<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2wOY4g_0w1g8ere00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2wOY4g_0w1g8ere00" width="912" height="513" ><figcaption>Cincinnati Bearcats guard Dan Skillings Jr. (0) and Cincinnati Bearcats guard Jizzle James (2) embrace in the second half of a college basketball game against the Bradley Braves during a second-round game of the National Invitation Tournament,, Saturday, March 23, 2024, at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati. | Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK </figcaption></figure><figure><a href="https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/basketball/espn-ranks-bearcats-basketball-19th-nationally-entering-2024-25-season-01j9vb3xq2sa?utm_source=RSS" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=01cnbI_0w1g8ere00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=01cnbI_0w1g8ere00" width="1920" height="1080" ></a><figcaption>Wes Miller 2024-25 Season Opening Presser </figcaption></figure><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> CINCINNATI — The Bearcats start basketball season in about three weeks as they project to be one of the top 25 teams in the country entering the campaign. <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/41644663/2024-25-preseason-top-25-mens-college-basketball-rankings" rel="nofollow"> ESPN certainly agrees </a> with that, as Jeff Borzello slotted Cincinnati in at No. 19 nationally entering the season. "Cincinnati has won 45 games in two seasons but has yet to reach the NCAA tournament in Wes Miller's three seasons at the helm," <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/41644663/2024-25-preseason-top-25-mens-college-basketball-rankings" rel="nofollow"> Borzello wrote </a> . "That is expected to change in 2024-25. The Bearcats brought back six of their top eight scorers, signed a pair of ESPN 100 prospects and welcomed in three transfers.&nbsp;Dillon Mitchell&nbsp;(Texas) looks like the missing piece in the frontcourt, given his versatility and two-way ability.&nbsp;Jizzle James' late-season surge -- 46 points and six assists in the final two games of the 2023-24 campaign -- could catapult him into the Bearcats' starting lineup. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> Borzello projected the starters as follows: Jizzle James (8.8 PPG) Dan Skillings Jr. (12.9 PPG) Simas Lukosius&nbsp;(11.8 PPG) Dillon Mitchell (9.6 PPG at Texas) Aziz Bandaogo&nbsp;(6.6 PPG) I see it the same way with Cincinnati having versatile bench options in names like Day Day Thomas, C.J. Frederick, and Connor Hickman&nbsp;who&nbsp;could&nbsp;start as well. This&nbsp;is the deepest roster of the decade for UC, and&nbsp;major&nbsp;outlets are taking notice. Subscribe to our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2XjMtSca0kP-7PnZc2VJ4Q" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> YouTube channel </a> on all things Bearcats athletics and Bearcat Blitz on <a href="https://t.co/nG3fCBcCng" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Apple Podcasts </a> and <a href="https://t.co/jHOVia7HR6" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Spotify </a> ! <div style="position:relative;width:100%; height:0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dobeAF7RMoY?feature=oembed" style="width:100%; height:100%;top:0; left:0; position:absolute"></iframe></div><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> Bookmark Bearcats Talk for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns&nbsp;and&nbsp;so much&nbsp;more. You may also like: <a href="https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/basketball/look-cincinnati-basketball-announces-2024-25-tip-off-times-broadcast-details-01j9sb2rcbqf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Look: Cincinnati Basketball Announces 2024-25 Tip-Off Times, Broadcast Details </a><a href="https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/basketball/look-bearcats-basketball-ranked-highly-in-bpm-metric-entering-2024-25-season-01j9s7x073j1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Look: Bearcats Basketball Ranked Highly In BPM Metric Entering 2024-25 Season </a><a href="https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/recruiting/cincinnati-makes-top-eight-schools-for-three-star-2025-edge-rusher-tim-griffin-01j9s7mjd99z" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Cincinnati Makes Top-Eight Schools For Three-Star 2025 Edge Rusher Tim Griffin </a><a href="https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/basketball/cincinnati-veterans-highlight-turned-down-nil-prizes-togetherness-as-2024-25-season-approaches-01j9refgq90n" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Cincinnati Veterans Highlight Turned Down NIL Prizes, Togetherness As 2024-25 Season Approaches </a><a href="https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/basketball/cincinnati-freshman-forward-tyler-mckinley-suffers-season-ending-injury-01j8htpmq95m" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Cincinnati Freshman Forward Tyler McKinley Suffers Season-Ending Injury </a><a href="https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/football/scott-satterfield-dives-into-cincinnati-s-run-defense-issues-as-offense-thrives-01j9nv7w20s4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Scott Satterfield Dives Into Cincinnati's Run Defense Issues as Offense Thrives </a><a href="https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/football/watch-former-bearcats-star-bryan-cook-intercepts-pass-on-monday-night-football-01j9ntc8hp1e" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Watch: Former Bearcats Star Bryan Cook Intercepts Pass on Monday Night Football </a><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><a href="https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/recruiting/cincinnati-lands-commitment-from-2025-offensive-tackle-zachary-taylor-01j8gr7v3f85" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Cincinnati Lands Commitment From 2025 Offensive Tackle Zachary Taylor </a><a href="https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/basketball/wes-miller-details-offensive-tweak-uc-basketball-is-making-ahead-of-2024-25-season-01j8fstj7dyc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Wes Miller Details Tweak UC Basketball Is Making Ahead Of 2024-25 Season </a><a href="https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/basketball/jon-rothstein-slots-bearcats-guard-jizzle-james-among-2024-25-breakout-candidates-01j8fqgrg9ej" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Jon Rothstein Slots Bearcats Guard Jizzle James Among 2024-25 Breakout Candidates </a><a href="https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/football/look-game-time-broadcast-details-announced-for-cincinnati-texas-tech-football-matchup-01j8fapntqqb" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Look: Game Time, Broadcast Details Announced For Cincinnati-Texas Tech Football Matchup </a><a href="https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/football/bearcats-betting-underdogs-against-texas-tech-with-line-moving-quickly-01j8dkjbknfz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Bearcats Betting Underdogs Against Texas Tech with Line Moving Quickly </a><a href="https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/football/pff-grades-roll-in-from-cincinnati-bearcats-dominant-win-over-houston-cougars-01j8d368ks9z" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> PFF Grades Roll In From Cincinnati Bearcats Dominant Win Over Houston Cougars </a><a href="https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/football/cincinnati-decent-betting-favorites-against-houston-01j7vfd1fhft" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Cincinnati Decent Betting Favorites Against Houston </a><a href="https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/football/look-cincinnati-posts-strong-pff-grades-across-win-over-miami-oh-01j7vasyjm2e" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Look: Cincinnati Posts Strong PFF Grades Across Win Over Miami (OH) </a><a href="https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/football/watch-bearcats-ring-victory-bell-following-27-16-win-over-miami-oh-01j7sm84bfcn" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Watch: Bearcats Ring Victory Bell Following 27-16 Win Over Miami (OH) </a><a href="https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/football/final-huddle-cincinnati-survives-trip-to-oxford-27-16-in-win-over-miami-oh-01j7rt1nsxk3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Final Huddle: Cincinnati Survives Trip To Oxford 27-16 In Win Over Miami (OH) </a><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><a href="https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/recruiting/report-cincinnati-football-loses-commitment-from-top-2025-recruit-mikkel-skinner-01j7pcj1wfaf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Report: Cincinnati Football Loses Commitment From Top 2025 Recruit Mikkel Skinner </a><a href="https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/recruiting/recruiting-roundup-cincinnati-welcomes-four-star-guard-jalen-reece-for-official-visit-01j7p1k2rrqe" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Recruiting Roundup: Cincinnati Welcomes Four-Star Guard Jalen Reece For Official Visit </a><a href="https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/football/cincinnati-dc-tyson-veidt-assesses-defensive-front-before-miami-oh-matchup-01j7gacmd4rs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Cincinnati DC Tyson Veidt Assesses Defensive Front Before Miami (OH) Matchup </a> ----- Be sure to keep it locked on Bearcats Talk all the time! Follow Bearcats Talk on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/BearcatsTalk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> @BearcatsTalk </a> Like Bearcats Talk on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/All-Bearcats-105068388654506" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Bearcats Talk </a> This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/cincinnati as <a href="https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/basketball/espn-ranks-bearcats-basketball-19th-nationally-entering-2024-25-season-01j9vb3xq2sa?utm_source=RSS" rel="nofollow"> ESPN Ranks Bearcats Basketball 19th Nationally Entering 2024-25 Season </a> . </div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

ESPN Ranks Bearcats Basketball 19th Nationally Entering 2024-25 Season

ESPN Ranks Cincinnati Bearcats Basketball 19th Nationally Entering 2024-25 Season

ESPN Ranks Bearcats Basketball 19th Nationally Entering 2024-25 Season

Comments / 0