Random interesting nuggets going into today's game here in Morgantown:

UC enters the game ranked 335^th out of 347 teams in free throw shooting (yes, there are actually 11 teams that are worse!).  What team ranks dead last?  DePaul at 57.8 %.  Go figure - the Blue Demons went 11-for-13 vs. UC on Wednesday night. 

For those who criticize Mick Cronin for UC's free throw shooting woes (I maintain a college head coach has little impact), it's worth pointing out that UCLA (Ben Howland) ranks 330^th, Texas (Rick Barnes) ranks 331^st, and St. Louis (Rick Majerus) ranks 339^th.

UC enters the game ranked 328^th in 3-point shooting percentage, meaning there are 16 teams that are worse including USF.

Perhaps the biggest key to last year's win over West Virginia was Yancy Gates, who finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds.  In that game, Gates had 9 defensive rebounds.  Did you know that before grabbing two defensive boards vs. DePaul that Yancy had not had a single defensive rebound in the previous two games?  He has a total of five defensive rebounds in his last five games.  Gates has to do better than that today.

As everyone knows, Bob Huggins is 0-2 vs. UC since taking over at West Virginia, but the Bearcats aren't the only Cincinnati-area team that Huggs has had trouble with.  Two years ago, his Mountaineers lost to Xavier in the Sweet 16.  Last year, WVU was knocked out in the first round of the NCAA tourney by Dayton.

Huggs was ejected in the waning moments of West Virginia's game at UConn on Monday night.  Unlike my man Chuck Machock in 2003, WVU radio analyst Jay Jacobs did not get the boot as well.

Deonta Vaughn needs 11 points to tie Roger McClendon for 4^th on UC's all-time scoring list behind the Big O, Steve Logan, and Danny Fortson.  Vaughn has been struggling lately, hitting just 18% from 3-point range in his last 7 games.

Cashmere Wright made 7 of his first 8 3-pointers in Big East play.  He's 1-for-15 since.

Darnell Wilks is the only scholarship player at UC who has not started a game this year (not including Sean Kilpatrick who is redshirting).

Lance Stephenson leads the Bearcats in turnovers with 66, but does not rank in the Top 100 nationally.  John Wall ranks 15^th with 109 turnovers, Jerome Dyson ranks 23^rd with 103, and Devan Downey ranks 35^th with 96.  I'm not suggesting that Wall, Dyson, and Downey aren't terrific players - the turnovers are largely due to their team's fast-paced style of play - but it's interesting isn't it?

I had a fun time getting here yesterday.  Left Boston at 10:45 in the morning.  Got stuck in the Detroit airport for 5 hours.  Sat on a plane on the tarmac in Detroit for another 2 hours.  Finally got to the hotel in Morgantown at 12:40 am.  Well worth the wait if the Bearcats pull off the upset.  UC is a 12-point underdog.

Tipoff is at 2:00.  Pregame coverage at 1:30 on 700 WLW.

Go 'Cats!