NCAA basketball: 5 bold predictions for the AAC in 2020-2021

AAC basketball Sleeper Team: Cincinnati Bearcats

Without question, the Cincinnati Bearcats and head coach John Brannen, entering his second season with the program, have a lot of work to do. Losing standout Jarron Cumberland, along with two more of their top scorers from last year, leaves this team having some major holes to replace. But that could be a big reason why the Bearcats are able to sneak up on some teams.

Guard Keith Williams will almost surely take the reins as the focal point of the Bearcats offense after a strong finish to last year’s campaign. He reached double figures in all but one of Cincinnati’s final 13 contests, which speaks to both his potential and the fact that he’s starting to come into his own. Now in a bigger role, a breakout season could be in store.

One of the trump cards for Cincinnati in the conference, though, should be 7-foot center Chris Vogt. The big man is a much-improved offensive threat that can score the ball well beyond just at the rim. If he can continue his development and become a more aggressive player on the boards, he will be the X-factor for this team.

It’s somewhat unlikely that the Bearcats can compete with Houston and Memphis but, with a strong coaching staff in place and some talented players stepping into bigger roles, Cincinnati is very much a team that no one in the AAC should remotely look past or they’ll undoubtedly get caught napping.