Cincinnati Fires Men's Basketball Coach Wes Miller

Bearcats part ways with coach after 5 seasons and failure to reach NCAA Tournament since 2019

Mar. 14, 2026 at 2:54am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The University of Cincinnati has fired men's basketball coach Wes Miller, two people familiar with the decision told The Associated Press. Miller had three years remaining on his contract, but the school is expected to negotiate an equitable buyout. Miller went 100-74 in five seasons as Cincinnati's head coach, including an 18-15 record this past season, and failed to lead the team to the NCAA Tournament since taking over in 2021.

Why it matters

Cincinnati is a prominent college basketball program that has struggled in recent years, failing to reach the NCAA Tournament since 2019. The firing of Wes Miller signals the school's desire to return to being a consistent contender in the sport and make a deep postseason run.

The details

Miller was hired in 2021 after 10 successful seasons at UNC-Greensboro, where he led the Spartans to two NCAA Tournament appearances. However, he was unable to replicate that success at Cincinnati, with the Bearcats failing to reach the Big Dance during his tenure. This season, Cincinnati was 11-12 at one point before rallying to finish 18-15, but their late-season push ended with a loss to UCF in the Big 12 Tournament.

  • Wes Miller was hired as Cincinnati's head coach in 2021.
  • The Bearcats last reached the NCAA Tournament in 2019, Mick Cronin's final season as head coach before leaving for UCLA.
  • This past season, Cincinnati opened 10-1 and was ranked as high as 14th in the AP Top 25 before faltering in conference play, going 7-13 in the Big 12.

The players

Wes Miller

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

Mick Cronin

The previous head coach of the Cincinnati Bearcats, who left the program in 2019 to take the head coaching job at UCLA.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

The university is expected to begin a search for a new head coach in the coming weeks, with the goal of finding a candidate who can return the Bearcats to the NCAA Tournament and compete for conference and national championships.

The takeaway

The firing of Wes Miller as Cincinnati's men's basketball coach underscores the high expectations and pressure to succeed at a program with a rich history in the sport. The Bearcats' struggles in recent years have been disappointing, and the school is now seeking a new leader who can restore the team to its former glory and bring the program back to the national spotlight.