BY NICK FRIES

College basketball season is almost upon us, and teams have been back to practicing for several weeks. This year, The Warpath will post a two-part series previewing the two hometown rivals UC and Xavier before the start of the season.

Last march, UC fans saw their team come up with a convincing victory over Missouri as a six seed in the NCAA tournament. The talented group came up 11 points short in the second round. This loss came against the eventual champs: Connecticut, a team peaking at just the right time. The Bearcats finished with a record of 25-9, finishing above expectations.

With another year of experience under their belts, the UC players hope to make noise in this year’s tournament. Redshirt junior Cashmere Wright, the starting point guard for the Bearcats, explained the team’s goals for March.

“Our expectation is Sweet 16 or better. Nothing other than that will be a successful season,” Wright said in an online interview.

Cincinnati returns four of their top five scorers, meaning the majority of their offense returns. Their biggest loss is Rashad Bishop, who graduated last spring. Bishop was the defensive stopper on the team, and the Bearcats will need a replacement for him if they want the same caliber defense out of this year’s team.

Much of the offensive firepower relies on Wright, who averaged 9 points a game last year, along with seniors Yancy Gates and Dion Dixon, who each had almost 12 per contest. Gates had some huge games last season, including a 25 point game against South Florida. If he can learn to bring that same energy to every game, expect big things from the team.

“The upperclassmen all have to be key contributors for us to reach our goal,” Wright said of the veterans.

Another player to watch will be redshirt sophomore Sean Kilpatrick, who was third on the team with almost 10 points per game during his freshman campaign. It will be interesting to see if he emerges as the main shooting threat for the team, as he had the best 3-point percentage a season ago with 38%.

Kilpatrick likely won’t be the only young player contributing, however, as UC’s squad includes six incoming freshman. Look for Ge’Lawn Guyn to be a solid contributor at the shooting guard position from the start of the season. He is thin and quick, the opposite of the other freshman shooting guard, Jeremiah Davis, who relies on strength to overpower defenders.

The gem of the class appears to be the lanky small forward Shaquille Thomas, the four-star recruit who chose Cincinnati over offers from Xavier and Syracuse. Thomas will have to redshirt this year, however, as the NCAA cleared him for the 2012-2013 season but not the present one. He is allowed to practice with the team, and should come into next year on pace with the sophomores. Wright said that so far the freshman have played true to their title.

“The freshman have looked like freshman,” the point guard said of the new players. “They have had some good days and also some bad days, but they are constantly improving.”

When asked about personal preparations for the upcoming season, Wright listed several things he has focused on.

“I’m trying to stay healthy, become a better leader, and make the open shots,” he said.

Wright listed health as one of his priorities because during his first year at the University, he suffered a torn ACL to end his first season before it even started.  He had his third knee surgery this offseason, this time to fix knee swelling issues. He comes into this season healthy once again, and hopes to remain that way to help his team try to make a splash in the post-season.

The Bearcats are ranked before the start of the season as the number 22 team in the nation by ESPN, a preseason feat that hasn’t been accomplished in recent memory. While the team’s focus may be big-picture, Cincinnati and Xavier fans alike have their sights set on the annual Crosstown Shootout on December 10, which pits the two teams against each other. When asked if the game is already being hyped up in the locker room, Wright said the team is focusing on one game at a time.

“We aren’t really concerned with the Shootout just yet,” Wright said of the contest. “We have games before then, and when the time comes, we will prepare for it like it’s just another game.”