Mar 21, 2015; Louisville, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Willie Cauley-Stein (15) dunks the ball against Cincinnati Bearcats forward Quadri Moore (0) during the first half in the third round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at KFC Yum! Center. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports
Three months ago we came out with our top five best moments of UC basketball’s 2014-15 season. Now we’re ranking the worst moments. Timing’s everything in this business and this explains why I make so little at it.
Last season was excellent from a fan perspective. After losing linchpins Sean Kilpatrick, Justin Jackson, and Titus Rubles to graduation, most of us anticipated a drop off simply due to turnover alone. A 27-7 team in 2013-14, I predicted that the Bearcats would finish around 20 wins and finish no the bubble to even make the NCAA Tournament.
Boy was I horribly wrong.
Huge non-conference wins over ranked San Diego State, North Carolina State, and North Carolina Central jolted Cincinnati into the top 50 RPI range before AAC even began. Then the Bearcats swept SMU, took one-of-two from Memphis and UConn, and bludgeoned Tulsa on the road. Come Selection Sunday it wasn’t a matter of if UC would make the Big Dance but how high they would be seeded.
But, with young teams, there were some head scratching and frustrating moments for Bearcats fans. Those moments that we’d just as well forget if we could. But I’m here to remind you of them. Because I’m a jerk like that.