Unabated Sports

As the regular season winds down and the NCAA Tournament bubble gets smaller and smaller, UC welcomes the highest-rank opponent to ever visit Fifth Third Arena. I found that fact odd considering the Bearcats have been #1 on several occassions but their leavel of competition has never been what this year's team has faced. For having survived it, Andy Kennedy's team has found themselves so very close to a goal that seemed impossible last summer: a 15th straight appearance in the Big Dance. Despite a Presidential Motorcade, an accident that clogged traffic on I-75, and a full night of options on TV, it seemed like most of the crowd was in the house for tip-off. Which was good, cause it seemed like the defense fed off the noise early on. Villanova uses a four-guard line-up. Despite this, they didn't seem to be too bothered with UC's size advantage, something the Cats have rarely had these days. Going into the first TO, both teams had 8 points.

Coming out of the break, though, the Wildcats stormed out on a 5-0 run despite a fantastic drive by Devan Downey who couldn't finish a million dollar move. On the offensive side, the Bearcats size doesn't seem to do much other than afford them an extra rebound or two. Cinci spent most of their attempts trying to shoot over these smaller players. Coach Kennedy (or "The Real Coach K" as some fans' shirts suggest) had to call a time-out as Nova rolled out a 20-11 lead as their shots splashed in and too many of UC's rolled out.

There have been a couple times tonight where some good ball movement or fancy dribbling have completely taken apart the defense. It's like they're in pre-season form. Makes me wonder if they're trying something different for tonight and there's been breakdowns between the players. The transition defense has been effective at times forcing some UV turnovers and cutting a double digit deficit in half. As soon as I type that, thogh, Villanova's three point shooting puts UC back at arm's length. Very similar to the game I saw on TV Sunday where they just seemed to keep making clutch shots against Georgetown. Speaking of clutch, Chadd Moore certainly brought his "3" game with him making multiple shots in the first half from behind the line. Eric Hicks, however, did not score his first field goal until about a 18 and a half minutes into the game.

Considering how quickly things fell apart at times, I gotta feel not so bad about Cinci being down 6 at halftime. Stacey Dales-Shuman was booed pretty loudly as she interviewed Jay Wright as he and his Wildcats headed into the locker room.

No Wizard of Oz for the 3 time national champ dance team as they dance to "Cause I'm A Woman." Yes, they are. Should be fun having them in our studio for next week's show.

A lot of support for A.K. as I walked through the fans at the half. Several signs and shirts say go ahead and hire the guy. I even saw a few of the infamous "Nuck Fancy" shirts.

The second half starts much the same way the first did. When UC makes a nice little run, Nova pops 3s like their hot. The fellow next to me said, "We just might be looking at the national champs." The way the Wildcats seem to answer every rally UC has (and Georgetown on Sunday) I can see that.

I can also see 99% of the fans in the middle section of the arena sitting on their butts while UC's trying to make a comeback. It's a stereotype that surrounds the "red sweaters" but it almost takes an Act of Congress to get them on their feet. It's been a pretty good enviroment tonight, but it could have been a little noisier if a few of them hadn't spent most of the game with their arms crossed and their chins resting on their chest.

"HIRE ANDY" was a chant that went up after an exciting win last week. Tonight, it went up with 11:27 to go and the team down by 5. Definitely not a fairweather notion by Bearcat Nation.

UC's deficit got back to double digits as the game clock went under 10 minutes to go. Yet, those plucky Bearcats would not go quietly into that good night. Hicks, who had missed his first three shot, has made his next 6 (if I'm reading the stat sheet right) and really gotten back into the flow of the offense. Only a four-point deficit with four minutes to go and the "red sweaters" finally start standing. Cutting it to one brings the house down. They're still standing even after a couple minutes of back-and-forth. My seat begins to shake as a Hicks free throw ties the game with 90 seconds to go. Lunatic-type jumping takes over as Kennedy's squad takes their first lead in over an hour and a half of real time.

Unfortunately, most of the sold-out crowd is heading home crestfallen as the Wildcats last shot went in and the Bearcats did not. Despite this, the chant went out once again: "HIRE ANDY." We'll see if the administration's listening. And we'll see if this moral victory, threatening the #2 team in the land, will help UC on Selection Sunday.