With Jizzle James being dismissed from the Cincinnati Bearcats basketball roster, a hole has been created in the rotation, which will allow multiple players to expand their roles for the upcoming season. Below are the top three candidates to grow into a larger role.
Day Day Thomas
Day Day Thomas has been in Jizzle James' shadow the past two seasons, but has been better in his own ways. In his two seasons as a Bearcat, Thomas averages 10.3 points, 3.0 assists, and 2.5 rebounds. Thomas isn't the facilitator that James is, but he makes up for it with his defensive intensity and selfless offensive playstyle.
Thomas is just as good a shooter as James, better in most instances. If Thomas can fix his turnovers and shoot better from three-point range, he will be a problem in the Big 12.
Sencire Harris
Sencire Harris, also known as Buck, is entering his first season in Cincinnati after transferring from West Virginia. Harris made the All-Defensive Big 12 team last season, and any instance where he will be seeing the floor more should be considered a win, no matter why.
Harris averaged 5.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 32 games last season for the Mountaineers. His elite defense and rebounding skills make up for his poor shooting and playmaking. Harris shot 11.3% from three-point range last season, something that will improve for sure.
Keyshaun Tillery
Keyshaun Tillery is a true freshman for the Cincinnati Bearcats this upcoming season, making a lot of noise for how "college-ready" he is. With James now gone, Tillery is in a prime position to get competitive, high-impact minutes as a true freshman. Tillery is likely to play alongside Shon Abaev, another true freshman, but Tillery's minutes almost directly come from the absence of James.
Tillery was the No. 57 player in the class of 2025, the No. 8 point guard in the class, and the No. 3 player in New Hampshire. Tillery is a similar play type to James, extremely athletic which allows to create for himself and others simutaneously.
With James gone, Tillery is one of the biggest pieces when it comes to determining how far this team can go.