The Sports Bank’s college basketball season previews undergo a face lift this season. Rather than counting down the top 111 teams in 111 days, we will go conference-by-conference. I’ve already counted down the Pac-12, Big 12, and SEC, and now turn my attention to the already new-look AAC.
In losing 72% of their scoring from last season including All-Conference shooting guard, Sean Kilpatrick; the Cincinnati Bearcats once must again rely on their stingy defense if they are going to make their fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
CINCINNATI BEARCATS
Last Season: T-1st, 15-3 in AAC, 27-7 overall
Predicted AAC Finish: 5th
Projected Depth Chart
C: Octavious Ellis (Jr)/Jamaree Strickland (Fr)/Coreontae DeBerry (Jr)
F: Shaquille Thomas (Jr)/Gary Clark (Fr)/Quadri Moore (Fr)
SF: Jermaine Sanders (Sr)
G: Ge’Lawn Guyn (Sr)/DeShaun Mormon (Fr)
PG: Troy Caupain (So)/Farad Cobb (Jr)/Kevin Johnson (So)
Gone: SG-Sean Kilpatrick, F/C-Justin Jackson, F-Titus Rubles, C-David Nyarsuk, PF-Jermaine Lawrence (transfer-Manhattan)
2014-2015 Outlook:
The massive void of scoring is a huge concern since no returning player averaged more than seven points per game a year ago. Mick Cronin will rely heavily on senior forwards Shaquille Thomas and Jermaine Sanders. Both guys have been known more for their effectiveness on the defensive end but now have the spotlight offensively. Thomas does most of his damage around the rim while Sanders was the team’s top three-point threat.
After spending two years at Trinity Valley College, Octavious Ellis returns to the Bearcats. Ellis suited up for Cincy during the 2011-12 campaign but missed almost that entire year due to an injury and transferred to a junior college. Now back at Cincy, his size and length are needed inside to help replace Justin Jackson. Redshirt freshman Jamaree Strickland and JUCO transfer Coreontae DeBerry add some size and physicality in the middle behind Ellis while freshmen Gary Clark and Quadri Moore look to provide frontcourt depth as well.
For Cincinnati to keep their tourney streak alive, they need their backcourt of Ge’Lawn Guyn and Troy Caupain to take a major step with their respective games. Neither player has shown a ton of explosiveness on the offensive end but also haven’t been asked to do so yet. That changes this year as Kilpatrick, who bailed the Bearcats out in many games, has moved on to the professional ranks. Kevin Johnson returns to add depth at guard with redshirt freshman DeShaun Mormon and JUCO transfer Farad Cobb competing for playing time as well.
With questions about how Cincy puts points on the board this season, the team will need to be dynamite on defense. If the Bearcats can keep scores in the fifties or sixties, they have a chance to crack the top four of the AAC. If not, the NIT may be in their near future.
Key Non-Conference Games:
11/28 vs. Middle Tennessee State (Emerald Coast Classic)
11/29 vs. Ole Miss/Creighton (Emerald Coast Classic)
12/13 at Nebraska
12/17 vs. San Diego State
12/20 vs. VCU
12/30 at N.C. State
2/18 vs. Xavier
OTHER AAC PREVIEWS:
#7 UCF KNIGHTS
#8 SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS
#9 HOUSTON COUGARS
#10 TULANE GREEN WAVE
#11 EAST CAROLINA PIRATES
SEC PREVIEWS:
#1 KENTUCKY WILDCATS
BIG 12 PREVIEWS:
#1 KANSAS JAYHAWKS
#2 TEXAS LONGHORNS
PAC-12 PREVIEWS:
#1 ARIZONA WILDCATS
#4 UCLA BRUINS
David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank. He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities. David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Milwaukee to Honolulu. He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft and the most accurate 2012 NBA Mock Draft on the internet (Yup, repeat champ… #humblebrag), and finished with the second most accurate 2013 NBA Mock Draft (nearly a three-peat.) You can follow him on Twitter at David_Kmiecik.