The Bearcats Blog Top 30 Countdown: #20 James White
The Bearcats Blog Countdown continues after an unscheduled day off. I apologize for that. There will be no more days off in the rest of the countdown. That is, unless something unfortunate happens and why are you even thinking that because your negative vibes are going to mean something bad is going to happen. Be positive. We will all be alright. Let's get on with the countdown.
#20
James White
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James White came to Cincinnati as a transfer from Florida. He was a higly touted recruit. He was best known for his dunking. It's still his calling card to this day. James White was blessed with great athletic ability and boy oh boy did he know how do use it. Few Bearcats brought the excitement that White did. Especially when James would get in the open floor. White would turn himself into a highlight reel player into a leader by the time his UC career was over.
James got his career started in the 2003-04 season on December 20 against Middle Tennessee State. In 19 minutes, White scored 8 points on 2-7 shooting, 3-4 FTs, with 2 assists. He put up a near double double in his second game, going for 9-8 against Dayton. White scored 14 on 4-7 with 4 assists and 13 with 4 assists and 2 boards in back to back Bearcat wins. His shot fell silent when conference play started though. He made just 1 field goal in each of his first 3 games. He didn't let the rest of his numbers slide. White had 4-3, 4-5-5 and 3-4-3 line scores. He broke out again versus TCU. White scored 15 on 6-11 shooting with 4 boards and 3 assists. He would be a bright spot in a blowout loss against Louisville with 12 points and 5 boards. James used 6 free throws in route to 13 points, with 4 boards, in a UC blowout of Southern Miss. White kept the hot streak going into the next game. He scored a then career high 15 points on 6-9 shooting, had 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals against East Carolina.
White cooled back down after his torrid stretch. He scored 8 on 2-8 shooting, 3 assists, in a loss to Charlotte. He had just 2 points in the 71-69 loss to Xavier. He had 2 points, both at the line, in 1 of 4 games where he didn't make a field goal in his career. White put things together against USF. He had 7 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists in a 13 point win. White had 12-4-2 steals against Wake Forest. He didn't make a field goal, 0-3, 3 points, but had 5 boards and 7 assists in a loss to UAB. White was 1-7 against Louisville, but filled up the box score with 5 boards and 4 assists.
Sometimes everything comes together in one beautiful game. That's what happened on February 25 of that season against St Louis. James played a season high 34 minutes and one of the best games of his career. White scored 23 points on 10-14 from the field, 2-2 free throws, with 11 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals. White followed that with a career high in assists. He dished out 9 to go along with 6 points in a win at Charlotte. White had a modest 6-4-3-2 steals against DePaul, but 9-5 assists-2 steals in a close win over Memphis. The C-USA tournament rolled around after that. After 4-3-3 against Louisville, White tore up St Louis again. He had 9 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. In the championship win against DePaul, he had 5-5. He didn't play so much better in the NCAA tournament. White had 4 on 2-7, 6 boards, 7 assists in the win over East Tennessee St, which was pretty good. But he had his only scoreless game as a Bearcat on 0-4 shooting with 4 boards and 4 assists in the shit kicking against Illinois.
James White made 71 of 185 field goals for 38.4%, hit just 15 of 63 from deep, 23.8%, but made 57-71 at the free throw line, 80.3%. That equalled 214 points. White pulled down 109 rebounds, dished out 96 assists, had 24 steals and 18 blocks. That put out a stat line of 7.9, 4, 3.6, 0.9, 0.7. That's pretty damn good and a pretty damn impactful first season. He led the team in assists.
The Bearcats had James White for the whole next season. After starting the last 21 games of the previous season, White started all but 4 the rest of his Bearcat career. James got off to a solid start with 10-3-3, and 7-9-3 steals in the first 2 games. He put 13 down on Purdue on 6-8 shooting with 5 boards and 2 steals. He had 11-8-4 against Dayton, but followed that with 2 points on 0-4, 4 boards and 2 assists against Detroit, and 5-3-3- against Northwestern State. White started to pick things back up the next 4 games. He had 9 points and 7 assists, followed by a 15 point game. He scored 18 against Miami on 6-9, with 8 boards and 2 steals. White had 10 against Longwood. UC was undefeated when they traveled to Las Vegas to play Illinois. Like the rest of the team, White did nothing, 4-2-2-2 steals, as UC was once again shit kicked by the Illini.
Not happy after the Illinois loss, James and the Cats took their frustration out on another Illinois team, DePaul. White used 8 free throws to score 10 points, mixing in 4 rebounds. He scored a 13-5-2 performance against St Louis, and had 9 points with 3 steals in a win at East Carolina. White put it all together in a game against Louisville. He scored 15 points on 4-5 shooting, 4-6 FTs, 3-4 from 3, with 8 rebounds and 7 assists. He also dunked on TaQuan Dean. But UC lost. White put up another excellent box score, 8-8-6 assists, against Charlotte in a bounce back win. James was a non-factor the next 2 games, 4-3, 3-2-3, before he put his second career double double on the board against Houston. White set a career high with 25 points on 9-12 shooting, 4-5 FTs, 3-3 from deep, with 10 rebounds and 4 assists. He followed with 11-7-3 against Louisville. In a tough loss to Charlotte, White had 18 points on 4-7, 8-9 FTs, 2-3 from 3, with 5 boards and 6 assists. He made a 3 that tied the game with under 2 minutes left.
The Charlotte game kicked off a string off good game, bad game for James. He had 4-5-3 in his only win against Xavier. Then he put up 14 on 5-7, 4 boards, 5 assists in a horrible loss at DePaul. Followed by 7-5-5 against Southern Miss. White had 14-4-4 against UAB, 3-2 assists against Marquette. 16 on 4-6, 6-6 FTs, vs TCU, 5-5-4 against Tulane. White did close out the regular season strong at Memphis. He had 11 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals in the Bearcats 62-60 win. It would be his 3rd and final double double as a Bearcat. James scored 10 against USF in the C-USA tournament, but at the expense of 4-15 shooting. UC lost that game. The Bearcats moved on to the NCAA tournament against Iowa. James White had himself a very good NCAA tournament performance. He scored 15, 4-12, going 5-5 at the line, with 6 rebounds and 4 assists. He was not as good against Kentucky, 4-4-1, as the Bearcats season ended.
White continued to up his stats. He was 109-246, 44.3%, from the field. He was 36-94, 38.3%, from 3. A marked improvement. He made 83-104, 79.8%, at the foul line. That was a total of 337 points. White had 158 rebounds, 102 assists, 30 steals and 12 blocks. His junior season stat line was 10.2, 4.8, 3.1, 0.9. He once again was the Bearcat leader in assists.
The Bearcats needed James White to be more of a scoring threat his senior season. He responded very well. The Murray State Racers were first up that season and they gave UC all they could handle. In fact, they were leading the game with under 10 seconds left. That's when White got a steal and dunked the ball home to tie the score. White opened OT with another steal and dunk and made another jumper to set the pace in the UC win. White scored 21 points on 7-21, 7-7 FTs, with 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. White shot better against Illinois State, 6-10, 3-6 from 3, for 18 points, with 6 boards. He had 19 on 7-8, 4-4 FTs, against High Point. He scored 15, but on 3-10 shooting, as UC lost to Dayton. White rebounded with 17 on 4-9, 8-8 FTs, and 6 boards, but UC lost to Memphis.
The Bearcats would end the 2 game losing steak and start a winning streak behind #21. White had 18 on 7-9, 4-5 from 3, with 7 boards. He had 18 again on 7-13, 7 boards, 4 assists and 2 steals. He went one better the next game with 19 on 8-10, 8 rebounds, 3 assists. White went 18-6-3 steals on 6-12 shooting, then 19-5 on 6-13 shooting in the Dayton rematch. James capped off a ridiculous stretch of scoring at least 18 in 10 of the first 13 games by scoring 19 against LSU. He had a 10 point game against Miami, 1-6, 8-9 FTs. Then James torched NC A&T with 23 on 8-13, 4-5 from 3, 5 boards, 4 assists. It was an absolutely incredible way to open a season and one of the most consistent scoring runs in UC history.
The Bearcats were in the Big East this season. Their first game was against familiar foe DePaul. James greeted them to the league with 17 points, on 7-13 shooting, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. He had a rough shooting game against Marquette, 4-13, but his 12 points and 5 rebounds helped UC to a 2-0 start. The Bearcats dropped the next 4 games, but not because of White. He had 18-6-4 against UConn, and 16 against Syracuse. The third game was a loss to Xavier in the Shootout. It was partially White's fault because he missed a potential game tying jumper in the closing seconds of overtime. He had 16 on 7-18 shooting in that one. White toned down the field goals the next game. He scored 14 on 4-6, 4-5 FTs, with 4 boards and 2 steals in a win over Rutgers. White was held to single digits by Louisville, 9 points on 2-8, in a loss. He scored 22 on 7-17, 8-9 FTs, but UC was thrashed at Georgetown. James scored just 6 on 2-4 in a win over USF. That was his lowest output of the season.
James White recovered from his low point with a 10-6 game against West Virginia. I said he recovered, not recovered masterfully. That came in the next game against Louisville. James had 14 on 6-10 with 9 rebounds in a huge win for UC. He had 9-5-4 in a huge loss, 20 points, at Pitt. James rallied with the Bearcats NCAA tournament hopes against the wall. He had 18 on 8-13, 5 boards, 4 assists, 2 steals in a 17 point win at Syracuse. He had 22, on 7-13, and 7 against Providence. White was held to 7 points on 1-4 in a 2 point loss to Nova. He had 17-4 assists against Seton Hall, but UC lost. UC needed a win on senior day. With Bob Huggins in the house watching from the sideline, White scored 15 points on 5-9, 4-4 FTS, 3-5 from 3, with 6 boards to power a UC win. In that game, he became the 44th Bearcat to pass the 1,000 point mark.
UC met up with Syracuse in the first round of the Big East tournament. It was thought of as an bubble popper for the loser. White went all out. He had a career high 32 points. He made 9 of 16 from the field. He hit a 3 to give UC a 2 point lead with 2 minutes left. With UC down 1 and 10 seconds left, White hit a jumper to put the Bearcats ahead. If Devan Downey makes both his free throws, Gerry McNamara doesn't travel down the court and throw in a banker to beat UC and send them to the NIT. White had a solid NIT. He had 12-5 against old foe Charlotte. He had 17 on 5-9, with 6 boards against Minnesota. A game away from New York, White and Jihad Muhammad were suspended. UC lost and didn't play a significant tournament game for the next 4 years.
James White made 177 of 363 field goals his senior year for 48.8%. He was 49-131 from 3, 37.4%. He was a great foul shooter. He went 134-160, 83.8%. That adds up to 537 points. He had 167 rebounds, 67 assists, 36 steals and 28 blocks. The stat line was 16.3, 5.1, 2, 1.1, 0.8. He was 10th in the Big East in points per game.
For his UC career, James White scored 11.7 points a game, with 4.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1 steal and 0.6 blocks.
Why He Made the List
James White was one of the best box score fillers in UC history. He was a great rebounder, he was a great passer, he was a solid shooter. He evolved from being a guy who couldn't hit the broad side of a barn from 3, 35-132 to start his career, to a guy who hit 38 and 37 percent to close his career. He was a great foul shooter who used free throws to get himself points. White was 6-7 and not the guy you would think would be a primary ball handler. But he was a primary ball handler. He pretty much was the point guard in his first year as a Bearcat. He led the team in assists twice.
While White was a great player, he's on the next tier outside of the best Bearcats. There is no shame in that, as you will see with the rest of the list.
What He's Doing Now
He's playing somewhere. Europe maybe? The NBDL? Probably not. He's still doing things and he's on twitter. I asked him where he was playing and he didn't answer me. Don't hold that against him. Ok, you can if you want to. It's not my problem.
