Cincinnati Basketball Coach Makes March Madness Plea After Heartbreaking Loss

Wes Miller argues Bearcats deserve NCAA Tournament bid despite late-season defeat

Mar. 12, 2026 at 5:21am

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Cincinnati basketball head coach Wes Miller made a passionate public case for his team's NCAA Tournament inclusion following the Bearcats' heartbreaking 66-65 overtime loss to UCF in the Big 12 Tournament. The defeat dropped Cincinnati to 18-14 on the season and placed the program squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble, despite the Bearcats' late-season surge that included seven victories in their final 10 conference games.

Why it matters

Cincinnati's late-season push had strengthened their case for an at-large bid, but the collapse against UCF overshadowed that strong finish and now puts their NCAA Tournament hopes in jeopardy. The debate surrounding the Bearcats' candidacy centers on weighing their recent performance against their overall resume for the season.

The details

The Bearcats entered the Big 12 Tournament needing a strong showing to solidify their NCAA Tournament chances, but instead surrendered an eight-point lead in the final two minutes of regulation against UCF. Coach Wes Miller argued that Cincinnati's 7-3 record in their final 10 Big 12 games, which included key wins over Utah, BYU, Kansas State, and a road upset of Kansas, should carry significant weight with the selection committee despite their overall 18-14 record.

  • Cincinnati fell 66-65 in overtime to UCF in the Big 12 Tournament on March 11, 2026.
  • The Bearcats entered the conference tournament with an 18-13 record, needing a strong showing to strengthen their at-large resume.

The players

Wes Miller

The head coach of the Cincinnati basketball team, who made a passionate case for his team's NCAA Tournament inclusion following their heartbreaking loss to UCF.

UCF

The opponent that defeated Cincinnati 66-65 in overtime in the Big 12 Tournament, likely ending the Bearcats' NCAA Tournament hopes.

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What they’re saying

“If it's about the best teams at this point, we're one of the best teams in the country. If it's about overall resume, I'm sure you could make some arguments that we're not. But we've won 7 of our last 10 Big 12 games. When's the last time somebody won 7 out of 10 in the Big 12 and didn't play in the NCAA tournament?”

— Wes Miller, Head Coach, Cincinnati Basketball

What’s next

The NCAA Tournament selection committee will evaluate Cincinnati's resume on Selection Sunday to determine if the Bearcats have done enough to earn an at-large bid despite their late-season collapse against UCF.

The takeaway

Cincinnati's late-season surge demonstrated the team's potential, but the heartbreaking loss to UCF in the Big 12 Tournament has put their NCAA Tournament hopes in jeopardy. The debate over weighing the Bearcats' recent performance versus their overall body of work will be a key factor in the selection committee's decision on Selection Sunday.