Cincinnati Fires Men's Basketball Coach Wes Miller

Bearcats part ways with coach after five seasons, citing lack of NCAA Tournament appearances

Mar. 13, 2026 at 11:40pm

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The University of Cincinnati has fired men's basketball coach Wes Miller, two people familiar with the move told The Associated Press. Miller had three years remaining on his contract, but the university is expected to negotiate an equitable buyout. Cincinnati has not reached the NCAA Tournament since 2019, Mick Cronin's final season before leaving for UCLA.

Why it matters

Cincinnati is a storied college basketball program, having made the NCAA Tournament 34 times. The Bearcats' lack of postseason success under Miller has led to growing frustration among fans and the administration, who are eager to return the team to national prominence.

The details

Miller went 100-74 in five seasons as Cincinnati's head coach, including an 18-15 record this past year. The Bearcats were 11-12 at one point this season before winning seven of their final 10 games, but their late-season surge was not enough to earn an NCAA Tournament bid. Miller's best season was last year, when Cincinnati opened 10-1 and was ranked as high as 14th in the AP Top 25 before faltering in conference play.

  • Cincinnati hired Wes Miller as head coach in 2021 after he spent 10 seasons at UNC-Greensboro.
  • The Bearcats last reached the NCAA Tournament in 2019, Mick Cronin's final season before leaving for UCLA.

The players

Wes Miller

The former head coach of the University of Cincinnati men's basketball team, who was fired after five seasons.

Mick Cronin

The former head coach of the University of Cincinnati men's basketball team, who left for UCLA in 2019 after leading the Bearcats to the NCAA Tournament.

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What’s next

The University of Cincinnati is expected to begin a search for a new head coach in the coming weeks, with the goal of finding a candidate who can quickly return the Bearcats to the NCAA Tournament and contend for a conference championship.

The takeaway

The firing of Wes Miller underscores the high expectations and pressure to win at a storied program like Cincinnati. The Bearcats' lack of postseason success under Miller's leadership has led to his dismissal, and the university will now look to hire a new coach who can restore the program to its former glory.