Cincinnati Bearcats: Time To Step Up

After holding on for a 59-55 win at DePaul on Saturday, Darnell Wilks and the Cincinnati Bearcats were on their way to the apparently-gang-riddled Providence, RI area with a couple of monkeys freshly removed from their backs. 

UC (12-6, 2-3 Big East) was finally able to end its nine-game Big East losing streak on Wednesday at 5th Third Arena, rallying from 16 points down to lock Rutgers up, 71-59. 

(Speaking of “locked up,” has anybody seen that puffy-coated gang-banger who strolled onto the court last night in the middle of the Marquette/Providence game at the Dunkin Donuts Center after his brother Jeff Xavier was poked in the eye very lightly and unintentionally by a Marquette player? Put an APB out for that nack. And somebody print up the “Over-reaction Of The Year Award” for Mr. Xavier.)

The win at DePaul (8-10, 0-5) was the season’s first Big East road win for Mick Cronin’s young souljahs.  It was the opener of a 3-game swing away from Clifton, Ohio. 

Now it’s time to see what kind of balls this team really has at this point in the season. 

Back on January 7, Providence (11-6, 3-2) came into 5th Third Arena and dominated the Bearcats, 87-79. The Friars shot 54 percent from the field and led by as many as 13 in the game. 

On Monday night (5:00 PST, ESPN Full Court), Mike “Everything’s Jelly” Williams and the ‘Cats get an opportunity for payback. 

Do they have the necessary-sized nuts to get it done, on the road, against a team who had a big lead Saturday night before falling 91-82 at home to No. 14 Marquette? 

Can Cronin find someone to slow down Weyinmi Efejuku, who got wherever he wanted on the floor all night (18 pts, 11-14 FT, 7 assts) in the first matchup?  And the Friars shot 12-24 from long range on Jan 7—can UC play better perimeter defense?

“It’s time to put our nuts on the table and see how big they is,” junior center Steve Toyloy said with a scowl, while eating a steak the size of Eric Hicks’ right tricep without silverware. 

Back in November, Cincinnati displayed some good-sized junk when it knocked off UNLV on its home floor. The Runnin' Rebels had lost the night before and brought a desperate effort, but Alvin Mitchell, Yancy Gates, and Dion Dixon flexed harder, as UC held on for a 67-65 vic at the raucous Thomas and Mack Center.

This is a chance to get one back.  I’m anxious to see what this team is made of.  Not as much as Mick Cronin is, though:

“We can’t be f***** p****** in this game.  We can’t be f***** stupid either.  We’ve got to show these guys that we’re Cincinnati and we don’t take  sh** from anybody.”  

Well said, Mick. Tune in Monday evening to get a gage on the mass of this team’s collective sack.