Cincinnati Bearcats: We Finally Get To Find Out How Good They Are

This Bearcat team is definitely intriguing.  On the one hand, they have absolutely thrashed the f*ck out of some people so far.  On the other hand, how good are those people that they thrashed the f*ck out of?

Let's break the No. 25 Bearcats down at this point in the season:

DION DIXON

Junior guard Dion Dixon has been a smooth operator all season.  Anybody talkin' about Dion on ESPN or any of the other media deals that cover college hoops?  Nope.  Let me explain something to the people out there who don't know who Dion Dixon is: He's Dwyane Francis.  Part Dwyane Wade and part Steve Francis. 

Of course he's nowhere near on the level that Dwyane Wade is, but he does a lot of the same nasty stuff that Dwyane does.  He's a "beginner Dwyane Wade" right now.  If this was one of those video games you kids play today, and the object of the game was to get as good as Dwyane Wade, he'd be on about Level 2 out of 5.  But if you watch Dixon play, you can see similarities between he and the Heat all-star guard.

Dion now looks to drive to the basket every chance he gets.  He has finished well, especially with the left hand.  He has shot a ton more free throws this season, a big reason he leads UC in scoring at 12.7 ppg.  His outside shot needs work, but he's shown flashes he can develop into a consistent stroker.  Kind of like Wade in college. 

And, Dixon can dunk the mulesh** out of the ball like Stevie Franchise did at Maryland.  He has shown the ability to elevate up into the clouds off of just one step, getting way above the rim with two hands at only about 6'3". He's exciting. 

DEFENSE

Mick Cronin's Bearcats have played 1985 Chicago Bears level-defense this season.  They give up about 56 points per game.  If you give up 56 points, you're gonna win most of the time (even with Ibrahima Thomas still inexplicably being allowed to shoot threes).

The stat of the decade for UC is that in the three area rivalry games, versus Dayton, Miami (OH) and Xavier, Darnell Wilks and the Bearcats only gave up 42.7 ppg.  42!  They absolutely dismantled those teams.  (Which was nice, because Dayton and Xavier both beat UC last year.) 

The bottom line is UC has a damn good defense.  With a veteran team including five seniors, Mick can finally tell these guys how to guard folks, and they actually listen and do it.  I'm sure he thoroughly enjoys that. 

ASSISTS AND TURNOVERS

The Bearcats are routinely coming up with more assists than turnovers while forcing their opponent to commit more turnovers than assists.  Basically, the complete opposite of the last couple of years. 

That is what wins games.  These guys know that now.  Only SEVEN turnovers tonight against USF.  The Bulls had 18. 

This is such a huge factor, when a lot of the time your offense looks like everybody's really drunk. 

To summarize for you laymen out there, these are the three reasons UC should win or be in most games from here on out:

1) Stingy defense (especially when UC shuts down the other team's best player)
2) Not turning the ball over (only about 11 per game)
3) Forcing the other team to f*** up a lot

From there it's up to offensive execution and hitting free throws down the stretch. 

The point I'm trying to make here is that I like UC's chances in tough games because they do the things you need to do to hang around even when they aren't making outside shots. 

MURDEROUS ROAD TRIP

OK.  So, UC is now 16-1 after a let's-just-get-this-over-with 74-66 win at home tonight over South Florida.

Now on to the Carrier Dome to face No. 4 Syracuse.  UC played up there two years ago and lost by about 600.  Syracuse is tall.  Really tall.  They just throw a bunch of quick, really tall guys out there and play 2-3 zone.  So basically, you can't ever drive, and even if you do, you'll get your shot thrown into the upperdeck.  The Orange force you to shoot threes, and we've all seen how UC shoots on the road.

Yeah, should be a fun game.

Next, the Bearcats will fly to South Bend to play the Fighting Irish.  Oh, and the Irish at home pretty much smoke everybody like a Black 'N' Mild.  UC played there a couple years ago, too.  What'd they lose by, 20?  25?  Who knows.  All I know is I couldn't watch the whole game. 

Notre Dame, at home, just comes down and f***in' fires the ball around crisply and magic-trickedly until somebody is wide open and then that guy shoots it and swishes it.  

That's all they keep doing.  And nobody can stop it.  I hate it.  

I hate when UC has to play there.  It sucks a big bucket of poison.  

Finally, next Saturday, UC will conclude this three-game miracle-needer of a road trip against St. John's in their sh*tty little dumb ass gym on campus.  I hate that gym.  It sucks to have to play there.  But, the Bearcats did win there two years ago when Mike Williams was leading the way.  

Either way, tough three-game trip.  I'll take a 1-2, how 'bout you?