1.) Wow! What a game! I’m very proud of this team. Despite being down 7 with under a minute left in the second half, they made the impossible happen. It was a total team effort, with six players contributing between 7 and 14 points. Farad Cobb led UC in scoring, and Troy Caupain proved that he is the leader of this team by taking the ball late and making things happen (even if he did get a pretty lucky roll). Troy has ice in his veins, and he’s the leader/floor general that every good team has to have.
2.) Coreonate DeBerry grew up before our eyes. In the absence of leading scorer Octavius Ellis, DeBerry poured in 13 points off the bench. What a huge performance by that young man. He was a force in the paint, and came up huge to pick up the slack for his departed teammate Ellis.
3.) Speaking of Octavius Ellis, enough is enough. Three strikes, you’re out. They guy has been ejected three times in the same season for the same thing – uncalled for/unsportsmanlike flagrant fouls. Maybe that flies at Trinity Valley Community College – if so, he should transfer back. Yeah, yeah, I know, he’s “seen a lot” and is “battling some demons from his past.” I’m in no position to judge him in that regard, but at some point, you are an adult – you have to be responsible for your actions. He was involved in the Crosstown Punch-Out of 2011, and now has been tossed three times for flagrant fouls. So really, that’s four strikes. Enough is enough. He’s a dirty player, and I’m embarrassed to have him represent my alma mater. More than that, as the team’s leading scorer, it’s inexplicable that he would take a cheap shot at a player he has no history with during the second half of such an important game. I just don’t get it. Okay, rant over. Back to the good stuff.
4.) With only one Senior, the future of this team is bright. I’m excited about the possibilities in years to come. Plus, I am a believer in the theory of “big game experience.” Winning a game like this in the NCAA tournament in front of 18,000 people will only add to the confidence of this team in the future. Knowing how to win the big game is very important. Until now, UC hasn’t shown that ability (see Nebraska, Tulane, Xavier, UConn act III).
5.) After having our hearts broken in each of the four games mentioned above, it’s about damn time the Bearcats got some good karma at the buzzer. UConn and Tulane have both buzzer-beaten UC, and last-second attempts by Bearcat shooters against the Huskers and Musketeers came up empty. Finally, something went right – and I’ll gladly take a win in the Big Dance over a win in Lincoln, NE in December or a do-over against Tulane.
6.) I’m getting ahead of myself. UC is still alive this year. But they won’t be for long if they don’t figure out how to rebound in the matchup zone. John Chaney would be so proud of this Larry Davis team for their execution defensively. The Bearcats’ matchup zone has smothered opposing offenses. The problem is that UC still hasn’t grasped the fact that you need to find an offensive player and put a body on them. You can’t just turn and look for the ball – finding a man and blocking him out is a basic fundamental. It’s more difficult in a zone because you don’t have a specific man to guard, so you really have to focus and concentrate on it. It’s March, and UC still hasn’t figured that out. The lack of defensive rebounding in the zone doomed UC in the AAC tournament loss to UConn, and they (barely) managed to win in spite of it against Purdue (with the help of a miracle). Unless the Bearcats have an epiphany before Saturday, Kentucky’s behemoth lineup is going to eat them alive with offensive rebounds and second chance points.
7.) While we were all watching the Bearcats pull out a heartstopping win, UC alum and former Bearcat great Sean Kilpatrick was making his NBA debut with the Minnesota Timberwolves. A very sincere congrats from all of us at Cincy On The Prowl to Sean. Chase your dream!
8.) Go Bearcats! You’ll be playing with house money on Saturday, so hold nothing back and go upset UK!
Bonus thought: I had a friend of mine text me and say the officials are “targeting” Octavius Ellis on these flagrant fouls. Yeah, right – just like officials “target” guys like Ndamukong Suh, Rasheed Wallace, and Ron Artest/Metta World Peace/Whatever He Goes By These Days. Those guys aren’t being “targeted,” they’re just bad guys.