West Virginia 2/19 7:00 ESPN2

[leo from jersey]

Simas will not play tonight.

Page is hurt too, but will try to gut it through

[Lobot]

Simas will not play tonight.

[red_n_black_attack]

If Simas can make more than 1 or 2 shots, and our bigs block out AND rebound, we will win the game. Unfortunately, asking Jizzle to score 30 and expecting Reed to make rainbow threes to overcome those deficiencies won't consistently win games like this.

[leeraymond]

West Virginia are 3.5-point favorites.

Both teams have dismal conference records. UC has a conference scoring margin of -4, WV has a conference scoring margin of -1.6. UC is the better scoring team, and WV is the better defensive team. Over both teams last 10 games, WV has gone 3-7 and UC surprisingly has gone 5-5. Both teams are coming off of tough losses where WV lost at Baylor in OT.

UC has one advantage on its side. This is a revenge game for UC. UC was embarrassed at home by WV. So, UC owes WV an #$@& whipping. This is a must win game for UC to keep any distant hope of an NCAA chance alive. Hopefully, UC can pull a win out tonight.

[Carthage World]

West Virginia are 3.5-point favorites.

[London 'Cat]

Yeah, I'm with you. Let's get the players motivation wherever we can find it. I'm just saying that no amount of motivation is going to have a player make 60% of his jumpshots every game. No one can do that - not Durant, Curry, Jordan, or Robertson. He's gonna fall back to earth and I'm afraid this shooting streak is just some lipstick on the pig that is Wes Miller's offense. Pull-up unassisted jumpshots will average out to under 50% over the season, sometimes way under. Let's play fast, run some 4 high or inverted sets and get to the rim.

Fair points, sedz. Maybe James is auditioning for a new gig next year. The fact remains that UC does not run a proper offense, or at least runs an offense that is easily defended. This season is essentially lost unless UC wins the BigXII tournament. Another season of watching the NCAA tournament without anybody to root for. Sad.

[sedz]

I agree but scoring is what seems to get the most milage and TV time. Before he spoke with his dad, didn't he have an o fer. At least he is giving something and I guess we are impressed because a few others are giving nothing. Sedz - this has been a very frustrating year. Something has got to change.I don't see Danny Fortson walking across those black lines anytime soon. Wouldn't it be nice to see a C. Bostic.

Yeah, I'm with you. Let's get the players motivation wherever we can find it. I'm just saying that no amount of motivation is going to have a player make 60% of his jumpshots every game. No one can do that - not Durant, Curry, Jordan, or Robertson. He's gonna fall back to earth and I'm afraid this shooting streak is just some lipstick on the pig that is Wes Miller's offense. Pull-up unassisted jumpshots will average out to under 50% over the season, sometimes way under. Let's play fast, run some 4 high or inverted sets and get to the rim.

[leo from jersey]

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.

I agree but scoring is what seems to get the most milage and TV time. Before he spoke with his dad, didn't he have an o fer. At least he is giving something and I guess we are impressed because a few others are giving nothing. Sedz - this has been a very frustrating year. Something has got to change.I don't see Danny Fortson walking across those black lines anytime soon. Wouldn't it be nice to see a C. Bostic.

[GoBearcats31]

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.

His first four games in January he went a combined 7/35. Add in a 3/13 performance at BYU and 0/8 versus WVU (heck, how about 0/11 in the Crosstown Shootout?) and I'll gladly take whatever he's got going on, turnovers and all. The fact is that shots are falling after a number of games where it felt like he had a lid on the basket.

In any event, I understand what you are saying.

[sedz]

Jizzle is shooting 57% from three and 67% from midrange over the last 4 games. That's not normal for anybody and it won't last forever.

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.

[sedz]

Jizzle is shooting 57% from three and 67% from midrange over the last 4 games. That's not normal for anybody and it won't last forever.

[D.A.H.]

JJ started playing normal again after his dad met with him. Coincidence?

i',m sure that his dad pulled out some spreadsheets, and went over some mumbo jumbo with JJ. that's the only thing that makes sense..............................

[leo from jersey]

JJ has been terrific on offense since the WV game at 5/3. I don’t know what spurred him to play so much better but whatever it is I hope it continues. I just don’t know where he gets help. Reed has played well recently. Thomas is hot or cold. DS is in a funk, inexplicably. Simas is not the same player he was earlier this year. Aziz has played well just not quite enough.

JJ started playing normal again after his dad met with him. Coincidence?

[London 'Cat]

Jizzle in the four games since: 22.3 points per game (33/52 FG; 13/23 three; 10/12 FG) ... to be fair he did have 18 the game before WVU but he's on been on a tear. But will need some help on Wednesday.

JJ has been terrific on offense since the WV game at 5/3. I don’t know what spurred him to play so much better but whatever it is I hope it continues. I just don’t know where he gets help. Reed has played well recently. Thomas is hot or cold. DS is in a funk, inexplicably. Simas is not the same player he was earlier this year. Aziz has played well just not quite enough.

[GoBearcats31]

Rich Hollenberg / Fran Fraschilla on the call