A new year is almost here and in college basketball, that means conference play for the 2025-26 season is about to heat up.Last season, the Xavier Musketeers were the only team from the Cincinnati area to play in the NCAA Tournament, earning a No. 11 seed and a trip to the First Four in Dayton.This season, the Musketeers have a win over Cincinnati in the annual Crosstown Shootout, but also a few bad losses on their resume, meaning they will have work to do over the next two months to have a chance at the tournament.As for Cincinnati, the Bearcats are entering their third season of Big 12 conference play and are looking to snap an NCAA Tournament drought that dates to 2019.The Northern Kentucky Norse are looking to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the third time under head coach Darrin Horn, entering Horizon League play at 9-5.All three of those teams present compelling reasons to watch them in the coming months, but perhaps the most impressive local team has been the RedHawks of Miami (Ohio), who could enter 2026 with a rare feat under their belt.Miami (Ohio)Six men’s college basketball teams entered Monday without a loss this season, with five of them ranked in the top 13 of the Associated Press Top 25 (Michigan, Arizona, Iowa State, Vanderbilt, Nebraska.) The final team is Miami (Ohio), which enters Tuesday’s game against Bowling Green at 13-0.One of the best three-point shooting teams in the country, the RedHawks shoot over 40 percent as a team, while holding their opponents to under 33 percent from beyond the arc. Size could become a problem for Miami, with their tallest rotation player at 6-foot-9, but Travis Steele’s team has impressed so far.The loss of second-leading scorer and lead guard Evan Ipsaro to injury certainly hurts the RedHawks, but three others average double-figures – Brant Byers, Almar Altason and Peter Suder.The RedHawks’ non-conference schedule wasn’t too challenging, though Miami does enter conference play with wins over Wright State and Old Dominion, two formidable foes in the mid-major ranks.Steele’s team will face challenges from several teams in the MAC, most notably Akron, which is 9-3 and shoots it even better than Miami (40.6% from three, 60.7% from two.)XavierThe Musketeers have experienced some highs and lows in the 2025-26 season, beating Cincinnati as part of a five-game win streak, while also losing home games to Santa Clara and Creighton, with the latter cruising to a 98-57 win a week before Christmas.Outside of a few victories, offense has been a problem for the Musketeers in Richard Pitino’s first season as head coach. Xavier entered Christmas ranked among the worst power conference squads in two-point percentage and free throw percentage. Pitino’s squad has been exceptional at preventing turnovers offensively, sitting in the top 10 in KenPom.com’s turnover percentage metric.For Xavier to become one of the Big East’s top teams this winter, forward Tre Carroll will need to keep lifting the offense. He leads the Musketeers with 16.5 points per game, while guard Roddie Anderson III leads the backcourt with 12.7 points and 2.8 assists per game. Guard All Wright is one of the best shooting wings in the league, making more than 45 percent of his long-distance shots.Four total games against Connecticut and St. John’s could determine Xavier’s fate for the NCAA Tournament in 2026. Both teams are the only near-locks to represent the Big East in the tournament, meaning Xavier will have four chances to pick up much-needed victories against teams likely to be among the nation’s best through the winter months. That will start on New Year’s Eve, with UConn visiting the Cintas Center.CincinnatiWes Miller’s Bearcats are going to need a quick turnaround in January if they expect to break their six-season NCAA Tournament drought. With one non-conference game remaining, the Bearcats are 7-5, with losses in three of their last four games to Xavier, Georgia and Clemson.There have been bright spots for Cincinnati this season, with the return of guard Jizzle James to the program earlier this month among the brightest of the young campaign. James gives the Bearcats a dynamic guard capable of going toe-to-toe with some of the Big 12’s best, though he will need help.Freshman Shon Abaev and guard Day Day Thomas have had solid moments on the perimeter, while Cincinnati’s starting big men Baba Miller and Moustapha Thiam also flash the potential to be among the conference’s best.That talent hasn’t translated to wins against challenging opponents, however, with Cincinnati owning just one win over a team ranked among the top 185 on KenPom.com (Dayton on Nov. 11.)With teams like Houston, Iowa State, Arizona, Texas Tech and BYU sitting at the top of the Big 12, Cincinnati will need to begin stringing together wins against teams on their level or will risk falling out of the conversation for the Big Dance.Northern KentuckyBack-to-back home losses have taken some of the shine off a strong start for the Norse, but Horn’s team should be one of the top teams in the Horizon League through conference action and into March.Unlike previous Northern Kentucky teams that played a more methodical style of offense, this Norse team likes to run, averaging under 16 seconds per possession, according to KenPom. The Norse have crossed the 90-point mark six times through their first 14 games, including 95 points in a win over Horizon foe Cleveland State on Dec. 3.Dan Gherezgher and Kael Robinson lead the way with 16.6 points per game each, while Donovan Oday has been a microwave scorer off the bench with 15.6 points a game. Senior LJ Wells anchors the paint with 12.9 points and eight rebounds per game.In a one-bid league, the Norse will need to be playing their best basketball once March rolls around, though they have the talent to win quite a few games over the next two months.Oakland, Milwaukee, Youngstown State and defending conference champion Robert Morris look like formidable foes, while Purdue Fort Wayne just earned an impressive road win over Notre Dame.
CINCINNATI —
A new year is almost here and in college basketball, that means conference play for the 2025-26 season is about to heat up.
Last season, the Xavier Musketeers were the only team from the Cincinnati area to play in the NCAA Tournament, earning a No. 11 seed and a trip to the First Four in Dayton.
This season, the Musketeers have a win over Cincinnati in the annual Crosstown Shootout, but also a few bad losses on their resume, meaning they will have work to do over the next two months to have a chance at the tournament.
As for Cincinnati, the Bearcats are entering their third season of Big 12 conference play and are looking to snap an NCAA Tournament drought that dates to 2019.
The Northern Kentucky Norse are looking to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the third time under head coach Darrin Horn, entering Horizon League play at 9-5.
All three of those teams present compelling reasons to watch them in the coming months, but perhaps the most impressive local team has been the RedHawks of Miami (Ohio), who could enter 2026 with a rare feat under their belt.
Miami (Ohio)
Six men’s college basketball teams entered Monday without a loss this season, with five of them ranked in the top 13 of the Associated Press Top 25 (Michigan, Arizona, Iowa State, Vanderbilt, Nebraska.) The final team is Miami (Ohio), which enters Tuesday’s game against Bowling Green at 13-0.
One of the best three-point shooting teams in the country, the RedHawks shoot over 40 percent as a team, while holding their opponents to under 33 percent from beyond the arc. Size could become a problem for Miami, with their tallest rotation player at 6-foot-9, but Travis Steele’s team has impressed so far.
The loss of second-leading scorer and lead guard Evan Ipsaro to injury certainly hurts the RedHawks, but three others average double-figures – Brant Byers, Almar Altason and Peter Suder.
The RedHawks’ non-conference schedule wasn’t too challenging, though Miami does enter conference play with wins over Wright State and Old Dominion, two formidable foes in the mid-major ranks.
Steele’s team will face challenges from several teams in the MAC, most notably Akron, which is 9-3 and shoots it even better than Miami (40.6% from three, 60.7% from two.)
Xavier
The Musketeers have experienced some highs and lows in the 2025-26 season, beating Cincinnati as part of a five-game win streak, while also losing home games to Santa Clara and Creighton, with the latter cruising to a 98-57 win a week before Christmas.
Outside of a few victories, offense has been a problem for the Musketeers in Richard Pitino’s first season as head coach. Xavier entered Christmas ranked among the worst power conference squads in two-point percentage and free throw percentage. Pitino’s squad has been exceptional at preventing turnovers offensively, sitting in the top 10 in KenPom.com’s turnover percentage metric.
For Xavier to become one of the Big East’s top teams this winter, forward Tre Carroll will need to keep lifting the offense. He leads the Musketeers with 16.5 points per game, while guard Roddie Anderson III leads the backcourt with 12.7 points and 2.8 assists per game. Guard All Wright is one of the best shooting wings in the league, making more than 45 percent of his long-distance shots.
Four total games against Connecticut and St. John’s could determine Xavier’s fate for the NCAA Tournament in 2026. Both teams are the only near-locks to represent the Big East in the tournament, meaning Xavier will have four chances to pick up much-needed victories against teams likely to be among the nation’s best through the winter months. That will start on New Year’s Eve, with UConn visiting the Cintas Center.
Cincinnati
Wes Miller’s Bearcats are going to need a quick turnaround in January if they expect to break their six-season NCAA Tournament drought. With one non-conference game remaining, the Bearcats are 7-5, with losses in three of their last four games to Xavier, Georgia and Clemson.
There have been bright spots for Cincinnati this season, with the return of guard Jizzle James to the program earlier this month among the brightest of the young campaign. James gives the Bearcats a dynamic guard capable of going toe-to-toe with some of the Big 12’s best, though he will need help.
Freshman Shon Abaev and guard Day Day Thomas have had solid moments on the perimeter, while Cincinnati’s starting big men Baba Miller and Moustapha Thiam also flash the potential to be among the conference’s best.
That talent hasn’t translated to wins against challenging opponents, however, with Cincinnati owning just one win over a team ranked among the top 185 on KenPom.com (Dayton on Nov. 11.)
With teams like Houston, Iowa State, Arizona, Texas Tech and BYU sitting at the top of the Big 12, Cincinnati will need to begin stringing together wins against teams on their level or will risk falling out of the conversation for the Big Dance.
Northern Kentucky
Back-to-back home losses have taken some of the shine off a strong start for the Norse, but Horn’s team should be one of the top teams in the Horizon League through conference action and into March.
Unlike previous Northern Kentucky teams that played a more methodical style of offense, this Norse team likes to run, averaging under 16 seconds per possession, according to KenPom. The Norse have crossed the 90-point mark six times through their first 14 games, including 95 points in a win over Horizon foe Cleveland State on Dec. 3.
Dan Gherezgher and Kael Robinson lead the way with 16.6 points per game each, while Donovan Oday has been a microwave scorer off the bench with 15.6 points a game. Senior LJ Wells anchors the paint with 12.9 points and eight rebounds per game.
In a one-bid league, the Norse will need to be playing their best basketball once March rolls around, though they have the talent to win quite a few games over the next two months.
Oakland, Milwaukee, Youngstown State and defending conference champion Robert Morris look like formidable foes, while Purdue Fort Wayne just earned an impressive road win over Notre Dame.