Wes Miller’s Cincinnati Bearcats poised for NCAA Tournament return in 2024, predicts insider Jon Rothstein

The Cincinnati Bearcats should end their six-year NCAA Tournament drought thanks to an excellent coach, an almost intact lineup and solid transfer pickups during the offseason. CBS Sports insider Jon Rothstein has written this in his College Hoops Today blog.

Cincinnati accumulated a 22-15 record last season in its return to the Big 12. The team will see key players from last season, Dan Skillings, Simas Lokosius, Day Day Thomas, Jizzle James and Aziz Bandaogo, return. Cincinnati has strengthened with formidable transfer portal pickups Dillon Mitchell, Connor Hickman and Arrinten Page and 4-star recruits Tyler Betsey and Tyler McKinley.

"The Bearcats return 75.6% of their scoring from last year’s team that won 22 games and was firmly in the bubble picture for the majority of the 2023-24 season," Rothstein wrote. "Cincinnati is primed to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019, which was Mick Cronin’s final year with the Bearcats before he left for UCLA."

Making the NCAA Tournament would be an enormous achievement for fourth-year coach Wes Miller. It will break Cincinnati's six-year NCAA Tournament drought and surpass its NIT quarterfinal stints in the last two seasons.

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Wes Miller welcomes former NCAA champion coach Roy Williams to Cincinnati Bearcats basketball Tip-Off dinner

The Cincinnati Bearcats recently hosted their Tip-Off dinner for donors and season ticket holders. Coach Wes Miller had a special guest: former coach and North Carolina and Kansas coach Roy Williams.

Williams guided the Tar Heels to three national championships in 2005, 2009 and 2017. He and Miller met with the university's Flight Club members in the Mercedes-Benz Courtside Club. Miller and the Bearcats players entertained questions from various people, particularly their expectations for the upcoming season.

The event featured former Tar Heel Marty Brennaman, the event's emcee. Miller, a former North Carolina point guard, and Brennaman discussed the Tar Heel connection. The latter was honored to be involved and pledged to help Cincinnati.

Cincinnati opens its season with an exhibition game against Ohio State for charity on Oct. 18. The Bearcats open their regular season against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Nov. 4 at the Fifth Third Arena.

Their notable nonconference rivals are Georgia Tech on Nov. 23, Villanova on Dec. 3, Xavier on Dec. 14 and Dayton on Dec. 20.

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Will Cincinnati make the 2025 NCAA Tournament? Let us know your views in the comments section.