Players are unavailable to comment.

Head coach Kevin Broadus didn’t allow his team to talk to the media after the Bearcats’ disappointing loss to Hartford at home on Saturday.

But it wasn’t just the loss and post-game absence of players that was alarming, it was the way they lost and what Broadus had to say afterward.

“I won’t speak on it, but we’ve had some issues we’ve been dealing with the past few days and we’ve got to get back together as a group and mend that,” Broadus said.

Wait, what?

I don’t know exactly what happened, but the issue isn’t necessarily what’s going on, but why it’s going on. The Bearcats, a team tied for second place in the America East Conference that just came off a five-game win streak, are bickering with one another?

It’s not like this a last-place team struggling. Winning usually brings a team closer together. So what’s the problem here, guys?

Whatever the issues are, they came to light on the court Saturday. Midway through the first half I saw Mike Gordon and Dwayne Jackson exchange heated words when Jackson attempted to drive the ball on back-to-back possessions. He turned the ball over the first time and was fouled the second.

It seems the team’s biggest issue is the personalities. Most of the players were used to a casual attitude at practice under former head coach Al Walker. With three months under Broadus, the guys should be used to how things are run by now, especially since the results have showed so.

I can try to figure it out all I want, and I can listen to all of the rumors, but it doesn’t matter. That is not the issue. The bottom line is something is going on when there is no reason for it.

“Guys are complaining, ‘Oh coach, we practice so long, two or three hours.’ It’s a privilege to be practicing two or three hours,” Broadus said. “When you make excuses for what you do, it shows up on the court. Practice makes permanent. How you practice is how you play. The last few days is an indication and I had the gut feeling how we were going to play today.”

During the media day prior to the season, all of the guys said that all they wanted to do was win the America East Championship. Well, what do you think it takes to get there?

Actions are speaking louder than words and right now neither are looking good.

At that media day, the Bearcats said they were getting along and the team chemistry was a lot better than last season. All you wanted was to win and then you start winning, and it’s not good enough?

Broadus said he would do everything in his power to make them the best team possible. Well, his team is playing the best basketball of the season the past month, so why give up on it now in the midst of the toughest part of the schedule?

Here’s some advice: put all of your baggage behind you. Play for the team on your chest, not the name on your back. Come together and get fired up because if you play like you did on Saturday against Vermont tomorrow night, not only will you lose the game, but you will lose your student fans. There is nothing worse than watching uninspired basketball by people who would give an arm and a leg to be in your position.