Cincinnati Basketball: Reeling Bearcats Try To Upset Winless DePaul on Road

Okay, okay, before you jump all over me for the headline of this article, let me submit to the record that it’s half-sarcasm and half-DePaul is due for a win.  Cincinnati (18-5, 5-5) is favored by 9.5 tonight as the Bearcats take the floor for the back half of the two-game Big East road trip.  Mick Cronin’s squad got dusted by Pitt on Saturday night, 71-59 (Pitt was up by 23 at one point in the 2nd half).  The Bearcats’ traveling point-a-minute show is not winning over any fans. 

Can UC score enough points tonight to win by double digits on the road against a desperate DePaul team—a DePaul team currently winless in the Big East?  The Bearcats shot a horrific 33 percent from the field at Pitt.  Can UC hit for at least 40 percent tonight?  Anyone think so?

Don’t forget, the Blue Demons took Louisville to the wire on Saturday at the KFC Yum! Center.  Also, these two teams have already played, with Cincinnati winning handily at home in the Big East season opener (translation: DePaul has already seen what UC tries to do).  Finally, DePaul is coached by Oliver Purnell.  Do you think a coach of Oliver Purnell’s caliber is gonna end up winless for the entire Big East slate?

The big story out of Clifton, OH is the suspension of junior “big man” Yancy Gates.  Gates, who was tossed out of practice last Friday, sat out against Pittsburgh.  Cronin hinted that Gates became frustrated and blew up at one of the assistant coaches.  Gates did seek Cronin out after the team returned from Pittsburgh, and the 6’9″ 265-pound power forward did practice yesterday.  Whether Gates plays tonight is still up in the air. 

With this situation, the best case scenario is that Gates comes back fired up and displays emotion and leadership to his teammates.  Worst case scenario is the seemingly-inevitable implosion of UC down the stretch.

So, I suppose I’ll suffer through this ugly, low-scoring shit-fest tonight.  Hopefully UC wins by at least one point.