So, it has been a busy off-season, first Cincinnati had multiple players hit the transfer portal from Rob Banks, Mason Madsen, Mike Saunders, Jr. and A.J. McGinnis leaving them with three scholarships that weren’t claimed. While you don’t like seeing a ton a transfers it also allows Wes Miller to get more guys in the fold that fit his style of play, when team wins 17 games in the regular season you need more people that fit your style just being honest. I personally thought the team would be a 16-18 win team last year and they started so fast I thought they would get to 20 wins or more, but the more tape that was seen on the Bearcats the easier it was for teams to plan for them. With out the season ended this off-season was key if the Bearcats were going to take a big jump in the 2022-2023 season.
The first big domino that fell for the Bearcats was the return of guard David DeJulius. DeJulius is coming back for this super senior season and that gives the Bearcats their leading scorer, a shot creator, somebody who can distribute and play scrappy defense. Next, Old Dominion graduate transfer big man Kalu Ezikpe came into the fold, which provides a tight end build big man that can move and provide a physical asset on both sides of the floor. After Ezikpe, Cincinnati landed Indiana graduate transfer guard Rob Phinisee. Phinisee is a tempo player and a defensive pest that has played Big Ten ball his whole career. The last grab was Memphis transfer Landers Nolley II who Bearcats fans have seen up close and personal the last two years, but now he is on the side of the black and red. Nolley II adds a tall and athletic playmaker that can shoot. You can’t have enough athletic shooters on the team and Nolley adds a lot of flexibility to this new roster.
