Cincinnati Bearcats basketball coach Jerrod Calhoun is gearing up for three critical dress rehearsals this October, but his first team at UC is already facing some massive question marks with two key players’ availability up in the air. This squad has been practicing since early summer and even took a trip to the Bahamas for exhibitions, yet as October kicks off, Calhoun’s 15-player roster is already down two potential game-changers.
Key Scorers Are Sidelined Early On
The biggest head-scratchers for the Bearcats right now center on a pair of transfers who could totally shift the team’s offense. MJ Collins, who was an absolute bucket-getter at Utah State, leading Calhoun’s former team with 17.5 points per game, has yet to be cleared by Ohio courts for his fifth year of eligibility. This is a huge deal, as Collins did play in those Bahamas exhibitions and the team knows he’d make a “tremendous difference.” Then there’s Javontae Campbell, another fifth-year guy who put up an insane 18.7 points per game for Bowling Green. But a foot injury popped up in his physical, and it looks like he is sidelined until possibly January 1. Ouch. UC isn’t commenting on either player until they are officially cleared, which just adds to the uncertainty as the preseason gets rolling. Calhoun, who spoke to the media October 1, sounds ready for some real competition though. “We need to go play somebody else,” he said, acknowledging the need to clean up a lot of things. He knows whatever the team looks like against Ohio State on October 7, they will be “a lot better” 30 days later.
A Brutal Exhibition Schedule Awaits
The Bearcats’ October exhibition slate is no joke, especially with those key players’ statuses hanging in the balance. First up, they hit the court against Ohio State on October 7 at 3 p.m. in the CareSource Invitational at the Lindner Tennis Center in Mason. After that, they get just 10 days to prep for national semifinalist Illinois from the Big Ten. That game’s tentatively set for October 17 at 7 p.m. at Fifth Third Arena. It’s an interesting matchup, with Illinois coach Brad Underwood also being a former Bob Huggins assistant, just like Calhoun. They wrap up their exhibition run on October 27 at 7 p.m. at home against Oakland University, a team that has made the NCAA Tournament four times since 2005. This team is *new*, too; walk-on Grant Darbyshire is the only returning player. Everyone else is fresh faces. Calhoun gets it, saying, “We need as many reps as possible. I think Ohio State, Illinois and Oakland, all three are a little bit different.” He even pulled an unconventional move, inviting Ohio State’s staff to “live scout” the Bearcats, and the Buckeyes did the same. Calhoun clearly enjoys watching other teams, having recently visited Kentucky and Alabama. NCAA.com’s Andy Katz even has Illinois ranked No. 4 in his Power 44 (for 2027 NCAA Tournament at-large teams), with Ohio State at No. 24 and Cincinnati at No. 41. Calhoun isn’t backing down, stating, “Year one is difficult, but we have the talent to be pretty good.”
The clock is ticking, with the first exhibition against Ohio State hitting on October 7. Calhoun, who led Utah State to the NCAA Tournament the past two seasons, clearly knows how to get a team ready, especially since UC hasn’t been to the Big Dance since Mick Cronin’s last team in March 2019. He summed it up best: “Exhibitions are more about yourself. We’ll see how we play.” Get ready, because it’s going to be interesting to see how this new-look Bearcats squad performs against some serious competition without their full arsenal.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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