Oklahoma 3/5 8:00 ESPN+

[leo from jersey]

I need to listen to the postgame more often specifically because of Terry. I find that because he's a media member and analyst without being a reporter, he asks better questions of Wes than the journalists at the pressers. Terry is not afraid to challenge Wes on in-game topics and honestly it's kind of refreshing.

Nothing against the guys at BCJ or the Enquirer or anyone else in the media pool, but access journalism sometimes limits what you report and has an effect on the questions you can ask the person at the mic. There are unwritten rules to that game and to how information coming out of UC is handled (obvious stenography) . I'd like to see some of the reporters challenge Wes a little more on things but you have to do that without making John Cunningham and Zach Stipe mad. Keith Jenkins found out the hard way what happens when you don't play by their rules.

I like Terry a lot. I do remember his advocating for E. Martin for the HC's job. Regardless, his questions are very insightful and right on topic. I am glad he is on the radio. As a former player, it is his school/team too and once a Bearcat -------- There is often heat on the interviews as Terry sees a lot of what has transpired in the game. Terry asks questions that many are thinking. He also explains the finer aspects of the game. I can think of no better person to have followed the beloved Chuck, who was also a Bearcat forever.

[leeraymond]

Who are you referring to other than Kelvin Sampson?

This reminds me of how people wanted Cronin fired when he lost to UConn in three straight conference tournaments. Fans latch onto some specific negative criteria and act like that's the minimum threshold we must clear. I (and I'm sure the administration) couldn't care less if we lose every game to some teams over a decade (other than Xavier) as long as we are consistently in the tournament. That's the goal. We're not there yet. This game will have very little impact. It will boost our tourney odds from like 1% to 2%.

In no way am I suggesting that Miller should be fired. Regardless of the outcomes of these first three seasons, Miller deserves a chance. You got to give the man a chance. I do believe in that. However, "you are what your record says you are". I believe in wins and losses. I also believe that UC's administration may give a damn about wins and losses as well. Winning is what it is all about.

[bearcatrunner]

I've seen such promise of what this team could be in the last two games. I mean some really good defensive and offensive play at the same time. It is amazing how great this team will be playing and then one player just kills all of the momentum by making bad passes or consistently shooting and missing. It is like they mentally check out of the game for a couple of minutes and then the game momentum has switched.

Bring Huggins in as an advisor to teach multiple defenses and find a star player who can make the big shots. We just don't have that right now and that is the difference between winning and losing. We could easily be 23-7 or whatever if we had a shooter who could make big shots. Shots that stop the other teams momentum or a player who creates his own shot like Day Day and Jizzle. Maybe one of those two could be that guy next year if they stay. I think Lakhin might be able to as well. Simas is a role player who has shown IMO he is not that guy. Maybe Skilling's if he could ever get his head in the game for 40 minutes. Sometimes he just kills us but I love his potential.

This team has exceeded my reasonable expectations and I have seen enough to say that next year it is tournament or bust. I'm ok with this year but Wes has next year and then I am off the train. If he is smart and I think he is he brings in a defensive coach who can teach multiple defenses. I do think the team could make a run in the B12 tournament if they got hot and played as a team without those momentum killing moments and someone knocks off Houston before we have to play them.

[bearcatrunner]

Box score for those who wish to analyze the stats. 3PT% sticks out. We outrebounded OU last night mostly because of Dan Skillings. Dan is an elite rebounder for someone that doesn't play in the paint all game. Free Throw disparity is pretty crazy but you're on the road.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...meId/401603511

Skilling's really is an elite rebounder! I just wish the rest of his game would catch up because he could be so good. He just has so many mental lapses it is frustrating.

[leeraymond]

I've sad this before, and it bears repeating the playing time is being distributed to keep players out of the transfer portal and hoping a win will be the outcome. TMO.

That is an interesting thought Rufus.

[hipal88]

Exactly but I see folks insinuating that he should be fired and someone said last night that the Wes Miller Experiment needs to be over. You can't dump a coach every 3 years. It takes at least that to even get the ship turning in the right direction.

He has one more year. Has to beat X and has to get to the tourney. If we have Dayton again, that is a must win too. I would even go so far as to dump him after an X loss

[leo from jersey]

In no way am I suggesting that Miller should be fired. Regardless of the outcomes of these first three seasons, Miller deserves a chance. You got to give the man a chance. I do believe in that. However, "you are what your record says you are". I believe in wins and losses. I also believe that UC's administration may give a damn about wins and losses as well. Winning is what it is all about.

That is why they keep score.

[leo from jersey]

I've seen such promise of what this team could be in the last two games. I mean some really good defensive and offensive play at the same time. It is amazing how great this team will be playing and then one player just kills all of the momentum by making bad passes or consistently shooting and missing. It is like they mentally check out of the game for a couple of minutes and then the game momentum has switched.

Bring Huggins in as an advisor to teach multiple defenses and find a star player who can make the big shots. We just don't have that right now and that is the difference between winning and losing. We could easily be 23-7 or whatever if we had a shooter who could make big shots. Shots that stop the other teams momentum or a player who creates his own shot like Day Day and Jizzle. Maybe one of those two could be that guy next year if they stay. I think Lakhin might be able to as well. Simas is a role player who has shown IMO he is not that guy. Maybe Skilling's if he could ever get his head in the game for 40 minutes. Sometimes he just kills us but I love his potential.

This team has exceeded my reasonable expectations and I have seen enough to say that next year it is tournament or bust. I'm ok with this year but Wes has next year and then I am off the train. If he is smart and I think he is he brings in a defensive coach who can teach multiple defenses. I do think the team could make a run in the B12 tournament if they got hot and played as a team without those momentum killing moments and someone knocks off Houston before we have to play them.

Too much insecurity to bring someone of the stature especially with the history Huggs has. It would be a major shipwreck. Day at tOSU brought in Chip Kelly, but Kelly is his mentor. With CWM, the only man is Roy Williams and I don't see him leaving retirement to help UC.

[John P]

For me, I've actually been pretty impressed with the Cats this year. Before conference play, I would have guessed every game would have been a losing blowout loss but they've hung in every game against some of the best teams in the country despite so many weaknesses.
If they could have just improved 2 things this year, they'd simply be unstoppable.
-Improve the free throw percentage. It wouldn't take a huge improvement to put us in the winning column.
-Decrease the number of fouls we're making. Most of our losses come giving up too may free throws. We get killed here in most of our losses.
I'm no self-proclaimed expert and I've never played at any level but loosing 7 or 8 games by 5 or less points show the cats are playing really well...all thing considered.

[leeraymond]

That is why they keep score.

Ha haaa. You are right about that Leo.

[Rufus]

Let's get real. Having to navigate the transfer portal and the NIL money to get them to your school and keeping them happy ( and the their parents ) with playing time, living up to the tradition of a school, and winning enough to make the tournament is a task that very few has accomplished presently.

[GoBearcats31]

UC is 346 out of 362 teams on KenPom in luck factor, which I believe has some correlation to close losses.

In 2016, UC was 322 out of 351. That was the team with Caupain, Cobb, Clark, Ellis, etc. that lost to Iowa State by 2, at SMU by 2, at Temple by 2 in 2OT, at Tulsa by 2 in OT, had the 4OT AAC loss to UConn, and lost to St. Joe's in the tourney when Octavius Ellis' game-tying dunk at the buzzer was waived off.

[sedz]

The defense was really good last night aside from all the late fouls. We gave up 0.97 points per possession, our third best performance in conference play. Oklahoma converted just 11 of 27 (41%) at the rim, and 3 of 13 from midrange. They had 15 turnovers and only 8 offensive rebounds. It was impressive to give up under a point per possession despite 28 points at the stripe.

On offense we put up 0.93 points per possession, our 4th worst output in conference. We got to the rim 31 times and converted 55%, and only took 11 midrange shots. Unfortunately the threes weren't falling. Many looks in the first half were bad (contested or off the dribble), but I can't blame them for the wide open set shots they missed in the second half. Simas and Newman had a bunch of good looks that wouldn't go down.

For the first time that I can remember, Jizzle was our best player statistically. He had 5.3 net points and a game high 14 box plus minus (even his defensive box plus minus was second on the team after Aziz). It helps that he didn't have to guard the Sooners starting PG Javian McCollum. Still, Jizzle had an efficient 16 points on 14 shots with an assist, no turnovers, and a couple steals. Skillings (6 offensive rebounds, 3 steals) and Newman (15 points on 16 shots, 2 steals) were the only other players with positive net points. Jamille was our worst player for the second game in a row, scoring 6 points with 6 rebounds but also 2 turnovers, 4 fouls, and no assists, blocks, or steals in 18 minutes.

[BearKatz]

In regards to Wes Miller, I do not believe he should be fired! Who wants to start all over again? Plus we would probably lose our top 2 recruits and who knows how many would end up hitting the portal.

Wes is only in his 3rd Season and I think every coach deserves (5)yrs to turn around a program.

It took Mick 5yrs before we made the NCAA Tournament:

2010-11

Cincinnati (BIG EAST)

Head Coach

26-9

11-7

T-6th

Quarterfinals (1-1)

NCAA Second Round (1-1)

The previous year we were close:

2009-10

Cincinnati (BIG EAST)

Head Coach

19-16

7-11

11th

Quarterfinals (2-1)

NIT Second Round (1-1)

I think with Rayvon and both Tyler's, we will make the tournament in year #4 under Wes. If for some reason, we do not see a major improvement by year #5. Then we should start talking about finding a new coach...In the meantime, we're going to have to suffer through some of these unbearable losses.

[leo from jersey]

The defense was really good last night aside from all the late fouls. We gave up 0.97 points per possession, our third best performance in conference play. Oklahoma converted just 11 of 27 (41%) at the rim, and 3 of 13 from midrange. They had 15 turnovers and only 8 offensive rebounds. It was impressive to give up under a point per possession despite 28 points at the stripe.

On offense we put up 0.93 points per possession, our 4th worst output in conference. We got to the rim 31 times and converted 55%, and only took 11 midrange shots. Unfortunately the threes weren't falling. Many looks in the first half were bad (contested or off the dribble), but I can't blame them for the wide open set shots they missed in the second half. Simas and Newman had a bunch of good looks that wouldn't go down.

For the first time that I can remember, Jizzle was our best player statistically. He had 5.3 net points and a game high 14 box plus minus (even his defensive box plus minus was second on the team after Aziz). It helps that he didn't have to guard the Sooners starting PG Javian McCollum. Still, Jizzle had an efficient 16 points on 14 shots with an assist, no turnovers, and a couple steals. Skillings (6 offensive rebounds, 3 steals) and Newman (15 points on 16 shots, 2 steals) were the only other players with positive net points. Jamille was our worst player for the second game in a row, scoring 6 points with 6 rebounds but also 2 turnovers, 4 fouls, and no assists, blocks, or steals in 18 minutes.

It helped that JJ completely stopped his horrid lobs to Aziz , but when he was running the point the Cats lost double digit leads 2 times. I saw a different player being the best I think - actually nobody. It is often not the shot you make but the ones that should have been made by all around play. I have yet to see a stat for that