Sabel's Haus

In it's final exhibition game UC took down the Bellarmine Knights 76-69 at Fifth Third Arena.

Darnell Wilks led the Cats with 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting but the junior knows that his team doesn't need him to score the basketball.

"I don’t think that’s what this team needs me to do," Wilks said. "They need me to rebound and defensively I could have done a little bit better."

UC head coach Mick Cronin felt confident in his team's performance and said that he didn't want to show all of his offensive sets in a preseason game. That could be the reason that his guards, Deonta Vaughn and Cashmere Wright, shot just 1-of-12 tonight.

"With Deonta only having four shots, that’s a little awkward for us," UC big man Yancy Gates said. "It's just an exhibition game, as the season goes on he’ll get more shots. He still has a big part in the scoring role, he's the best at coming off the screens."

Cronin was very pleased with how his team rebounded, especially offensively but said that he worries about foul trouble, especially with Gates and Stephen Toyloy.

"That’s something I talk to Yancy and Steve a lot about," Cronin said. "We can’t be in a situation where they’re both out. If one of them is out there were fine."

The Cats grabbed 44 boards tonight (22 offensive, 22 defensive) compared to 31 for the Knights. Gates and Toyloy each had seven.

Cronin also talked about how Vaughn was becoming more of a leader on the court and that may have been a reason that he passed up some open shots.

"One thing about our guys, they all live together," Cronin said. "Our team chemistry is great. Everyone wants to win but no one wants to win more than Deonta Vaughn."

The Bearcats have had trouble working the ball inside much this preseason as well. According to Cronin that is something that comes with playing small division II teams. UC hasn't had many post-up opportunities nor have they been posted up against by opposing teams.

My analysis:

I like the way Deonta led the team tonight. I saw him talking with Lance during the game and coaching him up a little bit.

It made me wonder how much Lance really listens to Deonta but Cronin assured me that Lance listens.

"Lance is smart enough to know that Deonta’s been around," Cronin said.

Wilks was dead on too. If he's leading this team in scoring that's not good. I would like to see Deonta take more shots and I think he will. Tonight was a rare exception.

I also like the way this team rebounds. It will be nice going up against team's in the Big East and probably having the rebounding advantage most of the time.

So let the real games begin. UC takes on the mighty Prairie View A&M Monday, Nov. 16 at Fifth Third Arena. Tipoff at 7:30 p.m.