Baylor 2/25 7:00 pm ESPN2

[GoBearcats31]

UC, 16-11 (6-10) hosts Baylor, 16-11 (8-8) on Tuesday night at Fifth Third Arena
Ken Pom: Baylor 30, UC 52
NET: Baylor 30, UC 44 (Quad 1 game if Baylor stays in top 30, but a win would likely knock Baylor into Quad 2 for the time being)

UC is 0-3 all-time versus Baylor (0-2 last year, lost by 20 in early January this year) but first ever meeting in Cincinnati
Baylor has lost 3 of four, including a 7-point home loss to Arizona and 2-point road loss to Colorado this past week

Top players:
Norchad Omier (6'7 240 lb. senior forward) - 15.8 points, 10.4 rebounds
VJ Edgecombe (6'5 freshman guard) - 14.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.0 steals
Robert Wright (6'1 freshman guard) - 12.1 points, 4.5 assists
Jeremy Roach (6'2 senior guard)- 10.6 points, 3.0 assists

6'10 forward Josh Ojianwuna (10 and 7 versus UC) is out for the rest of the season
6'5 guard Langston Love (DNP versus UC) is back and scored 17 versus Colorado
6'4 guard Jayden Love (9 points versus UC) missed Saturday's game with an illness

[swilsonsp4]

While Edgecombe is a talent that needs to be reckoned with, Omier is a real problem as a double-double machine (which he has averaged over his entire college career). Since we're deep into Must Win territory, the Cats have to find a way to keep Omier off the glass, while not allowing him to go crazy at the FT line (100 for 133; 75.2%). In fact, the Bears shoot FT's very well collectively.

[Chewbacca2099]

While I want to win this game it really won't move the NCAA tournament meter enough... and neither will KSU/OSU. We will have to make a deep run in the conference tournament on top of winning those 3 games to think about making it... Really needed that WVU win. I think even if we somehow beat Houston (1% chance) we will still need a decent tourney run to get an at-large unfortunately.

[swilsonsp4]

While I want to win this game it really won't move the NCAA tournament meter enough... and neither will KSU/OSU. We will have to make a deep run in the conference tournament on top of winning those 3 games to think about making it... Really needed that WVU win. I think even if we somehow beat Houston (1% chance) we will still need a decent tourney run to get an at-large unfortunately.

The team can't get caught up in the need essentially to run the table. The old line, "one game at a time" really applies now. Beat Baylor. Period. Not until then should they think about Houston.

UC can't reverse what already occurred. It's just go for each remaining game and hope other teams in the mix falter and there aren't many bid stealers from the multi-bid conferences.

There was an old poster that made the rounds decades ago that depicted a large bird carrying off a small animal that was choking the bird. The caption read, "Never surrender!"

[London 'Cat]

The ‘Cats can only control what’s in front of them. That is Baylor right now. Beat them and then worry about the next opponent. They cannot beat themselves. Defend solidly. Take good shots. Rebound missed shots on both ends. And limit turnovers.

[GoBearcats31]

A win over Baylor would give UC its second-best win behind the BYU game. Tournament chances are pretty slim, but there is a path still and it continues with tomorrow night's game.

[leeraymond]

UC should treat these next four games as a series of one game championships. UC owes Baylor an @#&$ whipping. Baylor beat UC two times last year and once this year. Throw out all of the stats and the match-ups. UC owes Baylor. Plain and simple.

[sedz]

I still think 9-11 in conference puts us squarely on the bubble. That's a 3-1 finish which will seem very doable if we can win this one.

We're a different team now. In the first game Reed only played 3 minutes while Hickman and Page combined for 21. Skillings made 5 threes but we went 1 for 14 from midrange and turned it over 15 times. We only got to the rim 12 times. We have been better attacking the rim as of late with smaller lineups. Hopefully that continues.

[GoBearcats31]

UC a slight home favorite

3 game winning streak at home

[leeraymond]

I still think 9-11 in conference puts us squarely on the bubble. That's a 3-1 finish which will seem very doable if we can win this one.

We're a different team now. In the first game Reed only played 3 minutes while Hickman and Page combined for 21. Skillings made 5 threes but we went 1 for 14 from midrange and turned it over 15 times. We only got to the rim 12 times. We have been better attacking the rim as of late with smaller lineups. Hopefully that continues.

I agree. A 9-11 record in the BIG XII should at least put UC on the bubble. A couple of wins in the conference tournament and who knows what could happen. Here is the bad part, UC played a pretty weak nonconference schedule. UC's best win in the nonconference is currently looking like Xavier. Although the Dayton win was a ranked and Quad 1 win, it has struggled somewhat in conference play. Dayton is currently 8-6 in the A-10 with four games remaining. VCU is Dayton's toughest opponent still left on the schedule. Additionally, so far, UC does not have any bad losses (Quad 4).

Here is another silver lining for UC basketball, in addition to the NIT this year, there will be another NCAA sanctioned basketball tournament in Vegas. It is called the College Basketball Crown Tournament. It is sponsored by Fox Sports and some promotion company. This tournament will feature 2 automatic qualifiers from each of the BIG EAST, the BIG TEN, and the BIG XII, as well as 10 at-large teams that all did NOT make the NCAA Tournament.

My guess is, not unless something goes catastrophically wrong (let's say UC loses its remaining 5 games), UC will be playing somewhere in the post-season. Given those horrible two-4 game losing streaks in the first 10 games of conference play, that is about as much as we can hope for.

[GoBearcats31]

Gameday:

NET -- Baylor 30 / UC 46
KenPom -- Baylor 30 / UC 53
UC favored by 2.5 points

[Gypo O'Leary]

I still think 9-11 in conference puts us squarely on the bubble. That's a 3-1 finish which will seem very doable if we can win this one.

We're a different team now. In the first game Reed only played 3 minutes while Hickman and Page combined for 21. Skillings made 5 threes but we went 1 for 14 from midrange and turned it over 15 times. We only got to the rim 12 times. We have been better attacking the rim as of late with smaller lineups. Hopefully that continues.

To Me this is the heart of the matter. At this point in the season, Page, Betsy ought to be more used and productive. Hickman and Frederick are guys that ought to be giving you valuable minutes off the bench. I am not sure whether this is on Miller, or if these guys just don't have it. Bandaogo, considering his skills seems to be giving us all we can expect, but these young big guys have to be relevant components to compete in this league.

[GoBearcats31]

Chad Brendel says Simas Lukosius will likely be available tonight

[Rufus]

To Me this is the heart of the matter. At this point in the season, Page, Betsy ought to be more used and productive. Hickman and Frederick are guys that ought to be giving you valuable minutes off the bench. I am not sure whether this is on Miller, or if these guys just don't have it. Bandaogo, considering his skills seems to be giving us all we can expect, but these young big guys have to be relevant components to compete in this league.

Betsy seems to be gradually moving out of his comfort zone and gaining more confidence let's hope he continues in this trajectory. Page seems to have gotten into his own head the past few games and wasn't being used as much or for some other reason. Here's hoping he can come out and be productive these next few games.

[Lobot]

Ref crew looks suboptimal tonight