><b>What the 'Cats have to do to win:</b></p>
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<li><span><b>Get off to a good start early. </b>First true road game for the Bearcats; a good start is crucial. Prior to their upset to Incarnate World, Nebraska was holding teams to 38% from the field - including just 28% from 3 point land.</span></li>
<li> <b>Turn the Huskers over.</b> The Huskers average over 14 a game. Bearcat opponents? Only 11 each game. Need to force turnovers early and often.</li>
<li> <b>Shut down 1 of 'em. </b>Petteway or Shields, that is. If they both go for their averages, the Bearcats are in for a hurting.</li>
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<p>Cronin and crew are usually pretty good at shutting down one of their opponent's stars. The fact that Nebraska's hungry to get back on track, though, and that the Bearcats haven't played a true road game scares me. This one feels like the New Mexico game last year part deux. Bearcats start cold and can't recover: <b>Cornhuskers 65-58</b></p>
https://www.downthedrive.com/2014/12/13/7382559/the-layup-line-nebraskaJustin Post2014-12-13T08:07:23-05:002014-12-13T08:07:23-05:00Jamaree Strickland Transferring From Cincinnati
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<figcaption>Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>From suspended to transferring; Bearcats center Jamaree Strickland is gone.</p> <p>Redshirt freshman center <span>Jamaree Strickland</span> will be playing for another school the next time he suits up on the basketball court, according to<a target="_blank" href="http://www.fox19.com/story/27618288/redshirt-freshmen-strickland-to-transfer-from-ucs-mens-basketball-program"> local news outlets</a>.</p>
<p>This comes as no shock to Bearcats fans as there have been rumblings throughout the preseason that things had gone sour with Strickland. And of course you'll remember he was <a target="_blank" href="http://www.downthedrive.com/2014/11/26/7292129/jamaree-strickland-suspended-from-program">suspended just last month</a> for "conduct unbecoming of a Bearcat." <i>(still no elaboration publicly on what that was for)</i></p>
<p>On the surface, this probably won't effect the Bearcats too much this season as Strickland was likely the last option off a fairly deep bench. But the center position is one the Bearcats actually need depth this year in order to spell <span>Octavius Ellis</span> and <span>Coreontae DeBerry</span>.</p>
<p>Cronin's only quote on Strickland's transfer:<i> "We wish Jamaree the best going forward."</i></p>
<p>We'll let you know what school he ends up going to as soon as we know for sure.</p>
https://www.downthedrive.com/2014/12/13/7386703/jamaree-strickland-transferringJustin Post2014-12-09T11:00:02-05:002014-12-09T11:00:02-05:00Bearcats Basketball Week 5 Overview
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<p>The Bearcats might have a single solitary game on the docket this week, but that game kicks off one of the more important stretches of the season for the Bearcats.</p> <h3>About Nebraska</h3>
<p>The Cornhuskers had a Cinderella season last year winning 11 Big 10 games and making a return trip to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1998. What made the turnaround even more remarkable is that it happened in the middle of the season. When the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.downthedrive.com/">Bearcats</a> played Nebraska last it the Huskers were clearly a team that was learning how to win, and then in the middle of the year figured out how to win in one of the toughest basketball conferences in the country. This season has not started quite so well, they come into the year with a 5-2 mark with the two defeats coming at the hands of Rhode Island and Creighton. Neither loss is an RPI killer, but a team that came into the year ranked in the top 25 is supposed to win those kind of games.</p>
<h3>Husker To Watch</h3>
<p><span>Terran Petteway</span>, who else could it be? Petteway has been the best and most consistent player for the Cornhuskers for most of the last two seasons. He originally started at Texas Tech, but transferred to Lincoln. After sitting out the 2012-13 season as required by the NCAA Petteway became eligible last year and was a difference maker from the start. Through five games Petteway is scoring at higher clip with a better effective field goal percentage. He is more active on the boards and has become a decent play maker for his team. Petteway was Nebraska's best player in last year's match up and is even better now.</p>
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<h3>Key Bearcat Of The Week</h3>
<p><span>Troy Caupain</span> has very much had a roller coaster of a season to date. Good games are followed almost as a rule by bad games. That is simply not going to do it over this coming stretch. Troy needs to be good night in, night out. He can start with curbing his disturbing turnover habit. As of today Troy is turning the ball over on nearly 25 percent of all the possessions he consumes. That is an exceptionally high rate for a point guard. He also needs to do a better job of getting the ball inside to newly minted Rookie of the Week Gary Clark and <span>Octavius Ellis</span>.</p>
<h3>Throwback Of The Week</h3>
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https://www.downthedrive.com/2014/12/9/7357975/cincinnati-bearcats-basketball-week-5-overviewMatt Opper2014-12-08T21:42:41-05:002014-12-08T21:42:41-05:00Gary Clark Named AAC Rookie Of The Week
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<figcaption>Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>It took Gary Clark a while to get going, but now that he is in a groove the public is taking notice of the expansion of his game.</p> <p>From<a href="http://www.gobearcats.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/120814aac.html" target="_blank"> the release</a> on GoBearcats.com</p>
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<p>University of Cincinnati freshman forward <span>Gary Clark</span> (Clayton, N.C./Clayton High School) has been named the American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week while junior forward Shaq Thomas (Paterson, N.J./NIA Prep School) earned selection to the league's weekly honor roll the conference announced Monday.</p>
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<p>Clark is getting recognition for last week, but he has been an absolute monster over the last two weeks averaging 10 points and 8.6 boards per contest while shooting 61 percent from the field. He and <span>Octavius Ellis</span> were by far the best Bearcats of the Florida trip.</p>
<p>That continued into last Tuesday's game against Stony Brook which was the most complete of Clark's young career. Its not just the scoring and domination on the glass, its the way he plays the game. Stony Brook threw a lot of double teams at Clark and he handled them like it was nothing. Hopefully this is the first of many rookie of the week honors that Clark will get this season.</p>
https://www.downthedrive.com/2014/12/8/7357547/gary-clark-cincinnati-bearcats-aac-rookie-of-the-weekMatt Opper