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Keys to UC’s hoop success in 2011-12 - ctipton - 06-01-2011 02:50 PM
Keys to UC’s hoop success in 2011-12
3:11 pm, Jun 1, 2011 | Written by bkoch
The start of practice is still a long way off, but UC coach Mick Cronin already has pinpointed two key issues that he says will decide how good the Bearcats will be next season.
One is defense. The other is the play of junior point guard Cashmere Wright.
“We have great potential as a team,” Cronin said. “The key for is going to be can we become the same defensive team or better than we were a year ago because that’s why we won.
“If you’re trying to be a highly successful program you’ve got to be able to play defense. I love our talent and our returning guys but we’ve got to have the new guys fill some roles for us.”
The Bearcats went 26-9 last season and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where they lost to eventual national champion Connecticut.
But the UC team that takes the floor next year will be much younger and less experienced, with seven newcomers – five true freshmen, a redshirt freshman in Kelvin Gaines and a junior college transfer in forward Cheikh Mbodj.
UC was ranked No. 8 nationally heading into next season by Sports Illustrated’s Luke Winn, which makes Cronin smile after a season in which the Bearcats had trouble receiving any national recognition despite their turnaround.
“Last summer I told everybody that we were going to have a very good basketball team and nobody listened, so I’m done talking,” Cronin said.
Wright, who averaged 8.9 points and 3.9 assists last year, underwent surgery on his left knee shortly after the season ended. It was the third time he has had surgery on the knee since he tore his ACL as a true freshman. How well he recovers could be the most important issue facing the Bearcats in 2011-12.
“If he’s full strength, I really like our chances,” Cronin said. “We signed a couple of guards and I have great confidence in what they’re going to be someday, but the one thing about the Big East that I’ve learned is that they eat the young.
“To have a guy that’s in his fourth year in college and his third year playing and he’s a talented player, we all saw when he was healthy and he was at his best how good he was at times.”
Wright struggled physically with the knee as the season wore on and had to play through pain in the postseason.
“He wasn’t (healthy) in the NCAA Tournament and that probably was the difference between us and UConn,” Cronin said. “Not to take anything away from them, but it was hard for him to even come out for the second half of the game. If he can get to full strength, that’s going to be big for us.”
Cronin said last season’s success accomplished three things for the program.
“It left a taste in our mouth with the players of what they can achieve as a team when they play together and it’s left them wanting more,” he said. “The second thing would be that hopefully we developed a confidence in our fan base, an excitement for next season. And the third thing would be recruiting. When you win, it always helps recruiting.”
NO CONTRACT YET: Cronin agreed in early April on a new six-year contract that guarantees him $1.25 million a year, but he has not yet the signed the contract as both he school and Cronin’s agent work on the contact’s wording. Both Cronin and athletic director Mike Thomas say there are no problems with the new deal.
http://cincinnati.com/blogs/uc/2011/06/01/keys-to-ucs-hoop-success-in-2011-12/
RE: Keys to UC’s hoop success in 2011-12 - cinbinsportsfan - 06-01-2011 02:54 PM
Wow, first real article from Koch in how long? And how much do they pay this guy?
Anyways, not to go OT on Koch, I didn't know Mick hadn't signed the contract yet. What's the hold up?
RE: Keys to UC’s hoop success in 2011-12 - BearcatOtto - 06-01-2011 04:09 PM
Wording!
RE: Keys to UC’s hoop success in 2011-12 - BearcatOtto - 06-01-2011 04:09 PM
Wording!
RE: Keys to UC’s hoop success in 2011-12 - Bearhawkeye - 06-01-2011 05:10 PM
I don't know what bonuses are possible, but 6 years @ $1.25M/year for MC in this market is a steal for UC.
RE: Keys to UC’s hoop success in 2011-12 - Bruce Monnin - 06-01-2011 05:25 PM
I was just thinking it was a steal for Mick. That's $7.5 million in the bank as long as he keeps the program clean and wins some.
RE: Keys to UC’s hoop success in 2011-12 - b - 06-01-2011 06:27 PM
(06-01-2011 05:25 PM)Bruce Monnin Wrote: I was just thinking it was a steal for Mick. That's $7.5 million in the bank as long as he keeps the program clean and wins some.
I agree, that's pretty good money when according to some people this school could barely afford to keep the lights on in 5/3 arena.
he's paid about double what mike brey gets at ND
RE: Keys to UC’s hoop success in 2011-12 - rath v2.0 - 06-01-2011 08:09 PM
Brey made $1,231,643 for the 09-10 season. Doubt he made half that much last year.
RE: Keys to UC’s hoop success in 2011-12 - b - 06-02-2011 08:45 AM
(06-01-2011 08:09 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote: Brey made $1,231,643 for the 09-10 season. Doubt he made half that much last year.
we're talking salary from the school. not including shoe contracts, radio etc.
RE: Keys to UC’s hoop success in 2011-12 - Ring of Black - 06-02-2011 09:32 AM
If our hopes as completely tied to Cash's health as Mick suggests (as I suspected anyway), then I'm significanty tempering my optimism. If Cash isn't able, it's still a tourney team, but not a top 10 type team that could make a significant run.
I sure hope to see either Davis or Guyn emerge as a quality backup by season's end. Both preferably.
RE: Keys to UC’s hoop success in 2011-12 - bearcatlawjd - 06-02-2011 09:36 AM
The Bearcats might make the tournament without a healthy Cashmere Wright, but with him healthy they can contend for a double bye and really good NCAA tournament seed.
The incoming freshman guards will have a lot to say what type of season 2011-2012 turns into. Either way, this program isn't going back to dark ages anytime soon.
RE: Keys to UC’s hoop success in 2011-12 - cinbinsportsfan - 06-02-2011 10:11 AM
(06-02-2011 09:36 AM)bearcatlawjd Wrote: The Bearcats might make the tournament without a healthy Cashmere Wright, but with him healthy they can contend for a double bye and really good NCAA tournament seed.
The incoming freshman guards will have a lot to say what type of season 2011-2012 turns into. Either way, this program isn't going back to dark ages anytime soon.
Good points. I think it's a safe bet that the knee is going to be a nagging injury for Cash for the rest of his career. But the way to make sure he stays as close to 100% healthy as possible is by spelling his minutes with a back-up. Last season, Cash didn't have an effective back-up so he overworked the knee. If Guyn/Davis come in and prove to run the offense very well as freshman, we will get more out of Cash as he will be able to rest more.
RE: Keys to UC’s hoop success in 2011-12 - b - 06-02-2011 10:12 AM
(06-02-2011 09:32 AM)BJUnklFkr Wrote: If our hopes as completely tied to Cash's health as Mick suggests (as I suspected anyway), then I'm significanty tempering my optimism. If Cash isn't able, it's still a tourney team, but not a top 10 type team that could make a significant run.
I sure hope to see either Davis or Guyn emerge as a quality backup by season's end. Both preferably.
Is cash damaged goods? I liked the leadership he displayed late in the season.
RE: Keys to UC’s hoop success in 2011-12 - JFlight21 - 06-02-2011 10:21 AM
Go easy on Cash during the non conference schedule. Play him 15-20 minutes a game instead of 25-30. Dixon and the freshman can handle the point against the cupcakes.
RE: Keys to UC’s hoop success in 2011-12 - Ring of Black - 06-02-2011 10:29 AM
His leadership and toughness were outstanding, but obviously, his knee was not.
"Cash's health" is what I said, health being the key.
RE: Keys to UC’s hoop success in 2011-12 - Eastside_J - 06-02-2011 11:35 AM
(06-02-2011 10:21 AM)JFlight21 Wrote: Go easy on Cash during the non conference schedule. Play him 15-20 minutes a game instead of 25-30. Dixon and the freshman can handle the point against the cupcakes.
Fully agree.
RE: Keys to UC’s hoop success in 2011-12 - bcat80 - 06-02-2011 02:44 PM
Wow, USA Today online picked up Koch's article. A big step up for both him & UC. We're finally getting noticed again.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/bigeast/2011-06-02-cincinnati-mick-cronin-defense_N.htm
RE: Keys to UC’s hoop success in 2011-12 - cinbinsportsfan - 06-02-2011 02:53 PM
(06-02-2011 02:44 PM)bcat80 Wrote: Wow, USA Today online picked up Koch's article. A big step up for both him & UC. We're finally getting noticed again.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/bigeast/2011-06-02-cincinnati-mick-cronin-defense_N.htm
Koch: "Well I got mentioned by a national newspaper this year. Guess I'll go back to churning out worthless crap that I like to call blogs and articles. Dope di dope di dope"
RE: Keys to UC’s hoop success in 2011-12 - Lush - 06-03-2011 11:28 AM
i personally feel that we need to score more points and this group has the potential to be electrifying (at least on paper). the d's gonna take a hit with the loss of bish and larry, but i see no reason why this team can't put up 75 points a game and continue the stifling d. has mick fielded a crew that ever averaged over 70? 67.8 ppg seems etched in my memory for some reason
RE: Keys to UC’s hoop success in 2011-12 - cinbinsportsfan - 06-03-2011 11:51 AM
Agree Lush. I think Mick really brought in some solid scores in the past 2 classes with Kilpatrick and Jackson in 2010 and the upcoming 2011 recruiting class. But, I'm in the camp that defense will almost never take a night off and the way Mick and his staff emphasize it, they will ensure that the team is giving 110% on D each and every game. Offense, however, can be hot or cold, but if you have enough solid scorers on your team, you can offset a bad night by one player with a good night by another. UC seems to be stockpiling those kinds of players.