UC Needs More From Scorers

swg · 02-12-2011, 12:34 PM

Dixon has been one of the better stories at UC this season. After two years in which he was primarily a role player, he dedicated himself during the offseason to making more of an impact on offense.

That hard work paid off. The 6-foot-3 junior from Chicago has scored in double figures 15 times and leads the Bearcats in scoring at 11.2 points per game.

But lately he has more closely resembled the Dixon of the past two years than the player who made such strides during the summer. Aside from a 14-point performance against Rutgers on Jan. 26, opposing defenses have shut him down recently.

He has averaged only 5.2 points over his last five games, shooting 22.6 percent overall, 23.1 percent from 3-point range, and has lost the offensive assertiveness that he displayed earlier in the season.

He failed to score at Pitt and at St. John's and has attempted only eight shots in his last two games.

"I've got to be more aggressive on the offensive end," Dixon said. "They put me at the point a little bit and I was trying to be a little bit more passive. I think I've got to get in the paint more and make plays.

"Coming down the stretch, we're going to need me to play better. I'm going to keep working at it. I know it's going to come around."

UC coach Mick Cronin said Dixon seems to have lost some of the confidence he had earlier in the season.

"I talked to him about it during the game against DePaul," Cronin said. "He passed up a couple of shots. One he drove and lost the ball, the other one he just didn't shoot it."

Ultimately, Cronin said, it's up to Dixon to find a way to push through this slump.

"The dog days are upon us," he said. "It's hard to score. The Big East is no joke. If you're struggling, the answer is to get out there and fight through it and get your rhythm back, get your confidence back."

Dixon isn't the only UC player who needs to fight through a slump if the Bearcats are going to realize their goal of playing in the NCAA Tournament.

Gates, who averages 11.1 points and 6.7 rebounds, has scored 12 points in his last two games. He has eight rebounds in those two games. In 10 Big East games, he has secured only 14 offensive rebounds.

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http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2...opnews|text|UC

02-12-2011, 12:34 PM	#1
swg Epic Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 7,155	UC Needs More From Scorers Dixon has been one of the better stories at UC this season. After two years in which he was primarily a role player, he dedicated himself during the offseason to making more of an impact on offense. That hard work paid off. The 6-foot-3 junior from Chicago has scored in double figures 15 times and leads the Bearcats in scoring at 11.2 points per game. But lately he has more closely resembled the Dixon of the past two years than the player who made such strides during the summer. Aside from a 14-point performance against Rutgers on Jan. 26, opposing defenses have shut him down recently. He has averaged only 5.2 points over his last five games, shooting 22.6 percent overall, 23.1 percent from 3-point range, and has lost the offensive assertiveness that he displayed earlier in the season. He failed to score at Pitt and at St. John's and has attempted only eight shots in his last two games. "I've got to be more aggressive on the offensive end," Dixon said. "They put me at the point a little bit and I was trying to be a little bit more passive. I think I've got to get in the paint more and make plays. "Coming down the stretch, we're going to need me to play better. I'm going to keep working at it. I know it's going to come around." UC coach Mick Cronin said Dixon seems to have lost some of the confidence he had earlier in the season. "I talked to him about it during the game against DePaul," Cronin said. "He passed up a couple of shots. One he drove and lost the ball, the other one he just didn't shoot it." Ultimately, Cronin said, it's up to Dixon to find a way to push through this slump. "The dog days are upon us," he said. "It's hard to score. The Big East is no joke. If you're struggling, the answer is to get out there and fight through it and get your rhythm back, get your confidence back." Dixon isn't the only UC player who needs to fight through a slump if the Bearcats are going to realize their goal of playing in the NCAA Tournament. Gates, who averages 11.1 points and 6.7 rebounds, has scored 12 points in his last two games. He has eight rebounds in those two games. In 10 Big East games, he has secured only 14 offensive rebounds. MORE... http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2...opnews\|text\|UC