TicketsCashmere Wright and the Bearcats endured a gut-check meeting with Mick Cronin following Sunday's loss to UConn. On Tuesday, the coach was happy with the reaction to this point.
CINCINNATI - The words coming out of the various media outlets following the loss against UConn were tough for Cashmere Wright to avoid. And likely tough to stomach.
Mick Cronin said his guards were as outplayed "as much as you could possibly be" and called Wright and Dion Dixon "good kids, but tough to coach."
Imagine any time you were chewed out by your parents for a mistake you made as a kid. Now imagine everybody you know listening and reading about the argument the next day.
The fallout could unsettle a 21-year-old college student like Wright. Instead, he viewed the situation as a positive.
"I think it's a good thing," Wright said. "It shows he believes we are supposed to be better than that. He knows what we did wasn't supposed to happen and we played outside of ourselves and we are better players than that."
Wright had been better of late. He was enjoying one of his finest runs as a Bearcat, averaging 12.3 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals over the previous three games. Yet, by all accounts, Wright never gained momentum against the Huskies and after two early foul calls and five missed shots, couldn't become a significant factor in the game.
He took the criticism and the corresponding lesson to heart.
"I just got to come out and bring more energy from the get-go of the game and not come out lackadaisical because it trickles down to the rest of my team," Wright said.
As for the response of the rest of team, apparently Wright's positive attitude also trickled down to his teammates 48 hours removed from Sunday's disappointment.
"Our response yesterday was great," Cronin said before practice Tuesday. "We had a real good workout. You can tell where the guys feel like they understand the situation that we weren't at our best on Sunday and it showed. They understand this time of year, this is why you play college basketball to be in the mix and be in the fight in March."
For Cronin's point guard, the last few days served as a return to reality after enjoying aftermath of the season's biggest win against Georgetown.
"We realize we just let focus go for a game and we have to get it back," Wright said. "We can't let it happen again."