ESPN/USA Today Poll out (lots of UC Opponents of course)

[GoBearcats31]

2. Connecticut
3. Louisville
6. Pittsburgh
9. Notre Dame
12. Memphis
17. Marquette
18. Georgetown
25. Villanova

Others Receiving:
26. UNLV* (play UNLV OR Cal-Berkley in Vegas)
30. Xavier
31. Syracuse
37. West Virginia

[milfordcats]

Bring it on. Wins over ranked opponents translates into being ranked ourselves.

[jkwuc89]

The preseason Coaches Poll (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/rankings) is out and here are the stats:


Two teams in the top 3
Four teams in the top 10
Seven teams in the top 25
Two other teams received votes


Who needs a strong non-conference schedule when your conference schedule is loaded like this.

[London 'Cat]

At least the 'Cats SOS will not be questioned.

[NorrisHopper30]

A few big wins after starting the season 6-0 and this team could be top 25.

Nothing wrong with dreaming, eh?

[ralph1950]

It is not where you start it is where you finish. UC is a Title contender this season and will finish in the Top 4. All of the so called experts picked the Tampa Bay Rays to finish last in the AL East and we all know where they ended up. UC basketball is this year's Tampa Bay Rays of the NCAA.

[bearcatmark]

It is not where you start it is where you finish. UC is a Title contender this season and will finish in the Top 4. All of the so called experts picked the Tampa Bay Rays to finish last in the AL East and we all know where they ended up. UC basketball is this year's Tampa Bay Rays of the NCAA.

Seriously where do i sign up to take that bet?

Ralph man if you are right i'll be the happiest man alive...but wow

[red_n_black_attack]

It is not where you start it is where you finish. UC is a Title contender this season and will finish in the Top 4. All of the so called experts picked the Tampa Bay Rays to finish last in the AL East and we all know where they ended up. UC basketball is this year's Tampa Bay Rays of the NCAA.

If we get to the Final Four, i want two more wins, not just one.:p

[UCGirl06]

seems like way to high of expectations. I am excited about this year but I don't want to get my hopes up that high

[Scheids21]

It is not where you start it is where you finish. UC is a Title contender this season and will finish in the Top 4. All of the so called experts picked the Tampa Bay Rays to finish last in the AL East and we all know where they ended up. UC basketball is this year's Tampa Bay Rays of the NCAA.

Im just curious. What are you going to say when that doesnt happen? And also, say something else besides, "UC is a title contender."

[GoCats1994]

At least the 'Cats SOS will not be questioned.

I guarantee I can predict the Big East winning % for intra-conference games... it will be 50%.

For those that question SOS of teams in the "Big Six" conferences...it is ALWAYS done out of conference. You cannot help who you play in your conference.

To be clear - I am not suggesting that this year's UC team should have scheduled more-difficult out-of-conference games.

Rather - I am merely pointing out that UC's OOC schedule currently includes 1 ranked team. Not exactly "strong". And yes...they very well could be "questioned" on that front.

[jlr1523]

7 Big East teams in the top 25. Very, very, very impressive. If UC was in the Big 10 or SEC they are a tournament team for sure. They certainly will have their work cut out for them.

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

I don't care who we play. I just care that we beat 20 (or so) of them.

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

It is not where you start it is where you finish. UC is a Title contender this season and will finish in the Top 4. All of the so called experts picked the Tampa Bay Rays to finish last in the AL East and we all know where they ended up. UC basketball is this year's Tampa Bay Rays of the NCAA.

UC has only been in Final 4 once in past 35 seasons.

[SLMadiCat]

I guarantee I can predict the Big East winning % for intra-conference games... it will be 50%.

For those that question SOS of teams in the "Big Six" conferences...it is ALWAYS done out of conference. You cannot help who you play in your conference.

To be clear - I am not suggesting that this year's UC team should have scheduled more-difficult out-of-conference games.

Rather - I am merely pointing out that UC's OOC schedule currently includes 1 ranked team. Not exactly "strong". And yes...they very well could be "questioned" on that front.

What difference does it make if the OOC schedule is strong or the conference is strong, as long as the overall schedule is strong? The overall schedule this year is very, very strong.

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

What difference does it make if the OOC schedule is strong or the conference is strong, as long as the overall schedule is strong? The overall schedule this year is very, very strong.

A strong SOS got UC into the NCAA in 2003 with 17 W season.

[SLMadiCat]

A strong SOS got UC into the NCAA in 2003 with 17 W season.

and what conference were they in? it's the overall schedule strength that is important.

[ralph1950]

UC has only been in Final 4 once in past 35 seasons.

What does that have to do with anything? Tampa Bay Rays had never had a winning record before this year. The Phillies had not won a World Series in 28 years. When Boston won the Series in 2004 they had not won one for 86 years. George Mason had never been to a Final 4 before they were in it 3 years ago.

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

and what conference were they in? it's the overall schedule strength that is important.

SOS is for the entire schedule, not just the conference.

Try www.kenpom.com for SOS ratings in past 10 seasons.

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

What does that have to do with anything? Tampa Bay Rays had never had a winning record before this year. The Phillies had not won a World Series in 28 years. When Boston won the Series in 2004 they had not won one for 86 years. George Mason had never been to a Final 4 before they were in it 3 years ago.

The Final 4 is not easy. The current UC coach has never even won an NCAA game, much less 4 in a row.

I agree that UC will make a coaching change in 2011 if no substantial change (like Badger in 1983 or Yates in 1989).

[Thegreatone]

The Final 4 is not easy. The current UC coach has never even won an NCAA game, much less 4 in a row.

I agree that UC will make a coaching change in 2011 if no substantial change (like Badger in 1983 or Yates in 1989).

I thnk we all agree if there isnt progression the way their should be, NCAA appearences and competitive in the Big East we will have a coaching change. I believe the majority of people on this board, including myself, see the program getting better each year and expect that to continue this year. Your right Mick hasn't won anything but I think he is capable and is lining up the peices to do that.

[SLMadiCat]

SOS is for the entire schedule, not just the conference.

Try www.kenpom.com for SOS ratings in past 10 seasons.

My bad, I thought you said OOC schedule. That still backs up what I was saying though, it is the overall schedule that is important. OOC schedule is more important to teams in a weaker conference.

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

My bad, I thought you said OOC schedule. That still backs up what I was saying though, it is the overall schedule that is important. OOC schedule is more important to teams in a weaker conference.

That's one reason why UC was invited to 14 straight NCAA tourneys. Good SOS, good W-L record.

Not always did UC get an automatic bid those 14 years. At large bids are earned.

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

I thnk we all agree if there isnt progression the way their should be, NCAA appearences and competitive in the Big East we will have a coaching change. I believe the majority of people on this board, including myself, see the program getting better each year and expect that to continue this year. Your right Mick hasn't won anything but I think he is capable and is lining up the peices to do that.

2008 > 2007 results. But even 2008 < UC expected results.

20 W (or close) SOON. Then 20 W on a regular basis. Or else a change.

[jeffto]

That's one reason why UC was invited to 14 straight NCAA tourneys. Good SOS, good W-L record.

Not always did UC get an automatic bid those 14 years. At large bids are earned.You forgot to mention that those teams in the irrelevant past usually got seeded higher than they should have.

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

You forgot to mention that those teams in the irrelevant past usually got seeded higher than they should have.

Because that's utterly false. UC got seeded about right most years.

Those years are hardly irrelevant. You must be thinking of the Badger, Yates, and (so far) Cronin years?

[jeffto]

Because that's utterly false. UC got seeded about right most years.

Those years are hardly irrelevant. You must be thinking of the Badger, Yates, and (so far) Cronin years?If they were seeded correctly, why did they lose so many early round games?

The past is irrelevant because it has virtually no impact on present circumstances. UC is a second-tier program and it has been since 1963. Maybe Mick can change that - no other coach since Jucker has.

And, by the way, all you people who think we would have won the NC in KMarts senior year forget what a lousy tourney coach we had back then.

"Well at least we were in the tournament, that shows how good our coach was." James Madison was in the tourney a lot of those years too.

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

If they were seeded correctly, why did they lose so many early round games?

The past is irrelevant because it has virtually no impact on present circumstances. UC is a second-tier program and it has been since 1963. Maybe Mick can change that - no other coach since Jucker has.

And, by the way, all you people who think we would have won the NC in KMarts senior year forget what a lousy tourney coach we had back then.

"Well at least we were in the tournament, that shows how good our coach was." James Madison was in the tourney a lot of those years too.

Ludicrous comment. UC was a Top 20 program in the 1990's and mid 2000's.

[jeffto]

Ludicrous comment. UC was a Top 20 program in the 1990's and mid 2000's.

Are you kidding? UC was #1. #1 underachieving team.

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

Are you kidding? UC was #1. #1 underachieving team.

Ridiculous comment again. Unless you are referring to the past 2 years.

[Kindog202]

Ridiculous comment again. Unless you are referring to the past 2 years.

That is a ridiculus comment. In no way shape or form did UC underachieve the past 2 years and you know that.

[SLMadiCat]

Look, we all know who has no clue here. 20+ wins is all that matters and that was achieved! Who cares about the NCAA tournament. 20+ wins!

[GoCats1994]

What difference does it make if the OOC schedule is strong or the conference is strong, as long as the overall schedule is strong? The overall schedule this year is very, very strong.

You are making my point for me.

The overall schedule is only "OK"...from a numerical perspective. The numbers get weighed down by the number of losses the teams in the BE will have. Again... the winning % for the teams in the conference will be 50%.

While this is true for every league, the difference is that the BE teams play more league games than anyone else. This hurts them, not helps them, come tourney selection time.

The simple truth is that the BE has more "tournament caliber" teams than actual bids...because they get hurt by the league they are in.

The only way the schedule helps them is when they get into the detail sheets where it is evident that the BE teams play more games against top 100 and top 50 teams than teams from other conferences. But since the BE expanded to 16 teams, I have yet to see how this has helped any of these teams get invited to the dance.