AAC Basketball: Each team’s worst performance of the last decade

Cincinnati

March 18, 2018 (Nevada 75, Cincinnati 73) (GS: 91)

All things considered, the hiring of Mick Cronin from Murray State in 2006 was a great move. Though Cincinnati has made just one Sweet Sixteen these past ten years, they’ve been a competitive team, making the last eight NCAA Tournaments. Actually winning games in those Tourneys has proved to be something of a difficult task, and it’s hard to compare to last year’s loss in the round of 32.

When a 2-seed loses in the round of 32, it’s surprising but it’s not a mind-blowing upset. When a 2-seed loses after leading by 22 points with eleven minutes left in the game, it’s much more mind-blowing. Cincinnati put up the first 10 points of the game, built a 12-point halftime lead, and pushed it up to 65-43 with 11 minutes left in the second half. From there, however, their performance was inexplicably poor.

Nevada scored the next 16 points to make it a game, and made all the necessary shots late to shock the Bearcats. Cody Martin led the Wolfpack with 25 points and 7 assists, and Nevada only turned the ball over twice in the whole game. They fought back from the dead, ending up shooting 49% from the field and hitting just enough of their 3’s. Cincinnati, however, fell apart defensively and couldn’t keep the pressure on the 7-seeded team. They also didn’t hit a single field goal in the last five and a half minutes, a complete and utter disaster.

Again, Mick Cronin is a great coach, and this team is going to be in great shape to return to the NCAA Tournament as a high seed again very soon. There’s no denying that this performance against Nevada was painful, especially considering 11-seed Loyola and 9-seed Kansas State would’ve been the rest of Cincinnati’s run to the Final Four. Brighter days are on the horizon, or perhaps an even worst collapse waits in the future.