24. Cincinnati Bearcats
Record: 11-2 (0-0 AAC)
Last Week: Not Ranked
Cincinnati just continues to bounce around the fringe of the top-25 in my eyes. Head coach Mick Cronin’s team has vastly exceeded expectations to reach 11-2 on the year to this point and I think it is fair to say that we undervalued his abilities as a coach. As per usual, the Bearcats have one of the nation’s best defensive units and their pace of play can definitely wear opponents down. With that said, though, Cincinnati does not necessarily have an “elite win” that makes them a guarantee to be ranked in the top-25. In fact, their best win to date is a neutral-site victory over Ole Miss.
Looking ahead, Cincinnati looks poised to compete near the top of the American Athletic Conference along with Houston (more on them in a bit) and perhaps UCF as well. And since they do not face off against either of these teams until Feb. 10, there is a very good chance that the Bearcats steadily rise up the rankings in the next month and a half. However, star player Jarron Cumberland needs more offensive support in order to keep this hot start going.
As of right now, Cumberland is posting a relatively efficient 16.2 points per game thanks to his 47.2% shooting from beyond the arc. Due to his frame (6-foot-5) and strong shooting ability, Cumberland can be a very difficult matchup for many teams. Still, it would be beneficial for a couple of other rotation players to emerge as players who can go get their own basket.