Over the 32 days leading up to college basketball season, we’re profiling 32 different teams who could be in the NIT mix, aided in this effort by those who know them best (or the closest we could get). Today, Zach Fries responds by email to our questions about Cincinnati.
Zach Fries knows Cincinnati basketball better than anyone else in our little online, NIT-centric solar system. He can be found on Twitter at @Friesy27.
Here’s the full list of 32 for 32’s published so far, with links:
- Auburn, with the Sickos CBB Committee
- BYU, with Mitch Harper
- Cincinnati, with Zach Fries
- Dayton, with Tyler Cronin
- Duquesne, with Tristan Freeman
- Indiana, with Matt Cox
- Iona, with Sam Federman
- Iowa State, with Joe Stunardi
- James Madison, with Bennett Conlin
- Loyola, with Ky McKeon
- Michigan, with the Sickos CBB Committee
- Missouri, with Jim Root
- North Texas, with Harry Miers
- Northwestern, with John Templon
- Notre Dame, with Stuart McGrath
- Ohio State, with Mark Titus
- Oregon State, with Andy Dieckhoff
- Penn State, with DJ Bauer
- South Carolina, with Brian Rauf
- St. Bonaventure, with SBUnfurled
- St. John’s, with the Sickos CBB Committee
- Syracuse, with the Marshall Street Podcast
- Texas, with NIT Stu
- Utah, with Andrew Crowley
- Virginia Tech, with Ken Pomeroy
- Washington State, with Dave Andersen
- Wisconsin, with Cole Amundson
The Barking Crow: Cincinnati made last year’s NIT and played all the way to the quarterfinals before falling to Utah Valley. What’s the expectation for this year’s Bearcat team?
Expectations are hard to nail down for this team. Much of it hinges on the eligibility of two big men, Utah Valley transfer Aziz Bandaogo and Temple transfer Jamille Reynolds, who each had their two-time transfer waivers denied. Both of them are appealing the decision, so it’s still in the hands of the NCAA. If they get one or both of those waivers passed, this is an NCAA Tournament caliber team. Butler transfer Simas Lukosius is a versatile wing who can shoot and can handle the ball. Kentucky transfer CJ Fredrick is healthy and UC will need him to be a serviceable shooter from beyond the arc. David DeJulius is gone, so they have two new point guards in Juco transfer Day Day Thomas and Freshman Jizzle James. Both are inexperienced, but they fit the mold of the Wes Miller style point guard. But it still starts with those two transfers in the front court, especially Aziz. If he’s eligible, this team should be firmly in the middle of the Big 12. If neither are eligible, Viktor Lakhin will have a lot on his plate and it will be a tall task for this front court going up against the many loaded Big 12 front courts.
TBC: That Utah Valley loss was complicated by the game being played in Orem, rather than in the Queen City. What happened? Well, the floor was getting refinished, so Cincinnati gave up its home games. How nice is the new floor expected to be? Was it worth it?
I’m no expert in hardwood floors, but it better be the nicest floor in the country since it kept us from hosting multiple NIT games. The atmosphere vs Virginia Tech in the NIT was impressive at Fifth Third, so I’m sad we didn’t get that vs Hofstra and Utah Valley. I’m going to say that if we host that Utah Valley game, we win the whole tournament. That’s just my unbiased opinion.
TBC: It’s a year of transition for Cincinnati basketball, and it’s a year of transition for Cincinnati fans, with the school in its first season in the Big 12. What school are you most excited for Cincinnati to now regularly play?
The answer a few months ago would have been West Virginia. We played the Mountaineers regularly back in the Big East days, but after the Bob Huggins ordeal, it’s Kansas. They are the gold standard right now. They have the best coach and maybe the best home court advantage in the game. I can’t wait to get to a game at Phog Allen.
TBC: My understanding is that at least in basketball, Cincinnati’s fiercest rival is Xavier. How much do Xavier fans hold their 2022 national title over Cincinnati heads?
Xavier fans were surprisingly nice after winning the NIT. I wouldn’t have been as humble had UC won it last year. They remind us that they won the 2022 NIT less times than we remind them that they’ve never made a final four.
TBC: Wes Miller famously played for UNC. UNC infamously turned down its NIT invitation this spring. Are there any concerns Wes Miller would ever turn down an NIT invite, if offered? More broadly, how are Cincinnati fans feeling about Miller entering his third season at the helm?
Knowing that Wes Miller is a man of integrity, I would be shocked if he turned down an NIT invitation. He’s coached in three NIT’s. I’d imagine he has the utmost respect for the event. I think Cincinnati fans like everything Wes has done from a recruiting and marketing standpoint. Wes had a big hand in bringing the Jordan brand back, which is synonymous with the 90s and early 00s Bearcats. Cincinnati is also taking big time swings on the recruiting trail and they’ve hit with a few top 50 kids in these past few classes. I think they just want to see it come together on the floor. Most fans believe in the vision, but it’s year 3 and it’s time to start seeing some results.
TBC: The NIT is a chaotic beast. What’s the most chaotic thing about this Cincinnati team?
It’s got to be Aziz Bandaogo’s hair. We’ve seen red. We’ve seen orange. I’m all for it. I hope he changes it every week.
TBC: Dare we dream of an NIT title?
We can dream. If the waivers don’t end up going through, I will all but guarantee an NIT appearance. And once you’re in, you’re dangerous. However, if either Aziz or Jamille get declared eligible, I don’t think we see this team in the NIT.
