Post by elp525 on Mar 12, 2010 5:48:46 GMT -5
Friday March 12, 2010
by Mike Casazza
Daily Mail sports writer
NEW YORK - Cincinnati Coach Mick Cronin spent five seasons with the Bearcats and then- UC Coach Bob Huggins, the final four as an assistant coach. In 2001, Cronin left for Conference USA rival Louisville to work as an assistant on Coach Rick Pitino's first Cardinals' staff.
Now in his fourth season as the Cincinnati coach - the first full-time coach since Huggins resigned in 2005 - Cronin began his third Big East Conference Tournament on Tuesday with a win against Rutgers.
It was the first Big East Tournament win for the Bearcats, who lost their first games in 2006, 2008 and 2009. The Bearcats missed the '07 tournament, which had only 12 of 16 teams.
On Wednesday, the No. 11 seed beat Pitino and the sixth-seeded Cardinals to advance to Thursday night's late quarterfinal against Huggins and the third-seeded Mountaineers, where they lost 54-51.
"The only good thing is one of us gets to move on," Cronin said. "If it wasn't for those guys I wouldn't be here today. I have a great deal of love and affection for both of them.
"I need to win more. I'm younger. Hopefully they take that into account. They are both in the NCAA Tournament. We need to keep winning. Hopefully Coach Huggins will feel my pain."
* * *
THE BEARCATS (18-15) entered the quarterfinal leading the Big East in rebounding margin. Their plus-6.9 average per game average was three-tenths of a rebound better than the Mountaineers (25-6).
Cincinnati is No. 2 in rebounding offense and No. 4 in rebounding defense and the only school in the top five in all three categories.
When host WVU won a Feb. 27 matchup, 74-68, Cincinnati shot 30 percent from the floor, 42.9 percent from 3-point range (9-for-21) and 86.7 percent from the free-throw line (13-for-15), but was outrebounded 41-30 and had 10 offensive rebounds and five second-chance points to WVU's 15 and 13.
"That was an even game - we were up six at halftime, even rebounding," Cronin said. "They outrebounded us by (11) in the second half. Our guys understand that. The key for us is getting reboundable shots.
"If we stand around and take 3s, we're easily blocked out. If we get the ball moving and get people moving and get bodies running at the rim, we're as athletic as anybody."
* * *
EIGHTH-SEEDED Georgetown (22-9) beat No. 1 seed Syracuse, 91-84, in Thursday's first game to at least loosen the Orange's grip on a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The Hoyas shot 57.9 percent (69.2 in the second half) and had assists on 22 of 33 baskets. The Orange shot 54.2 percent and made 11 of their 20 3-point attempts.
"I told the players I think Georgetown is capable of beating anybody any night," Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim said. "They've proven that this year. I thought we played well on offense. I thought they played extremely well."
Syracuse (28-4) has lost two in a row and may have lost starting center Arinze Onuake. He went to the locker room late in the second half with a right knee injury. Boeheim said the initial diagnosis was a strain and Onuaku would be examined today.
If it's serious, it could alter Syracuse's seeding, though a lot depends on what other top-seed candidates do in their conference tournaments.
If, for example, Duke (ACC), Kentucky (SEC) and Kansas (Big 12) do what's expected to hold position as a No. 1 seed and WVU wins the Big East or Purdue or Ohio State wins the Big Ten, there might not be room for Syracuse.
* * *
THE HOYAS will play fifth-seeded Marquette in tonight's 7 o'clock semifinal on ESPN. The Golden Eagles (22-10) beat No. 4 seed Villanova (24-7), 80-76, on Thursday.
It was as expected between the two. Marquette lost two games to the Wildcats by two points this season and last year's quarterfinal by a point on a buzzer-beater. Marquette is 9-6 in games decided by five points or less, or in overtime, this season.
"Our guys are more calm than our fans are in these games," Coach Buzz Williams said. "That's all we've been doing."
Marquette survived Villanova's 54-percent shooting by making 15 of 23 shots - and all six 3-point attempts - in the second half. Since losing by one at DePaul and by five at Syracuse late last month, Marquette has won 11 of 13 and is 8-0 in five-point games.
"I think from that point forward every single game has been a mini-NCAA Tournament for us," Williams said. "Our guys are smart. They're a lot smarter than I am. They knew if we got beat, our season was over. Maybe not at that point, but relative to the postseason."
* * *
A GENERALLY accepted premise before the tournament was the top eight seeds - Syracuse, Pitt, WVU, Villanova, Marquette, Notre Dame and Louisville - were in the NCAA Tournament. Three others - South Florida, Seton Hall and Cincinnati - could join the debate.
USF lost Wednesday to Georgetown and is likely to be left out, but the same might not be said of Seton Hall, which lost to Notre Dame.
Fighting Irish Coach Mike Brey encouraged the selection committee to "give it two days and come back and look at the big picture."
Pirates Coach Bobby Gonzalez believes the Pirates (19-12) should be invited. They're No. 59 in the RPI and their strength of schedule is ranked No. 30. He was upset by the notion Notre Dame was in regardless while his team needed to win, presumably to reach 20 victories.
He pointed out the Pirates and the Fighting Irish have three wins against the RPI top 50, but his team was higher in the RPI with a tougher schedule. The Pirates also won the regular-season game between the two teams.
"This is not about us and Notre Dame," Gonzalez said. "This is about the Big East. So should we get nine teams in? Ten teams? Should we get more than eight?
"If teams go out and win their conferences and all of a sudden there's a bunch of at-large bids out there, we had no bad losses in 31 games. There's no doubt we can beat somebody in the NCAA Tournament."
Twice the Big East has sent a record eight teams to the NCAA Tournament (2006 and 2008). Cincinnati could be a ninth or possibly 10th team and Cronin said Wednesday's win over Louisville began another round of "bubble talk."
* * *
SEVENTH-SEEDED Notre Dame extended the longest winning streak in the Big East with a 50-45 victory against No. 2 seed Pitt (24-8). After losing three in a row, the Fighting Irish (23-10) have won six straight.
"We're playing well," Coach Mike Brey said. "We're one of the best stories in college basketball right now."
The Panthers scored and allowed the fewest points ever in one of its tournament games. Notre Dame scored the fewest points by a winner in seven years.
With a deliberate offense and first-team all-conference forward Luke Harangody coming off the bench as he recovers from his knee injury, the Fighting Irish shot 54.5 percent from the floor - they made 18 of just 33 shots - and 46.2 percent form 3-point range.
Harangody, who had 12 points, traveled with 1:07 to go and ahead 47-45, but Pitt missed two shots, the second after it was able to force a jump ball and retain possession. Harangody rebounded the second miss and was fouled and made two free throws in the one-and-one with 15.9 seconds left.
"We've been extremely patient, as you can see," Brey said. "That's benefited us, especially when you can get a lead."
by Mike Casazza
Daily Mail sports writer
NEW YORK - Cincinnati Coach Mick Cronin spent five seasons with the Bearcats and then- UC Coach Bob Huggins, the final four as an assistant coach. In 2001, Cronin left for Conference USA rival Louisville to work as an assistant on Coach Rick Pitino's first Cardinals' staff.
Now in his fourth season as the Cincinnati coach - the first full-time coach since Huggins resigned in 2005 - Cronin began his third Big East Conference Tournament on Tuesday with a win against Rutgers.
It was the first Big East Tournament win for the Bearcats, who lost their first games in 2006, 2008 and 2009. The Bearcats missed the '07 tournament, which had only 12 of 16 teams.
On Wednesday, the No. 11 seed beat Pitino and the sixth-seeded Cardinals to advance to Thursday night's late quarterfinal against Huggins and the third-seeded Mountaineers, where they lost 54-51.
"The only good thing is one of us gets to move on," Cronin said. "If it wasn't for those guys I wouldn't be here today. I have a great deal of love and affection for both of them.
"I need to win more. I'm younger. Hopefully they take that into account. They are both in the NCAA Tournament. We need to keep winning. Hopefully Coach Huggins will feel my pain."
* * *
THE BEARCATS (18-15) entered the quarterfinal leading the Big East in rebounding margin. Their plus-6.9 average per game average was three-tenths of a rebound better than the Mountaineers (25-6).
Cincinnati is No. 2 in rebounding offense and No. 4 in rebounding defense and the only school in the top five in all three categories.
When host WVU won a Feb. 27 matchup, 74-68, Cincinnati shot 30 percent from the floor, 42.9 percent from 3-point range (9-for-21) and 86.7 percent from the free-throw line (13-for-15), but was outrebounded 41-30 and had 10 offensive rebounds and five second-chance points to WVU's 15 and 13.
"That was an even game - we were up six at halftime, even rebounding," Cronin said. "They outrebounded us by (11) in the second half. Our guys understand that. The key for us is getting reboundable shots.
"If we stand around and take 3s, we're easily blocked out. If we get the ball moving and get people moving and get bodies running at the rim, we're as athletic as anybody."
* * *
EIGHTH-SEEDED Georgetown (22-9) beat No. 1 seed Syracuse, 91-84, in Thursday's first game to at least loosen the Orange's grip on a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The Hoyas shot 57.9 percent (69.2 in the second half) and had assists on 22 of 33 baskets. The Orange shot 54.2 percent and made 11 of their 20 3-point attempts.
"I told the players I think Georgetown is capable of beating anybody any night," Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim said. "They've proven that this year. I thought we played well on offense. I thought they played extremely well."
Syracuse (28-4) has lost two in a row and may have lost starting center Arinze Onuake. He went to the locker room late in the second half with a right knee injury. Boeheim said the initial diagnosis was a strain and Onuaku would be examined today.
If it's serious, it could alter Syracuse's seeding, though a lot depends on what other top-seed candidates do in their conference tournaments.
If, for example, Duke (ACC), Kentucky (SEC) and Kansas (Big 12) do what's expected to hold position as a No. 1 seed and WVU wins the Big East or Purdue or Ohio State wins the Big Ten, there might not be room for Syracuse.
* * *
THE HOYAS will play fifth-seeded Marquette in tonight's 7 o'clock semifinal on ESPN. The Golden Eagles (22-10) beat No. 4 seed Villanova (24-7), 80-76, on Thursday.
It was as expected between the two. Marquette lost two games to the Wildcats by two points this season and last year's quarterfinal by a point on a buzzer-beater. Marquette is 9-6 in games decided by five points or less, or in overtime, this season.
"Our guys are more calm than our fans are in these games," Coach Buzz Williams said. "That's all we've been doing."
Marquette survived Villanova's 54-percent shooting by making 15 of 23 shots - and all six 3-point attempts - in the second half. Since losing by one at DePaul and by five at Syracuse late last month, Marquette has won 11 of 13 and is 8-0 in five-point games.
"I think from that point forward every single game has been a mini-NCAA Tournament for us," Williams said. "Our guys are smart. They're a lot smarter than I am. They knew if we got beat, our season was over. Maybe not at that point, but relative to the postseason."
* * *
A GENERALLY accepted premise before the tournament was the top eight seeds - Syracuse, Pitt, WVU, Villanova, Marquette, Notre Dame and Louisville - were in the NCAA Tournament. Three others - South Florida, Seton Hall and Cincinnati - could join the debate.
USF lost Wednesday to Georgetown and is likely to be left out, but the same might not be said of Seton Hall, which lost to Notre Dame.
Fighting Irish Coach Mike Brey encouraged the selection committee to "give it two days and come back and look at the big picture."
Pirates Coach Bobby Gonzalez believes the Pirates (19-12) should be invited. They're No. 59 in the RPI and their strength of schedule is ranked No. 30. He was upset by the notion Notre Dame was in regardless while his team needed to win, presumably to reach 20 victories.
He pointed out the Pirates and the Fighting Irish have three wins against the RPI top 50, but his team was higher in the RPI with a tougher schedule. The Pirates also won the regular-season game between the two teams.
"This is not about us and Notre Dame," Gonzalez said. "This is about the Big East. So should we get nine teams in? Ten teams? Should we get more than eight?
"If teams go out and win their conferences and all of a sudden there's a bunch of at-large bids out there, we had no bad losses in 31 games. There's no doubt we can beat somebody in the NCAA Tournament."
Twice the Big East has sent a record eight teams to the NCAA Tournament (2006 and 2008). Cincinnati could be a ninth or possibly 10th team and Cronin said Wednesday's win over Louisville began another round of "bubble talk."
* * *
SEVENTH-SEEDED Notre Dame extended the longest winning streak in the Big East with a 50-45 victory against No. 2 seed Pitt (24-8). After losing three in a row, the Fighting Irish (23-10) have won six straight.
"We're playing well," Coach Mike Brey said. "We're one of the best stories in college basketball right now."
The Panthers scored and allowed the fewest points ever in one of its tournament games. Notre Dame scored the fewest points by a winner in seven years.
With a deliberate offense and first-team all-conference forward Luke Harangody coming off the bench as he recovers from his knee injury, the Fighting Irish shot 54.5 percent from the floor - they made 18 of just 33 shots - and 46.2 percent form 3-point range.
Harangody, who had 12 points, traveled with 1:07 to go and ahead 47-45, but Pitt missed two shots, the second after it was able to force a jump ball and retain possession. Harangody rebounded the second miss and was fouled and made two free throws in the one-and-one with 15.9 seconds left.
"We've been extremely patient, as you can see," Brey said. "That's benefited us, especially when you can get a lead."
