Name a team from a Big Six power conference that you believe could surprise in 2011-12.

*****

Patrick Snow: I think a surprise team on the national scene for the 2011-12 campaign is Cincinnati. While much of the Big East preseason talk will revolve around Syracuse, Louisville, Pittsburgh and defending national champion UConn, Mick Cronin’s squad returns its top four scorers from a 26–9 team. The Bearcats won 11 conference games a year ago and finally bought in to Cronin’s defensive style. They should have a solid nucleus with those top four players — Yancy Gates, Dion Dixon, Sean Kilpatrick and Cashmere Wright — and newcomer Shaquille Thomas could provide some added scoring punch. It took five years for Cronin to get the UC program back to a top level, and he should have a quality team that will make some noise during the upcoming season.

*****

http://www.athlonsports.com/college-bask...nati-11-12

Can't disagree.

I can't wait for basketball season. There, I've said it.

I have not been this excited over the summer for college hoops to start since I don't remember when...Logan's last team maybe? It's been a loooooong time.

It will be interesting to see how the newcomer's buy in to the roles of the seniors that graduated- defense first. But it will be nice for a change to see some guys on the floor that can score the ball.

I just hope we can play some defense again...that was beautiful. Teams don't like to play teams that play tough hardnosed defense...and I think you saw that last year. As the season progressed you could tell people looked at us on the schedule and said, "ugh, Cincy next". I know this from some of the posts from the other BE posters in the main board. Reminds me of the Huggs years a little there....and it's fun. I know the d will drop some but if we can play some semblance of last year's D...with the better scoring punch we should have we will be good again!

Well, I've been excited for b-ball season too.

But after watching the Reds implode the last 2 days, negative nelly has arrived. I was excited about the Reds and they're letting me down. So things like Cash's knee start creeping into my cautious thoughts about the upcoming UC b-ball season. I hope he holds up. Kind of reminds of when Chadd Moore started having problems that hindered him from playing alot of minutes.