Cincinnati Bearcats Fire Head Basketball Coach Wes Miller

Bearcats miss NCAA Tournament in all 5 seasons under Miller's leadership

Mar. 13, 2026 at 6:18pm

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The Cincinnati Bearcats basketball program has fired head coach Wes Miller after five seasons at the helm. Miller's teams never reached the NCAA Tournament during his tenure, with the Bearcats finishing the 2025-26 season with an 18-15 record.

Why it matters

Cincinnati is a storied college basketball program that expects to compete for conference titles and NCAA Tournament berths on an annual basis. The decision to part ways with Miller signals the administration's desire to return the Bearcats to that level of success after several disappointing seasons.

The details

Miller was hired as Cincinnati's head coach in 2021 after leading UNC Greensboro to four straight postseason appearances. However, the Bearcats failed to make the NCAA Tournament in any of his five seasons, with their best finish being a 20-12 record in 2022-23. This past season, Cincinnati went 18-15 and missed the Big Dance.

  • Wes Miller was hired as Cincinnati's head coach in 2021.
  • The Bearcats went 18-15 during the 2025-26 season.
  • On March 13, 2026, Cincinnati announced that Wes Miller had been fired as head coach.

The players

Wes Miller

Former head coach of the Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball team, who was fired after five seasons with the program.

Cincinnati Bearcats

Division I college basketball program that competes in the Big 12 Conference.

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What they’re saying

“Sources: Cincinnati is firing coach Wes Miller, who did not reach the NCAA Tournament in five seasons there, per [Pete Thamel] and Jeff Borzello. Miller went 100-74 over five years, two in the AAC and three in the Big 12.”

— Pete Thamel and Jeff Borzello, ESPN reporters (ESPN)

What’s next

Cincinnati will now begin a search for a new head coach to lead the Bearcats' men's basketball program and return the team to the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

The firing of Wes Miller as Cincinnati's head coach underscores the high expectations for the Bearcats' basketball program. After five seasons without an NCAA Tournament appearance, the administration has decided to move in a new direction in hopes of restoring Cincinnati's status as a perennial March Madness contender.