The unofficial online home for fans of the University of Cincinnati Bearcats. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Do what you can to hang onto:
Jizzle
Skillings
Simas
Day Day
Griffith
Aziz
Reed

Reed - if he is okay with the same role he had this year, you definitely want him back. If he's looking for a bigger role or starting spot, then you wish him well

Does Fredrick still have eligibility? I can't see him coming back with his injury history even if he is eligible.

Don't know what you get out of the 2 freshman and Griffith. Sage is also pretty much an unknown. The fact that he rarely plays indicates he's not ready.

If spots open up, you need a top of the roster type wing and another big. Maybe a shooter to replace Fredrick if he is gone.

I don't see Lakhin or Reynolds returning but who knows

Someone needs to work with Aziz (I'm sure they do) - give him a post game.

(03-27-2024 03:58 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 12:29 PM)skyblade Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 12:26 PM)Cat-Man Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 10:35 AM)Bear Catlett Wrote:  The only player on the roster I think is not up to standard is Vik.

Nobody wants to admit that we got better once Miller sat him.

Not sure where this lazy tag on Reynolds comes from. Name me one guy on that team that didn't get beat on defense, Newman included. Reynolds has the size to bang with B12 bigs and Vik is too skinny.

I don't think its a matter of him getting beat on defense as much as it is his effort (or lack there of) going after rebounds, loose balls, and closing out and guarding the 3. Just to name a few. Not to mention the perceived sulking he does when he misses a shot, or doesn't get the foul call on his attempt.

Yeah, I have no problem with a blown defensive assignment if a guy is trying. But the amount of times Reynolds is just standing and watching when he should be boxing out, rebounding or guarding is mind boggling.

Did UC fans just not watch Temple when we were still in the AAC?

This is his game. Same guy. Didn't have a metamorphosis in the portal. He just consistently got more minutes at Temple.

Yes, he never really impressed me or caused the Bearcats many problems at Temple. But before this season we got so many great reviews on his new body and potential. Turned out a big disappointment.

Noticed that Logan Duncomb who sat out hurt for Xavier has entered the transfer portal. We recruited him before he chose Indiana. Would we have any interest or probably should steer away from anybody with injury questions.

(03-27-2024 06:58 PM)cincybb51 Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 03:58 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 12:29 PM)skyblade Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 12:26 PM)Cat-Man Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 10:35 AM)Bear Catlett Wrote:  The only player on the roster I think is not up to standard is Vik.

Nobody wants to admit that we got better once Miller sat him.

Not sure where this lazy tag on Reynolds comes from. Name me one guy on that team that didn't get beat on defense, Newman included. Reynolds has the size to bang with B12 bigs and Vik is too skinny.

I don't think its a matter of him getting beat on defense as much as it is his effort (or lack there of) going after rebounds, loose balls, and closing out and guarding the 3. Just to name a few. Not to mention the perceived sulking he does when he misses a shot, or doesn't get the foul call on his attempt.

Yeah, I have no problem with a blown defensive assignment if a guy is trying. But the amount of times Reynolds is just standing and watching when he should be boxing out, rebounding or guarding is mind boggling.

Did UC fans just not watch Temple when we were still in the AAC?

This is his game. Same guy. Didn't have a metamorphosis in the portal. He just consistently got more minutes at Temple.

Yes, he never really impressed me or caused the Bearcats many problems at Temple. But before this season we got so many great reviews on his new body and potential. Turned out a big disappointment.

Noticed that Logan Duncomb who sat out hurt for Xavier has entered the transfer portal. We recruited him before he chose Indiana. Would we have any interest or probably should steer away from anybody with injury questions.

I never really listen to preseason hype from anyone who has an agenda and who gets paid directly or indirectly to drive up fan excitement. If it came from the coach's mouth, sure. But if it's a reporter or a website, nope. Same kind of stuff we heard about Emory Jones and I just rolled my eyes. It's red meat for fans but it's too often just hopium.

This is who Reynolds was at Temple. It's who he is here. UC fans acted like we picked up Danny Fortson in the portal. I was like, are we talking about the same guy we played against?

(03-29-2024 09:05 AM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 06:58 PM)cincybb51 Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 03:58 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 12:29 PM)skyblade Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 12:26 PM)Cat-Man Wrote:  I don't think its a matter of him getting beat on defense as much as it is his effort (or lack there of) going after rebounds, loose balls, and closing out and guarding the 3. Just to name a few. Not to mention the perceived sulking he does when he misses a shot, or doesn't get the foul call on his attempt.

Yeah, I have no problem with a blown defensive assignment if a guy is trying. But the amount of times Reynolds is just standing and watching when he should be boxing out, rebounding or guarding is mind boggling.

Did UC fans just not watch Temple when we were still in the AAC?

This is his game. Same guy. Didn't have a metamorphosis in the portal. He just consistently got more minutes at Temple.

Yes, he never really impressed me or caused the Bearcats many problems at Temple. But before this season we got so many great reviews on his new body and potential. Turned out a big disappointment.

Noticed that Logan Duncomb who sat out hurt for Xavier has entered the transfer portal. We recruited him before he chose Indiana. Would we have any interest or probably should steer away from anybody with injury questions.

I never really listen to preseason hype from anyone who has an agenda and who gets paid directly or indirectly to drive up fan excitement. If it came from the coach's mouth, sure. But if it's a reporter or a website, nope. Same kind of stuff we heard about Emory Jones and I just rolled my eyes. It's red meat for fans but it's too often just hopium.

This is who Reynolds was at Temple. It's who he is here. UC fans acted like we picked up Danny Fortson in the portal. I was like, are we talking about the same guy we played against?

I think I said this earlier but his recruitment sabotaged the season. If the staff would have picked up a non two time transfer that could have played in the post then you could constructed your roster in a way that made a lot of sense. CJ Fredrick also ended up being a questionable addiction too based on his injury history and overall fit. They did hit on Simas and Aziz in the portal but you can’t miss this off season on guys that either can’t play at his or have injury issues. Two years in a row suspect portal additions have overshadowed the good ones in what could have been.

This team needs a combo guard, a shooter, and a defensive stopper more than anything else. Depending on who leaves you grab a big but it’s a position I just don’t care about in modern basketball. You need guards and wings that can score, defend, and rebound from multiple positions not one dimensional centers.

I rather have five PG or ball handlers on this team than five big men.

(03-29-2024 09:19 AM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  

(03-29-2024 09:05 AM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 06:58 PM)cincybb51 Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 03:58 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 12:29 PM)skyblade Wrote:  Yeah, I have no problem with a blown defensive assignment if a guy is trying. But the amount of times Reynolds is just standing and watching when he should be boxing out, rebounding or guarding is mind boggling.

Did UC fans just not watch Temple when we were still in the AAC?

This is his game. Same guy. Didn't have a metamorphosis in the portal. He just consistently got more minutes at Temple.

Yes, he never really impressed me or caused the Bearcats many problems at Temple. But before this season we got so many great reviews on his new body and potential. Turned out a big disappointment.

Noticed that Logan Duncomb who sat out hurt for Xavier has entered the transfer portal. We recruited him before he chose Indiana. Would we have any interest or probably should steer away from anybody with injury questions.

I never really listen to preseason hype from anyone who has an agenda and who gets paid directly or indirectly to drive up fan excitement. If it came from the coach's mouth, sure. But if it's a reporter or a website, nope. Same kind of stuff we heard about Emory Jones and I just rolled my eyes. It's red meat for fans but it's too often just hopium.

This is who Reynolds was at Temple. It's who he is here. UC fans acted like we picked up Danny Fortson in the portal. I was like, are we talking about the same guy we played against?

I think I said this earlier but his recruitment sabotaged the season. If the staff would have picked up a non two time transfer that could have played in the post then you could constructed your roster in a way that made a lot of sense. CJ Fredrick also ended up being a questionable addiction too based on his injury history and overall fit. They did hit on Simas and Aziz in the portal but you can’t miss this off season on guys that either can’t play at his or have injury issues. Two years in a row suspect portal additions have overshadowed the good ones in what could have been.

This team needs a combo guard, a shooter, and a defensive stopper more than anything else. Depending on who leaves you grab a big but it’s a position I just don’t care about in modern basketball. You need guards and wings that can score, defend, and rebound from multiple positions not one dimensional centers.

I rather have five PG or ball handlers on this team than five big men.

It's easy to use hindsight to know who wasn't going to work out. As I said last year and pretty much every off-season, the transfer portal is far from a sure thing. The idea that you can't afford to miss is ridiculous and ignores the actual statistics on success rate. If you can't afford to miss, then you can't afford to add new guys, the transfer portal is around 50/50 for if the new addition is will provide a quality contribution and freshmen are a significantly lower rate than that. If you think of it more like a draft, you get more accurate projections for first year contributions.

The really high end guys (5-stars and the top 25 or so transfers) are an exception to that rule, but even then some "sure-fire" additions don't work out all that well (see Damian Dunn, Houston). Like a draft, after the top players you start getting into the solid role players (Simas) or the guys with issues you hope you can fix (Fredrick - injury history, Reynolds - low energy, overweight and Aziz - no offensive skills), outside 125 to 150 you just have to hope, as the odds are not in your favor of getting a major contributor in year one. It would be great to get top transfers, but every team wants them and some of them have a lot more money than us.

The more you start picking and choosing based on position, the harder it gets to get high-rated guys and the worse your odds get of getting a guy who provides a major contribution. I don't think Wes planned for both Aziz and Reynolds, but MAW left at the last minute and Nolley made a late decision to stay in the draft, at that point there weren't many high-level players left in the portal and we went best player available.

Guess my Bearcat colored glasses are showing lol... I think the chemistry on this team is extremely strong and has started a great culture combo of CWM and Bearcat history. Based on a strong portal signing or two I objectively feel fairly optimistic of a Big Dance invite next year

S Tier (Players you have to keep)
Jizzle
Simas
Skillings

A Tier (Players you would like to keep)
Aziz
Day Day (this only changes if UC gets a super stud guard from the portal)
Reed (I think this team needs a JNIII-like replacement that can sometimes score)
Rayvon Griffith (IMO he is huge to establish the "hometown hero" thing we want to have with players in a two+ hour radius)

B Tier (Players you are better off keeping but may be able to be replaced)
CJ Fredrick (if "healthy")
Reynolds
Vik

C (Players that if they moved on wouldn’t hurt you but potentially could still help if they stayed)
CJ Anythony (want to see if he's the shooter/scorer he was in HS)

TBD Tier (Players we don’t know enough about but losing them may be a poor reflection of the culture)
Sage (same logic as Rayvon)

D Tier (Players that have not proven they belong at this level but eventually may work their way into the rotation)