Coming into the season the Cincinnati Bearcats had seven new faces added to the roster via high school, JuCo and transfer portal. With the new faces, it takes time to gel, the positive is the Bearcats had a respectable amount of returners on deck, but as a unit it takes time no matter how you look it or digest it.
Simas Lukošius is the newbie I want to highlight. Transferring in from Butler, last season the 6’8”, 225 pound guard averaged 11.6 points on 37.8% from 3, 80.0% from the line, 4.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists. Outside shooting is always something the Bearcat program is in need of and it seems that Wes Miller has done a solid job in trying to add that particular skill set since arriving. Lukošius is a Swiss army knife for the Bearcats with a skill set, he can create for himself and others. He hasn’t lit the world on fire so far, but the last two games he’s shown real good flashes that make me to believe that he needs to be the wing that steps up and steps in to the go-to scorer role to provide consistency for the 2023-24 team. Landers Nolley is now in the NBA G-League he was the guy in that role last season and No. 2 was David DeJulius who is currently playing overseas so it puts a lot of new guys, adjusting to new roles whether they were on the roster last year or not.
He’s currently averaging 8.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists on 37.8% from 3. His overall shooting percentage is down as well as his free throw percentage. The last two games he’s averaging 12.5 points, 2.5 assists on 50% from the field and 54.5% from 3. Can Lukošius bump his averages up to the 14-18 points per game range? If he bottles the last two games up and with his skill set, he is a prime candidate to make that jump, he possesses a 3 ball, a floater/mid range and can finish at the rim. With all of these traits Miller and the crew have to push the guard to take the reigns so he’s comfortable heading into the Big 12.
I’m not looking at the plus minus, I’m going by the eye test No. 41 has the skills to be a lead dog for the Bearcats, it’s something he has to embrace good or bad and the team will follow.
