UC Basketball

[Boss-Hog]

During Zimpher's time at UC Huggins coached 2 lottery picks (Beasley and Alexander) and had another NBA drafted player in Billy Walker. We are also left to think what could have been with a UC team comprised of Walker, Mayo, and Beasley.

Not to pick nits, but Huggins never coached Michael Beasley - that was former assistant Frank Martin. It is, of course, safe to say that Huggins being at K-State was a major factor in Beasley's decision to go there.

[Cyclone792]

Given that I've been a UC fan for as long as I can remember, I'm a huge Huggins fan and I was very disappointed in how things were handled with his dismissal. I'm also very glad that UC is honoring Huggins later this month when West Virginia rolls in to Clifton. He deserves it, and the fans deserve a chance to give him a standing O.

All that said, I'm a UC fan first and foremost. I'll tip my hat to Huggins during the pregame, but once the ball is tipped it'll be time to get behind Cronin and his boys on the floor, especially since a win against West Virginia is crucial to UC's chances of landing a tourney bid.

[nmculbreth]

Not to pick nits, but Huggins never coached Michael Beasley - that was former assistant Frank Martin. It is, of course, safe to say that Huggins being at K-State was a major factor in Beasley's decision to go there.

In all fairness Michael Beasley's college decision had far more to do with Dalonte Hill than it did with Bob Huggins. Hill was Beasley's AAU coach and he originally committed to UNC Charlotte while Hill was an assistant on Bobby Lutz's staff. He didn't express any interest in K-State or Huggins until Hill was poached away.

Interestingly enough Hill ended up becoming the highest paid assistant coach in the country, earning something like $400k a year to keep bringing in blue chip recruits.

[Boss-Hog]

In all fairness Michael Beasley's college decision had far more to do with Dalonte Hill than it did with Bob Huggins. Hill was Beasley's AAU coach and he originally committed to UNC Charlotte while Hill was an assistant on Bobby Lutz's staff. He didn't express any interest in K-State or Huggins until Hill was poached away.

Interestingly enough Hill ended up becoming the highest paid assistant coach in the country, earning something like $400k a year to keep bringing in blue chip recruits.

Very good point.

[Cyclone792]

UC's RPI jumped to 48 today, which was likely aided by Florida State and UNLV both winning last night. The Seminoles beat Virginia (RPI 100) at home, and UNLV beat TCU (RPI 113) at home as well.

UC's game tonight at home against St. John's is pivotal, but I'll also be watching a handful of other games:

• Syracuse @ Connecticut: The Orange are tied with UC in Big East play at 6-5, and a UC win mixed with a Syracuse loss puts UC a game up on Syracuse in the Big East standings.
• Xavier has a huge Atlantic 10 game tonight at Dayton (RPI 31). I know many UC fans loathe the Muskies, but a Xavier win tonight will further help UC's strength of schedule.
• Mississippi State also has a very important game tonight against LSU (RPI 50). Mississippi State is 15-7 overall (6-2 in the SEC), though they're only carrying around a 77 RPI. The better the Bulldogs finish out the season, the better that UC win back in December appears. It'd be nice if Mississippi State can pick up a nice home win against a solid LSU squad.
• Memphis plays at home against Tulsa (RPI 65). With the exception of a road game at UAB on February 26th, the Tigers home game tonight against Tulsa represents their best opponent for the rest of the regular season.

Tonight's best case scenario: UC beats St. John's (obviously), and we mix that with a Syracuse loss, a Xavier win, a Mississppi State win, and a Memphis win.

[Cyclone792]

UC is shooting well over 60 percent from the field, and Gates is having the best night of his young career thus far. With a 16 point lead, UC's playing one of their best games of the year tonight.

[Cyclone792]

And just as soon as I start praising UC's play, they let St. John's right back in the game. Cats are up by nine with three minutes to play; they need to finish this one off.

[Boss-Hog]

The last 10 minutes weren't pretty, but I'll take it. Now 7-5 in the league and ahead of Syracuse.

[Cyclone792]

This hasn't exactly been the best second half UC's played, but a win is a win. Here's the schedule update:

L @ Villanova
W vs. Notre Dame
W @ Georgetown
W vs. St. John's
@ Pittsburgh
vs. Louisville
vs. West Virginia
@ Syracuse
@ South Florida
vs. Seton Hall

These next four games are a huge stretch now. At minimum, UC needs to win one of the next four; I'll be pretty happy if they can win two of the next four. This is their opportunity to grab one or more marquee wins to add to their tournament resume, and it's also their opportunity to put up at least 10 Big East wins.

In other news, Connecticut dropped Syracuse so we've now moved into 7th place all by ourselves in the Big East (Providence has the tiebreaker for the 6th seed).

Dayton knocked off Xavier, which won't help UC's non-conference SOS all that much, and it's a big win for the Flyers as they're in the driver's seat for a very deserving tourney bid, IMO. Mississippi State is currently in a dogfight with LSU late in the second half. Memphis is blowing out Tulsa.

[NatiRedGals]

Your rights a wins a win we owned pretty much in the beginning with the young team we have we never seem to want or allow us to keep the big leads. We always play our hearts out but once we get a 10 point lead or more we always seem to just shut down like we lose interest.

[Reds4Life]

This hasn't exactly been the best second half UC's played, but a win is a win. Here's the schedule update:

L @ Villanova
W vs. Notre Dame
W @ Georgetown
W vs. St. John's
@ Pittsburgh
vs. Louisville
vs. West Virginia
@ Syracuse
@ South Florida
vs. Seton Hall

These next four games are a huge stretch now. At minimum, UC needs to win one of the next four; I'll be pretty happy if they can win two of the next four. This is their opportunity to grab one or more marquee wins to add to their tournament resume, and it's also their opportunity to put up at least 10 Big East wins.

In other news, Connecticut dropped Syracuse so we've now moved into 7th place all by ourselves in the Big East (Providence has the tiebreaker for the 6th seed).

Dayton knocked off Xavier, which won't help UC's non-conference SOS all that much, and it's a big win for the Flyers as they're in the driver's seat for a very deserving tourney bid, IMO. Mississippi State is currently in a dogfight with LSU late in the second half. Memphis is blowing out Tulsa.

I like our chances against WVU. Pitt and Louisville are going to be tough games. As for Xavier.........the A10 is horrible, there is no other way to describe it. Only thing I'm hoping for is one of the bottom feeders doesn't end up winning the A10 tourny giving the conference an extra bid.

[paintmered]

3-3 from here on out plus a win in the BE tourney should be enough to make the NCAA tournament. And if UC can steal one from Louisville, then they'd be a lock with 11 BE wins.

[GoReds33]

USF and Seton Hall are must wins. After that, if we win one in the BE tourney, we should be in. I agree with Paint that if we go 3-3 with a win in the tourney, we are a lock, but I don't know if it will take that much.

[Matt700wlw]

A big HELL YEAH from me! Keep it going, Cats!!!!

[morande]

Im soo sick of listening to these wins on the radio, when are we going to get back on tv