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Message: [QUOTE="Pudge, post: 3305475, member: 364"] per Matt Norlander - ranking Cincy 12 & UCLA 80 [I][B]UCLA: The Bruins are a wild card. I'm ranking them low out of expectation that Mick Cronin's style will need a little time to adjust to the players on this roster, and vice versa, but making the NCAAs wouldn't stun me at all. Cronin gets there way more often than not. [/B][/I] [TABLE] [TR] [TD][B][I][URL='https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/CINCY/cincinnati-bearcats/']Cincinnati[/URL][/I][/B][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][B][I]No coach at a new spot inherits a better situation this season than 45-year-old John Brannen, who bumped up from Northern Kentucky to UC after Mick Cronin left his alma mater to take the UCLA job. Brannen will have a potential All-American in senior tweener Jarron Cumberland (18.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.6 apg, 38.8% 3-point shooting). Cumberland will probably put up gaudy enough stats that, if UC can be a top-15 team (I'm probably higher on Cincinnati than anyone else in national media), he'll have a chance at national player of the year. The Bearcats should have a nice blend of size, shooting, depth and a jolt from Brannen's system/style.[/I][/B][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Doesn't this go both ways? How good could a Northern Kentucky Head Coach be ... to get this kind of ranking. From my experience - in my great and unmatched wisdom phase - it is easier to get a TEAM to play a tough grind them out Defense and low-scoring game than a wide open efficient offensive style ... GIVEN the same prowess of head coach. And, I actually think Mick Cronin is very good. While I agree that Jarron Cumberland COULD be a all-American stud player (with the right system), this is the bizarro look that strikes me as wrong. I expect Mick to grind out a bunch of wins; that is what he does. He will have talent (maybe kids who didn't think they would play that way). My view of UCLA (I have a UCLA degree & UConn degree) is that the fanbase is starving for someone to really get good basketball played. Could UCLA really linger at near 80th best? Sure. Taking over a Program - particularly this one laden with high expectations always - is not easy. The real burn is "how good is John Brannen" that is he going to outperform Cronin? [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach