Re: Depth+Tough Schedule=Deep NCAA Run

[Chris Sorge]

I will be happy if this team makes the NCAA tourney.  I think the only way
this happens, is if Huggins starts playing Max and Hicks more together.
Max, although not as tall as a traditional center, is only 1-2 inches
shorter then the starting centers on this team, but with his wing span, and
vertical leap, he plays much larger.  Hicks can complement him nicely at the
4.

My main concern is about next season.  We are going to be way overloaded in
the frontcourt.  Whaley, White, Pilgrim, Hicks, Max, Flowers, Hollman, and
Johnson.  You figure Whaley, Hollman, and Johnson at the 5.  Max and Flowers
at the 4, and White, Pilgrim, and Hicks at the 3-4.   It seems to me that
there is going to be some un-happy campers for the next couple years when it
comes to playing time.

Chris
> I know most of you will not agree with the subject line but I believe that
this years team may make a deep run in this years NCAA tourney for the
following two reasons:
> Depth
>
> This is the first Bearcat team in a VERY long time that could go 8-9
players deep.
> This may at first appear to be a negative because there arent 5 very good
players on this team but I am a firm believer that teams with deep benches
go further in the tourney than teams with 5 good players but no bench help.
Not to mention the fact that this team will drastically improve over the
next two months.  There arent a lot of teams in the country that could go
two deep at 4 of the 5 positions.
> Schedule Strength
>
> The non-conference schedule was tough but not nearly as tough as C-USA
will be this year.  Louisville, Marquette, Memphis, and yes even East
Carolina will be very good this year.  This will be the first time since the
inception of C-USA could end the season with four ranked teams.  While this
may be the end of Cincy's long run as conference champs, this will help us
tremendously in the tourney.
> Over the past 5-7 years our problem has been lack of competition.  There
were periods of stretches where we did not have to get up for our opponents
because they simply were not good.  This is in stark contrast to the NCAA
tourney where you have to get up for every single game.  Our adversity early
in the season and throughout C-USA play will make this team tough to beat
during the tourney.
> Bottom Line:  Look for an Elite Eight bid this year and a pre-season top 5
ranking this year.
> ---------------------------------
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now