The Cincinnati Bearcats enter their second season in the Big 12 with high expectations floating inside and outside the program.
When the preseason AP Top 25 was released the Bearcats found themselves at No. 20, one of several Big 12 teams ranked in the poll. It only fostered higher expectations for a team that barely missed the NCAA Tournament and reached the NIT quarterfinals last year.
The Bearcats went 22-15 last season, with a 7-11 Big 12 record, under coach Wes Miller, who is entering his fourth season.
This could be the year Cincinnati breaks through in the Big 12, but like everyone else it has a challenging schedule — and that’s just in conference play.
The Bearcats will play their usual rivalry games locally and get 11 chances to warm up before Big 12 play begins at the end of December.
Here’s a preview of the Cincinnati Bearcats’ upcoming season.
Odds
BetOnline’s opening odds gave the Bearcats +15000 odds to win the national title. The Big 12 coaches picked Cincinnati to finish sixth in the preseason poll. The Bearcats were ranked No. 20 in the AP preseason Top 25.
Three Players to Watch
G Dan Skillings Jr.: He made waves during the baseball season when he went on TV during a Bearcats game and said this would be his last year at Cincinnati. He may be good enough to make the leap to the NBA after this season. He leveled up his game and averaged 12.9 points and 6.4 rebounds a year ago.
G Jizzle James: He took on responsibility as a point guard as a true freshman and got better as the season went on. He finished up the season averaging 8.8 points. Miller said that James, the son of pro football hall-of-famer Edgerrin James, is ready to make a big jump.
G Simas Lukosius: When he gets hot from the perimeter, there may be no better shooter in the conference — and Houston’s L.J. Cryer is still in the conference. Lukosius averaged 11.8 points and led the Bearcats in 3-pointers made.
Biggest Strength
Depth. Even before transfers, this team was brimming with returning significant contributors from a season ago. Aside from the three players highlighted, there is guard Day Day Thomas, forward Aziz Bandaogo (who flirted with the NBA) and guard C.J. Fredrick (who was hurt most of the season). Then the Bearcats took in Texas transfer Dillon Mitchell, a high-flying forward, along with Bradley guard Connor Hickman, who shot 40% from the 3-point line and averaged 14 points. Cincinnati looks like one of those few teams that could absorb an injury or two and be all right (depending on the player, of course).
Biggest Weakness
Expectations. The Bearcats are a trendy pick to be a dark horse Big 12 contender and to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. In fact, not making the NCAA Tournament would be a huge disappointment for this program. Cincy hasn’t gotten there in any of Miller’s previous three seasons, but the program has gotten better every year. The Bearcats haven’t been to March Madness since 2019. For the alma mater of Oscar Robertson and the home of two national championships, everything is reaching a critical mass. Can Cincinnati handle it?
Season Prediction
To answer the above question, the Bearcats can. The reality is their team make-up hasn’t changed much and they were only a win or two away from getting into March Madness a year ago. The transfers will improve their rebounding and outside shooting. A solid projection is 20-23 wins with a .500 conference record going into Big 12 Tournament action in Kansas City.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
