13. Cincinnati Bearcats - 10-1
Due to the lack of marquee opponents for Cincy, they’ve flown under the radar. Their only loss was on the road at Villanova in the Big 12/Big East Challenge but did beat rival Xavier in another close matchup.
Wins over Northern Kentucky and Georgia Tech were on the road as well, with the biggest win coming against Dayton, 66-59. Just as important, the team finally got back Daniel Skillings, a 6’6 wing who in five games, is putting up 10.2 ppg and 5.0 rpg to give the team an offensive boost.
One offense, Simas Lukosius leads the team with 14.9 ppg, shooting 42% from three-point range. Point guard Jizzle James (12.0 ppg and 5.2 apg) runs the offense, while Texas transfer Dillon Mitchell has had a two-way impact, producing 11.4 ppg and 7.5 rpg. As a team, they rank in the top 10 in scoring defense, and with a healthy Aziz Bandaogo, is very tough to score on inside.
Cincinnati takes its four-game win streak to Big 12 play, with Kansas State the first opponent. They’ve been arguably the worst team in the league through the non-con, but as a true road game, it could end up being an issue. Arizona, Baylor, and Kansas follow them.