NIT picking

[Lobot]

The energy during the conference schedule was great. Yesterday average at best but I understand it is the NIT

Did they sell the upper deck for yesterday? I didn't think they were going to but Inever saw a good crowd shot on TV

[ME80]

Did they sell the upper deck for yesterday? I didn't think they were going to but Inever saw a good crowd shot on TV

No they never had any intentions of selling upper level seats. Bottom arena was basically filled

[MDW79]

My wife said I'm getting forgetful -- She mentioned Deonta Vaughn - case closed

Don't forget Devan Downey, who just sneaks in under the "the last 20 years" at 18 seasons ago.

What he provided to that '05 team was pretty incredible for a true freshman. That team basically had 4 traditional high level scholarship players: Downey, Kirkland, White, and Hicks. And Kirkland went down early iin conference play and was lost for the rest of the season. You could maybe add in McGowen and/or Jihad Muhammad but I don't think either sees much time, if a scholarship at all, on a Cincinnati roster that wasn't blown up after Hugg's exit. The roster was filled with SIX walk-ons! Add in a football player seeing significant PT in Connor Barwin, and Ronald Allen, and I think you get my drift; that wasn't a very good roster at all.

The kid played 31 minutes a game, played in the Big East, and like most of our guys, didn't take breaks on the defensive side of the ball.

All this said, I'm not sure I'd rank him over Vaughn (tough call). But I thought I'd mention him and show him so love. He was great for a true frosh.

[cpawstoney]

No they never had any intentions of selling upper level seats. Bottom arena was basically filled

That explains why only seats available are in student section.

[bearcatbret]

My wife and I will attend our second straight NIT game. We feel that there is a need to support this team. I agree with Coach Miller that the NIT is important for this team. We will join all of the other old geezers there.

[leo from jersey]

Don't forget Devan Downey, who just sneaks in under the "the last 20 years" at 18 seasons ago.

What he provided to that '05 team was pretty incredible for a true freshman. That team basically had 4 traditional high level scholarship players: Downey, Kirkland, White, and Hicks. And Kirkland went down early iin conference play and was lost for the rest of the season. You could maybe add in McGowen and/or Jihad Muhammad but I don't think either sees much time, if a scholarship at all, on a Cincinnati roster that wasn't blown up after Hugg's exit. The roster was filled with SIX walk-ons! Add in a football player seeing significant PT in Connor Barwin, and Ronald Allen, and I think you get my drift; that wasn't a very good roster at all.

The kid played 31 minutes a game, played in the Big East, and like most of our guys, didn't take breaks on the defensive side of the ball.

All this said, I'm not sure I'd rank him over Vaughn (tough call). But I thought I'd mention him and show him so love. He was great for a true frosh.

I thought of him as I remembered Deonta. I was so disappointed about that whole situation, but Devan sure was great. UC has had some good guards who played all around ball. I will mention that I thought Jihad Muhammad did contribute and I liked his play. I will give him love as he went and worked with the kids at Plainfield, NJ where he was from. He was quite the role model and much needed in a rough town. Please don't mention Hicks as my hope is to one day see another like him on the Cats. He was something.

Although in a different era now Downey and Vaughn and with both being very good shooting the ball, they controlled the game on both sides of the ball. That is the thing missing in hero ball. I am hoping that will change and if/when it does. look out. I still want a floor leader through the portal though.

Great post MDW79.

[bearcatrunner]

I'm not gonna go through every player to do a comparison. For the record I loved Downey and Vaughn. Devan broke my heart (well what was left it after the Kenyon Martin Injury) when he decided to leave. Look at the mins per game and then look at those stats! I stand by my original statement. Those are freshman numbers for Downey and Vaughn. All of his % are higher then the other two and look at those points per game. Heck everyone is gushing over Simas recently and he had a great game but his numbers are not crazy better then James. Plus look at his freshman numbers when he was not playing against the B12. If James stays he is our next big superstar as long as he continues to work hard. I'm building him up big so I really hope he has a huge game tomorrow.

	GP	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	REB	AST	BLK	STL	PF	TO	PTS
James	35	18.2	41.9	29.6	77.1	1.8	2	0.2	0.5	1	1.1	8
Downey	34	30.9	39.8	28.4	76.9	2.7	4.3	0.2	1.9	2.2	2.3	11.9
Vaughn	30	33	37.3	29.2	75.3	3.4	3.5	0	1.8	2.7	2.4	14.5
Simas	33	29.9	38.9	38.2	84.2	3	3	0.2	0.5	1.1	2	11.2
Simas Fresh	32	21.6	37.7	28.6	89.1	3.3	1.2	0.1	0.3	1.4	1.6	6.8

[Rufus]

So has anybody got any solid info concerning DayDay and how serious is the injury?

[Carthage World]

Don't forget Devan Downey, who just sneaks in under the "the last 20 years" at 18 seasons ago.

What he provided to that '05 team was pretty incredible for a true freshman. That team basically had 4 traditional high level scholarship players: Downey, Kirkland, White, and Hicks. And Kirkland went down early iin conference play and was lost for the rest of the season. You could maybe add in McGowen and/or Jihad Muhammad but I don't think either sees much time, if a scholarship at all, on a Cincinnati roster that wasn't blown up after Hugg's exit. The roster was filled with SIX walk-ons! Add in a football player seeing significant PT in Connor Barwin, and Ronald Allen, and I think you get my drift; that wasn't a very good roster at all.

The kid played 31 minutes a game, played in the Big East, and like most of our guys, didn't take breaks on the defensive side of the ball.

All this said, I'm not sure I'd rank him over Vaughn (tough call). But I thought I'd mention him and show him so love. He was great for a true frosh.

That last NIT game against South Carolina was pretty crazy. Jihad and James White were just ruled ineligible so the starting line-up was Downey, Chad Moore, Ronald Allen, McGowan, and Eric Hicks. We had no scholarship players on the bench, but Barwin added 9 rebounds over 24 minutes. Brandon Miller and Dominic Tilford both saw some spot time as well. The crowd was raucous from start to finish. South Carolina edged the game out 65-62 then stole Downey from us.

[Carthage World]

It's gonna be a huge task to replace Day Day's minutes if he is indeed out on Saturday.

PG - Jizzle (32) Simas (4), CJ Anthony (4)
SG - Simas (32), Newman (8)
SF - Newman (28), Reed (8), Skillings (4)
PF - Skillings (28), Vik (12)
C - Aziz (26), Reynolds (14)

Hopefully Vik can give us better minutes than he did against San Fran.

[leo from jersey]

It's gonna be a huge task to replace Day Day's minutes if he is indeed out on Saturday.

PG - Jizzle (32) Simas (4), CJ Anthony (4)
SG - Simas (32), Newman (8)
SF - Newman (28), Reed (8), Skillings (4)
PF - Skillings (28), Vik (12)
C - Aziz (26), Reynolds (14)

Hopefully Vik can give us better minutes than he did against San Fran.

he didn't care as his head wasn't in the game. he let his man beat him and then he knocked into SL causing a missed rebound. he was yanked and saw no further action. It is time for Vik to either want to be in Cincy or not. If there are problems, the school has resources to help him.

[leo from jersey]

I'm not gonna go through every player to do a comparison. For the record I loved Downey and Vaughn. Devan broke my heart (well what was left it after the Kenyon Martin Injury) when he decided to leave. Look at the mins per game and then look at those stats! I stand by my original statement. Those are freshman numbers for Downey and Vaughn. All of his % are higher then the other two and look at those points per game. Heck everyone is gushing over Simas recently and he had a great game but his numbers are not crazy better then James. Plus look at his freshman numbers when he was not playing against the B12. If James stays he is our next big superstar as long as he continues to work hard. I'm building him up big so I really hope he has a huge game tomorrow.

	GP	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	REB	AST	BLK	STL	PF	TO	PTS
James	35	18.2	41.9	29.6	77.1	1.8	2	0.2	0.5	1	1.1	8
Downey	34	30.9	39.8	28.4	76.9	2.7	4.3	0.2	1.9	2.2	2.3	11.9
Vaughn	30	33	37.3	29.2	75.3	3.4	3.5	0	1.8	2.7	2.4	14.5
Simas	33	29.9	38.9	38.2	84.2	3	3	0.2	0.5	1.1	2	11.2
Simas Fresh	32	21.6	37.7	28.6	89.1	3.3	1.2	0.1	0.3	1.4	1.6	6.8

there are so many more intangibles which stats don't show, but win games. Directing traffic, minor adjustment because you can't dribble loses points, dealing with temperament. Take the stats and give me the player everyday. So much more to a floor leader than stats.JJ has no ability to dribble and with his head down, he doesn't see the court and so he can't direct and he misses opportunities for good passing. No stat for that, but the coaches and those on the court see it.

[bearcatrunner]

In my view point his dribbling skills are fantastic! He just gets out of control every once in a while because it is so fast and low but it is never something lazy like other players. He tries to do too much but that could be a factor of coming off the bench cold and trying to make an impression for more playing time. Day Day was like that to start the year but he is doing so much better with that. He used to drive to the hoop and I would be like, oh her goes another missed layup and now he makes most of them. As others have said maybe JJ is better as an off guard but I don't think so. I would like to see him dribble with his head up more but that might come with playing time and the game slowing down because of it. He is a freshman on an upper classmen team. That has to be intimidating.

I'll go with the facts which is the numbers. Everyone like's to ignore the facts/numbers when they don't point to the answer they want.

[leo from jersey]

In my view point his dribbling skills are fantastic! He just gets out of control every once in a while because it is so fast and low but it is never something lazy like other players. He tries to do too much but that could be a factor of coming off the bench cold and trying to make an impression for more playing time. Day Day was like that to start the year but he is doing so much better with that. He used to drive to the hoop and I would be like, oh her goes another missed layup and now he makes most of them. As others have said maybe JJ is better as an off guard but I don't think so. I would like to see him dribble with his head up more but that might come with playing time and the game slowing down because of it. He is a freshman on an upper classmen team. That has to be intimidating.

I'll go with the facts which is the numbers. Everyone like's to ignore the facts/numbers when they don't point to the answer they want.

Watch it closely when pressure is applied. He looks to his feet at the ball thus he can't see the floor. I don't believe anything, but scoring was expected of him in HS and AAU. He is also easy to drive on and buys into the shoulder fake and then quick jerk move.. That is a fact, but perhaps not a stat. He is not a PG/floor leader. The fact was you said he was the best in 20 Years. Deonta, Devan, trou and Cash were all pretty good. CWM has done a good job with him once he got his attention, but dribbling is a skill to do without thinking. I like his off guard abilities, but he must step up his PG skills and that won't come in this tourney. Stats t=seldom tell the true worth of a PG. Missed passes (holding the ball and not passing) and lousy passes cost points and don't show up. Notice how the defenders drive him to his right and that isn't his best side for shooting. That isn't his style, but I see the teams in the conference doing it. CWM usually yanks him when that happens. The worse stat of all is riding the bench.

[leo from jersey]

what used to really get me mad was when the pass was off and not to my stride for a one motion shot. The bad stat went to the off balanced shooter and not the pg. I have heard of threats made to these guys unless they improved their passing. It were also for refusing to see and get the ball to a wide open man or when a man could beat the defender like a drum. My wife was the distributer and you should hear her analyzing the poor skills she sees. She bemoans the fact that women's basketball wasn't taken seriously well over 50 years ago. She sees things that I miss and she sure as heck could coach the men and did. Now she works with the granddaughter as does the whole family. The child has the height and the motor skills. Dedication is part of her DNA. Spoken as a proud grandpa. I was also informed we are having another baby coming and he is male. That's two males and 4 girls. I can't wait to train them in my own monster factory. I have added to it for years and I call it the dungeon. We have a course set up outside to really get them going as well as playing on the court. I talk too much as a grandpa. I just wish my Dad was still here to help with the speed work.