Mick Cronin is entering his fourth year as the University of Cincinnati men’s basketball coach with a team that probably for the first time in his tenure in Cincinnati isn’t held together with tape and rubberbands. For one thing, the Bearcats have a leader on their team. Deonta Vaughn is entering his senior year this year as a two-time all Big East player. This is the first time since probably Andy Kennedy’s brief year as head coach that the Bearcats can actually say without a doubt they have a leader.
Cincinnati also has an outstanding big man in Yancy Gates, who is entering his second year as a Bearcat. Gates, a Cincinnati native, averaged 10.1 points a game last year and is expected to be one of the better big men in the Big East this year.
The Bearcats can also say they have experience, because they have six returning players: Larry Davis, Rashad Bishop, Biggie McClain, Darnell Wilks, Steve Toyloy, and Deon Dixon.
That’s not all. For the first time in years Cincinnati has added some extremely talented players. UC landed freshman Lance Stephenson, who was a McDonalds high school All-American last year, and you can’t forget about Cashmere Wright, who is supposed to be a star point guard.
Sean Kilpatrik and Jaquon Parker also complete coach Cronin’s first class recruiting class this year.
The bottom line is Cincinnati has a lot of depth and is expected to be one of the better teams in the Big East this year. Their next official game is against Vanderbilt in the Maui Invitational on November 23.