Louisville 11/21 6:30 ESPN2

[leeraymond372@gmail.com]

The UL game was a bad game for UC's starting guard group. As a group, UC's starting guards went 9 for 37 overall to shoot 24%. They also shot 29% from three, going 7 for 24. By the way, 64.8% of the shots taken by UC's starting guards were threes. Look, I understand the value of the three-point shot. Three points are better than two. However, the three-point shot is a lower probability shot and cannot help the team if the team does not make these shots. To me, taking a lot of threes and missing them is a waste of valuable offensive possessions.

UC played some pretty good defense overall, holding UL to 37.5% shooting for the game and holding them to 28.6% shooting from three. However, UC's defense fell to pieces in the second half. UL shot 48% in the second half where UC shot just 36.7%. Also, both teams turned the ball over 13 times for the game. UL turned the turnovers into 17 points, where UC got just 7 points from the turnovers.

The box score indicates that this game was somewhat even. The big difference was at the foul line. UL went 24-28 from the foul line where UC went 10-16 from the foul line.

UL's guards, Conwell and Brown, killed UC. Conwell went 5-10 from three and Brown went 12-14 from the free throw line. UC will face some good guard groups in the BIG XII. If last night's performance is a sign of things to come from the starting guard group, then UC may be in trouble. What adjustments can be made? Given UC's roster, there are really not that many options available. Maybe move Harris to the starting lineup and putting some shooting limits on Abaev. What about Rodriquez and Harris in the starting lineup? Why does Rodriguez no longer play? Here is one crazy option: move Miller to the small forward, insert Harris and McKinley, and bench Abaev and Kriisa. Where would the outside shooting come from with this really big lineup? The point here is this: some adjustments to the starting lineup are probably needed. Is Miller willing to do that?

[leo from jersey]

Say what you want, this team would be a lot better if Jizzle were still here.

No BaBa would never see the ball. I hope you remember example Dillion Mitchell

[leo from jersey]

A clear coaching gap . This win was there for the taking .

One coach made halftime attitude adjustments the other was content with a 4 point lead thinking the second half would be the same.

[leo from jersey]

Well many might have expected me to say this. The PG on a National Championship team can't develop one as a coach or forgot how a floor leader plays. Day Day is a good shooter. Tillery is wild eyed and nervous. Kerr has already been spoken about. A total lack of direction in the second half. The first half wasn't so great as the Cards were asleep. Pat K. did some motivational adjustment at the half and look how weak the Cats looked. I am tired of CWM saying they are going to be a great team and how Abaev is going to be great. He may become so, but he is hurting the team right now. A floor leader would get the ball to two bigs who were virtually unstoppable underneath. They jacked 3s instead. Yeah Day Day hit in the first half but after the Cards started to play defense, how many did he have in the second. Plus nobody could get him the ball when he was open. All the bragging of how thee new GM really put together a team and yet, he forgot the most important position. Tillery may become it down the line, but you play games in the now. CWM plays them in so warped future. He dreams don't equal victories or tournament games. They equal losses. The Cards rebuilt their program after a few disastrous seasons, but the Cats have not. Give CWM until February and if this total lack of BB IQ and fundamentals remain, we must to what it takes to see him sent packing. Why? Because CWM is always coaching the future and not the present.

[Rufus]

As sedz says "But our offense reverted to the typical Wes Miller scheme against tough competition: too may midrange jumpers, not enough attacking the rim.'"

CWM recruits these guys who are highly rated and can shoot the ball at a high percentage..... until they get to UC. And I know a lot of this is because there is a learning curve from HS to college. But the learning curve never straightens out in following years and is typical no matter who the recruit may be past or present, and seems to occur with transfers as well. This is my opinion but they are paying a shot doctor needlessly because I see regression in percentage of shots made instead increase. I more than anyone was exited when Wes was first hired and it pains me to say this but it's been my observation that he is just too much over his head and skill level to coach in a power conference. I recall some coaches in the past would consider it a felony to turnover / or lose possession of the bball, and I know to's are part of the game but I just can't get over how easy Wes Millers team just allow opponents take away rebounds from them. It occured four times last night.
UC is my team, I'm a homer I'll continue to watch when I can.

[Gmann]

Well many might have expected me to say this. The PG on a National Championship team can't develop one as a coach or forgot how a floor leader plays. Day Day is a good shooter. Tillery is wild eyed and nervous. Kerr has already been spoken about. A total lack of direction in the second half. The first half wasn't so great as the Cards were asleep. Pat K. did some motivational adjustment at the half and look how weak the Cats looked. I am tired of CWM saying they are going to be a great team and how Abaev is going to be great. He may become so, but he is hurting the team right now. A floor leader would get the ball to two bigs who were virtually unstoppable underneath. They jacked 3s instead. Yeah Day Day hit in the first half but after the Cards started to play defense, how many did he have in the second. Plus nobody could get him the ball when he was open. All the bragging of how thee new GM really put together a team and yet, he forgot the most important position. Tillery may become it down the line, but you play games in the now. CWM plays them in so warped future. He dreams don't equal victories or tournament games. They equal losses. The Cards rebuilt their program after a few disastrous seasons, but the Cats have not. Give CWM until February and if this total lack of BB IQ and fundamentals remain, we must to what it takes to see him sent packing. Why? Because CWM is always coaching the future and not the present.

Well said, Leo. Miller is always talking about how great the team can be in the future. The problem is the future never comes. I do thing the GM has put together a great roster for Miller but he's still the same mediocre coach. He doesn't correct mistakes or poor fundamentals. I think he has had moderate success in his coaching career because kids like playing for him and he's a good PR guy.

On a side note I did catch some of the GA/XU game and I saw the GA coach do his impression of Miller. He had the superior roster but for the last several minutes of the game he just let his kids come down and play street ball and heave up low percentage shots. He got bailed out as X missed the final shot but it showed me there are other poor coaches out there...at least in that instance.

[Rufus]

Say what you want, this team would be a lot better if Jizzle were still here.

If we still had JJ on this team CWM would be trying to placate both He and Abaev, and we saw last season that Miller can't keep two "stars" ( and I use that term loosely) happy simultaneously. See JJ and DS from last year. Miller just needs to sit people on the bench when there shooting shots that are not going in, probably is he has no one that to take the responsibility to start taking the ball inside to the three big guys.

[zykarious]

thank you for not just hating everything and everyone. we played #6 team even, I know they may not stay #6, or maybe they'll be #1.... they got to the line more, and shot fts better, not to mention baba going out early... give us time to grow, my goodness. maybe this site isn't for me anymore..and that's fine...go cats

Most fans don't like Miller and want him gone, I don't expect that to change until if/when we make the NCAA tournament (and maybe not even then if we barely squeak in). Until then, expect negativity to be the norm on this site and any like it.

[bearcatjd]

Why oh why didn't we thorw the ball inside more. Our two bigs did a great job of scoring at a high %. I'm disappointed in the results of this team.

[zykarious]

If we still had JJ on this team CWM would be trying to placate both He and Abaev, and we saw last season that Miller can't keep two "stars" ( and I use that term loosely) happy simultaneously. See JJ and DS from last year. Miller just needs to sit people on the bench when there shooting shots that are not going in, probably is he has no one that to take the responsibility to start taking the ball inside to the three big guys.

Of all the complaints about Miller, this is the one that I agree with the most. He seems to play favorites, whether that be because he's hoping for them to reach their potential or because of money. Every year it seems he picks a lineup and continues to play someone who doesn't belong on the court for far too long.

Miller basically sacrificed our chances of winning this game in order to give Abaev minutes. I know our offense wasn't looking great regardless, but imagine in the first half running some good offense instead of Abaev jacking up shots that were so bad they might as well have been TOs. Then he comes back in the second half and does the same thing.

Where's Jordi? Jordi has outplayed Abaev on defense, rebounds better, but got benched and hasn't played 2 games because he made a couple freshman mistakes. I want standards for what gets a guy on/off the court and a coach who sticks to them. Wes applies different standards, whether that be based on a guys potential or the amount of money the guy is being paid.

[leo from jersey]

Well said, Leo. Miller is always talking about how great the team can be in the future. The problem is the future never comes. I do thing the GM has put together a great roster for Miller but he's still the same mediocre coach. He doesn't correct mistakes or poor fundamentals. I think he has had moderate success in his coaching career because kids like playing for him and he's a good PR guy.

On a side note I did catch some of the GA/XU game and I saw the GA coach do his impression of Miller. He had the superior roster but for the last several minutes of the game he just let his kids come down and play street ball and heave up low percentage shots. He got bailed out as X missed the final shot but it showed me there are other poor coaches out there...at least in that instance.

I think he missed on a floor leader. The most important player unless you have superstar one and dones.

[leo from jersey]

One more frustrated complaint. I was taken in by the first half. The team ran the floor. The second half showed me that the Cards didn't in the first half. UC was stopped by transition defense by the Cards and so they had to play fundamental basketball. Without a floor leader and without players with aggressive fundamentals and only the desire to shoot. It is plain about the 16 point turnabout. The Cards slept then when awaken by their coach, made UC look bad in every aspect of the game. That is what I saw in the second half.

[Rufus]

This is my last post on this topic and here goes. I don't understand the mindset of working so tirelessly for years to get into a power conference and then "settle" for coaches in the two most visible sports who neither one excelled at lower levels.

[leo from jersey]

Perhaps my last rant on the game. The Card's coach was raised on hard nosed, fundamentals coached GCL ball & attitude. After 5 years, CWM - welcome to Cincinnati Basketball.

[Gmann]

One other point is that the game with Louisville exposed the weaknesses which we knew were there. With the next 3 games being against weaker competition and we won't be challenged enough to improve before we play X. We've seen this before. They won't likely have to address the problems to win those games and we'll head into X unprepared. X doesn't have the talent they've had in the past but Pitino is a good coach and he'll have his guys ready. Based on past experience I doubt Miller will have our Cats ready.