Cincinnati Basketball: 2024-25 season preview for the Bearcats
By Joey Loose
Projected Starters
Guard – Jizzle James (Sophomore)
James came from Orlando to Cincinnati last season as a Top 100 prospect and made quite a splash with the Bearcats. He averaged 8.8 points and 2.1 assists as a freshman, earning pretty decent minutes off the bench. His impact was felt all over the court and he’ll likely play much more significant minutes, especially if he can make the expected sophomore leap forward.
Guard – Dan Skillings Jr. (Junior)
Speaking of sophomore leaps, that’s just the kind of season Skillings had last season in year two with the Bearcats. He worked his way into the starting lineup by averaging 12.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. A talented wing, he’s certainly one of Cincinnati’s best all-around players and will look to produce at a high level much like in the final months of last season.
Guard/Forward – Simas Lukosius (Senior)
After solid work as an underclassman at Butler, Lukosius transferred to Cincinnati last offseason and became an important piece as a junior, averaging 11.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game. Now a senior, Lukosius is a versatile weapon who can hit 3-pointers (38.5% last season) and might just emerge as the top scoring option for the Bearcats with a year under his belt in Miller’s system.
Forward – Dillon Mitchell (Junior)
The only new face in the starting lineup, Mitchell is certainly the crowned addition of the offseason for Cincinnati. A former 5-star prospect, Mitchell showed potential as a full-time starter for two years at Texas and comes off a sophomore season where he put up 9.6 points and 7.5 rebounds a game. Mitchell was second in the Big 12 in rebounding last year with above average defensive metrics across the board.
Forward – Aziz Bandaogo (Senior)
The WAC Defensive Player of the Year two seasons ago at Utah Valley, Bandaogo came to the Bearcats last offseason and played solidly enough as the starting center. He averaged 6.6 points and 7.4 rebounds, with his production taking a slight step back from his previous experience. However, he’s more adjusted to life in the Big 12 and is now part of one of the best rebounding cores in the conference.