NCAA Basketball: Top 25 offseason winners entering 2024-25 season

No. 7 - Cincinnati Bearcats: West Miller’s best team yet

The Cincinnati Bearcats were competitive in its first year in the Big 12, finishing with an overall record of 22-15 (7-11), losing in the quarterfinals of the NIT.

Returning 71% of its minutes, including five of its top seven scorers, alongside a strong transfer portal class, the 2024-25 Cincinnati Bearcats are by far West Miller’s best team yet -- and are unequivocally among NCAA basketball’s top offseason winners.

To start, the core of last season's team returns: Dan Skillings Jr. Jizzle James, Aziz Bandaogo, Simas Lukosius and Day Day Thomas. All five started in some capacity last season.

Sourced from the portal, Wes Miller added former five-star big Dillon Mitchell (Texas). Mitchell took a big-time jump last season, increasing his scoring averages from 4.3 to 9.6 while leading the Longhorns in rebounding at 7.5. He looks to take an even bigger jump this season.

Add in three-point sharpshooter Connor Hickman (Bradley), who shot 40.2% from three, and former four-star recruit Arrinten Page (USC), the Bearcats are looking at a preseason top-25-caliber roster. If one sleeper team is poised to wreak havoc in the Big 12, the Bearcats are the pick. Thanks to its superb offseason, the sky's the limit for Wes Miller’s group.