UC’s Wes Miller, Ohio State’s Jake Diebler on Friday charity game
UC’s Wes Miller, Ohio State’s Jake Diebler on CareSource Charity Classic exhibition
Instead of Midnight Madness in past years, the Cincinnati Bearcats men’s basketball team gives fans an early preview as they face Ohio State in the CareSource Charity Classic Friday night at Fifth Third Arena.
The CareSource Charity Classic was started by Dayton coach Anthony Grant to support mental health. The Flyers played an exhibition with Ohio State last season. Buckeyes coach Jake Diebler and Wes Miller had hoped to join this year’s Xavier vs. Dayton exhibition in a doubleheader under one roof. That never happened, but the NCAA allowed UC and Ohio State to play for charity, as well as Xavier and Dayton on Sunday.
Net proceeds from ticket sales will benefit mental health providers and charities within each school’s footprint, along with Jay’s Light, an organization begun by Dayton head coach Anthony Grant and his wife, Chris, to help mothers, fathers, teens and young adults find the resources to help with mental health struggles.
Limited tickets are available on GoBearcats.com.
“It’s great this time of year just to see another jersey,” Miller said. “The idea will be, what can we learn and how can we use it to be better prepared to start the season?”
Could Cincinnati play Ohio State in regular season?
UC and Ohio State haven’t played since UC traveled to Columbus to open the season in 2019. The previous year, the Buckeyes came to the recently renovated Fifth Third Arena to start the 2018 campaign.
“We’re all kind of open to seeing where this can go,” Diebler said. “We want to continue to prepare ourselves for Big Ten play. I’m certainly open to conversations for creating a pathway for us to play some of these teams that would enhance our non-conference schedule right here in the state. This is a start.”
Miller likes the charity exhibition and both like the cause the game serves. For those wanting to see this game on the regular schedule, he says get behind this contest.
“This is a great step to get all four programs working together,” Miller said. “If fans and people want to see this grow into something bigger and bigger, then support it. Come out and show us that. That would do a lot for people that make decisions well above Jake and I’s head.”
What they’re saying about Wes Miller’s 2024-25 Cincinnati Bearcats
UC returns six of their top eight scorers from last season and nine players from the previous roster. Back are Dan Skillings Jr (12.9 points per game), Simas Lukošius (11.8), Day Day Thomas (10.3), Jizzle James (8.8), Aziz Bandaogo (6.6) and C.J. Fredrick (6.1).
Major contributions are expected from portal transfers Dillon Mitchell from Texas, Arrinten Page from USC and Connor Hickman from Bradley.
1st Preseason AP ranking for UC since 2017-18
The Bearcats came in at No. 20 in the Associated Press preseason poll Monday. That made for a Big 12 conference record six ranked teams. For a second straight year, Kansas was voted No. 1, Houston checked in at No. 4, Phillips 66 Big 12 tournament champs Iowa State are No. 5, Baylor is No. 8, Arizona No. 10 and UC 20th. Texas Tech, Kansas State, BYU and Arizona State also received votes.
Around the area, Indiana was No. 17 and Kentucky No. 23. Xavier was three out at No. 28 and Ohio State received 29 votes.
“We’re going to play everybody,” Diebler said of OSU’s strategy vs. UC. “In my mind, I’m going into the game capping some minutes for guys. We’re going into this to compete and play with the level of urgency and toughness that we want to reflect throughout the season.”
CBS insider Jon Rothstein interestingly put UC at No. 21 in his preseason rankings, behind No. 20 Xavier and No. 19 Ohio State. ESPN’s early rankings had the Bearcats at No. 18.
3 keys for Cincinnati Bearcats to beat Ohio State
1. Win or lose, it doesn’t count
In the words of former Late Night/Late Show host David Letterman, “This is an exhibition, not a competition. Please, no wagering.”
UC coach Wes Miller has already said the game won’t be played or coached like a traditional contest. He does admit that playing an opponent gives them more insight than playing against themselves in practice.
“We’re going to try and win every possession,” Miller said. “We’re going to demand the level and focus that we would expect from any real game. It’s going to be very competitive. From a strategy standpoint, we’re not going to approach it the same. My goal is to make sure that we get a lot of different looks at lineups.”
Both coaches look forward to playing in front of fans and playing through mistakes that can be corrected before the games count.
“We want to play a much deeper rotation than we probably will come Nov. 4,” Diebler said.
2. If there is a mystique, there shouldn’t be
UC hasn’t beaten Ohio State since the back-to-back national titles in 1961 and 1962, but the game and availability of players has changed immensely in those 60-plus years. Those watching may be intense, but with the road ahead for both young talented teams, there should be no cause for rushing the floor.
“We’re expecting an awesome crowd,” Diebler said. “This game should be celebrated. We can’t get a better evaluation tool. This puts our guys in an uncomfortable environment.”
Miller said his players haven’t said anything, but he’d be shocked if there wasn’t enthusiasm over playing another high-level team in the state.
3. Leave Fifth Third Arena injury-free
Freshman Tyler McKinley is already lost for the season due to a knee injury. Miller has said he would have played. Win or lose in October, fans collectively remember more about what happens in March.
“Our main focus is to get ready for our first game against Texas,” Ohio State’s Diebler said.
Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Ohio State
Tip: 7 p.m.
TV/Radio: Radio only on 700WLW
Series: Ohio State leads 8-4 (UC hasn’t won since winning back-to-back NCAA championships vs. the Buckeyes in 1961 and 1962.)
Scouting report for Ohio State Buckeyes
Record: 22-14 last season
Coach: Jake Diebler (first full season, 6-2 as interim last season, 2-1 after being named coach)
Offense: 75.5 ppg last season
Defense: 70.2 ppg last season
Projected starting lineup
(Position, Height, Stats)
Bruce Thornton (G, 6’2″, 15.7 ppg last season)
Meechie Johnson (G, 6’2″, 14.1 ppg for South Carolina last season)
Micah Parrish (G. 6’6″, 9.3 ppg forSan Diego State last season)
Sean Stewart (F, 6’9″, 2.6 ppg for Duke last season)
Aaron Bradshaw (F, 7’1″, 4.9 ppg for Kentucky last season)
Cincinnati Bearcats scouting report
Coach: Wes Miller (fourth season, 63-43, 248-178 overall)
Record: 22-15 last season
Offense: 74.7 ppg last season
Defense: 68.2 ppg last season
Projected starting lineup
(Position, Height, Stats)
Dan Skillings Jr. (G, 6’6″, 12.9 ppg last season)
Jizzle James (G, 6’3″, 8.8 ppg last season)
Dillon Mitchell (F, 6’8″, 9.6 ppg at Texas last season)
Simas Lukošius (G, 6’8″, 11.8 ppg last season)
Aziz Bandaogo (C, 7′, 6.6 ppg last season)
Players to watch
The fan bases of both teams will be anxious to watch their new transfers. Ohio State guard Meechie Johnson is on his second tour with the Buckeyes after playing his freshman and sophomore years there before going to South Carolina. He averaged 14.1 points per game for the Gamecocks and led them to an NCAA tournament appearance. Parrish played on San Diego State’s national runner-up team in 2023, while UC battled Ohio State for the services of Stewart from Duke. Bradshaw is a former blue-chip Kentucky recruit.
The Bearcat fans last saw Dillon Mitchell last January when he was playing for Texas. The high-flying McDonald’s All-American should be exciting to watch as will be Connor Hickman who played for Bradley here in March in the NIT against UC. Wes Miller has repeatedly said USC 6-foot-11 transfer Arrinten Page will be someone to watch.
Beyond that, last year’s returners Skillings Jr., Thomas, James, Fredrick, Reed, Lukošius and Bandaogo should be fun. Miller credited last year’s redshirt Rayvon Griffith with being a top rebounder this summer and C.J. Anthony would be on scholarship at a lot of places.
Rankings
NCAA NET: UC No. 37 last season, Ohio State No. 48
KenPom.com: UC No. 17 preseason, Ohio State No. 31
