Cincinnati Bearcats
Record: 22-10 (12-6 American Athletic Conference)
Head Coach: Mick Cronin (10th season)
Season Recap: Cincinnati has approached this season with a defense-based mentality, and has found some success in doing so. The Bearcats’ signature matchup zone has held opponents to 62.9 points per game—the 10th-best mark in the country—but their mechanical and somewhat-uninspired offense has often been the difference-maker in otherwise-tight games. Cincinnati opened the season with seven straight wins, but then faltered against many of the big-named or ranked programs it faced along the way. The Bearcats notched a big win at Virginia Commonwealth Dec. 19 after losing to Butler and Xavier the week before, but did not record another impressive win until upsetting then-No. 24 Southern Methodist March 6. Cincinnati lost a nail biter to Connecticut after four overtimes in its conference championship game.
The Bearcats are led by junior point guard Troy Caupain, who averages 13.2 points and 4.8 assists per game. On the other end, sophomore Gary Clark has stifled opponents with 1.5 blocks and 1.3 steals per contest. Four of Cincinnati’s five starters average more than 10 points per game, but the Bearcats have not established a consistent offensive approach and do not have a go-to scorer.
How they make a run: Cincinnati is a popular upset pick for the first round, where it will face a talented Saint Joseph squad. The Bearcats slow the tempo of the game, spreading the floor and keeping the score low to cater to their nuanced defensive efforts. From there, Cincinnati’s matchup zone throws off higher-seeded opponents and creates an upset opportunity against top-ranked Oregon.
How they falter: Still reeling from losing to the Huskies in an epic battle, the Bearcats have no answer defensively for Isaiah Miles, and he carries the Hawks to a first-round victory.
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