Is it NCAA or bust for Cincinnati Bearcats basketball in 2024-25?

The last NCAA tournament appearance by a Cincinnati Bearcats basketball team came in March 2019 when Mick Cronin’s final UC team was bounced in the opening round by Iowa in Columbus.

Then, 2020 was the COVID-19 year leaving everyone incomplete. Since 2021, Wes Miller has been at the helm of Bearcats hoops. The last two years featured seasons that ended in the NIT quarterfinals.

In 2023-24, UC had a 22-15 record and a 7-11 mark in the treacherous Big 12.

“We have the best league,” Miller said. “It’s not a slight toward anybody else’s league. It’s fact. I don’t think it’s an opinion. You look at the numbers. Look at average NET ranking for the last five years. It’s actually not even close.”

In last year’s NCAA NET rankings, the Big 12 had 13 teams among the top 50, counting newcomers and then-SEC-bound Texas and Oklahoma (Houston, Arizona, Iowa State, BYU, Baylor, Kansas, Colorado, Texas Tech, Texas, UC, TCU, Oklahoma and Utah).

UC carries the preseason No. 20 ranking in both the USA TODAY and Associated Press preseason polls. Kansas is ranked atop both tallies with Houston, Iowa State, Baylor and Arizona all making the top 10. Among Big 12 coaches, UC was picked to finish sixth in the league.

2024 game-by-game look for Cincinnati Bearcats basketball

Nov. 4 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (No. 354 KenPom.com)

No Cincinnati Bearcats team should lose to a team that sounds like an air freshener. UAPB is No. 354 in KenPom. Some of you may leave early.

Nov. 8 vs. Morehead State (No. 248 KenPom.com)

Former NFL quarterback Phil Simms went there. That should give you some conversation against Ken Pom No. 248 from the Ohio Valley Conference.

Nov. 15 vs. Nicholls (No. 186 KenPom.com)

UC shouldn’t need the week of preparation for this school from Missouri.

Nov. 19 at NKU (No. 157 KenPom.com)

Thank former UC AD Mike Bohn for this return trip to Highland Heights. It was part of the deal allowing UC to play at NKU while Fifth Third Arena was renovated. UC won last year, but the initial game two years ago was as bad a loss as the Bearcats have experienced.

Nov. 23 at Georgia Tech (No. 70 KenPom.com)

An even tougher road test especially since UC dismantled Damon Stoudamire’s team 89-54 last season at Fifth Third Arena.

Nov. 27 vs. Alabama State (No. 287 KenPom.com)

The Hornets are from Montgomery. This one shouldn’t sting.

Dec. 3 at Villanova (No. 20 KenPom.com)

This won’t be a picnic in Philadelphia. Villanova is No. 20 in the early KenPom ratings. The girlfriend of Simas Lukošius is from Philly, so it would help if No. 41 knocked down some shots to make for a fruitful night.

Dec. 8 vs. Howard (No. 214 KenPom.com)

The Bison took UC to overtime in D.C. last season. Jizzle James’s brother plays football there, which means NFL Hall of Famer Edgerrin James might be in attendance. He typically doesn’t wear the gold jacket if you’re looking for him.

Dec. 14 vs. Xavier (No. 30 KenPom.com)

Xavier has dominated the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout in recent years. The Musketeers have won nine of the last 11 and five straight, including last year at Cintas Center 84-79. UC’s last win came at Fifth Third Arena in 2018 when Jarron Cumberland helped Mick Cronin’s ‘Cats win.

Dec. 20 vs. Dayton at Heritage Bank Center (No. 27 KenPom.com)

Dayton won the game and the tickets last year as a pro-Flyers crowd cheered an 82-68 win. It’s a game the Bearcats would like to have back.

Dec. 22 vs. Grambling State (No. 256 KenPom.com)

In all honesty, this would be much better if Grambling brought their band.

Dec. 30 at Kansas State (No. 49 KenPom.com)

UC starts Big 12 play in Manhattan where 12,528 Kansans will be cheering on the Wildcats, not Bearcats. UC last played there in December 1962 on their way to a fifth straight Final Four appearance.

Jan. 4 vs. Arizona (No. 8 KenPom.com)

The Bearcats ring in the 2025 portion of the season against more Wildcats. This time they’re from Tucson. These teams met in Maui in Wes Miller’s second season with Arizona winning 101-93. Before that, a Wildcat named Miles Simon threw in a 75-foot shot in 1996 that won the 7-Up Shootout over UC.

Jan. 7 at Baylor (No. 11 KenPom.com)

Scott Drew’s Bears have a nice gym and Waco features the Chip and Joanna Gaines Magnolia empire. UC lost a winnable game there last season.

Jan. 11 vs. Kansas (No. 6 KenPom.com)

UC thumped Kansas in the Big 12 tournament 72-52 when they were down some starters and lost by five at Allen Fieldhouse last year. The Jayhawks haven’t been to Cincinnati since Dec. 1964 when Tay Baker’s Bearcats beat them 76-72.

Jan. 15 at Colorado (No. 80 KenPom.com)

The Bearcats in Boulder basketball version. UC lost in Boulder in Dec. 1982 but did win the previous seven meetings with the Buffaloes.

Jan. 18 vs. Arizona State (No. 71 Arizona State)

Bobby Hurley coaches the Sun Devils. UC missed a chance to play Hurley and Duke in the 1992 Final Four as the Bearcats lost to the Michigan Fab Five and the Blue Devils beat Bob Knight and Indiana. Hurley’s brother Danny has been to Cincinnati and likes the Bengals.

Jan. 21 vs. Texas Tech (No. 15 KenPom.com)

The unranked Bearcats took down No. 15 Texas Tech in Lubbock last February something coach Grant McCasland will surely remind his Red Raiders.

Jan. 25 at BYU (No. 21 KenPom.com)

This is the first leg of a winter trip to the Wasatch Range in Utah with the first stop in Provo. BYU had arguably the most intense crowd of last season and UC beat the 12th-ranked Cougars 71-60 much to their dismay.

Jan. 28 at Utah (No. 82 KenPom.com)

The Bearcats will travel up the road to Salt Lake City where they can meet former Bearcats Gabe and Mason Madsen. Utah was picked last in the Big 12, which by tradition, means little.

Feb. 2 vs. West Virginia (No. 87 KenPom.com)

The first of two against the Mountaineers is home. WVU is coached by Darian DeVries. His son, Tucker lit it up for Drake where they both graced the hardwood last season.

Feb. 5 at UCF (No. 66 KenPom.com)

The Bearcats have just one matchup with UCF this season and it’s at Addition Arena in Orlando where they have recently fared well.

Feb. 8 vs. BYU (No. 21 KenPom.com)

BYU makes its return trip to Cincinnati. Last season in Provo, Trevin Knell hit nine 3-pointers against the Bearcats.

Feb.11 vs. Utah (No. 82 KenPom.com)

The Utes take their turn at Fifth Third Arena as the Madsen brothers relive memories. Lawson Lovering is a 7-foot-1 center who will battle UC’s 7-footer Bandaogo. Bandoago, who formerly played at Utah Valley State in Orem before coming to Cincinnati.

Feb. 15 at Iowa State (No. 7 KenPom.com)

UC missed the trip to Ames last year. T.J. Otzelberger’s Cyclones gave the Bearcats fits at Fifth Third Arena last Feb. 13. It was one of the rare games where the Bearcats never seemed to be close, though they lost by just nine.

Feb. 19 at West Virginia (No. 87 KenPom.com)

The Bearcats took two of three from the Mountaineers last season but Morgantown is far from an easy venue. There’s a strong likelihood former coach Bob Huggins will be there.

Feb. 22 vs. TCU (No. 58 KenPom.com)

The Bearcats split with the Horned Frogs, winning at home and losing in Fort Worth. Jamie Dixon’s teams play fast, so pay attention.

Feb. 25 vs. Baylor (No. 11 KenPom.com)

Scott Drew comes to Cincinnati where he is familiar with Skyline Chili. The Bearcats lost by three in Waco last season, then won handily 68-56 in the Big 12 quarterfinals in Kansas City.

March 1 at Houston (No. 1 KenPom.com)

It’s just one game with the Cougars this season in the Fertitti Center. Houston’s won the last eight games between the two with UC last winning in Feb. 2020. Wes Miller is still looking for his first win against Kelvin Sampson’s crew.

March 5 vs. Kansas State (No. 49 KenPom.com)

Jerome Tang’s Wildcats return to Fifth Third Arena where UC beat them 74-72 last March.

March 8 at Oklahoma State (No. 89 KenPom.com)

It’s UC’s first Big 12 visit to Gallagher-Iba Arena. The Bearcats lost a highly winnable game to the Cowboys last February at Fifth Third Arena.

2024 Cincinnati Bearcats men’s basketball prediction

Prognosticating minus a real game is a crapshoot, but a popular exercise before any season for bulletin board material. Most are bullish on the Bearcats who barring injury, could have their best season since Mick Cronin’s final year of 28-7 in 2018-19. His 2017-18 team was 31-5.

Keep in mind, those teams were in the AAC, not the measurably more difficult Big 12.

For Wes Miller’s men I see the possibility of an unbeaten first half of the season. The non-conference games at Georgia Tech and Villanova will be a measuring stick as will the Xavier and Dayton games. Starting on the road in the Big 12 at Kansas State is not desirable, but UC could fly home 12-0.

Then comes 2025 where top 10 teams Arizona, Baylor and Kansas could equal a three-game skid. Three wins after that, I foresee a tough atmosphere at BYU where the Cougars have an early KenPom rating of No. 21 and some deep transfer portal pockets.

A five-game win streak would then put the Bearcats in Ames vs. Iowa State, a top 10 in-your-shorts defending team that could be an issue. Toward the end of the season, a return meeting with Baylor and perennially tough Houston are problems.

I have a 24-7 record (13-7 Big 12). The possible losses would be Arizona, Baylor (2), Kansas, BYU, Iowa State and Houston. A .500 record in the Big 12 would be truly admirable and NCAA tournament-worthy.

2024-25 Cincinnati Bearcats men’s basketball schedule

• Oct. 18 vs. Ohio State (exhibition) 7 p.m. (W 80-62)

• Nov. 4 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff 7 p.m. ESPN+

• Nov. 8 vs. Morehead State 7 p.m. ESPN+

• Nov. 15 vs. Nicholls 7 p.m. ESPN+

• Nov. 19 at Northern Kentucky 7 p.m. TBD

• Nov. 23 at Georgia Tech 2 p.m. ACCNX

• Nov. 27 vs. Alabama State 7 p.m. ESPN+

• Dec. 3 at Villanova 6:30 p.m. FS1

• Dec. 8 vs. Howard 2 p.m. ESPN+

• Dec. 14 vs. Xavier 2 p.m. ESPN+

• Dec. 20 vs. Dayton (Heritage Bank Center) 8:30 p.m. ESPNU

• Dec. 22 vs. Grambling State 2 p.m. ESPN+

• Dec. 30 at Kansas State 7 p.m. CBSSN

• Jan. 4 vs. Arizona 2:30 p.m. ESPN2

• Jan. 7 at Baylor 8 p.m. ESPN+

• Jan. 11 vs. Kansas 2 p.m. ESPN+

• Jan. 15 at Colorado 9 p.m. ESPN+

• Jan. 18 vs. Arizona State 2 p.m. CBSSN

• Jan.21 vs. Texas Tech 7 p.m. ESPN2/ESPNU

• Jan. 25 at BYU 10 p.m. ESPN2

• Jan. 28 at Utah 10 p.m. CBSSN

• Feb. 2 vs. West Virginia 2 p.m. ESPN=

• Feb. 5 at UCF 7 p.m. CBSSN

• Feb. 8 vs. BYU 6 p.m. ESPN2

• Feb. 11 vs. Utah 7 p.m. ESPN+

• Feb. 15 at Iowa State 4 p.m. ESPN/ESPN2

• Feb. 19 at West Virginia 7 p.m. ESPN2

• Feb. 22 vs. TCU noon ESPN/ESPN2

• Feb. 25 vs. Baylor 7 p.m. ESPN2

• March 1 at Houston 4:30 p.m. CBS

• March 5 vs. Kansas State 7 p.m. ESPN+

• March 8 at Oklahoma State 3 p.m. ESPN+

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: University of Cincinnati Bearcats basketball 2024 season prediction