West Virginia 2/19 7:00 ESPN2

[sedz]

Jizzle's usage rate was over 40 last night. For reference, JT Toppin leads the Big12 in usage rate at 29.6. The highest rate the Bearcats have seen is Jarron Cumberland's 31.3 in 2019. Jizzle is not on the same level as those players and we need to stop giving him free reign.

[sedz]

Aside from hot shooting Jizzle isn't actually playing any better. Over his last 3 games he has 10 turnovers, only 3 total rebounds, zero blocks or steals, and subpar defensive BPM. He has a 2:1 assist to turnover ratio on the season but just 1:1 over the last 3 games. Jizzle's hot shooting streak has given the team a winning streak, but we can't expect it to continue. He's playing the same hero ball that we all complain about when the shots aren't falling. We still need to focus on getting clean rim looks or open set shots, which we are able to do when we play at a faster pace. The first game against West Virginia had 62 possessions. I'd like to see that number closer to 70.

Our poor offensive scheme was on full display last night. This game was even slower than the first one. There were only 60 possessions, and we needed a couple steals in the final seconds to get there. We took more midrange jumpers (20) than shots at the rim (18). Compare that to WVU, who got to the rim 28 times and only took 9 shots from midrange. Our two PGs alone took 16 midrange shots and only made 5 of them. Just an abysmal offensive scheme, and we ended up scoring under a point per possession even with Dan's circus shots at the end. The only reason it was close for a while is WVU went ice cold in the middle portion of the game.

Skillings was the statistical player of the game. He had 6.3 net points, and it's not hard to figure out how he impacted the scoring margin by 6 points. Three, steal, three in a few seconds. But he did have a nice game overall, pulling down 7 rebounds in 21 minutes and leading the team in defensive BPM. Aziz was next best with 2.0 net points, grabbing 10 boards with 3 blocks in 26 minutes. Day Day also had positive net points thanks to making 3 of 6 from beyond the arc.

Everyone else was on the negative side. Betsey was worst with negative 2.6 net points. He's almost exclusively a three point shooter, and going 1 for 5 won't help. He also had a team worst negative 2.1 defensive BPM. Second worst was Jizzle who took 16 jumpshots and only made 4 of them with a negative defensive BPM. Reed had a good defensive game as usual but had a team worst negative 5.6 offensive BPM. Mitchell had an uncharacteristic poor defensive game, unable to come up with any of his trademark steals and struggling at the 5 when we went small.

[fmirzamd]

Tuning point bearcats leading by 6 with 4 minutes left, Mitchell missed 2 FT, they stopped WV now DD missed one and one. If we had made those will be up by 10 with less than 3 to go. For the past 10 years we have been losing 4-6 games every year because of poor free throw shooting. Mick Cronin years were the same problem. Finally no one can hit an open shot when needed.

[leo from jersey]

Bearcats' Furious, Final-Second Rally Falls Short at WVU - University of Cincinnati Athletics
Just how many free throws were taken and missed? How many of the misses were the front of a 1 - 1?

Perhaps the Cats need a "Free throw" shot doctor.

[bearcatbret]

Bearcats' Furious, Final-Second Rally Falls Short at WVU - University of Cincinnati Athletics
Just how many free throws were taken and missed? How many of the misses were the front of a 1 - 1?

[Carthage World]

Aside from hot shooting Jizzle isn't actually playing any better. Over his last 3 games he has 10 turnovers, only 3 total rebounds, zero blocks or steals, and subpar defensive BPM. He has a 2:1 assist to turnover ratio on the season but just 1:1 over the last 3 games. Jizzle's hot shooting streak has given the team a winning streak, but we can't expect it to continue. He's playing the same hero ball that we all complain about when the shots aren't falling. We still need to focus on getting clean rim looks or open set shots, which we are able to do when we play at a faster pace. The first game against West Virginia had 62 possessions. I'd like to see that number closer to 70.

Nailed it. That's why sedz is the best.

[leo from jersey]

SL was missed. The flow of the offense was herky jerky at best and not having him in allowed the trap on JJ & Day Day ------Even if he isn't making shots, he helps the team. Again, Ray is lost. Of course he got his usual two minutes in the first half. Is that written into his NIL?

[bearcatjd]

A very disappointing loss that could of should have been a win!

[BearKatz]

I know right! Cincinnati should be as embarrassed to lose to 5 transfers as Gonzaga, Zona, Kansas, and ISU. WVU beat us all with a piecemeal team

So what you're saying is its okay to lose to a Team that was picked at the Bottom of the Big 12 this season? Just because they beat good teams makes it okay? First year coach, 5 transfers, where's the moral victory in that !!

[BearKatz]

The question is how can a coach from a smaller conference such as the Miller came from, desperately recruit 5 players to to restock the depleted roster from the year before and fair better in his first year than our coach who's in his third?.

Exactly! I believe WVU was picked last or second to last to finish in the conference. Yet WVU has 5 Top 25 Wins!

[Bearcats1232002]

How would you like to be the guy who bet WVU after that finish?

I am that guy sir!!! I was already counting my money before Skillings last three.

[Rufus]

Pathetic! The Cats can't beat a team that consists of 5 Transfers who never played together prior to this year!

The question is how can a coach from a smaller conference such as the Miller came from, desperately recruit 5 players to to restock the depleted roster from the year before and fair better in his first year than our coach who's in his third?.

[leeraymond]

Once again Aziz and the pick and roll defense, and the inability to get a defensive rebound dooms UC late in the game. The bad pick/roll defense and the lack of rebounding led to two big three-point shots (6 points) for WV. Those two plays were the difference between winning and losing.

UC has a very bad habit of NOT making plays when it needs to for the win. Mitchell, Reed, and Betsey are all 6'7" or taller and only secured 7 combined rebounds. Thomas and James hogged the ball. They took 35 shots (11-35) to shoot 31%. The rest of the team went 14-26 (53.8%). By the way, Thomas and James had just 5 combined assists.

UC does not understand what is needed to win games. UC's big wings do NOT seem to understand that they must get in there and rebound to give the team a better chance to win. To me that is something that you work on in practice. This year's team has been a big let-down. I know that they play hard, but they do not appear to play with some sense of strategy. This coaching staff is still learning how not to lose games. My question is: when will they learn?

Something to think about that is the summation of UC's season: Josh Reed played 28 minutes and pulled down just 1 rebound. Enough said.

[Bearcat93]

At this point, the buyout cost is cheaper than the continued brand erosion. UC will be absolutely a non-factor in the league next year.

[Gypo O'Leary]

they went on a 9-0 run which was mainly their big guy draining a couple of wide open 3s. but the problem is you have no response except two guards as the announcers put it at one point: .... they are good at dribbling around and getting shots for themselves but they don't get open looks for their team and get the team involved. And to me that does seem like coaching.