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March 11. There’s five minutes and 56 seconds left to go in the second half of University of Cincinnati’s big 12 tournament game against University of Central Florida. If UC wins this game, they are likely to get a place in the NCAA Tournament, more commonly known as March Madness.
The UC Bearcats are up 51-42. ESPN calculates a 93.6% win probability. Unfortunately, ESPN didn’t take into account the fact that UC head coach Wes Miller doesn’t understand how to coach basketball and senior guard Day Day Thomas doesn’t know how to pass, shoot or dribble the ball with any accuracy.
Thanks, in part, to four missed shots from UC “star” Baba Miller, UCF goes on a 16-7 scoring run, tying up the game.
When forced into overtime, any good basketball coach would encourage their team to make smart shots. However, Wes Miller, even while shooting at 34% from the field, fails to provide sufficient advice.
Overtime starts with two horrible shot selections by UC. Moustapha Thiam attempts to grab an offensive rebound, but gets called for an offensive foul. After a few more minutes of basketball that physically hurt the viewer to watch, the score is 55-56 and UC has the ball. Most would think that they are in a good position to take the lead.
Wrong. Thomas throws a pass directly out of bounds. Luckily, Thiam rebounds UCF guard Riley Kugel’s missed shot attempt, without fouling. Unfortunately, UC forward Jalen Celestine goes on to shoot a three-pointer that can only be described as one of the worst shots ever taken in the clutch of a basketball game.
After that horrific showing, Wes Miller proclaims the Bearcats are still somehow a tournament team instead of taking responsibility for whatever he just did. Despite every possible analyst and news source projecting them as out of the tournament, Wes Miller selfishly and foolishly doubles down, saying he is confident he’d receive a sixth year as head coach.
Thankfully, UC Athletic Director John Cunningham was smart enough to fire Wes Miller on March 13, ending his five-year reign of terror, during which the Bearcats didn’t make a single NCAA tournament.
Before Wes Miller was appointed, the Bearcats were one season removed from a stretch of nine consecutive tournament appearances.
UCF is a pretty good team, who went on to make March Madness. However, there is no reason that UC should have been in a win-or-go-home position going into that game.
If every college basketball game ended at halftime, UC would have a 22-11 record. Kansas (who UC also beat) finished the season 23-10 and were a four seed in March Madness.
Basketball, unfortunately, is a game played over two halves, and Wes Miller refuses to adjust at all. Opposing coaches figure out his gimmick, adjust their gameplans, and tactically destroy him in the second half. Wes Miller’s constant outdueling by other coaches after the half cost UC eight wins.
A brighter era of UC basketball appears to be starting, as Utah State University head coach Jerrod Calhoun, who served as a student assistant at UC under Bob Huggins from 2003-2004, was named the 29th head coach in UC’s history.
Calhoun’s Utah State ranked as the 24th and 26th most efficient offense in the nation, according to BartTorvik.com and KenPom.com. BartTorvik.com also ranked the Aggies as the 17th best turnover-forcing defense in the nation, while the Bearcats ranked far behind at 88th.
Many coaches who are widely respected in basketball have sung their praises for Calhoun, including Joe Mazzulla, who won the 2024 NBA Finals as Head Coach of the Boston Celtics.
“Jerrod Calhoun has had a huge impact on my coaching career,” Mazzulla said in an interview with Sports Illustrated. “He is committed to doing things the right way every single day. The University of Cincinnati is getting a dynamic leader who’s going to elevate the entire program from day one.”
Former top-30 prospect and freshman guard Shon Abaev entered the transfer portal following an extremely disappointing season where he was benched after making 11 starts, in which he shot only 33.5% from the field, far below the national average.
Star center Moustapha Thiam also entered the portal shortly after. Thiam’s 13 points per game (PPG), seven rebounds per game and two blocks far outpaces the rest of UC’s returning players.
Promising freshman Keyshuan Tillery also announced his intent to leave the program the day it opened on April 7.
Jizzle James sadly announced his intent to enter the portal as well on April 8. James was one of UC’s best players following his reinstatement after being removed from the team earlier in the fall for “detrimental conduct,” averaging 11 points per game.
With only 5 members of last year’s team currently returning, it’s yet to be seen if players are leaving with Miller or if Calhoun is telling players they won’t be needed.
As of April 13, two transfers from Utah State, forwards David Iweze and Adlan Elamin will be following Calhoun hoping to replace the void Thiam and a graduating Baba Miller left.
Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year and former Towson forward Tyler Tejada also committed to the Bearcats, yet only one guard in former Wake Forest playmaker Myles Colvin and one center, George Mason’s 6’11” Riley Allenspach has joined the new-look team so far.
The new changes in coaching staff as well as the plausible return of such promising players provide hope for the upcoming season.
After what seems like a lifetime of hurt for UC fans, a new day is on the horizon, and the Calhoun era is already bringing tons of excitement in Cincinnati.