2024/2025 Roster

[red_n_black_attack]

As we look at recruits, two verbal commits so far, I was curious how many spots we would have so copied this from around page 4 or 5 of the 23/24 roster discussion.The years left indicate how many years after 23/24. We have three definite open recruit slots for 24/25 (CJ, Ody, and John Newmann III), with two others possible if we get waivers or the player goes pro if waiver falls thru (Jamille and Aziz). Of course things could change during the season, players transfer, or hopefully someone like Vik or Skillings is so impressive they enter the draft. Either way, minimum 3 slots open.


1. Rayvon Griffith (FR, 3 years left no COVID waiver)
2. Jizzle James (FR, 3 years left no COVID waiver)
3. Sage Tolentino (RS FR, 3 years left)
4. Dan Skillings (SO, 2 years left no COVID waiver)
5. Josh Reed (SO, 2 years left no COVID waiver
6. Viktor Lakhin (RS JR 1 year left, maybe 2 years, assuming he can get a COVID year for the season he was hurt or Medical Redshirt)
7. DaVeon Thomas (JR 1 year left)
8. Jamille Reynolds (SR one year left, could be 23/24 if he gets waiver - maybe open for recruit)
9. CJ Fredrick (Graduate - last year/open for recruit)
10. Simas Lucosius (JR 1 year left)
11. Ody Oguama (Graduate - last year/open for recruit)
12. John Newman (Graduate - last year/open for recruit)
13.Aziz Abandaogo (SR one year left, could be 23/24 if he gets waiver - maybe open for recruit)

[swilsonsp4]

Per CWM, Sage was granted a medical red shirt for last season.

[red_n_black_attack]

Forgive me for I have sinned; I don't really give three hoots about a post season that isn't the NCAA Tourney. I will watch and cheer my Bearcats in any post season games, but would like to turn some of my focus on how do we get to the Dance in 2025. The roster is likely to see turnover with the portal. We have two recruits coming in, two sophomores who should be big pieces of the 24/25 puzzle, and two freshmen I don't see chasing the portal. Let's start with the freshmen: Jizzle has earned a ton of playing time becasue of his improvement on defense, which I see him surplanting Day Day as the starter next year. Rayvon has embraced his role as biggest nech cheerleader. I don't know specifically why he got in Wes' doghouse in the Fall, but I see him doing whatever it takes. Jizzle and Rayvon will big contributors next year as sophomores. Daniel is already a starter, and I see him being a big star in this league. Reed may not start, but he will be the lockdown defender in the role Newmann played this year. I actually see CJ starting if healthy as the 2 guard with Lukosius as the 3, but Newmann had to play much more with CJ injured. Either way Reed is that lockdown defender and Skillings/Reed will play 25-30 minutes per game as juniors. I would be totally shocked and dissappointed if any of those core four hit the portal. Beyond that, anything is open. I see Simas coming back, and he is really the only one who is quote unquote a roster lock as in we probably couldn't improve if we replaced him. If Aziz, CJ, and Jamille apply for their COVID year, they have to do so at their current school, and all three would be welcomed back by Wes. I especially would like to see Jamille and Aziz continue to hit the muscle/monster factory. That acounts for 11 scholarships in Tyler, Tyler, Rayvon, Jizzle, Josh, Daniel, Simas, CJ, Aziz, and Jamille. I really feel two of those 11 are gone, your guess is as good as any, but I don't think we see Aziz or CJ next year.

What is going to happen with Sage and Vik? Sage got the medical redshirt and was supposed to redshirt this year, which is why it surprised me to see him in a game. Vik? Who knows?

[leo from jersey]

Forgive me for I have sinned; I don't really give three hoots about a post season that isn't the NCAA Tourney. I will watch and cheer my Bearcats in any post season games, but would like to turn some of my focus on how do we get to the Dance in 2025. The roster is likely to see turnover with the portal. We have two recruits coming in, two sophomores who should be big pieces of the 24/25 puzzle, and two freshmen I don't see chasing the portal. Let's start with the freshmen: Jizzle has earned a ton of playing time becasue of his improvement on defense, which I see him surplanting Day Day as the starter next year. Rayvon has embraced his role as biggest nech cheerleader. I don't know specifically why he got in Wes' doghouse in the Fall, but I see him doing whatever it takes. Jizzle and Rayvon will big contributors next year as sophomores. Daniel is already a starter, and I see him being a big star in this league. Reed may not start, but he will be the lockdown defender in the role Newmann played this year. I actually see CJ starting if healthy as the 2 guard with Lukosius as the 3, but Newmann had to play much more with CJ injured. Either way Reed is that lockdown defender and Skillings/Reed will play 25-30 minutes per game as juniors. I would be totally shocked and dissappointed if any of those core four hit the portal. Beyond that, anything is open. I see Simas coming back, and he is really the only one who is quote unquote a roster lock as in we probably couldn't improve if we replaced him. If Aziz, CJ, and Jamille apply for their COVID year, they have to do so at their current school, and all three would be welcomed back by Wes. I especially would like to see Jamille and Aziz continue to hit the muscle/monster factory. That acounts for 11 scholarships in Tyler, Tyler, Rayvon, Jizzle, Josh, Daniel, Simas, CJ, Aziz, and Jamille. I really feel two of those 11 are gone, your guess is as good as any, but I don't think we see Aziz or CJ next year.

What is going to happen with Sage and Vik? Sage got the medical redshirt and was supposed to redshirt this year, which is why it surprised me to see him in a game. Vik? Who knows?

I like CJ but his health doesn't merit a scholarship. He had a run, but he can't stay healthy. The big what if. What if he could have given SL a blow, hit a few 3s and was a wise old head in the tourney. Again big ifs.

[Rufus]

quote "We have two recruits coming in, two sophomores who should be big pieces of the 24/25 puzzle, and two freshmen I don't see chasing the portal." unquote

I hope you are correct in that assessment but I wouldn't be so confident in all these returning. JJ has impressed a lot of people and so there are going to be a lot of suitors coming with tons of NIL money for Jizzle. And so it's going to come down to how much JJ likes this team and this roster, how much NIL we can offer him and whether or not his dad would like to see him go to his alma mater. Miami U. I would hope his dad allows JJ to forge his own path and make his own decision without coercion. JJ has a very bright future ahead of him and I do hope it will be as a bearcat.
And as far as RG is concerned he seemed a little too comfortable about sitting the bench and not playing. I don't if he and his family is satisfied by his not playing, but there again.I don't know why he and his family was so understanding about him not getting any playing time.

[sedz]

Daniel is already a starter, and I see him being a big star in this league. Reed may not start, but he will be the lockdown defender in the role Newmann played this year. I actually see CJ starting if healthy as the 2 guard with Lukosius as the 3, but Newmann had to play much more with CJ injured. Either way Reed is that lockdown defender and Skillings/Reed will play 25-30 minutes per game as juniors.

If I'm following this right, your lineup of guys getting 25 mpg next year is
PG: Jizzle
SG:CJ
SF: Simas
PF: Skillings
C: Reed

I could see that lineup working as a small ball unit against certain teams. I'm sure we'll have at least one traditional big on the court most of the time though. If multiple current bigs decide to leave, Wes will probably try to replace them. I like small lineups though. I'm thinking it will be something like this:

PG: Jizzle 25 / Day Day 15
SG: Simas 20 / CJ 15 / Rayvon 5
SF: Skillings 20 / Rayvon 10 / Betsey 10
PF: Reed 15 / McKinley 10 / Skillings 10 / Vik 5
C: Vik 15 / Aziz 15 / Jamille 10

Lots of question marks at this point though. Who returns? Will Rayvon and the freshman be ready to contribute 10+ mpg right away, or maybe even be good enough to start? The main hole on this team is at PF. With the roster as currently projected, we're filling those minutes with a guard (Skillings), a 5 (Vik), an offensive nonfactor (Reed), or a true freshman (McKinley). I think the best case is McKinley is good enough to play 20 mpg there.

[Lobot]

I hate to say this but I'm going to go on record and say that CJ Fredrick should strongly consider retiring from basketball. He keeps re-injuring the same hamstring over and over. I don't think that situation is ever really going to get better for him long term and certainly not in the short term for next season. At this point he's got a masters degree? If he's not done with it, put him on academic scholly and let him finish it it out.

[Bearcat9796]

can't count on CJ, bye and thanks, wish It woulda worked

I see Reeds hustle, don't think he can be as good as Newman in any way, I wouldn't miss him, hope I'm proved wrong

Wasting a scholly on Sage right?? can't see we'd ever miss him either, especially in this league

give me everyone else back that can come

[swilsonsp4]

We may find out fairly quickly how many will opt for the portal, which opens Monday morning (until May 1). I'm not of the mind that there will be mass transfers. I'm of the opinion that UC and Sage Tolentino will part ways. Aside from NIL being a factor, I see no particular reason why any of the three remaining bigs would leave.

Teams that make The Dance and advance usually have legitimate future pros on the roster. Look at Baylor. Ja'Kobe Walter and Yves Missi are pros. In UC's case, we need a guard who is a pro-in-waiting that can take over a game. Someone who can stretch a defense because of his scoring abilities at multiple levels, thereby opening the post and wing players. That's going to require significant NIL. College basketball is guard-centric these days (except for the rarity of a mutant big man like Zach Edey).

That said, I could see one or two current players, aside from Tolentino, leaving. There's no guarantee that CJ Fredrick will want to go through another injury-ridden season. Perhaps one more.

[D.A.H.]

I hate to say this but I'm going to go on record and say that CJ Fredrick should strongly consider retiring from basketball. He keeps re-injuring the same hamstring over and over. I don't think that situation is ever really going to get better for him long term and certainly not in the short term for next season. At this point he's got a masters degree? If he's not done with it, put him on academic scholly and let him finish it it out.

entirely agree. nothing against the young man, but he's not helping the team if it has to go back and forth, adjusting between having him available or elsewise.

[longtimefan]

As of right now, this is the roster. I’m happy if this remains intact, with a year of Big 12 experience they’ll be much better. If they all stay, some guys may end up like Ody this year, so we’ll see.

CJ Anthony
Aziz Bandaogo
Tyler Betsey
CJ Frederick
Rayvon Griffith
Jizzle James
Viktor Lakhin
Simas Lukosius
Tyler McKinley
Josh Reed
JJ Rembert
Jamille Reynolds
Dan Skillings
Day Day Thomas
Sage Tolentino

[BorisTheCat]

No way you have CJ Frederick back... wished he could stay healthy but he cannot. If he wants to be a walk-on... okay.. otherwise, you go after the best shooter you can find in the portal.

[leo from jersey]

No way you have CJ Frederick back... wished he could stay healthy but he cannot. If he wants to be a walk-on... okay.. otherwise, you go after the best shooter you can find in the portal.

What about ball handler that can also play perimeter defense?

[red_n_black_attack]

If I'm following this right, your lineup of guys getting 25 mpg next year is
PG: Jizzle
SG:CJ
SF: Simas
PF: Skillings
C: Reed

I could see that lineup working as a small ball unit against certain teams. I'm sure we'll have at least one traditional big on the court most of the time though. If multiple current bigs decide to leave, Wes will probably try to replace them. I like small lineups though. I'm thinking it will be something like this:

PG: Jizzle 25 / Day Day 15
SG: Simas 20 / CJ 15 / Rayvon 5
SF: Skillings 20 / Rayvon 10 / Betsey 10
PF: Reed 15 / McKinley 10 / Skillings 10 / Vik 5
C: Vik 15 / Aziz 15 / Jamille 10

Lots of question marks at this point though. Who returns? Will Rayvon and the freshman be ready to contribute 10+ mpg right away, or maybe even be good enough to start? The main hole on this team is at PF. With the roster as currently projected, we're filling those minutes with a guard (Skillings), a 5 (Vik), an offensive nonfactor (Reed), or a true freshman (McKinley). I think the best case is McKinley is good enough to play 20 mpg there.

I'm seeing it more of Vik gets benched or leaves as Jamille and Aziz have another full term in the weight room. Reed can play SG/SF or PF in small lineup, but is the point defender. Jamille and Aziz need to be on the floor together some times. I hope Vik stays and proves us all wrong, but until he proves it, small allottment of PT.I am excited to see what Rayvon can do and think his redshirt will help him earn around 15 minutes/game. Until Wes sees his freshmen in practice (i.e. their work ethic and defense), I don't think either will redhshirt, but not sure they will get relied upon too much, like Jizzle this year and Reed/Skillings last year.


PG: Jizzle 25 / Day Day 15
SG: Simas 25 / Reed 5/ Rayvon 5 /Skillings 5
SF: Skillings 25 / Rayvon 10 / Betsey 5 /Reed 5
PF: Jamille/Aziz 20 shared / Reed 10 / McKinley 5 / Betsey 5
C: Jamille 15 / Aziz 15 / Sage 5 / Vik 5

[Rufus]

I agree with the Vik assessment. Whatever the "injury" was that kept him out of the lineup in the heart of the conference schedule, I see him leaving for overseas as I don't see him on a NBA roster. I would be surprised to see him back and if he does decide to move on I wish him success and prosperity whetever he goes