In the first year under Wes Miller the Cincinnati Bearcats went 18-15 overall in 7-11 in the AAC. They finished the season with a 13 point loss to the AAC Champs Houston in the AAC Tournament. This offseason has been smoother on the coaching side of things, but roster turnover has been big for the Bearcats so far this year as Mike Saunders, Jr., Rob Banks, Mason Madsen and A.J. McGinnis have hit the transfer portal. With these four hitting the portal it leaves three scholarships for the Bearcats to add new members.
Current roster:
| David DeJulius, guard (waiting on decision) (Grad) | Mika Adams-Woods, guard (SR) |
| John Newman III, guard (Grad) | Dan Skillings, guard (FR) |
| Jeremiah Davenport, forward (SR) | Ody Oguama, forward (SR) |
| Viktor Lakhin, forward/center (SO) | Jarrett Hensley, forward (SO) |
| Josh Reed, forward (FR) | Sage Tolentino, center (FR) |
This team has three incoming freshman, I feel that Skillings and Reed will be immediate impact players for the Bearcats. With three more possibly four more scholarships on the table the Bearcats need to find a scoring big man that has a post game and can control the glass, as well as a multidimensional forward that can score and create for others and another big guard. Or they can go two bigs and a big guard, but the team as we know it will look a lot different from the 2021-22 team which will be huge if they want to compete with the likes of Houston who is currently in the Elite 8.
Once they fill the roster out we will take another look at the team, but right now everybody knows the Bearcats need to get longer, more athletic, get a post game to help ease the pain in scoring droughts and rebound better. The people who come in will more than likely fit into that mold and if they hit it big next year could be very nice for The Cats’.
Update: DeJulius will return for his super senior season.
