TicketsJan. 26, 2008
STORY LINES
The Cincinnati Bearcats (9-10, 4-3 BIG EAST) look to get back on track at Seton Hall Sunday, Jan. 27 at Noon after dropping an 84-83 decision at home to on Wednesday night. UC has won five of its last eight games and is tied for seventh in the BIG EAST with the Huskies. Seton Hall (13-6, 3-3 BIG EAST) has won its last three games vs. USF, , and to even its league record and to pull into a ninth-place tie in the BIG EAST.
COMING OF AGE: UC's six-man freshman class has been coming on as of late and adjusting to play in the BIG EAST Conference. After scoring a combined 45 points in the first four league games (11.3 ppg), the sextet has posted 78 points in the last three games (26.0 ppg), including a season-high 33 points by the group at Notre Dame and 26 vs. . Freshman Rashad Bishop, who had the game-deciding 3-pointer vs. Villanova, is the team's second-leading scorer over the three most recent games, putting in 8.7 points a game.
at Seton Hall
SCOUTING THE PIRATES: Seton Hall is 13-6 overall and 3-3 in the BIG EAST, winning its last three conference games vs. USF, Louisville, and Providence and is one of the surprise teams in the league after being picked to finish 13th in the BIG EAST preseason coaches' poll. The Pirates are within one win of their season total from last season with a roster that returns three starters and six letterwinners from a year ago. SHU has the BIG EAST's top scoring offense (82.6 ppg) thanks to four players averaging in double figures, led by Brian Laing's 18.9 points per game, and another three averaging seven or more points per game. As a team, the Pirates like to shoot the ball from the perimeter and are third in the conference with 414 3-pointers attempted (21.7 attempts per game). Freshman Jeremy Hazell, last week's BIG EAST Rookie of the Week, has taken about a third of the teams' 3-pointers (50-of-135, .370), while senior Jamar Nutters is the squad's top marksman, knocking down 38.8 percent (38-of-98). Defensively, the Pirates are 16th in the league in points allowed, giving up 78.7 points per game. On the glass, Seton Hall is managing 39.0 rebounds per game, led by sophomore John Garcia (8.1 rpg) and Laing (7.4 rpg), while its opponents are just slightly higher at 39.4.
BEARCATS IN THE BIG EAST: Since joining the BIG EAST Conference in 2005-06, owns an overall record of 14-25 in league play, including a 3-16 away from Fifth Third Arena. The Bearcats have won five of their last nine BIG EAST games, dating back to last season's 70-67 overtime win over Seton Hall in the home finale. The Bearcats picked up their first BIG EAST road win under head coach Mick Cronin earlier this season, picking off , 58-57, in Freedom Hall.
Overall Record: 14-25 (6-17 under Cronin)
Home: 11-9 (5-7 under Cronin)
Away: 3-16 (1-10 under Cronin)
First BIG EAST Win: 82-60 vs. DePaul, 1/4/06
Most UC Points: 96 (96-83, W-OT) vs. , 1/20/07
Most Opponent Points: 91 (91-74, L) at Notre Dame, 1/15/08
Combined Points: 179 (96-83, W-OT) vs. , 1/20/07
Biggest UC Win: 22 (82-60) vs. DePaul, 1/4/06
VOTING IN THE "PRIMARY" POLLS: The University of Cincinnati men's basketball team earned votes in both the Associated Press and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll this week. The Bearcats earned five votes in the AP Poll and one in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' rankings. UC, which was picked to finish 12th in the BIG EAST this season, is tied for seventh in the conference with four league wins and has knocked off two nationally ranked teams - Villanova and Pittsburgh since Jan. 12. The last time UC was nationally ranked came in 2005-06 when it was No. 25 for one week. Coincidently, lost to then-No. 4 UConn, 70-59, that week.
30/30 MAN: One of the primary keys to the Bearcats success this season in BIG EAST play and overall has been the offensive play of sophomore point guard Deonta Vaughn. Against on Wednesday, Vaughn posted his second 30-point game of the season and the third of his career, scoring 34 points on just 14 shots. Vaughn, the BIG EAST Player of the Week earlier this season for Jan. 7-13, has exploded during conference play, averaging 21.3 points per game despite 10 and 14 point scoring performances vs. Notre Dame and , respectively, prior to the UConn game. Vaughn's other 30-point game this season came against Coastal Carolina on Nov. 16 as he scored a career-high 36 points and knocked down nine 3-pointers - one short of tying the school's single-game record held by Melvin Levitt (vs. , 1997-98).
TAKING OVER AT THE END: Since sophomore guard Deonta Vaughn joined the team last season, he has been given the ball and asked to take on the added pressure of being the go-to player down the stretch. Vaughn has responded to the challenge and this season has averaged 7.2 points during the final 10 minutes of games. What is even more impressive are his shooting percentages in the final 10 minutes as he is converting .562 (41-of-73) from the field and .500 (19-of-38) from behind the 3-point arc. Against on Wednesday, Vaughn almost single-handedly pulled the game out for UC, going a perfect 3-for-3 from behind the 3-point line and 4-for-4 from the free-throw line for 13 points in the final 10 minutes.
FINDING CONSISTENCY: One thing that every young team has to develop as they mature is consistency and the Cincinnati Bearcats are no different. When you compare 's statistics in wins vs. losses you can see where a lack of consistency has made a difference. In UC's nine wins, the team is shooting .442 from the field compared to .409 in the losses. The largest difference that is impacting whether UC comes out ahead or not is the team's defense. In wins, the Bearcats are holding their opponents to .396 shooting from the field and 60.2 points per game. Contrasting that to UC's losses, 's defense is allowing its opponents to score on .476 of their shots, leading to 76.3 points per game - a difference of 16.1 points per game.
BIG TIME PLAY IN THE BIG EAST: After a record of 5-7 in non-conference play, head coach Mick Cronin needed the leaders on the team to step up and show the way as the Bearcats headed into BIG EAST Conference play. Sophomore guard Deonta Vaughn and senior forward John Williamson have picked up the pace offensively. Vaughn, who averaged 15.5 points per game during the non-conference schedule, has posted 21.3 points per night in the league, while Williamson has improved his scoring average from 9.3 in non-conference play to 10.3 in the BIG EAST. On the defensive side of the ball, senior guard Jamual Warren has given UC a new presence on the glass, pulling down 5.3 boards a game, just behind Williamson (5.6). also leads the team in assists (34), steals (10) and assists-to-turnover ratio at 2.00 in league play.
BIG EAST TIMES TWO: For the first time since 1998-99, the BIG EAST is playing an 18-game league schedule after playing 16 games the last eight years. The new 18-game format has schools playing each league opponent once and three teams twice. faces , , and in three home-and-home series. The Bearcats took on in in their second league game of the season on Jan. 5, losing 70-58, and knocked off in Fifth Third, 62-59, on Jan. 19. UC rounded out the trio on Wednesday vs. Connecticut before finishing up the first half of the BIG EAST schedule at Seton Hall (Jan. 27) and West Virginia (Jan. 30). and Marquette, whom the Bearcats play at home on Feb. 2, are the two teams UC did not face in BIG EAST play last season.
HELP OFF THE BENCH: For Cincinnati, team depth has provided Coach Cronin with a great deal of options as he has fine tuned a rotation of players that goes 10 deep playing 10 minutes or more a night. That depth played a big part in UC's last five games as the Bearcats have outscored the opposition's bench 119-53, including a 23-2 advantage vs. and a 40-16 vs. Notre Dame. On average, the Bearcats are getting 18.4 points per game from their reserves, led by senior Marvin Gentry and freshman Larry Davis, who are averaging 6.6 and 3.4 points per game, respectively, off the bench.
DEFENDING THE LINE: One key to the Bearcats' last five wins has been their 3-point shooting defense that has held Miami (OH), Louisville, Syracuse, Villanova, and Pittsburgh to a combined 18-of-89 (.202) from behind the arc. The RedHawks' 2-of-12 (.167) and the Cardinals' 2-of-23 (.130) are the two lowest 3-point shooting percentages allowed in Mick Cronin's tenure at UC. In the Bearcats' losses, was able to exploit the Bearcats from behind the line, connecting on .462 (6-of-13) of its 3-pointers, while Notre Dame was 9-of-17 (.529). In BIG EAST games. UC has limited its opponents to a .299 shooting percentage behind the line and 5.0 treys per game. That is two fewer 3-pointers allowed per contest, comparing non-conference (7.0) to conference.
HOLDING ON WITH A FIRM GRIP: In just over a season and a half, one characteristic of a Mick Cronin team has been its ability to hold on to leads late. Until Wednesday's loss to UConn, the Bearcats were undefeated, at 8-0 this season, and are 17-3 in Cronin's time at when leading with five minutes remaining in the game.
IN THE LAST FIVE GAMES: The Bearcats are 3-2 in BIG EAST play and 3-1 at home ... senior guard Deonta Vaughn has scored in double figures five times and leads the team with 22.4 points per game ... Vaughn is one of six players averaging five or more points per game ... UC is shooting 43.8 percent from the field (123-of-281), including 31.8 percent (35-of-110) from behind the 3-point line ... Vaughn has knocked down 17 treys and is shooting 41.5 percent from behind the line ... as a team, UC is shooting .692 from the free-throw line, led by Vaughn at .816 (31-of-38) ... point guard Jamual Warren and Vaughn are first and second on the team in assists with 23 and 22, respectively ... senior forward John Williamson leads the team in rebounds (6.0) followed by senior guard Jamual Warren (5.4) and center Adam Hrycaniuk (5.2).
TAKING THE POINT: Senior guard Jamual Warren can play different roles for the Bearcats depending on what the team needs each night. In the win over Miami (OH), he personally led an 8-0 run of his own with a jumper and back-to-back treys to break a 38-38 tie and carry UC to a 56-50 victory. Warren, a career 13.6 percent (9-of-66) 3-point shooter heading into the Miami game, knocked down 2-of-3 from behind the arc vs. the RedHawks and went on to score 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting -- one short of his career high of 16 points vs. West Virginia last season. He also added six rebounds, three assists, and a steal vs. . At , he took on a completely different role as a rebounder and to distribute the ball. Since the start of BIG EAST play, has settled in as the team's primary point guard and is averaging 4.1 points, 4.9 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game.
TAKING THE POINT II: In BIG EAST play, senior Jamual Warren has done an exceptional job protecting the ball and distributing it to his teammates. In conference games only, ranks sixth in the league in assists (4.86 apg) and is ninth with a 2.00 assist/turnover ratio (34 assists/17 turnovers).
DEFENSIVE ASSISTANCE: The return of Jamual Warren to the line-up six games into the season at UAB, after his hand injury, has paid dividends for UC defensively as he leads the team with 21 steals, including three on Wednesday vs. . Last season, ranked eighth in the BIG EAST in steals per game (7.67) and averaged 1.83 of the total. Before Warren's return, the Bearcats were only making 4.85 steals per game -- last in the BIG EAST -- but the Bearcats have made 5.9 per game since his return.
BEHIND THE LINE: The Bearcats are shooting .331 from behind the 3-point line this season, ranking them 15th in the BIG EAST just behind Seton Hall (.333). Sophomore Deonta Vaughn and senior Marvin Gentry are carrying the load for , accounting for 60 percent of UC's 3-pointers (78-of-191) on .408 shooting. The rest of the team is 49-of-193 (.254).
TRACK: After scoring a combined 13 points vs. UAB and , sophomore guard Deonta Vaughn has found his scoring touch, notching 215 points (19.5 ppg) in his last 11 starts. His 34 points vs. were his 11th straight and 16th overall double-digit scoring performance in 19 games this season. Vaughn leads the team and is sixth in the BIG EAST in overall scoring with 17.6 points per game.
EUROPEAN IMPACT: Senior center Adam Hrycaniuk (pronounced hu-RITZ-a-nyuk), a native of who made an immediate impact on the Bearcats offensively in the non-conference season, has struggled as of late. After having to sit out last year due to NCAA clearance issues, Hrycaniuk jumped into the line-up for UC at the beginning of the season and became an offensive threat, scoring 10.5 points per game in non-conference action. Since the start of BIG EAST play, the 6-foot-10 post player has struggled finding his touch, scoring just 4.7 points per game on 11-of-35 shooting (.314). In the Bearcats last game vs. Pittsburgh, Hrycaniuk started to show signs of breaking out of the slump as he scored 12 points, his first double-digit scoring night since NC State on Dec. 23. Regardless of his offense, Hrycaniuk has not let his shooting interfere with his rebounding as he is the team's second-leading rebounder with 5.3 per game.
BISHOP TAKES QUEEN (CITY): Freshman forward/guard Rashad Bishop has quickly become one of the Bearcats' top all-around newcomers. Appearing in all 19 games and starting 13 this season, Bishop has scored in double digits four times, including an 11-point outburst in the Bearcats upset of . Since breaking out of a mini-slump vs. with nine points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals, Bishop is averaging 5.9 points per game. Not only has he provided offensive punch, he has also added 3.6 rebounds and is third on the team with 32 assists. Thanks to his gritty play against Villanova and . Bishop endeared himself even more to the fans of . Not having scored a basket or made a rebound vs. the Wildcats in the first 39 minutes of the game, Bishop made the biggest play of the game with 22 seconds remaining, burying a 3-pointer to put back on top, 68-66. He followed that up vs. as he blocked one of two game-tying 3-point attempts by the Panthers in a 62-59 victory.
WHEN YOU NEED IT MOST: Senior center Adam Hrycaniuk has been clutch for the Bearcats late in games, converting 10-of-12 free throws (.833) in the last three minutes of games determined by 10 points or less. As a team, the Bearcats are shooting .706 (48-of-68) from the line down the stretch of close games.
VAUGHN BIG EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Sophomore guard Deonta Vaughn was named the BIG EAST Conference's Player of the Week, leading UC to a sweep of , 74-66, and No. 19/17 Villanova, 69-66 the week of Jan. 7-13. Vaughn accounted for 37.7 percent of UC's points, posting 29 against and 25 vs. Villanova. Vaughn joins former UC forward Eric Hicks as the only two Bearcats to earn the weekly award. Hicks earned the honor the week of Jan. 9 during the 2005-06 season, 's first in the BIG EAST Conference.
PHYSICALLY FIT: Over the last 15 years, UC basketball has the reputation of being one the most physically fit teams in the country and developing players for the next level. That comes from the players' hard work in the weight room and conditioning. This season, Adam Hrycaniuk, John Williamson and Branden Miller each can bench press over 300 pounds, led by Hrycaniuk at 315 pounds. Even the guards have impressive stats with Deonta Vaughn squatting 500 pounds and Marvin Gentry, who weighs 180 pounds, bench pressing a max of 260 pounds. Freshman forward Darnell Wilks and senior guard Jamual Warren are the team's high flyers with 40- and 36.5-inch vertical jumps, respectively.
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF: Head coach Mick Cronin, in just his second year at , has done the work of a coach in his fourth year on the job, having signed or transferred in 16 players in the last 18-plus months. This season's six-person freshman class is considered by the recruiting services as one of the Top 20 groups in the nation and the stats attest to that as they have averaged 17.3 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. Freshman Rashad Bishop leads the way offensively, scoring 5.9 points a night.
WILLIAMS TO MISS SEASON WITH RUPTURED ACHILLES: Junior forward Mike Williams, who was preparing for his first season on the court for the , will miss the 2007-08 season after rupturing his Achilles tendon in preseason workouts. Williams, a 6-7, 230-pound native of , , sat out last season at UC after transferring from the of and was expected to start this season for . As a Longhorn, Williams played in 58 games over two years, averaging 2.7 points and 3.4 rebounds.
THE INK IS DRY: The University of Cincinnati men's basketball team signed two players to national letters of intent for the 2008-09 season, head coach Mick Cronin announced on the first day of the early signing period. Joining the Bearcats are forward Yancy Gates (, /Withrow) and guard Cashmere Wright (/Urban Christian High School).
Gates, a 6-foot-9, 255-pound forward, is one of the nation's top 50 players according to several recruiting sites. As a junior at playing for Walt McBride, Gates averaged 19.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.1 blocks per game in 2006-07. He helped the Tigers to a 17-6 record and missed the state semifinals by one game. A second-team all-state selection, Gates is the first freshman player in Cronin's first three recruiting classes to come from the talent-rich area.
Wright, another highly-regarded recruit, who is ranked among many of the recruiting services top 100 players, comes to from the in , where he averaged 36.2 points, 10.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals per game in 2006-07. In his first two games this season, Wright posted 43 and 35 points, respectively, and is a McDonald's All-America candidate.
BEARCATS ADD TRANSFER FOR 2008-09: The Bearcats added 6-7 wing Nick Aldridge, a transfer from , to the roster as a non-scholarship player following the holiday break. Aldridge joins the program as a sophomore after competing in five games at this season where he averaged 18.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists. Aldridge will sit out the remainder of this season and be eligible to play as a junior for the Bearcats after the 2008 fall quarter. Last year, he was the Catamounts' leading scorer putting up 18.3 points and pulling down 7.0 rebounds a game. In his college career, Aldridge has notched 10 20-plus point games including two 30-plus outings. Aldridge, a native of South Webster, which is located two hours from , led his high school to a 27-6 record and the Ohio Division IV state championship as a senior in 2005-06, putting up 34 points in the championship game. He finished his high school career with 2,011 points, making him one of 37 players in high school basketball history to score more than 2,000 points.
BEARCATS ON TV: This season, all 30 of 's regular-season contests are being broadcast via its local package with FOX19 (WXIX-TV) or through the conference package with the ESPN family of networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN Classic, ESPN 360, or ESPN Regional). The BIG EAST's ESPN Regional package, which includes the BIG EAST Game of the Week, can be seen in Cincinnati on CinCW, the digital sister station of WKRC-TV (Channel 12). CinCW is available on most local cable systems as well as satellite providers.
LOOKING AHEAD: The Bearcats close out a two-game road trip as they travel to on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. on ESPN2. It is the Bearcats only regular-season meeting with the Mountaineers this season. The game will also mark the first time Mick Cronin and UC will face former coach Bob Huggins.