Cincinnati Basketball: DaVeon Thomas should contribute at a high level in the Bearcats backcourt

Cincinnati Bearcats in a preseason practice at Fifth Third Arena.
Cincinnati Bearcats in a preseason practice at Fifth Third Arena.

After transferring to the program in early February, Cincinnati Bearcats point guard DaVeon Thomas should contribute at a high level in the backcourt!

During an interview with Bearcat Journal, Thomas broke down his decision to transfer to Cincinnati and expectations entering the upcoming campaign.

Thomas was the 4th ranked junior college prospect in the country and is expected to have two years of eligibility remaining with the Bearcats going forward.

With a chance to secure an NCAA Tournament berth for the first time since 2019, Cincinnati is looking to improve on a 23-13 overall record from a year ago.

Cincinnati Basketball: DaVeon Thomas should contribute at a high level in the Bearcats backcourt

  • Date: Monday, November 6 at 9:00 PM
  • Location: Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati
  • Series History: Third ever meeting
  • TV Broadcast: ESPN+ and fuboTV

Cincinnati will host the Illinois-Chicago Flames on November 6 as coach Wes Miller and the Bearcats open the season with a five-game home stand!

Illinois-Chicago finished with a 12-20 overall record last year and the Flames currently sit at 243rd in the KenPom rankings heading into the season opener.

Make sure to stay tuned for recruiting updates and schedule announcements as Cincinnati gets ready for the first Big 12 season to get started soon.

The Flames are led by senior guard Toby Okani, who averaged 11.0 points and 7.1 rebounds per game in his junior year, and is a focal point of the program.

Cincinnati Basketball: Bearcats meet Big Ten opponent Maryland in preseason scrimmage

Cincinnati junior guard Simas Lukosius racked up a team-high 14 points and sophomore forward Daniel Skillings Jr totaled 12 points in a recent scrimmage.

Even though Maryland reportedly secured a 74-70 win in an exhibition, the Bearcats should be able to build on a solid outing against a quality opponent.

Lukosius averaged 11.6 points and 4.0 rebounds in his sophomore season, highlighted by a career-best 28-point performance in a victory over Villanova.

Skillings showed off elite potential as a freshman with a season-high 20 points in a win over Temple, and will have an increased role this coming year!