The Bearcats added their first center from the2026 transfer portalon Monday.Sam Kayser reportsthat George Mason center Riley Allenspach is playing his final college season with the Bearcats.
The 6-11 big fella posted 13.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game this past season. An All-Atlantic 10 Second Team selection, he ranked second in the A-10 and 36th nationally in field goal percentage (.566).
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Transfer Impact
Mar 21, 2024; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Samford Bulldogs center Riley Allenspach (35) shoots against Kansas Jayhawks guard Dajuan Harris Jr. (3) during the second half in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena-Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Allenspach shot 56.6% from the floor and can shoot the three a little bit at his size as well (31.3% on 2.1 attempts per game). The veteran started his career at Samford before transferring to George Mason for the past two seasons.
He’s a great offensive rebounder, ranking fifth in the A-10 with a 10.2% offensive rebound rate this past season. Allenspach figures to compete for a starting job and, at a minimum, should be a solid backup big man as the sixth, seventh, or eighth option on the roster.
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His addition marks another highly efficient player to join Jerrod Calhoun’s first team. Allanspech ranked second in the A-10 this past season with a 24.4 Player Efficiency Rating.
It marks Cincinnati’s fourth transfer addition this cycle, joining Towson’sTyler Tejada, Wake Forest’s Myles Colvin, and Utah State’s David Iweze. Expect a bunch more transfers to commit throughout this week.
“College basketball haschanged, and Ithink you needa general manager,” Calhoun said about the roster build at his opening press conference.”I think you need somebody outside the coaching staff who can negotiate those contracts.I think the general manager and the coach have to be on the same page…Therelationship has to be two-way.I’m not a yes guy.Ilikeconfrontation every once in a whileina coaching meeting, but wehave tobe very aligned on the style of play we’re going toplay, and more importantly, the character of the player.
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“We’re not goingtocompromise talentover character.That ain’t going to work, I can tell you that.And you know, if we can get to the NCAA Tournament back-to-back years, doing it the way we are, with the resources wehad, now,youadd bigger resources, you getgoodevaluations, you implement the plan.We should not just want to get into the NCAA Tournament. We should be wanting to advance week by week and get back to a Final Four.”
Check out highlights from Allenspach’s game below:
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/cincinnati as Cincinnati Bearcats Basketball Adding Veteran Center From 2026 Transfer Portal.