Show Me My Opponent - Cincinnati Bearcats

DATE: February 21, 2009
TIME: 2:04 p.m. EST
SITE: Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio

TELEVISION: BIG EAST Network (WHAS-11 in Louisville); Anthony Calhoun play-by-play, Jack Armstrong commentary

RADIO: 790 WKRD; Paul Rogers play-by-play, Doug Ormay commentary

OFFICIALS: John Cahill, Mike Kitts, Jeff Clark

NAME: University of Cincinnati
ESTABLISHED: 1819
LOCATION: Cincinnati, Ohio
ENROLLMENT: 36, 415

SERIES HISTORY: U of L leads 51-39 all-time (28-16 in Louisville, 21-21 in Cincinnati, 2-2 neutral)

LAST MEETING: Cincinnati 58, Louisville 57



CARDINAL CONNECTION: Keith LeGree. (Didn’t see that coming, did you?) The former Card-turned-Bearcat spent a few seasons on the UC bench as an assistant as well until a 2005 DUI knocked his coaching career of track.


HEAD COACH: Mick Cronin. Cronin is a Pitino prodigy, serving as an assistant to the Cards from 2001-03 before taking over the head job at Murray State, where he went 69-23 in three seasons. He is 1-2 against Pitino.

ASSISTANTS: Larry Davis, Chris, Goggin, Tony Stubblefield; (side note): Louisville Male High grad Chris Shumate is Director of Basketball Operations

OVERALL RECORD: 17-9, 7-6
NATIONAL RANKING: N/A (fancy abbreviation for “not applicable,” which means they’re not ranked)
RPI: 49
SOS: 26

Notable Alumni:

Sandy Koufax (Hall of Fame MLB pitcher)
Oscar Robertson (Hall of Fame basketball player)
Kenyon Martin (No. 1 overall pick in 2000 NBA draft)
Chris Collinsworth (Law) (Former NFL QB, Sports commentator)
William H. Taft (Law) (Only person to serve as both United States President and Supreme Court Chief Justice)
Stephanie Heinrich (Playboy Model) (pictured left)

Probable Starters:

F 21 Mike Williams 6-7 240 SR 10.0 5.7
F 22 Rashad Bishop 6-6 225 SO 5.4 4.1
C Steve Toyloy 6-8 255 JR 4.0 4.0
G Deonta Vaughn 6-1 190 JR 15.7 4.1
G Larry Davis 6-3 195 SO 6.8 1.6

Bench: Yancy Gates (10.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg); Dion Dixon (7.3 ppg); Alvin Mitchell (6.3 ppg)

Outlook:
Tomorrow the University of Cincinnati is calling on its faithful to wear red for what it’s calling the “Ring of Red” Game. The L Yes! Report thanks them for being so accommodating.

You’ll remember last season when the Bearcats came into Freedom Hall and upset the Cards by 1 on New Year’s Day. It was David Padgett’s return game after coming off his 48th knee injury.

Cincy is protecting a 4-game home winning streak. It’s won 5 of its last 7, dropping its last game at Pitt. Like Providence before and Georgetown next, it’s a bubble team playing for its NCAA Tournament life.

Deonta Vaughn is their man, leading the team in both points and assists. He must be defended on the perimeter – he’s hit 64 triples on the season thus far.

Yancy Gates (6-9, 255) is a beast. The freshman comes off the bench and gives Cronin 22 minutes per game, averaging 10.4 and 6. It’ll be interesting to see how he matches up with our freshmen bigs.

Cards are looking to win their 3rd straight and stay in the hunt for the regular season Big East title. T Will’s wrist is officially fully healed, look for him to be back to his old self, and for Earl to have a big game. I like the Cards in this one, 79-66.