In one of the biggest games of the season this team really came together and shined. A win today didn’t necessarily propel the Bearcats into the NCAA tournament but it certainly erased any doubt of them not making it. UC has been a lock to go dancing since their win over UConn and all games since them have been about seeding. So essentially a loss wouldn’t have killed them but getting sent home in their first game of the Big East tournament would have really stung.
But today the Bearcats looked like the kind of top-tier team that we had thought they were in early February. On defense, they were spectacular. The Friars could do nothing along the perimeter, making just a single three today, and when they elected to drive inside Cheikh Mbodj was there to swat away shots and nab rebounds. Providence scored just 44 points, their lowest total of the season. On offense Cincinnati displayed true flow and aggressiveness for the first time in over a month. The ball movement was excellent and they shot just 15 threes, perhaps the most telling stat of the day. For a team that has looked lost on offense recently, not seeing them hoist up desperation shots out of sheer confusion was encouraging.
Overall you couldn’t have asked for a better opening performance from the Bearcats. It was by far their most complete game in over a month and exacting revenge on Providence after the embarrassment of the last go around sure felt good. Next are the #1 seed Georgetown Hoyas, whom the Bearcats narrowly lost to on February 15th. The task couldn’t be taller but can UC get the last laugh one more time? Tune in at noon tomorrow to find out.