Cincinnati Basketball: 2024-25 season preview for the Bearcats
By Joey Loose
Season Outlook
Considering that the Bearcats were included in the preseason AP Top 25 rankings, you can tell that there are higher expectations for this program. Recent seasons have been tough, with Cincinnati flailing in the AAC before joining the Big 12 last year, but this season could be a chance to put all of that hardship behind them.
Cincinnati returns five of their top seven players from last season, including four with significant run in the starting rotation. In the era of the Transfer Portal, this kind of returned production will become rarer. The Bearcats showed potential and return much of that talent, with even more depth and experience this season.
Big things aren’t expected solely because of the returning talent, as Cincinnati got a few studs in the Transfer Portal themselves. Mitchell is an incredible addition after starting to realize his potential last year with the Longhorns. And while he won’t have a starting role, you’ll see plenty of production out of Hickman, especially if his long-range shot continues to fall. The Bearcats have more depth than in recent memory and could run one of the deeper rotations in the Big 12.
One thing that really stands out is that everyone will contribute on a nightly basis. There’s no single player who needs to score 20 a night for this team to win, while the pure rebounding talent in the starting frontcourt means plenty of opportunities on both ends. This isn’t the squad that faltered under former coach John Brannen anymore; these Bearcats mean business and should finish well above 11th place.
Next. Preseason Big 12 power rankings for 2024-25. Preseason Big 12 power rankings for 2024-25. dark
This roster lacks major holes and has the talent to push forward to be a contender after some tough setbacks last season. It’s hard to specifically predict where the Bearcats end up, but they should certainly be in the top half of the league standings. If this roster plays as expected, they’ll be in the Big Dance for the first time in six years and might even have the depth and talent to make it a memorable trip.