College
Depth shines for No. 22 UC
By Paul Dehner Jr., CNATI.com Posted December 1, 2009 10:49 PM ET
Texas Southern was as far from the competition at the Maui Classic as the chilling 35-degree temperatures blanketing Fifth Third Arena were from the sun-baked beaches of the island paradise.
But the same depth and rebounding dominance that ascended the Bearcats into the Top 25 carried over the Pacific Ocean during their first game as a ranked team.
The Tigers were tamed before the halftime act took the floor of this 94-57 Cincinnati victory by an overwhelming size disadvantage and defense that held Texas Southern with only two 2-point field goals in the first half.
More so than the 57.4-percent UC shooting or 47-25 rebounding advantage, Tuesday night provided a closer glimpse into the depth that has paced this team's rise to 5-1.
Seven players touched double figures for the No. 22 Bearcats and the team had 24 assists.
"We have that kind of team," coach Mick Cronin said. "Our team attitude right now is tremendous."
The usual suspects were joined by the likes of Jaquon Parker with 10 points and 3 assists and Biggie McClain controlling the interior in some of his most significant minutes of the season.
Rashad Bishop led the way with 14 points.
Finally in Clifton, the basketball team is about more than the starting five. In fact, Cronin asked if anyone wanted to step out of the starting lineup so another player that deserved to hear his name called during introductions could enjoy the experience. There are more players that deserve recognition than the public address announcer has time for.
Deonta Vaughn volunteered and sat to start for only the fourth time in his career.
"It was amazing," Vaughn said.
The same could be said of the team's energy coming off the road trip that put it on the map.
UC reeled off a 20-1 spurt midway through the first half to transform a 9-9 tie into a 19-point advantage that would never be less the rest of the way.
Back-to-back dunks by Yancey Gates were followed by seven consecutive points from Bishop and the rout was on.
No, this would not be Prarie View A&M, Part II.
"We wanted to make a statement in Maui," said Vaughn, who finished with 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc. "We wanted to come in and put in everybody's head that when we went out to Maui we meant business and when we come back home we still mean business."
In many ways the statement came courtesy of the latest step in the development of Lance Stephenson. The freshman high school phenom didn't do much justice to the 2,946 points he scored for a New York state record.
Yet, in his seven point performance with 3 of 9 shooting, he showed why his potential spans beyond the point total.
He assisted on four of the first five baskets of the game and finished with 11 rebounds.
The kid with the so-called attitude problem has only been a problem for opponents.
"When I signed Lance Stephenson, people that could get to me asked how I was going to coach Lance, how are you going to deal with his attitude?" Cronin said. "I asked people if they had ever seen him play; because I have seen him play. The guy is an unbelievable competitor. The only question he asked me was if I come here can I really win? Do you have enough to win? That's all the guy talked about. Now here he is, our leading assist guy, our leading rebounder, by far our best defensive guy."
His attitude clearly permeates throughout a bench that is growing deeper by the game.
This team is far from perfect with plenty to work on in the nine days before playing Miami University on Dec. 10. And nobody expected any revelations from a December game against Texas Southern. But where the Bearcats showed in Maui they deserve to be a ranked team, on Tuesday showed they know how to play like one.
Categories: College, Featured Stories, Men's Basketball, University of Cincinnati Bearcats
Tags: Deonta Vaughn, Lance Stephenson, Mick Cronin, Rashad Bishop
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