Posting this a day early as I'm heading to the Outer Banks for a weekend getaway with my family in the morn. We play the Bulls Saturday on the first of the two leg Florida series. 7 PM. ESPNews. Don't want to be greedy. No need to be cocky. Butt...I want our Cats to take it to the Bulls. Full throttle. Gregory profusely sweating and crying in the fetal position. Seriously though, would love to get this one over with so reserves can get some quality playing time in the second half. Teams breakdown:

Cincinnati
14-2 (3-0)
L10 8-2
L5 5-0
#14 AP
37 RPI
8 Kenpom (52 AdjO/2 AdjD)
10 Sagarin (0-2 vs. Top 25/2-2 vs. Top 50)
Evans 13.8 PPG
Clark 12.7
Washington 10.7
Cumberland 10.5
Broome 9.3

USF
7-10 (0-4)
L10 3-7
L5 1-4
Unranked
296 RPI
308 Kenpom (315 AdjO/251 AdjD)
302 Sagarin (0-1 vs. Top 25/0-3 vs. Top 50)
Payton Banks 12.7 PPG
Stephan Jiggetts 11.1
Tulio Da Silva 8.8
Isaiah Manderson 8.8
Terrence Samuel 8.1

From the Tampa Bay Times a potential fly in the ointment:

Quote:USF men may get top scorer back for Cincinnati

Joey Knight, Times staff writer
Published: January 12, 2018Updated: January 12, 2018 at 10:45 AM

The program that can't buy a break finally may be afforded one.

Forced to navigate their most daunting stretch of American Athletic Conference play without top scorer Payton Banks, the USF men might — might — have the senior wing available when that stretch concludes Saturday at home against No. 14 Cincinnati.

Banks (12.7 ppg), sidelined three of the last four games with an unspecified illness, was set to participate in the Bulls' practice Thursday. To that point, he had been doing individual and cardio workouts "to try to get his wind back," Coach Brian Gregory said.

"It's more how he recovers from the physical aspects of practice or workouts and different things like that," Gregory added. "I think the progress has been made this week that we want, we just need to see over the next 72 hours to see how (it goes) Saturday evening."

Banks, who leads the team with 32 3-pointers, played 10 minutes of the Bulls' 67-65 loss to East Carolina on Jan. 3, but missed games against Houston, SMU and Wichita State. USF (7-10, 0-4) lost those three games by an average margin of 32.3 points.

The Cougars, Mustangs and Shockers are a combined 39-11. Wichita State is ranked fifth.

"I'm with the guys every day, and I know that everybody is grinding to get better and trying to turn this around," said freshman G David Collins, averaging 9.3 points and three rebounds in conference play. "I don't fear that anyone is giving up, so I know that we still have a chance."

Gregory concurred.

"I think the biggest thing, our guys understand the big picture," he said. "They understand where we're at, why they came here, what we're trying to get done. So they're still positive, they're still practicing hard, they're still competing hard."

USF Scoring Threat MAY Return Just In The Nick Of Time

Coach Gregory previews...

I agree, we should take it to 'em. USF sure as hell didn't show us mercy when they went up 51 - 3 against our Tuberville-led squad at halftime a few years back. There's no room for going easy on an opponent when you're trying to be a national power.

My only fear is the Tuesday game in Orlando. We stunk the joint up last year.

However, even if we look ahead (which I still doubt), there is extremely little possibility I see it costing us (I don't want to jinx it by saying no way).

(01-12-2018 09:37 PM)Ring of Black Wrote:  My only fear is the Tuesday game in Orlando. We stunk the joint up last year.

However, even if we look ahead (which I still doubt), there is extremely little possibility I see it costing us (I don't want to jinx it by saying no way).

I swear, if we play stall ball half-court sludge offense against UCF this year, I'm going to put my remote through the TV.

(01-13-2018 12:30 AM)robertfoshizzle Wrote:  

(01-12-2018 09:37 PM)Ring of Black Wrote:  My only fear is the Tuesday game in Orlando. We stunk the joint up last year.

However, even if we look ahead (which I still doubt), there is extremely little possibility I see it costing us (I don't want to jinx it by saying no way).

I swear, if we play stall ball half-court sludge offense against UCF this year, I'm going to put my remote through the TV.

No one into their right mind would slow it down vs UCF. Push the ball and leave Fall at half court lumbering as you score. Run Tacko run!

Starting 5

Justin Jennifer
Jarron Cumberland
Jacob Evans
Gary Clark
Kyle Washington

i know he can't do anything about his height (ed) but Jenifer has got to find a way to get Gary the ball off of that handoff

Slow start.

Upset alert

this game sucks every single year

Anyone else notice the asshat in the xavier shirt and cap sitting behind the basket? WTF

(01-13-2018 07:14 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  this game sucks every single year

I can’t take it. Gotta turn it off. So boring.

Mick Cronin’s bets offensive team.

Did they party in Tampa last night?

screw it. this is going to ruin my night if i keep watching..

Thrilling!

As a head coach you would think he would know how to get his guys to play at USF by now

keith williams goes it alone and bricks a layup. i hate his offense