CINCINNATI — 1. Getting out-rebounded by eight- EIGHT- at home is embarrassing and not a recipe for winning. USF’s big men combined for 22 rebounds last night, compared to Cincinnati’s big men combining for 13. John Brannen wants to implement an up-tempo system, and that’s great. But that doesn’t mean defense and rebounding can just be abandoned. The Bulls pulled down 15 offensive rebounds Wednesday night, and accumulating that many boards will give any team a chance to win anywhere on the road.
2. Speaking of Cincinnati, Chris Vogt was strong in the interior in the early going. In the second half, however, he didn’t corral a single rebound. Not one rebound. And not only that, he was blocked at the rim at least three times by a GUARD. How does someone 7’1′ and named to the second team all-conference not pull down at least ONE rebound in one half of basketball? He’s got to use his size better if this Bearcats team is going to contend for a league title.
3. Who exactly is Rapolas Ivanauskas? The team website will tell you he’s a 6’10” graduate transfer from Colgate who was the Patriot League Player of the Year in 2018-19 while also being named the Riley Wallace Award winner as the nation’s best transfer that year. But what we have seen on the court though five games this season is not even close to the pedigree he brought coming into this season. In particular, the past two games have each featured him turning the ball over five times with no assists in either of them. He hasn’t scored more than seven points in any of the previous three games, and he just looks lost in Brannen’s system. But now with Mamoudou Diarra out, he’s going to have to step up to fill that void in Cincinnati’s front court.
4. In addition to USF’s Alexis Yetna and Michael Durr leading the way to victory, Xavier Castenada came off the bench and provided a spark with 14 points on 6-10 shooting, including 2-3 from three-point range.
5. Another development from last night was the wild shots the Bearcats took in transition. This is year two of Brannen Ball, and these are now his players. Playing fast can cause a team to be more prone to turnovers, but wild shots at the rim are easily preventable with self-control driving to the basket.
6. Tari Eason is quickly developing into a potentially great player. He is tenacious, athletic and works as hard as anybody on the court. What really impresses me is his hustle on defense when the opponent is in transition. Multiple times this season he has hustled back on defense and turned what looked to be an easy layup for the opponent into a blocked shot for the Bearcats.
7. The Bulls did a great job using their size with Alexis Yetna and Michael Durr and turning that into 15 offensive rebounds and 13 second chance points off those rebounds. Yetna and Durr each posted a double double on the night, and the Bulls also blocked six shots.
8. Just like Tari Eason, USF showed its quickness in getting back on defense and preventing easy Cincinnati buckets in transition. Vogt was blocked at least three times by Bulls guards because they hustled.
9. Speaking of which, Vogt has got to do a better job at finishing at the rim. He’s too good and efficient to get rejected as many times at the rim as he did Wednesday night.
10. There were so many missed opportunities last night for Cincinnati including 15 turnovers- several of which came when the Bearcats wanted to get out in transition- there were uncontrollable wild shots at the rim and giving the Bulls 15 extra possessions giving up 15 offensive rebounds. In addition, the Bearcats missed five free throws. In a three-point game, those missed opportunities add up.
11. Where those missed opportunities were most prevalent came in the last five minutes, where the Bearcats went 3:49 without scoring after tying the game at 68. USF struggled offensively down the stretch as well, but that’s where Cincinnati had to take advantage and put the game away. They simply didn’t, and they will have to execute down the stretch of games better if they are to contend for a conference title and NCAA Tournament berth.
Let me be Frank and Cut to the Chase 