UC shoots 51.9%, still lose to Pitt

[sirthought]

Pitt was simply incredible against UC. They won 85-69. UC got as close as 5 with 12 minutes to go, but their top scorer to that point, Larry Davis, went down with an ankle injury.

And it wasn't as though UC performed badly. This actually might have been their best game this season as far as overall team effort. Multiple scorers are starting to emerge. They shot 51 percent from the field against a very tough Pitt defense. The rebounding, especially on the offensive side, is respectable and competitive. They didn't have too many turn overs. They had decent bench production.

I just could not believe the shots Pitt made. They shot 67 percent from the field. It wasn't even like the incredible Duke vs. Xavier game where the Blue Devils made such incredible threes. A lot of these shots were in heavy traffic and throwing it up more than aim and shooting. They just had the touch. Pitt's team manhandled a team that was fighting hard.

Many of UCs shots were in and out. Frustrating. But the speed and experience of Pitt really set them apart. I think they are one of the top teams I've seen this season.



UC still has a promising opportunity to play their way into an at-large bid. They have a RPI rank of 50. SOS of 33. If they play like they did today, I don't see them losing their remaining games too easily. My guess is they win 2 of the next three and hopefully one of those is at Syracuse. UC's guards will really have to sharpen up, but this is certainly not the same team that lost to Xavier in December.

[golfitup]

, but this is certainly not the same team that lost to Xavier in December.

Like I care.....

[gladdenguy]

I don't even know why this is posted. I hate UC, Mick is a cocky muskrat, f'em.
I hope they lose the rest of their games.

[xsteve1]

Come back when UC actually beats a tournament worthy team and UNLV doesn't count.

[Xpectations]

UC's guards will really have to sharpen up, but this is certainly not the same team that lost to Xavier in December.

Perhaps not, but we would still beat them, even at home. And I wouldn't be surprised if we don't end up with the largest margin of victory against them at the Shoe.

[Stonebreaker]

Good post. Not everybody here has a hatred for other teams. If you don't like a thread, then I suggest ignoring it, rather than acting as if it offends you after you made the decision to view it.
Also, it's good to know thy opponents. IMO.

[xavierj]

UC's guards will really have to sharpen up, but this is certainly not the same team that lost to Xavier in December.

Are they worse now then they were in December? UC's best wins are against UAB and UNLV and those games were played before they even played Xavier. I will tell you UC can get in the conversation for the NCAA by beating either Syracuse or Louisville. If they don't they are NIT bound but it sure beats the CBI. Just because UC has a RPI of 50 does not giv e them a great chance. Most teams in the 50 RPI range do not go to the NCAA tourney and your chances are even less when you fail to beat a team from the top half of your conference. With that said UC has a chance to sneak in if they can pull an upset or two.

[sirthought]

Are they worse now then they were in December?
No, they are playing much much better than they were in December. If you had watched their last stretch of games you would see it.


Most teams in the 50 RPI range do not go to the NCAA tourney and your chances are even less when you fail to beat a team from the top half of your conference.
UC has beaten teams from the top half of their conference. They ARE in the top half. Those team they've beaten have just fallen lower at this point. Other than that I agree with everything you said. It'll be tough for them to get in. They still have an excellent chance to make it happen.


It's interesting that in the recent basketball writer's mock selection day bracket (http://i.sportingnews.com/ncaa_basketball/2009_mock_bracket.png), UC was not selected but Georgetown and WVU do make it. Those teams aren't in the top half of the Big East. I guess their SOS of 1 and 5, respectively, shows how tough their road has been.

[Xpectations]

FWIW, Dustin Dow has UC in the NCAA field (http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=blog05&plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3afdda4dab-ab39-43a7-8ba8-36da2f75a889Post%3a20e0a98f-5c20-4b2e-b776-c5999812fd01&plckCommentSortOrder=TimeStampAscending&sid=sitelife.cincinnati.com) (last team in) as of today.

He certainly doesn't have Lunardi's track record (Joe generally nails the entire field and almost all of the seeds each season), but Dustin has been through the official process and understands the criteria very well.

Regardless, there is no chance that UC is on the bubble and absolutely control their own destiny from here.

[Stonebreaker]

I've got UC going 6th in the BE next year, and ND about 10. Should be a great crosstown shoutout in '09.

[XU '11]

No, they are playing much much better than they were in December. If you had watched their last stretch of games you would see it.



Lets see in their last 5 games, they've beaten 2 non-tourney teams, 1 bubble team, and lost to the two good teams they played by 21 and 17 respectively.

They did almost the exact same thing in December, losing to Xavier and Memphis, and beating Mississippi St.

UC is getting better, but so is every team in the country.

[_LH]

UC is slightly better but people think they are much better because they are beating bad teams. Come back when they beat someone good. UC is not a tournament team and the committee will not be fooled by wins over DePaul and Seton Hall.

[xavierj]

You know the weird thing about this UC team is that they had much better wins last year then this year. But last year they were lucky to go to the CBI yet people think they are an NCAA team this year. Kind of weird.

[Juice]

You know the weird thing about this UC team is that they had much better wins last year then this year. But last year they were lucky to go to the CBI yet people think they are an NCAA team this year. Kind of weird.

You make a good point. The main reason, which I am sure you will agree with this, is that they beat some of the better teams in Big East last year but their overall record was pretty bad. This year they beat up on the bottom feeders of the Big East and their record is decent within the conference, and everyone assumes that because it is the BIG EAST! that UC belongs in the tourney while not accumulating any real wins. Their "resume" is all on the surface but if anyone actually looks at their schedule of wins and losses they will see a team that is NIT worthy.

All that being said, UC definitely has improved from last year and I think next year is the year that they could make it back to the tournament.