Sad State of Bearcat Basketball

[JohnFrancis]

I certainly hope there is offset language in CWM’s contract so that if he gets his walking papers and then lands another HC gig, then UC gets at least a little relief, but quite frankly I don’t know what program of any note or means would hire him.

[Bearcat1996]

College sports have a huge problem. UC is the poster child. UC has failed in every sport since moving to the Big 12 / NIL era. Something must change now to avoid a complete collapse. I can say, from my perspective, I had no emotion watching the Houston or WV game. I simply didn't care if they won or lost. 5-6 years ago, I'd have been screaming at the TV. Times have changed.

[red_n_black_attack]

Bearcat93 posted this on the West Virgina thread last night:

The extension upped Miller’s average annual salary from $1.31 million under the original contract to an average annual salary of $2.95 million.

Miller’s remaining contract: $13M
2025: $3.1M
2026: $3.2M
2027: $3.3M**
2028: $3.4M**
**Extension years

My question to you guys? WHY would the University give me an Extension when he has proved absolutely nothing to this point? No Conference Championship, No NCAA Tournament Birth. Who's bright idea was this?

Extensions used to be fairly common, if not automatic, to ensure a coach always has 5 years left. Other coaches used to bash opposing coaches to recruits if a contract was less than 3 years saying the coach won't be there for your entire career so pick me. My guess is that mentality is still there, and in a world where players are free agents every year, there is no longer a need to extend a coach unless he has less than 2 years left and is winning. This would lower buyouts, and if the coach jumps ship, then they give the university money.

[leo from jersey]

Rufus we had a coach who wanted to stay and had ties to the community... Mick Cronin. UC thought they were better than him. Who wouldn't love to have him back now?

The thing is that fans of the Bearcats have great memories. The Big O, Jucker and Huggs teams especially. Barely making the tourney and out the first weekend was not what was expected. I guess now it could be called a great year.

[bearcatlifer]

Rufus we had a coach who wanted to stay and had ties to the community... Mick Cronin. UC thought they were better than him. Who wouldn't love to have him back now?

[Gypo O'Leary]

Pitino is making roughly $3.3M a year. Wes is making roughly $2.95M and increases year by year from what I have read.

We should be able to afford Pitino easily,

My understanding is that BIG12 teams have around 20M in NIL money, and that is for Football & Basketball. BIG12 basketball programs are averaging about 8.6M in NIL money.
Pitino's St. John's has 10M ...

Pitino is coaching in the Big Apple. He has a Big B-Ball program with no football team to compete with for resources. I would guess his situation is better at St. Johns. I know there are loopholes and things like that, but I would guess he is probably happy at his age.

[swilsonsp4]

Where is Corey Evans accountability in all this? This team is not well constructed. Shon is basically unplayable. Did he not see that at all or was he just steamrolled.

Corey Evans was not involved in the recruitment of Shon Abaev. Evans came on board at the end of last season, which was after Abaev had signed on 11/28/24.

[Rufus]

Most of you forget that even if we do a big name coach, say a Pitino, how long you going to be able to keep him? The slightest proof that he turned things around here and the offers for more money would surely come. And it's true that we can't gamble on another coach that has zero accomplishments on his resume. I stated on another thread that we need a coach whose heart is in the university, has had success at a lower level but who doesn't have a dream job pegged on the horizon. If you can find a coach like that and one that money is not his primary objective I say snatch him up. Good luck with that. Then we need to find a donor / booster who wants to buy a championship, just like Mark Rubin and the university of Indiana.

[Gmann]

Feel doubly sorry for me...I live in Hilton Head half the year and sadly, it appears I'm getting a new neighbor!

Steve, I have had the opportunity to play golf in Hilton Head a couple times and if anything I envy you. Way to go. Enjoy!

[steveedwards]

Exactly! John Cunningham I suppose authored the extension. If you can't afford to eat an extended contract don't extend a coach who has accomplished absolutely nothing. I still contend the roster is good enough to compete and win at a decent clip in this league. You can see them do so for stretches in nearly all their games against very good teams. The problem is they can't sustain anything especially on offense. It's all on Miller. He may be the worst end of game coach I've ever seeen. As many have noted he was hired in over his head and we are all suffering. This situation is only going to deteriorate as the season wears on and the program is going to be severely damaged because of it.

And finally Miller is going to extract generational wealth for his stint here. He would not have to work another day in his life if he chose not to do so. So I feel much more sorry for us than I do for him.

Feel doubly sorry for me...I live in Hilton Head half the year and sadly, it appears I'm getting a new neighbor!

[BearKatz]

Exactly! John Cunningham I suppose authored the extension. If you can't afford to eat an extended contract don't extend a coach who has accomplished absolutely nothing. I still contend the roster is good enough to compete and win at a decent clip in this league. You can see them do so for stretches in nearly all their games against very good teams. The problem is they can't sustain anything especially on offense. It's all on Miller. He may be the worst end of game coach I've ever seeen. As many have noted he was hired in over his head and we are all suffering. This situation is only going to deteriorate as the season wears on and the program is going to be severely damaged because of it.

And finally Miller is going to extract generational wealth for his stint here. He would not have to work another day in his life if he chose not to do so. So I feel much more sorry for us than I do for him.

This team is talented enough to finish in the upper half of the league and secure a NCAA Tourney Bid!

The problem is Wes Miller! He continues to be outcoached in every close game in the 2nd half. Wes lets his team fold under pressure with 3-5mins left in every close game. Wes is a very good recruiter, but not good under pressure. We're in the Big 12, this Univeristy deserves a HIGH LEVEL COACH to take this team to the next level.

I would love to see the over/under on how many players will return next year. Look for another mass exodus at the end of the season.

[Gmann]

Bearcat93 posted this on the West Virgina thread last night:

The extension upped Miller’s average annual salary from $1.31 million under the original contract to an average annual salary of $2.95 million.

Miller’s remaining contract: $13M
2025: $3.1M
2026: $3.2M
2027: $3.3M**
2028: $3.4M**
**Extension years

My question to you guys? WHY would the University give me an Extension when he has proved absolutely nothing to this point? No Conference Championship, No NCAA Tournament Birth. Who's bright idea was this?

Exactly! John Cunningham I suppose authored the extension. If you can't afford to eat an extended contract don't extend a coach who has accomplished absolutely nothing. I still contend the roster is good enough to compete and win at a decent clip in this league. You can see them do so for stretches in nearly all their games against very good teams. The problem is they can't sustain anything especially on offense. It's all on Miller. He may be the worst end of game coach I've ever seeen. As many have noted he was hired in over his head and we are all suffering. This situation is only going to deteriorate as the season wears on and the program is going to be severely damaged because of it.

And finally Miller is going to extract generational wealth for his stint here. He would not have to work another day in his life if he chose not to do so. So I feel much more sorry for us than I do for him.

[BearKatz]

Bearcat93 posted this on the West Virgina thread last night:

The extension upped Miller’s average annual salary from $1.31 million under the original contract to an average annual salary of $2.95 million.

Miller’s remaining contract: $13M
2025: $3.1M
2026: $3.2M
2027: $3.3M**
2028: $3.4M**
**Extension years

My question to you guys? WHY would the University give me an Extension when he has proved absolutely nothing to this point? No Conference Championship, No NCAA Tournament Birth. Who's bright idea was this?

[BearKatz]

We'd all like that. How are we going to afford such a coach?

Pitino is making roughly $3.3M a year. Wes is making roughly $2.95M and increases year by year from what I have read.

We should be able to afford Pitino easily,

[hipal88]

Where is Corey Evans accountability in all this? This team is not well constructed. Shon is basically unplayable. Did he not see that at all or was he just steamrolled.