While White had possibly his best statistical game of his career, tying a
career-high with 25 points (8-of-17), it had to be one of the most dubious
performances of his illustrious career. While White could get his own buckets,
he could do little to help create for his teammates. White dished out only one
of the Bearcats’ season-low four assists. While not White’s fault, the ‘Cats
were unable to get anything started on the offensive end.
Georgetown (14-4, 5-2), a team that has caught the recent eye of top-25 polls
balloters and bracketologists, did its part to continue the Bearcats rapid fall
from their early-season state of grace. Cincinnati (14-7, 3-4), who started the
season 13-2, and was arguably one of the on-court stories in college
basketball, saw their success and early-season hopes all but go out the window
when senior Armein Kirkland went down with a season-ending knee injury against
currently top-ranked UConn. The physical loss of Kirkland and the paper loss to
the Huskies in the rankings has sent the ‘Cats reeling to as low as
quickly-fading eight seed in ESPN’s most recent NCAA Tournament prediction.
After a 10-game winning streak, the Bearcats have proceeded to lose five of
their last six game (starting with that UConn debacle).
Adding insult to injury, the loss of Kirkland came in the midst of arguably
UC’s most difficult stretch of the season. Aside from the win over Rutgers and a
narrow crosstown loss against a struggling Xavier squad, Cincinnati has
simply been outplayed and outworked against their other four opponents who are
all currently in the top-25 (UConn, Syracuse, Louisville and Georgetown). During
the current six game stretch from hell, the more black and blue than red and
black ‘Cats have been run out of the building in at least one half in each of
their losses – or, should I say un-able to run out of the building
The Bearcats, who struggled to get anything initiated on the offensive end,
including struggling mightily from behind the arc (4-of-18), got into a "shoot
to get out of it" stretch that saw them launch up threes with almost reckless
abandon/desperation. Not able to draw much in terms of calls (11-of-14 from the
free-throw line), UC appeared to get stagnate on the offensive end, and settled
for jump shots as they have done all-too-frequently as of late.
Cincinnati, who needs to use speed and quickness to create offense, getting
into the paint and getting lay-ups or charity-stripe opportunities, was bothered
by the length and size of Georgetown. Though blocking only two shots on the
contest, the likes of 7-2 Roy Hibbert and company did their part to challenge UC
time and time again, and eliminate inside scoring chances or the possibility to
collect on 11 second chances.
Hammered in terms of sheer size, the short Bearcat bench was simply
outmanned when it came to trying to guard a deeper, taller Hoyas team. Not only
did UC get beat physically and emotionally repeatedly on the offensive end, but
also their lack of depth mixed with the patented Princeton-style offense that
Georgetown runs can do a number on a team’s legs…as well as their pride.
Constantly cutting, moving, pulling men in and out of the paint, always have
as many as four men on the perimeter, Georgetown ran, back-cut, and lulled the
Bearcats into almost defeating themselves. John Thompson III, son of legendary
Georgetown Head Coach John Thompson Jr., is little more than a namesake of his
father when it comes to the basketball pedigree, as the second-year head coach
brings more of the characteristics of Pete Carill to the table then his
father’s. While revamping the legendary coach’s style to fit a more athletic,
skilled set of basketball player, Thompson’s Carill/Princeton style frustrated
the Bearcats all game long. When the ‘Cats were chasing players across the floor
in their man-to-man set, Georgetown was knocking down jumpers over even the most
crisp of zones. Connecting on nearly sixty-percent of their field goal attempts
(30-of-52), including 10-of-17 from deep, Georgetown used excellent screening
and passing (18 assists) to upset a usually hard-nosed, well-prepared defensive
squad in Cincinnati.
Perhaps the most frustrating statistic for first-year head coach Andy Kennedy
and his frustrated squad was when the were able to make stop or force a bad
shot, the Hoyas were able to undermine the ‘Cats short-term success by grabbing
offensive rebounds and resetting the clock and killing another 25 or so seconds
of action. For the game UC allowed Georgetown to have 14 second chances, which
seemed to take the wind out of UC’s sails and their lungs. Mixed with the length
and interior prowess of GU, the frustrating success of their opponents on the
offensive end was likely the most blatant reason as to why UC seemed to settle
for outside shots.
UC must be quick to rebound, literally and figuratively, from this
recent stretch of sluggish team success when the South Florida Bulls come into
town Tuesday. One of the Big East’s bottom-dwellers, Cincinnati most take
advantage of this opportunity if they wish to have any shot and pushing forth
the third-longest active NCAA Tournament selection streak to 15 games. With only
five home game remaining this season (nine overall), UC must win at least three
of those opportunities to have a shot on Selection Sunday. Either way, UC will
need to pick up some late-season road success against the likes of West Virginia, Pitt, Syracuse and Seton Hall (Cincy’s best shot at a road victory) to
continue their decade and a half long streak, and possibly Andy Kennedy’s tenure
as Bearcat head coach.