St. John's: Trap Game Or Next Stop On The Tourney Train?

FIRST. FOUR. OUT! FIRST. FOUR. OUT! Say it with me: FIRST FOUR OUT!

For those of you who 1. Have followed Bearcats basketball for the last three years and 2. Know anything about college basketball media, attaching "First four out" to the Cats is a pretty loaded statement.

After UC went into D.C. last weekend and smacked the Hoyas in the mouth, ESPN's Bracketologist, Joe Lunardi, has shifted his prediction of UC to "Not in" the NCAA tournament, to one of the last four team's that will be left out of the tournament "if (and this is important) Selection Sunday was today."

The last time UC was mentioned in the NCAA tournament conversation was about 10 minutes after the selections were made for the 2006 tournament. This makes the Bearcat's inclusion into the "Last Four Out" category a pretty big deal.

The next step, of course, is to move into the actual predicted field for March Madness and that is only done by winning games. Especially games you should win, like tonight against St. John's. Here's what it will take:

1. Shrug off complacency
The Cats are getting the most cred any UC basketball team has received since 2006, before any of these players were wearing the black and red. The way veterans deal with that cred is to continue to prove that they ARE on that level.

2. More Solid defense from Davis and Bishop
Undoubtedly, the play of these two guys has taken the Cats from where they were early in the conference season to where they are now. Them complimenting Vaughn and the more or less consistent play of Gates and Williams down low, makes for an outstanding press and great pressure defense in the half court man-to-man.

3. Hey, let's stop making these stupid turnovers, you guys
Taking care of the ball is a constant worry for this PG-less team, especially for Vaughn and the guards. You know who doesn't make turnovers, Rashad Bishop (look it up). I'd like to see him control the ball at the top of the key a little more, let Vaughn run free and set up a good shot.

4. 5/3 Arena
This game, and all subsequent home games need to be sold out and absolutley nuts. I want the damn thing to burn down when Huggins comes to town. I'm about to book a flight for that Thursday I'm so fired up.