Bearcats Join Ohio Invitational

The U.C. Bearcats made it four Ohio teams in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. U.C., Xavier, Ohio State, and Ohio University make up 25% of the field that is left competing fopr the Nastional Championship. Throw in Kentucky, Louisville, and Indiana, and that's almost 50% of the field with heavy tri-state followings. That is simply amazing. And so was the performance by the Bearcats in Nashville Sunday night. U.C. outslugged Florida State 62-56. That sets up a match between the Bearcats and Ohio State. They'll meet Thursday night in Boston in the round of 16. After the game U.C. players downplayed the upcoming battle with the Buckeyes. There will be a few days to hype that. But the performance Sunday night should get top billing here. At times, the only guy U.C. had on the court that was taller than any of the Florida State players was Ysncy Gates. Gates slugged as best he could, and while he did the slugging it was 6-foot 3-inch JaQuon Parker doing the rebounding. Parker hauled in 11 boards, the most by anyone on either team. After the game head coach Mick Cronin acknowledged the guts of his team. He also expressed hope that people will finally start to give his team for having some talent. That talent was on display when Sean Kilpatrick hit a couple of huge three-point shots down the stretch. It was on display when Parker hit a nice pull-up jumper in the lane. It was on display with 1:30 to play when Dion Dixon made a nifty steal, and didn't need a dribble to make a two-fisted power dunk to give U.C. the lead once and for all. We can't overlook 19 of 23 from the free throw line for the Bearcats. The slugfest could not be overlooked. But Mick is right, the talent should not be overlooked either. U.C. makes it to the sweet 16 for the first time since 2001. Now it's onto the battle of Ohio. And the Bearcats will have plenty of Ohio company.