Cincinnati Bearcats Tournament Preview

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The Bearcats are returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since Bob Huggins was the coach here. Mick Cronin has done an unbelievable job getting to this point from when he arrived at Cincinnati with one scholarship player on the roster. He still isn't getting the credit he deserves, but that's another story. Right now we Bearcat fans need to enjoy the moment of being back in the tourney where we belong.

The Cats have drawn a first round match up with the Missouri Tigers in the West Region of the bracket. The Tigers are known for playing very up tempo. They are called the fastest forty minutes in college basketball. The Tigers got screwed by being given an eleven seed, which in turn screwed the Bearcats because they have to play an eleven that is much better than their seed. The Tigers are better than all the ten seeds and better than most of the eights and nines. The Cats sixth seed is kind of a joke as well. The other six seeds are Xavier, Georgetown, and St. Johns. The Cats beat Xavier by twenty, Georgetown twice by a combined thirty points, and beat St. Johns on the road. They also lost to the Red Storm at home so that cancells out, but St. Johns would've likely been seeded higher had they not lost one of their key players in the Big East Tournament. So against the teams that are supposed to be their equals they are 4-1 and blew two of those teams out.

It is what it is though and the Cats need to be ready to play come ten o clock Thursday night. If they play how they are capable of they should beat the Tigers and move on to the second round. If they get there they'll likely play Connecticut which is another BS move by the selection committee. They are supposed to try and avoid regular season match ups in the first two rounds, especially with teams in the same conference. Eleven Big East teams made it in, but there are sixteen second round games and that is enough room to avoid lining up teams in the same conference. Marquette is in the same boat with Syracuse lined up in their section of the bracket, but Marquette isn't favored to beat Xavier according to the selection committee. They seeded the Bearcats and UConn to play each other in the second round. I'm sure UConn isn't thrilled getting a 3 seed and having to play a team that familiar with them in the second round, possibly. The Huskies do have to get by Bucknell, a fourteen seed. Bucknell knocked off a very good Kansas team as a fourteen seed a few years ago so nothing is etched in stone.

This is getting ahead, but if the Bearcats can somehow get to the second weekend they could have a very favorable match up in the sweet sixteen. Their likely opponent would be San Diego State. The Aztecs have had a very good year, but they haven't really beaten anyone and I would like the Bearcats chances in that game. That would be a great story for a head coach who deserves it after what he's been through in this city. The fans have basically abandoned ship when Huggins left and they have been playing in half empty arenas for the last five years.

First things first though for Cincinnati, they need to stay focused on Missouri. We as fans need to root for Bucknell to knock Connecticut off and then root for the Cats to beat Missouri. To get the win tomorrow they need to slow things down and utilize Yancy Gates. The Cats should have a big time advantage on the boards and inside. If they can get the game into a half court game and not a game where everyone's running up and down the floor, they should win. Cashmere Wright needs to step it up and have a big game as well. When he plays well the Bearcats win. Plus the Tigers are going to press and his ball handling and ability to not turn the ball over are going to be key to getting the win tomorrow night.