Player, School | Minutes/G | Points/G | Rebounds/G |
Adonis Thomas, Memphis | 23.9 -- 29.3 | 8.8 -- 11.7 | 3.2 -- 4.5 |
Cody Zeller, Indiana | 28.5 -- 29.5 | 15.6 -- 16.5 | 6.6 -- 8.1 |
Branden Dawson, Michigan St. | 20.6 -- 26.9 | 8.4 -- 8.9 | 4.5 -- 5.9 |
Jarnell Stokes, Tenn. | 25.6 -- 28.8 | 9.6 -- 12.4 | 7.4 -- 9.6 |
Chane Behanan, Lou | 26.0 -- 26.1 | 9.5 -- 9.8 | 7.5 -- 6.5 |
Otto Porter, GT | 29.7 -- 35.4 | 9.7 -- 16.2 | 6.8 -- 7.5 |
--- Notice, only Cody Zeller, who entered a rebuilding situation at Indiana, even averaged double-digit points per game. Nearly all sat around that 9/10 point mark while pulling down about seven rebounds. At somewhere in the mid-20s in minutes per game seems to be the norm as well and while even Cronin himself doesn't know how much Lawrence will play that seems to be a nice jumping off point. It'd be hard to imagine it any differently.
--- Moral of the story, understand the standard impact by any freshman and that one-and-done frosh explosions are rare as hitting a full-court heave.
--- UC popped the surprise extension announcement on us yesterday at the afternoon press conference. I knew something had to be up when the special podium showed up in the media room.
Many things to touch on with this, I'll offer up three:
1) No, these contracts don't amount to much on paper as far as security in keeping coaches. Steve Alford signing a long-term contract extension with New Mexico in the last month before bolting to UCLA 10 days later.
Cronin said it best: "In this business, you are either getting extended or extinguished."
This contract does not mean Cronin couldn't bolt for another school tomorrow. It also doesn't mean he couldn't be bought out by UC tomorrow. What it does mean is Whit Babcock and the administration aren't taking for granted Mick's pronounced commitment to stay as Bearcats head coach his entire career. This is where he wants to be and has never hidden that fact.
Expectations are to win games and make the NCAA Tournament. No contract extension will change that.
"You've got to be a big boy when you take these jobs," Cronin said. "You have to realize that there are expectations and if you don't meet those expectations you won't be running the program very long."
2) By offering this financial commitment (terms yet unreleased) erased any thought Cronin has made poor business decisions by making known his desire to stay at UC instead of holding it back for leverage. Which he could have done.
Coaches hold institutions up for more money all the time. Watch college football every December as all these coaches with bigtime jobs are caught flirting with other schools and suddenly have raises and contract extensions. It's a way to play the game of big-money college athletics. Cronin chose not to.
"I want to reward that (loyalty)," Babcock said.
In fact, Babcock adamantly pointed out Cronin never leveraged for anything or made demands.
3) Hey, even the Reds' Todd Frazier is showing love to Mick after his deal yesterday.
@coachcroninuc love what you do big dawg. Great passion for the game #bearcats
-- Todd Frazier (@FlavaFraz21) April 17, 2013
--- Zach Wells of Local12 brought me in to talk about all the ongoings at UC in this Google Hangout last night. Love how relaxed Google went with this product name. Just two dudes hanging out, staring at each other's faces. Easy like Sunday morning. If you have time, pop over to their page to check out the rest of the Hangouts they have done, informative stuff.
Regardless, was a good conversation about many of the topics you are reading about now. P lus, you can soak in the breathtaking home decor of my house.