West No. 9 – Cincinnati Bearcats (Overall: 22-10, Conf: 12-6)
Team Strengths:
Cincinnati doesn’t back down from any challenge. As evident in their quadruple-overtime loss to UConn in the AAC Tournament’s quarterfinals, the Bearcats have great composure to hang in with tougher competition.
The team has terrific balance in its starting unit as well, as four of its five starters averaged double-digit scoring for the season. Starting forwards Gary Clark and Octavius Ellis are a couple of those players, and they also patrol the paint like no other. Cincy ranks fifth in the nation in blocks per contest and fourth in block percentage.Create a betting account now and cash in on all the NCAAB action.
Team Weaknesses:
Without their rebounding and shot-blocking prowess to give them more possessions, the Bearcats are bound to falter should they need to put up points in a hurry. They’re not very explosive on offense, and their shooting percentages from virtually anywhere on the floor are rather awful.
Team Stats:
Category | Stat | NCAA Rank |
---|---|---|
Points Per Game | 73.2 | 156 |
Rebounds Per Game | 39.4 | 35 |
Blocks Per Game | 5.8 | 5 |
3-Point Percentage | 34.5% | 177 |
Free Throw Percentage | 70.4% | 152 |
Starting Lineup:
Position | Name | PPG |
---|---|---|
F | Gary Clark | 10.7 |
F | Octavius Ellis | 10.0 |
F | Jacob Evans III | 7.9 |
G | Troy Caupain | 13.2 |
G | Farad Cobb | 10.1 |
Writer’s Prediction:
The Bearcats fall to Atlantic 10 champion Saint Joseph’s in the opening round of the tournament.