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Cincinnati looks to finally reach the NCAA Tournament under third-year coach Wes Miller. The Bearcats have won a combined 45 games in Miller's first two seasons as lead tactician, but have yet to make the Tournament.
Here's a closer look into Cincinnati's 2024-25 college basketball season from its big games to its key players to watch.
Cincinnati's biggest games in the 2024-25 season
Cincinnati will have a challenging non-conference schedule for the 2024-25 season as they will play 2024 NCAA Tournament entrants Morehead State (Nov. 8), Howard (Dec. 8), Dayton (Dec. 20) and Grambling State (Dec. 22). Aside from ththese games, the Bearcats are set to take on Villanova in a Big East-Big 12 Battle on Dec. 3, and Xavier on Dec. 14 as part of the Crosstown Shootout.
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The Big 12 regular season begins in January and Cincinnati will be in for a challenging season with the usual conference powers like Houston, Kansas, and Iowa State plus the addition of new schools Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah.
Cincinnati will play home and away games against Baylor, BYU, Kansas State, Utah, and its main rival West Virginia. The Bearcats will host Arizona, Arizona State, Kansas, TCU, and Texas Tech, and will be on the road for Colorado, Houston, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, and UCF.
Key Cincinnati players to watch out for in the 2024-25 season
Cincinnati brings in an almost intact core for the 2024-25 season as it was able to keep 10 players from last years' squad, including its top three scorers in Dan Skillings Jr., Simas Lukosius, and Day Day Thomas.
The Bearcats will have three transfers and two freshman to reinforce the lineup venturing into a new season, looking to help coach Wes Miller secure his first NCAA Tournament bid.
#1. Dan Skillings Jr.
Dan Skillings Jr. topped Cincinnati's offense last season, averaging 12.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. The 6-foot-6 incoming junior shot 42.1% from the field and 66.9% from the foul line.
His playing time almost doubled from 14.6 minutes in 2022-23 to 27.9 minutes this past seaosn. Skillings' minutes might increase further as he's expected to be one of the team's leaders in the 2024-25 season.
#2. Connor Hickman
Connor Hickman was acquired by Cincinnati via the transfer portal. In his previous stint with Bradley, the 6-foot-3 Hickman played for 32.3 minutes each game and tallied 14.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per contest.
Hickman will bring 3-polnt marksmanship to the Bearcats, shooting a 40.2% clip on 2.4 makes each outing. He also keeps himself busy on defense, recording 1.2 steals per game last season.
#3. Dillon Mitchell
Dillon Mitchell transferred to Cincinnati after an eventful sophomore season with Texas, where he averaged 9.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1 steals per game. His playing time increased from 17.4 minutes in the 2022-23, season to 29 minutes this past season.
He is expected to crash the boards for the Bearcats by getting more possessions and securing additional chances to score. His length and size will also bring additional ceiling to Cincinnati this coming season.
Cincinnati's predictions for the 2024-25 season
Cincinnati will have a tough regular season conference schedule that it needs to conquer to secure a bid in the NCAA Tournament. They will have to beat powerhouse teams Houston, Arizona, and Kansas to stand a chance at winning a spot in the knockout phase of the tournament.
The Bearcats are expected to win at least 22 games and also expected to qualify, at least, for a First Four slot this coming season.
Can Cincinnati win at least 22 games this season? Let us know your views in the comments section below.
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