TicketsThe Bearcats have nothing to lose and everything to gain this week. Those were the words of Mick Cronin at Tuesday's media availability.
The desperate mindset of last year's run in the Garden doesn't apply to the 2011 version with a berth in the NCAA tournament secure.
So, what do the Bearcats have to gain? Plenty, they say. And as has been the case all season, this team will continue to play for respect it feels has gone unpaid.
"In our situation with our continued lack of respect nationally," Cronin began, point out seven teams were ranked ahead of No. 25 UC in Monday's AP poll, "we need to try to send a message to the selection committee that we deserve the seed that some other people I am fearful may get that we may have a better record than. We may have even have beaten them."
The latest example of the lack of respect in Cronin's eyes was Rashad Bishop being passed over for Big East Defensive Player of the Year in favor of Rick Jackson. The coach has been petitioning for Bishop since the middle of Big East play, but saw the league's leading shot-blocker and rebounder take the award.
"Not surprising," Cronin said. "It's happened all year to us. There are certain teams in our league that get more media coverage and hype than other teams. We are gaining respect. That's another reason for us to continue to play with a chip on our shoulder. Nobody on our team seems to warrant consideration for our accomplishments. That's the problem with 16 teams, though. You can't honor everybody. That being said we will try to use that as motivation."
If motivation morphs into results, the Bearcats NCAA tournament seed could take a significant jump. Cronin thought with a great week at Madison Square Garden, UC could play its way to as high as a No. 3 seed. Most projections currently have them around the 6/7 line.
Opportunities will arise to add to the five Top 25 RPI wins currently on the Bearcats resume. Coincidentally, the way the bracket lines up, most of those come against teams UC lost to on the road early in the season.
They open against the winner of USF-Villanova at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. If they win, they would play No. 2 seed Notre Dame Thursday evening.
During most interviews players will say they don't care who they play. Darnell Wilks and Biggie McClain followed suit, Monday. Though, once the conversation turned to the teams they would most like to play, well, there was little secret.
"Villanova, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh," McClain said.
"The ones we lost to," Wilks interjected.
The current streak of five wins in six games makes them believe the outcome would differ from those that occurred as UC struggled too find its way over the first half of the Big East season.
Revenge would be only part of the reason it might be advantageous to match up against Villanova. Perception and pressure would be another.
"The hardest thing in this tournament is to play a team that you are supposed to beat," Cronin said, referring to USF, 3-15 in Big East play. "Now, instead of just going up there and letting it rip. Like last year, our toughest game was Rutgers. It's just a lot of pressure, oh man, you can't lose this game. There is a lot of pressure on the favorites. You play Villanova, you win you win, you lose you lose, you get ready for the NCAA tournament."