Since joining the league in 2005, the University of Cincinnati Bearcats have yet to win a Big East Conference tournament game.They lost to Syracuse on Gerry McNamara?s long 3-pointer in 2006, didn?t qualify for the tournament in 2007 and were eliminated in the first round last year by Pittsburgh.
Tuesday could be the day the Bearcats finally break through when they face DePaul, which went 0-18 in the league this season. Game time is noon at Madison Square Garden in the first game of the tournament.
No. 9 seed UC (18-13 overall, 8-10 in the Big East) has lost three in a row and five of its last six. No. 16 seed DePaul (8-23, 0-18) is the first team to go through an entire Big East season without a victory since Miami (Fla.) went 0-18 in 1994.
But the significance of possibly notching UC?s first Big East tournament victory means little to UC coach Mick Cronin, who?s more concerned about finding a way to restore his players? confidence after disappointing losses to South Florida and Seton Hall.
?We need to go play a stress-free game,? Cronin said, ?play basketball as hard as we can and not worry about significance. We?ve struggled with significance.?
The Bearcats, who blew a 14-point first-half advantage in their loss to Seton Hall on Saturday, have not been good at protecting leads this season. In fact, in their first encounter with DePaul back on Jan. 17, they squandered a 15-point lead with 7:07 to play, but still held on to register a 59-55 victory.
?We?ve just got to play them the same way we did the first game,? said UC junior guard Deonta Vaughn. ?We?ve got to get transition baskets and get steals and we?ve got to do a better job of executing our offense. When we do get the lead, we?ve got to keep the lead and don?t let them get back in the game.?
UC enters this tournament playing some of its worst basketball of the season. The Bearcats have shot less than 40 percent in their last three games. They?ve struggled from the free throw line and from 3-point range. They?ve turned the ball over too much and they?ve been flat-footed on defense.
That?s not a recipe for a deep run in any tournament, especially one as difficult to navigate as the Big East.
?We just need to pay more attention to detail and continue to play hard,? said senior forward Mike Williams. ?Coach as been talking about the silly mistakes that we make, mistakes that we shouldn?t be making.?
If the Bearcats do construct a sizeable lead today, Cronin said, it?s important that they ignore it and continue to play with the intensity that netted them that lead.
?It?s almost like we look around and say who?s going to score?? Cronin said. ?You can?t look at the scoreboard and hope the clock runs out.?
Despite its winless record, DePaul has one of the league?s top scorers in Dar Tucker, who averages 18.2 points, and one of the top rebounders in Mac Koshwal, who averages 9.8.
The Blue Demons will certainly be playing stress-free because they have nothing to lose. For the Bearcats, a poor finish to the regular season would look much worse with a loss to DePaul as they look ahead to what they hope will be a chance to play in the National Invitation Tournament.
A UC victory will set up a third game this season against on Wednesday against No. 8 seed Providence, a team that has beaten UC twice this season and is fighting for an NCAA Tournament at-large berth.
?I understand Providence is sitting there,? Cronin said. ?Now it?s a new season. We?ve got to let it all hang out and that?s the way we?re going to play.?
Tuesday could be the day the Bearcats finally break through when they face DePaul, which went 0-18 in the league this season. Game time is noon at Madison Square Garden in the first game of the tournament.
No. 9 seed UC (18-13 overall, 8-10 in the Big East) has lost three in a row and five of its last six. No. 16 seed DePaul (8-23, 0-18) is the first team to go through an entire Big East season without a victory since Miami (Fla.) went 0-18 in 1994.
But the significance of possibly notching UC?s first Big East tournament victory means little to UC coach Mick Cronin, who?s more concerned about finding a way to restore his players? confidence after disappointing losses to South Florida and Seton Hall.
?We need to go play a stress-free game,? Cronin said, ?play basketball as hard as we can and not worry about significance. We?ve struggled with significance.?
The Bearcats, who blew a 14-point first-half advantage in their loss to Seton Hall on Saturday, have not been good at protecting leads this season. In fact, in their first encounter with DePaul back on Jan. 17, they squandered a 15-point lead with 7:07 to play, but still held on to register a 59-55 victory.
?We?ve just got to play them the same way we did the first game,? said UC junior guard Deonta Vaughn. ?We?ve got to get transition baskets and get steals and we?ve got to do a better job of executing our offense. When we do get the lead, we?ve got to keep the lead and don?t let them get back in the game.?
UC enters this tournament playing some of its worst basketball of the season. The Bearcats have shot less than 40 percent in their last three games. They?ve struggled from the free throw line and from 3-point range. They?ve turned the ball over too much and they?ve been flat-footed on defense.
That?s not a recipe for a deep run in any tournament, especially one as difficult to navigate as the Big East.
?We just need to pay more attention to detail and continue to play hard,? said senior forward Mike Williams. ?Coach as been talking about the silly mistakes that we make, mistakes that we shouldn?t be making.?
If the Bearcats do construct a sizeable lead today, Cronin said, it?s important that they ignore it and continue to play with the intensity that netted them that lead.
?It?s almost like we look around and say who?s going to score?? Cronin said. ?You can?t look at the scoreboard and hope the clock runs out.?
Despite its winless record, DePaul has one of the league?s top scorers in Dar Tucker, who averages 18.2 points, and one of the top rebounders in Mac Koshwal, who averages 9.8.
The Blue Demons will certainly be playing stress-free because they have nothing to lose. For the Bearcats, a poor finish to the regular season would look much worse with a loss to DePaul as they look ahead to what they hope will be a chance to play in the National Invitation Tournament.
A UC victory will set up a third game this season against on Wednesday against No. 8 seed Providence, a team that has beaten UC twice this season and is fighting for an NCAA Tournament at-large berth.
?I understand Providence is sitting there,? Cronin said. ?Now it?s a new season. We?ve got to let it all hang out and that?s the way we?re going to play.?
ittsburgh is the Big East's No. 2 seed, but the No. 1 team in the nation, according to the RPI. A No. 1 seed in the NCAAs is on the line.