A very good win. It's hard not to just see this as a flash in the pan after Rutgers, but a game like this should always be appreciated.
The 2-3 zone worked very well for much of the game. Since the Bearcats shot only 25% beyond the arc, our defense was able to shut them down pretty much all game. The big difference this time compared to our last contest was how the Irish controlled the glass. 37-31 tonight. Great job, boys.
On offense, the Irish shot the ball very well, always necessary for a Notre Dame win. Luke Harangody pulled down 6 offensive rebounds, helping the Irish gain more second chances than Cincinnati for the night.
Tory Jackson really struggled, going 0-6 from the floor. He dished out 8 assists to 2 turnovers in 38 minutes. If the missed shots continue down the road, especially Tory's effectiveness from beyond the arc, you have to wonder about the intelligence of continuing to play him for almost 40 minutes a game. Hopefully this is just an outlier, because we will definitely need some points from Tory in the home stretch.
Ben Hansbrough sniffed a triple-double yet again. I'd be shocked if he doesn't end up with one this year or next. 12 points, 9 assists, 8 rebounds. He chipped in a pair of steals to make up for his two turnovers, as well.
Tim Abromaitis played very well before fouling out. 22 points on 6-10 shooting and a perfect 7-7 on free throws. He also had a career-high four assists.
Ty Nash was in foul trouble, as well. He picked up four in 26 minutes of play. Just 4 points and 6 rebounds to show for those minutes. We didn't need a whole lot more from him, though, as Harangody pulled down 14 rebounds by himself.
Luke also scored 37 points and was very close to a new career-high in scoring. As it stands, Gody has pulled into second place on the Big East all-time rebounding list and fourth in scoring. Big congratulations to him. He has also tied Adrian Dantley for second place on Notre Dame's list of 20+ point games. He was a very efficient 15-25 from the field, hitting a mix of jumpers and off-balance driving layups in the paint.
Off the bench, Carleton Scott was actually a part of the rotation again. He scored 2 points and pulled down 2 rebounds, not the best stat line but still better than Peoples. It's ridiculous to think that the Irish can survive in the Big East with a backup point guard as the only guy coming off the bench. Joey Brooks and Jack Cooley also got a minute, with Brooks banking in a nice three.
This was a great game to see and the best way to bounce back from an embarrassing loss. Of course, it's hard not to just see this as a tiny ray of hope after so many disappointments. Hopefully the team will do this again a few more times.
Showing posts with label Cincinnati. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cincinnati. Show all posts
Thursday, February 04, 2010
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Cincinnati Preview
Cincinnati-
Pomeroy Ranking- 60th
Record- 14-7 (5-4)
Best Win- Maryland (ranked 12th)
Worst Loss- St. John's (ranked 88th)
Pomeroy Prediction- ND 74-73
Key Players-
#33 Lance Stephenson- 12.2 PPG, 5.1 RPG- 9 points, 5 rebounds in the first meeting, turned the ball over three times and was just 3-9 from the field.
#5 Deonta Vaughn- 12.0 PPG, 3.5 APG, 36.0% 3PA- Had a tough shooting night, but kept at it enough to lead the team with 15 points. 3-9 from beyond the arc, 7 rebounds, no assists.
#34 Yancy Gates- 10.5 PPG, 6.7 RPG- Owned the offensive glass. 6 of his 13 boards led to Bearcat second chances. Added 11 points of his own.
Last Game- Cincy 60-58
Bearcats outrebounded the Irish 48-28.
Notre Dame squandered a seven-point halftime lead and led by one with two minutes to go.
Yancy Gates tipped in a last second game winner.
Pomeroy Ranking- 60th
Record- 14-7 (5-4)
Best Win- Maryland (ranked 12th)
Worst Loss- St. John's (ranked 88th)
Pomeroy Prediction- ND 74-73
Key Players-
#33 Lance Stephenson- 12.2 PPG, 5.1 RPG- 9 points, 5 rebounds in the first meeting, turned the ball over three times and was just 3-9 from the field.
#5 Deonta Vaughn- 12.0 PPG, 3.5 APG, 36.0% 3PA- Had a tough shooting night, but kept at it enough to lead the team with 15 points. 3-9 from beyond the arc, 7 rebounds, no assists.
#34 Yancy Gates- 10.5 PPG, 6.7 RPG- Owned the offensive glass. 6 of his 13 boards led to Bearcat second chances. Added 11 points of his own.
Last Game- Cincy 60-58
Bearcats outrebounded the Irish 48-28.
Notre Dame squandered a seven-point halftime lead and led by one with two minutes to go.
Yancy Gates tipped in a last second game winner.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Cincinnati 60, Notre Dame 58
With very poor rebounding and atrocious free throw shooting, the Irish threw away a great opportunity to win one on the road. Cincinnati didn't deserve to take this one either, but they just managed to struggle a little less.
9-19 for Notre Dame from the charity stripe, a very surprising stat since ND typically puts together a pretty decent foul shooting team. Though we were able to overcome an offensive rebounding disparity against West Virginia, giving up 16 additional chances to the Bearcats ultimately led to our demise this afternoon. Fitting that the final points came on a Yancy Gates putback.
Harangody really hurt the cause, managing only 5-20 from the field with some really poor shot selection. His uncharacteristically poor foul shooting (2-6) was par for the course for ND. Good to see Joey Brooks get a little playing time, but overall this game was quite forgettable.
Tory Jackson bounced back after a few subpar nights on offense. 12 points on 6-8 shooting was good to see. He chipped in on defense with a couple steals, including one with 2:30 left in the game and the Irish holding onto a one point lead. That should have given us a chance to put the game away. Instead, the next possession led to two missed free throws, a huge wasted opportunity.
Ben Hansbrough was the culprit from the line with two minutes to go. He made a pair forty seconds earlier, but succumbed to the same issue as the rest of the team with a chance to go up three. He struggled shooting from outside, as well, but dished out five assists with no turnovers. Strange to see how he and Tory swapped roles a bit.
Tim Abromaitis also had some problems with his three-point shooting and was surprisingly rough from the line. Having missed only three attempts all year, he left three more points on the charity stripe. He did see some success hitting the glass, with 8 rebounds. Can't complain about his work in the paint, but he and Harangody didn't get nearly enough help boxing out.
Ty Nash fouled out in 13 minutes. No rebounds, one assist. A very poor showing when we needed a strong effort from our power forward.
Harangody was just awful on offense. 5-20, 14 points. His two point attempts were mostly related to midrange shots that would not fall. Normally very reliable from the foul line, he went 2-6.
Off the bench Peoples made a three pointer, but didn't do a whole lot other than that. Carleton Scott found a little success in 15 minutes, with 3 boards. Joey Brooks got on the floor for a couple minutes.
Once again, the team dropped this one for two reasons: lots of second chances for Cincy (especially Yancy Gates, including the game winner) and a really rough night on the foul line. Very frustrating to see a great chance slip through our fingers.
9-19 for Notre Dame from the charity stripe, a very surprising stat since ND typically puts together a pretty decent foul shooting team. Though we were able to overcome an offensive rebounding disparity against West Virginia, giving up 16 additional chances to the Bearcats ultimately led to our demise this afternoon. Fitting that the final points came on a Yancy Gates putback.
Harangody really hurt the cause, managing only 5-20 from the field with some really poor shot selection. His uncharacteristically poor foul shooting (2-6) was par for the course for ND. Good to see Joey Brooks get a little playing time, but overall this game was quite forgettable.
Tory Jackson bounced back after a few subpar nights on offense. 12 points on 6-8 shooting was good to see. He chipped in on defense with a couple steals, including one with 2:30 left in the game and the Irish holding onto a one point lead. That should have given us a chance to put the game away. Instead, the next possession led to two missed free throws, a huge wasted opportunity.
Ben Hansbrough was the culprit from the line with two minutes to go. He made a pair forty seconds earlier, but succumbed to the same issue as the rest of the team with a chance to go up three. He struggled shooting from outside, as well, but dished out five assists with no turnovers. Strange to see how he and Tory swapped roles a bit.
Tim Abromaitis also had some problems with his three-point shooting and was surprisingly rough from the line. Having missed only three attempts all year, he left three more points on the charity stripe. He did see some success hitting the glass, with 8 rebounds. Can't complain about his work in the paint, but he and Harangody didn't get nearly enough help boxing out.
Ty Nash fouled out in 13 minutes. No rebounds, one assist. A very poor showing when we needed a strong effort from our power forward.
Harangody was just awful on offense. 5-20, 14 points. His two point attempts were mostly related to midrange shots that would not fall. Normally very reliable from the foul line, he went 2-6.
Off the bench Peoples made a three pointer, but didn't do a whole lot other than that. Carleton Scott found a little success in 15 minutes, with 3 boards. Joey Brooks got on the floor for a couple minutes.
Once again, the team dropped this one for two reasons: lots of second chances for Cincy (especially Yancy Gates, including the game winner) and a really rough night on the foul line. Very frustrating to see a great chance slip through our fingers.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Cincinnati Preview
A lot has changed since Cincy upset a top-ten UCONN team to start the Big East season. the Huskies have fallen to Georgetown and Pitt, dropping them to the middle of the conference. For itself, the Bearcat basketball program has also fallen on hard times, losing consecutive away games at Seton Hall and St. John's. This is still a tough opponent, but a much more winnable game than it seemed two weeks ago.
Cincinnati-
Pomeroy Ranking- 56th
Record- 11-6 (2-3)
Best Win- Vanderbilt (ranked 23rd)
Worst Loss- St. John's (ranked 82nd)
Pomeroy Prediction- Cincinnati 76-70
Key Players-
#33 Lance Stephenson- 12.4 PPG, 4.8 RPG- A small wing at just 6'5", he struggles shooting the three. Certainly a talented freshman, but can be neutralized by a zone defense or a soft man that forces him to stay on the perimter.
#5 Deonta Vaughn- 11.3 PPG, 3.6 APG, 34.7% 3PA- Not nearly the scoring threat he was as a sophomore, but the senior leader continues to contribute. Scored 20 against Seton Hall and had three straight 17 point games to begin the conference slate.
#34 Yancy Gates- 10.7 PPG, 6.6 RPG- The rebounding leader on the team, but just gets 24 minutes a game.
Scouting Report-
Never gets to the foul line.
Play pretty solid defense, top 25 in effective FG% allowed.
Rebound well on both ends of the floor.
Cincinnati-
Pomeroy Ranking- 56th
Record- 11-6 (2-3)
Best Win- Vanderbilt (ranked 23rd)
Worst Loss- St. John's (ranked 82nd)
Pomeroy Prediction- Cincinnati 76-70
Key Players-
#33 Lance Stephenson- 12.4 PPG, 4.8 RPG- A small wing at just 6'5", he struggles shooting the three. Certainly a talented freshman, but can be neutralized by a zone defense or a soft man that forces him to stay on the perimter.
#5 Deonta Vaughn- 11.3 PPG, 3.6 APG, 34.7% 3PA- Not nearly the scoring threat he was as a sophomore, but the senior leader continues to contribute. Scored 20 against Seton Hall and had three straight 17 point games to begin the conference slate.
#34 Yancy Gates- 10.7 PPG, 6.6 RPG- The rebounding leader on the team, but just gets 24 minutes a game.
Scouting Report-
Never gets to the foul line.
Play pretty solid defense, top 25 in effective FG% allowed.
Rebound well on both ends of the floor.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Cincinnati 93, Notre Dame 83
N-I-T. That's where this heartbreaker of a season is headed. There is plenty of blame to go around. It's just getting painful to watch now.
I said Deonta Vaughn was a terrible shooter before today's game and I don't think he turned into Reggie Miller overnight. The zone was the right call against this team, our players just close slower than Shaquille O' Neal with two broken ankles. Blame who you want for that, Coach Brey certainly deserves some complaints for poorly coached D.
Mick Cronin is a punk, Jim Burr is a fool, and this team is just plain bad. Hey, at least Manti Te'o signed...
The game was lost beyond the arc. The Irish, who entered the year as the Big East's best three point threat, shot 23%. Cincinnati wen 10% over their average with a 44% clip. 9 points for us from outside versus 30. Game over.
Again, I agree with the original gameplan to force outside shots. Cincy just isn't that good from beyond the arc. If you want, blame the coaches for not switching out of the defense when it was obvious that our guys could not adequately get out to the perimeter. The players did not execute on defense, a problem that has surfaced to varying degrees for the past decade.
Tory Jackson played solidly offensively, 11 points and 6 rebounds. McAlarney was taken away once again, only attempting five threes (and missing all of them). The Irish attempted 13 for the game, a few being desperate heaves in the closing minutes. We average 23 per game. Not only were the shots not falling, we didn't attempt enough to stave off the Bearcat onslaught.
Hillesland was decent in 35 minutes. 11 points, 5 rebounds. Coach Brey obviously did not take the thought of starting Luke Zeller seriously and played Hillesland as a power forward most of the game. As such, those stats are disappointing. Cincinnati freshman Steve Toyloy grabbed 5 boards in 17 minutes, matching Zach's total in half the time. Hillesland has never been a great rebounder and it would have helped a bit tonight. However, he did attack the hoop well at times and made half his shots. Can't really lay this one on him.
As mentioned, Luke Zeller played only 10 ineffective minutes. So much for that lineup.
Luke Harangody, of course, kept the team from being a complete disgrace. 28 points, 14 boards. Shot just under 50% from the floor, his second best shooting game since Georgetown. Forced a few, but you can't blame him.
Ryan Ayers was very good off the bench. 14 points on 6-7 shooting. He played 29 minutes. Peoples pulled down a pair of boards in 13 minutes.
We saw some of Carleton Scott tonight and no Ty Nash. Not sure what the story was there, but I'd like to see both of them for at least 10 minutes a game here on in. What can it hurt? The seniors are not getting the job done and are not part of the future. Let's see if we can build something for next year.
Very depressing. Maybe we were overrated to begin with, but no one expected this. Six straight losses, with the distinct possibility of two more on the way. Heck, nothing's impossible at this point.
We expect better than this. Everyone is to blame. I know Toyloy may have shoved Zach Hillesland at the end of the half and the refs blew the call, but when a senior leader like Kyle McAlarney is starting fights and laying an egg offensively, we look like the kind of team that waltzed into a 38-3 beatdown in Los Angeles. This basketball season was supposed to make everyone forget about a horrid football team. Instead, we're counting the days until a eighteen-year-old Hawaiian steps on campus. Embarrassing.
Everyone from McAlarney to Harangody to the rest of the team and the coaching staff needs to put their heads on straight and represent the school with pride. With the effort we've shown lately, the seniors will be lucky to close out their careers in front of 2,000 fans in a home NIT game. So much for the Sweet 16.
I said Deonta Vaughn was a terrible shooter before today's game and I don't think he turned into Reggie Miller overnight. The zone was the right call against this team, our players just close slower than Shaquille O' Neal with two broken ankles. Blame who you want for that, Coach Brey certainly deserves some complaints for poorly coached D.
Mick Cronin is a punk, Jim Burr is a fool, and this team is just plain bad. Hey, at least Manti Te'o signed...
The game was lost beyond the arc. The Irish, who entered the year as the Big East's best three point threat, shot 23%. Cincinnati wen 10% over their average with a 44% clip. 9 points for us from outside versus 30. Game over.
Again, I agree with the original gameplan to force outside shots. Cincy just isn't that good from beyond the arc. If you want, blame the coaches for not switching out of the defense when it was obvious that our guys could not adequately get out to the perimeter. The players did not execute on defense, a problem that has surfaced to varying degrees for the past decade.
Tory Jackson played solidly offensively, 11 points and 6 rebounds. McAlarney was taken away once again, only attempting five threes (and missing all of them). The Irish attempted 13 for the game, a few being desperate heaves in the closing minutes. We average 23 per game. Not only were the shots not falling, we didn't attempt enough to stave off the Bearcat onslaught.
Hillesland was decent in 35 minutes. 11 points, 5 rebounds. Coach Brey obviously did not take the thought of starting Luke Zeller seriously and played Hillesland as a power forward most of the game. As such, those stats are disappointing. Cincinnati freshman Steve Toyloy grabbed 5 boards in 17 minutes, matching Zach's total in half the time. Hillesland has never been a great rebounder and it would have helped a bit tonight. However, he did attack the hoop well at times and made half his shots. Can't really lay this one on him.
As mentioned, Luke Zeller played only 10 ineffective minutes. So much for that lineup.
Luke Harangody, of course, kept the team from being a complete disgrace. 28 points, 14 boards. Shot just under 50% from the floor, his second best shooting game since Georgetown. Forced a few, but you can't blame him.
Ryan Ayers was very good off the bench. 14 points on 6-7 shooting. He played 29 minutes. Peoples pulled down a pair of boards in 13 minutes.
We saw some of Carleton Scott tonight and no Ty Nash. Not sure what the story was there, but I'd like to see both of them for at least 10 minutes a game here on in. What can it hurt? The seniors are not getting the job done and are not part of the future. Let's see if we can build something for next year.
Very depressing. Maybe we were overrated to begin with, but no one expected this. Six straight losses, with the distinct possibility of two more on the way. Heck, nothing's impossible at this point.
We expect better than this. Everyone is to blame. I know Toyloy may have shoved Zach Hillesland at the end of the half and the refs blew the call, but when a senior leader like Kyle McAlarney is starting fights and laying an egg offensively, we look like the kind of team that waltzed into a 38-3 beatdown in Los Angeles. This basketball season was supposed to make everyone forget about a horrid football team. Instead, we're counting the days until a eighteen-year-old Hawaiian steps on campus. Embarrassing.
Everyone from McAlarney to Harangody to the rest of the team and the coaching staff needs to put their heads on straight and represent the school with pride. With the effort we've shown lately, the seniors will be lucky to close out their careers in front of 2,000 fans in a home NIT game. So much for the Sweet 16.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Cincinnati Preview
Not a whole lot to say. This is must-win. Pomeroy has us at a 49% chance of victory tomorrow. If the losing streak continues, our tournament hopes may not make it to Valentine's Day.
Things to know about Cincinnati-
KenPom Rank- 79th
Best Win- vs. 19th (Pomeroy) ranked Georgetown
Worst Loss- Two losses to #78 Providence
2.5 point underdogs against us
Key Players-
Deonta Vaughn- 15.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 4.6 APG, 33.1% 3PA- Terrible shooter, let him stay on the perimeter.
Yancy Gates- 10.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG- Top rebounder on the team on a sqaud that really spreads them around.
Mike Williams- 9.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG- Only other rebounder with more than four a game.
The Bearcats only go eight deep, but use their bench players in a ture rotation. Vaughn is the only player averaging more than thirty minutes a game (at 35). 33.1% from three point land, so expect a lot of zone from the Irish.
Things to know about Cincinnati-
KenPom Rank- 79th
Best Win- vs. 19th (Pomeroy) ranked Georgetown
Worst Loss- Two losses to #78 Providence
2.5 point underdogs against us
Key Players-
Deonta Vaughn- 15.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 4.6 APG, 33.1% 3PA- Terrible shooter, let him stay on the perimeter.
Yancy Gates- 10.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG- Top rebounder on the team on a sqaud that really spreads them around.
Mike Williams- 9.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG- Only other rebounder with more than four a game.
The Bearcats only go eight deep, but use their bench players in a ture rotation. Vaughn is the only player averaging more than thirty minutes a game (at 35). 33.1% from three point land, so expect a lot of zone from the Irish.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Day After Post
How do you follow up a win like that? Nothing really interesting to report, just some day after stuff.
Following the win, Ken Pomeroy gives up a 26% chance of upsetting Georgetown Saturday. The Irish had a 94% chance of winning last night. In addition, we are projected to finish the season 13-5.
For some Cincinnati commentary on the game yesterday, see here.
Since we had the only Big East game last night, some good neutral analysis at the Big East Basketball Report.
That's about it for today. Lots to talk about coming up on Saturday, but just enjoy the victory for another day.
Following the win, Ken Pomeroy gives up a 26% chance of upsetting Georgetown Saturday. The Irish had a 94% chance of winning last night. In addition, we are projected to finish the season 13-5.
For some Cincinnati commentary on the game yesterday, see here.
Since we had the only Big East game last night, some good neutral analysis at the Big East Basketball Report.
That's about it for today. Lots to talk about coming up on Saturday, but just enjoy the victory for another day.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Notre Dame 91, Cincinnati 74
Consider Notre Dame's gut checked. A 24 point second half comeback took the Irish from the brink to an easy victory against the Bearcats tonight.
Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati's one man scoring machine last week, was held to only 10 points on 3 of 13 shooting. In the second half, the Irish brought more hustle and physicality to the game and looked like a completely new team. Luke Harangody led all scorers with 25 after not hitting a field goal in the first half.
Tory Jackson scored 4 points and had 8 assists and 5 rebounds to 4 turnovers tonight. Not a great line, but he did a very good job shutting down Vaughn on defense and leading the Irish comeback. However, he made some dumb mistakes down the stretch and left fans wondering whether he can be trusted with the game on the line. A bruised knee in the closing minutes meant he spent the last minute or two on the bench. The injury was sustained while spinning recklessly on the sideline and crashing into the scorer's table. Just not a heads-up play with an almost 20 point lead. Until then, he had been pretty smart with the ball and tenacious on defense. Just needs to play within himself down the stretch (though his two free throws were hopefully a good sign of things to come).
Kyle McAlarney really is the catalyst of this team. The first 20 minutes he was unable to get open looks at the basket. With the second half comeback, he finished with 22 points on 7 of 10 shooting. Was absolutely deadly in the corner in front of the Irish bench. Also had three assists, but 5 turnovers. When he is making the outside shot, everything opens up under the basket on offense.
Ryan Ayers finished with 7 points and 4 rebounds. A couple of those boards were huge during our comeback. His steal and layup put the Irish ahead for good with 15:30 remaining. He was also the guy to cover Vaughn when Tory was on the bench with his 4 fouls.
Luke Harangody finished with 25 points and 7 rebounds. As mentioned previously, none of his baskets from the field came in the first half. He did a pretty good job kicking the ball out in double teams down the stretch, but more improvement can be made. Cincy liked to double him down low a lot. This worked in the first half, but as the Bearcats got tired, Gody was able to take control and draw fouls. He hit 13 of 15 from the charity stripe.
Rob Kurz deserved yet another double double. 17 points, 10 rebounds. Not a great shooting night (4-11), but was clutch from the line (8-9) and was the only player with double figure rebounds. Another quietly efficient night for the senior.
Off the bench, Luke Zeller hit a few good open threes. However, I'm not quite ready to support Jack Nolan's idea that Luke could play pro somewhere. Luke's a great guy, plays hard, and shoots very well from beyond the arc. Unfortunately, he has not become and will probably never be the inside force that he was hoped to be when recruited. Still, can stretch the defense and hit very important shots when given the opportunity as he did tonight. Congrats to him. Jonathan Peoples had 7 points and no assists or turnovers. Great way to top off the night with a one-handed jam and get over 90 points. Hillesland gave the team some energy off the bench with his ability to cut and drive to the hoop, in contrast to Ryan Ayers. 3 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists. Did finish with 4 fouls.
In the first half, Cincinnati killed us on the offensive boards. We were stagnant and caught looking up at the glass several times. The Bearcats have great quickness and crash the basket very well. Their 15 offensive rebounds to our 10 seems a bit low, but most of those came in the first half for Cincinnati.
Great job by the team coming back and winning a key game tonight. Hopefully games like this and Connecticut will make the Irish battle-hardened and ready to pull off a big win down the road, maybe even this weekend in D.C. The diminutive Mick Cronin (how tall is he really?) has done a solid job turning Cincinnati into a competitive team that plays tougher than their 8-9 record. Obviously, they sometimes can't keep it up for 40 minutes, but the Bearcats were the better team on the floor for all of the first half.
Other than that, Johnny Lattner was in attendance. The former Heisman winner has been known to tailgate with his trophy on the table before ND football games. Great to see the students back. The student section was filled pretty well the first game back. Need to keep the streak going with one more win in January, but until then the Irish have a couple opportunities to get that first road win. Let's see if we can knock off Georgetown.
Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati's one man scoring machine last week, was held to only 10 points on 3 of 13 shooting. In the second half, the Irish brought more hustle and physicality to the game and looked like a completely new team. Luke Harangody led all scorers with 25 after not hitting a field goal in the first half.
Tory Jackson scored 4 points and had 8 assists and 5 rebounds to 4 turnovers tonight. Not a great line, but he did a very good job shutting down Vaughn on defense and leading the Irish comeback. However, he made some dumb mistakes down the stretch and left fans wondering whether he can be trusted with the game on the line. A bruised knee in the closing minutes meant he spent the last minute or two on the bench. The injury was sustained while spinning recklessly on the sideline and crashing into the scorer's table. Just not a heads-up play with an almost 20 point lead. Until then, he had been pretty smart with the ball and tenacious on defense. Just needs to play within himself down the stretch (though his two free throws were hopefully a good sign of things to come).
Kyle McAlarney really is the catalyst of this team. The first 20 minutes he was unable to get open looks at the basket. With the second half comeback, he finished with 22 points on 7 of 10 shooting. Was absolutely deadly in the corner in front of the Irish bench. Also had three assists, but 5 turnovers. When he is making the outside shot, everything opens up under the basket on offense.
Ryan Ayers finished with 7 points and 4 rebounds. A couple of those boards were huge during our comeback. His steal and layup put the Irish ahead for good with 15:30 remaining. He was also the guy to cover Vaughn when Tory was on the bench with his 4 fouls.
Luke Harangody finished with 25 points and 7 rebounds. As mentioned previously, none of his baskets from the field came in the first half. He did a pretty good job kicking the ball out in double teams down the stretch, but more improvement can be made. Cincy liked to double him down low a lot. This worked in the first half, but as the Bearcats got tired, Gody was able to take control and draw fouls. He hit 13 of 15 from the charity stripe.
Rob Kurz deserved yet another double double. 17 points, 10 rebounds. Not a great shooting night (4-11), but was clutch from the line (8-9) and was the only player with double figure rebounds. Another quietly efficient night for the senior.
Off the bench, Luke Zeller hit a few good open threes. However, I'm not quite ready to support Jack Nolan's idea that Luke could play pro somewhere. Luke's a great guy, plays hard, and shoots very well from beyond the arc. Unfortunately, he has not become and will probably never be the inside force that he was hoped to be when recruited. Still, can stretch the defense and hit very important shots when given the opportunity as he did tonight. Congrats to him. Jonathan Peoples had 7 points and no assists or turnovers. Great way to top off the night with a one-handed jam and get over 90 points. Hillesland gave the team some energy off the bench with his ability to cut and drive to the hoop, in contrast to Ryan Ayers. 3 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists. Did finish with 4 fouls.
In the first half, Cincinnati killed us on the offensive boards. We were stagnant and caught looking up at the glass several times. The Bearcats have great quickness and crash the basket very well. Their 15 offensive rebounds to our 10 seems a bit low, but most of those came in the first half for Cincinnati.
Great job by the team coming back and winning a key game tonight. Hopefully games like this and Connecticut will make the Irish battle-hardened and ready to pull off a big win down the road, maybe even this weekend in D.C. The diminutive Mick Cronin (how tall is he really?) has done a solid job turning Cincinnati into a competitive team that plays tougher than their 8-9 record. Obviously, they sometimes can't keep it up for 40 minutes, but the Bearcats were the better team on the floor for all of the first half.
Other than that, Johnny Lattner was in attendance. The former Heisman winner has been known to tailgate with his trophy on the table before ND football games. Great to see the students back. The student section was filled pretty well the first game back. Need to keep the streak going with one more win in January, but until then the Irish have a couple opportunities to get that first road win. Let's see if we can knock off Georgetown.
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