Cincinnati opens vs. W. Carolina, hopes new roster spells return to NCAAs

It's been six seasons since Cincinnati last made the NCAA Tournament, back in 2019, when Mick Cronin was in his final season as head coach and Jarron Cumberland was entering All-America status.

Over the last six years, the Bearcats have had two different head coaches. Wes Miller is now heading into his fifth season leading the Bearcats, with no NCAA Tournament appearances and no better finish than 11th in two seasons in the Big 12.

Miller's latest Bearcats group, led by returner Day Day Thomas, will take the floor for the first time Monday when the team hosts Western Carolina.

"I think the first thing is that the goal was to build a roster that could be competitive in the best league in college basketball," Miller said at Big 12 Media Days. "We've learned a lot competing in this league the last two years, having wisdom and experience.

"I think we also mix in some young players ... that make the group work. There's a lot of strategy now and building the roster in the spring."

The Bearcats were picked to finish eighth in the Big 12 preseason poll after going 19-16 overall and 7-13 in the conference last season.

This year's team will look a lot different than the first two teams Cincinnati fielded since joining the Big 12 in 2023. Out are Jizzle James, Simas Lukosius, Dan Skillings Jr., Aziz Bandaogo, Dillon Mitchell and Arrinten Page.

In are transfers Jalen Haynes, Sencire Harris, Kerr Kriisa, Baba Miller, Jalen Celestine and Moustapha Thiam. Haynes averaged 14.1 points per game for George Mason last year, while Kriisa has averaged 9.3 in a long career at Arizona, West Virginia and Kentucky.

One key player remains. The engine of this Bearcats' team, Thomas averaged 10.2 points per game while shooting 41.2% from the field and 40.2% from 3-point range.

Western Carolina was picked to finish seventh in the SoCon preseason coaches poll, with redshirt junior forward Marcus Kell named to the preseason All-Southern Conference team. The Catamounts finished 8-22 (4-14 SoCon) and in ninth place in the 10-team conference in 2024-25.

Kell is coming off a season in which he averaged 11.7 points and 5.5 rebound, while shooting 45.9% from the field and 37.9% from 3-point range.

"He is the best kid, one of the favorites that I've ever coached and been around," second-year coach Tim Craft said at SoCon Media Day. "In February, that dude was one of the best players in the league last year."

--Field Level Media