Cincinnati Bearcats Basketball Is Back!

For the first time since the early stages of the Mick Cronin era the Bearcats are hitting the reset button on a team. Justing Jackson and Sean Kilpatrick are back, almost every other major component from last years NCAA tournament team is gone. Those that do return do so with newly expanded roles (Ge`Lawn Guyn, Shaq Thomas) a different build (David Nyarsuk, Jermaine Sanders) or coming off a season in the wilds of injuryland (Jeremiah Davis III).

Interspersed with the returners is, perhaps, the most complete recruiting class of the Mick Cronin era. Jermaine Lawrence is the headliner, and he looked it in exhibition number 2. But Deshaun Morman, Troy Caupian and local boy Kevin Johnson will all be fixtures in the early season rotation. This is, in my estimation, the most talented roster of the Mick Cronin era. Only the 2009-10 team comes close. There are a lot of moving parts, but watching them come together is going to be fascinating because there is a chance that the Bearcats could play some good looking basketball, rather than simply playing winning basketball.

More from Down The Drive:

• Bearcats Basketball Week 1: Global Sports Shootout, Its a Real Thing


• Cincinnati Bearcats Vs. SMU; Kickoff Time TV, Radio and Streaming Information


• Can the Bearcats still get the AAC's BCS bid?


• Staff Predictions: Records and Postseason


• Bearcat Links Of The Day; Basketball Is Back