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What Cincinnati Bearcats basketball is missing over a year’s time
University of Cincinnati Bearcats men’s basketball began the new year ranked No. 16 in the ninth week of the Associated Press poll and 17th in the USA Today coaches poll. Since then, it’s been a steady plummet from a 10-1 record to 12-7 as they prepare to tip-off at Utah Tuesday night.
The struggles actually began with the start of Big 12 play Dec. 30 at Kansas State when the Bearcats dropped a road game they were favored to win, 68-60 to the Wildcats. Kansas State just beat No. 23 West Virginia at home but has a losing record overall and in the league (2-6).
The Kansas State loss was followed by three straight losses, giving UC an unfortunate 0-4 start in the Big 12 capped by their 54-40 loss to Kansas at Fifth Third Arena. The Bearcats led the Jayhawks by a point at the half, but scored only 15 more points.
UC recovered with a road win at Colorado and a home win against Arizona State. Defensively, from the three-point line, they had the No. 2 defense against the deep ball coming into their home game vs. Texas Tech.
Twenty-seven 3-pointers later (12 vs. Texas Tech, 15 at BYU) they’ve dropped to No. 52 in the country, allowing a bit over 30% from behind the arc. BYU lit the Bearcats up at 62.5%, 73.3% (11-for-15 in the second half).
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UC is now 2-5 in January and 2-6 in the Big 12 heading into Tuesday night’s game at Utah. Saturday’s 80-52 drubbing at BYU was the Bearcats’ fourth double-digit loss and there are two months to play. Last year, UC lost to only Dayton, TCU and Baylor by double-digits.
After holding teams in the lower 60s on average, Texas Tech and BYU combined to pummel the Bearcats with 161 points.
So, what’s the difference?
Comparing 2023-24 Cincinnati Bearcats with 2024-25
In January 2024, UC upended No. 12 BYU in their own arena, 71-60 with a starting lineup of Viktor Lakhin, Dan Skillings Jr., John Newman III, Simas Lukošius and Day Day Thomas. Lakhin’s at Clemson, Newman is overseas and Thomas no longer starts.
Aziz Bandaogo and Jizzle James came off the bench for 12 points each. Saturday, they combined for 10 as starters. The 2024 Bearcats outrebounded BYU 45-38, while Saturday’s crew was up 20-17 on the boards at halftime and was outrebounded 17-8 from there. From the arc, UC was 6-for-15 for 40% to BYU’s 13-for-46 for 28%. The Cougars threw threes in like lay-ups Saturday while UC was 5-for-28, just shy of 18%.
Were personnel changes better?
That can’t truly be answered until March but for now, the Bearcats are missing 9.2 points and 5.4 rebounds from a reliable, graduated Newman. Miller has repeatedly told his team, “John Newman ain’t walking through that door!”
Dillon Mitchell has provided 10.7 points and 6.5 rebounds but doesn’t offer the three-point skills Newman had, nor the leadership. In his defense, he’s a new transfer from Texas where Newman had extensive experience with Wes Miller.
Please, Mr. Postman
While he was benched at the end of last season, 6-foot-11 Viktor Lakhin had actual post moves and provided 9.2 points and six rebounds in his first Big 12 season. Lakhin is now in the ACC with Clemson averaging 10.2 points and six rebounds plus he can occasionally knock down a 3-pointer.
Jamille Reynolds at 6-foot-11 saw his playing time diminish and transferred to USF where he’s averaging 11.6 points and 7.3 rebounds in the AAC. In his Big 12 season with UC he averaged 5.5 points and four rebounds but offered more moves in the paint.
Currently, 7-foot Aziz Bandaogo is averaging 7.8 points and six rebounds. His points are up from 6.6, but rebounds are down from 7.4. The Bearcats rebounding production is down from 39.5 to 36.5. Bandaogo came to UC from Utah Valley where he averaged 11.5 points and 10.4 points, albeit not in Big 12 competition.
The 6-foot-8 Mitchell has had some double-doubles for UC, but his rebounds are down from 7.5 at Texas to 6.5.
Paid production off elsewhere for Cincinnati Bearcats
To be fair, most were excited at the number of returning players Wes Miller coaxed back to UC. But, to be honest, given the structure of college basketball financials, it’s safe to say that came with some monetary gain.
Dan Skillings Jr. was poked in the eye at BYU and held to six points and a rebound, but his scoring is down from 12.9 points to 11.3 and more dramatically his rebounding is down from 6.4 per game to just 3.9.
Jizzle James was most effective off the bench last season but did shine in his two starts in the NIT. He’s UC’s fourth-leading scorer at 10.4 per game, up from the 8.8 last season. After back-to-back double-digit games, he was held to six points at BYU on 3-for-13 shooting from the field, including 0-for-5 on 3-pointers. James has made just 2-of-26 threes in Big 12 play.
In conference games, Skillings is the only player making more than 30% from behind the arc of the starters at 37%. Lukošius had a horrible start but has reached 29% after going 4-for-8 at BYU. Thomas is at 26% and Mitchell at 23%. Those numbers make it difficult in an unforgiving league boasting sharpshooters at every destination.
In the Big 12, Skillings is the only double-digit scorer at 12 per game, with Mitchell at 9.9, Lukošius at 8.8, James at 8.3 and Bandaogo just 5.3.
One might wonder if players are hungry given what financial reward they are given to return or to switch teams. Another question may be how long do they think they’ll be rewarded for diminishing results?
Former Cincinnati Bearcats feel pain
Recent James P. Kelly UC Athletic Hall of Famer Sean Kilpatrick made the following posts on X Sunday morning:
“I haven’t watched TV in a couple days because of the flu. Instead, woke up about 30 minutes ago and checked the ESPN app. My Bearcats man.”
Later, Kilpatrick echoed some familiar thoughts on the current state of college basketball.
“NIL messed up college basketball forever. It really makes you question if you really want to be part of something like that.”
Kilpatrick scored 2,145 points for UC staying five years with a redshirt. His coach Mick Cronin, currently at UCLA, came for his enshrinement last September and thinks Kilpatrick’s No. 23 should be retired.
Kevin Johnson was a four-year Bearcat from 2013-2017 who has served as a color analyst on some UC broadcasts and currently coaches at Summit Country Day where he won a state title. He has also been involved with UC’s TBT (The Basketball Tournament) efforts in recent summers.
Like most that have sported red and black, losses are personal for Johnson.
“I rock with Wes and the staff but I do miss watching original Bearcat basketball,” Johnson posted on X. “Gritty, physical, pressing, and tough as nails. I do not see any tenacity or will from the coaches or players. Losing isn’t the issue, it’s watching how we lose. No one cares about ‘analytics’!”
Will Cincinnati Bearcats stop slide?
Right now, it looks like another season minus the NCAA tournament. There’s plenty of room for making that up as March matters most. UC needs only look to what their Victory Parkway rivals did in 2004 when they went from 10-9 in January to their first Elite Eight. Boos were heard in Cintas Center that month just as they’ve been heard in Fifth Third Arena.
Metrics are always popular as winter inches along. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi had UC as one of the “first four out” before the BYU debacle. They’ve surely gotten the boot for now until they can play as the star-studded unit that dazzled against Ohio State in an October game that didn’t count.
College basketball statistician Bart Torvik projects UC at 18-13 (8-12 Big 12) which would require a 6-6 finish. That doesn’t appear to be an NCAA resumé and may or may not be good enough for a third straight NIT appearance.
UC hasn’t been to the NCAA tournament since 2019. They made nine straight appearances from 2011-2019. They were in an NCAA drought from 2006-2010. A miss this season would surpass that dry spell. UC has a dozen regular season games and an upward climb in the Big 12 tournament to rewrite this chapter of the book.
As a fan of Cincinnati Bearcats basketball, it’s hard not to notice that something is missing from the team over the past year. Despite having a talented roster and a strong coaching staff, the Bearcats have struggled to find consistent success on the court.
One of the biggest things missing from Cincinnati Bearcats basketball over the past year is a true leader on the court. While the team has had players who have shown flashes of leadership at times, there hasn’t been a consistent presence to rally the team together in crucial moments. A strong leader can help hold teammates accountable, inspire confidence, and lead by example both on and off the court.
Another missing element for the Bearcats has been consistent scoring. While the team has had players who have shown promise as scorers, there hasn’t been a go-to player who can consistently put up points when the team needs it most. In close games, having a reliable scorer can make all the difference in securing a win.
On top of that, Cincinnati Bearcats basketball has been missing a strong defensive presence. Defense wins championships, and the Bearcats have struggled to lock down opponents and prevent easy buckets. A strong defensive mindset can help create turnovers, limit second-chance opportunities, and frustrate opposing offenses.
Overall, while the Cincinnati Bearcats have shown glimpses of potential over the past year, there are definitely areas where the team is lacking. By addressing these missing pieces, the Bearcats can hopefully turn things around and get back to their winning ways.
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Cincinnati Bearcats basketball, missing elements, basketball team analysis, NCAA basketball, college basketball, player performance, team dynamics, coaching strategies, game analysis, sports commentary
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