Detroit Mercy 12/21 7:00 ESPN+

[RedDog]

If you could get ESPN+ you should be able to get ESPN U also I think. Mine are both available on the ESPN app.

[Rufus]

As we now go into the conference schedule after this game, I noticed that there are very few of our games on the ESPN+ platform. Especially in the early portion of the schedule. Is this a result of their leaving for the big 12? The majority of these games are showing as now being on Espn2 or EspnU which I am assuming is going to be a close to game day decision as to which channel will eventually air them. So my question is, if these games end up being on ESPNU, will they still be available on the espn+ channel also? Or am I now going to have to obtain the U channel also? My cable package carries ESPN & 2 but not U. Or how can I get U without getting fleeced anymore by spectrum?

[Bearcat9796]

I had 13 and 5 type optimism last year, didn't work out so well, ill go 11 n 7, I think 13 n 5 would be a great year

[swilsonsp4]

I think that might get an invite to the NIT.

To make the NCAA Tournament outside of winning the AAC title, I'd guess they'd maybe need to go 15-3 with two over Houston or one each over Houston and Memphis and no bad losses (SMU, ECU, Tulsa, USF)

I can see the Cats going 14-4 or 13-5, but beating the loaded Cougars even once is beyond my normal optimism. UC might beat the Tigers once, but I wouldn't want to put any cash on it. They just can't slip up this year, as the AAC is particularly weak, beyond a small handful of teams.

[GoBearcats31]

Assuming we take care of Detroit to go 9-4 (one game worse than I expected), we then head into the 18 game AAC schedule. I am projecting conference play to be 11-7 for a total of 20-11 for the season. I don't think that gets us an invite to the Dance. Thoughts?

I think that might get an invite to the NIT.

To make the NCAA Tournament outside of winning the AAC title, I'd guess they'd maybe need to go 15-3 with two over Houston or one each over Houston and Memphis and no bad losses (SMU, ECU, Tulsa, USF)

[RedDog]

Assuming we take care of Detroit to go 9-4 (one game worse than I expected), we then head into the 18 game AAC schedule. I am projecting conference play to be 11-7 for a total of 20-11 for the season. I don't think that gets us an invite to the Dance. Thoughts?

[GoBearcats31]

8-4 UC versus 5-7 Detroit Mercy on Wednesday night. Last non-conference game before the AAC Farewell Tour.

UC is #73 in Ken Pom (#50 in offensive efficiency, #92 in defensive efficiency - after sitting outside the top 100 on defense for a while)
Detroit is #205 with a top 75 offense but one of the worst defenses in DI.

Detroit is led by Antoine Davis, son of Mike Davis, who visited UC last summer while flirting with the transfer portal and ultimately staying home and scoring a great NIL deal (if I recall correctly). Davis recently passed Oscar Robertson on the all-time scoring list and eclipsed 3,000 points -- though Davis is in year 5, whereas The GOAT only played three years at UC. Davis averages 24.8 for Detroit, while the Titans also boast 6'8 fifth-year senior Gerald Liddell, who averages 18.4 and 14.6.

Coach Davis coached UC assistant Mike Roberts at IU.

Notable Detroit results: lost to Boston College, won versus Ohio U, lost to common opponent Bryant, lost by 42 at Washington State, won by four at Tulsa.