There have been many compelling college basketball stories as March winds to a close. This year’s tournament has proved to be one of the most balanced fields in recent memory. George Mason has gone from an unknown to the toast of Indianapolis. Gonzaga and Duke were upset, causing each team’s respective star to get upset, Morrison more visibly than Redick. Glen “Big Baby” Davis has become a household name. Overshadowed by the bright lights of the big dance is a series of events which, if track records hold veritable, have the potential to shift power in several major conferences.
These events can all be traced back to the University of Cincinnati. The Bearcats, who had made appearances in 14 straight NCAA Tournaments, under former head coach Bob Huggins made the NIT after a 19-11 regular season, in a season of tumult.
Huggins, an established head coach, was forced out just months before the season was to begin. The Bearcats, who were set to begin their season first in the prestigious Big East Conference, tagged Andy Kennedy with the interim job. Kennedy, an assistant under Huggins, managed to coach a team of eight scholarship players to an eighth-place finish in the Big East.
This Bearcat team was special. Marred by injuries, transfers and ineligibility, the team often employed a seven-man rotation, with one player, freshman Connor Barwin, being a walk-on from the football team. Barwin went on to hold his own with players like Kevin Pittsnogle of West Virginia and Aaron Gray of Pittsburgh. In terse, Kennedy made this squad, who really had no business being on the same floor as Villanova or Connecticut, believing that it was a national championship contender.
The events that have transpired in the last couple of weeks are a discredit to the University of Cincinnati. Bob Huggins has packed his bags for Manhattan, Kan., where he will coach the Kansas State Wildcats. How will this change the Big 12 Conference, you ask?
Look no further than 15 minutes away from his old stomping grounds, to North College Hill High School in Cincinnati. The Trojans sport three of the nation’s top 15 high school juniors: O.J. Mayo, Bill Walker and Keenan Ellis. All three have become very close with Huggins and are all but committed to playing for him at the next level.
Truth is Huggins might already have his next two recruiting classes ready to go. With Huggins at the helm, Kansas State’s rise to prominence will be much shorter than expected. While the Wildcats have to deal with Huggins’ history, it is hard to imagine that “Huggy Bear” will be able to find anything resembling trouble in the middle of Kansas. If history repeats itself, Huggins will have the Wildcats in the NCAA Tournament in two years. Move over Bill Self, you’ve got company.
Meanwhile, Kennedy has moved on to Ole Miss, a team that has struggled in the Southeastern Conference. The task ahead for Kennedy is difficult, but if I were a betting man, I would take Kennedy at any odds. Kennedy, who might be the hottest young coaching commodity in college basketball, will return the Rebels to respectability. We’re talking about a man who could probably convince a group of kitchen appliances to run an effective full-court press. Kennedy will enjoy success at Ole Miss, but it is hard to fathom him not getting a much bigger job with a big-time program. Wherever Kennedy goes, it is certain that success will follow him.
Despite overwhelming support for the Bearcats to hire Kennedy on a permanent basis, single-minded university president Nancy Zimpher chose former UC assistant Mick Cronin to take the top job. Cronin, who has guided Murray State to the NCAA Tournament in two of the past three years, is a good coach with good intentions. Unfortunately, none of these intentions will be realized with an overzealous Zimpher breathing down his neck at all times.
Zimpher and Athletic Director Mike Thomas, who is essentially her personal puppet, intend to turn the University of Cincinnati into a Harvard, something that it cannot be. The Bearcats look to be going down the drain rather quickly. Cronin has never coached outside of Cincinnati or Kentucky. Cronin, who didn’t even handle recruiting while an assistant at UC, is already behind on the recruiting trail. I wish Cronin the best, but the poor guy doesn’t even have a chance.
Huggins and Kennedy are well on their way to future success. Cronin might want to plead for his Murray State job back. As long as Zimpher is calling the shots at the University of Cincinnati, whatever dynasty the basketball team had has come to an end.
Admittedly, Huggins and Kennedy must feel blessed to get out of Cincinnati. But the real ones who are blessed in this situation are Kansas State and Ole Miss. It’s not every day that one program lets go of two great coaches in a period of a couple of months. If you’re a Kansas State fan or Ole Miss fan, count your prayers. If you’re a UC fan, well, say your prayers.
