Watch: Wes Miller, Baba Miller, Jalen Celestine Reflects on Preseason Exhibitions and Big 12 Preparation

Cincinnati will open their season Monday November 3rd at home against Western Carolina. Following preseason exhibitions at Michigan and Arkansas, Wes Miller, Baba Miller, and Jalen Celestine sat down with media to reflect on the preseason experiences and discuss the upcoming season.

 

 

During the press conference, Miller emphasized process over results, detailing the team’s preseason approach, lineup experimentation, and preparation for the rigors of Big 12 play. The Bearcats recently wrapped up two closed-door exhibition games—one a win at Michigan and the other a loss at Arkansas—that Miller described as “very strategic” opportunities to learn and grow.

 

“No, it’s probably not perfectly how you’d draw it up,” Miller began, “but after these two exhibition games, you play well in one, you get a win, you learn some lessons in the other.”

 

Preparing for Big 12 Play

 

Miller repeatedly stressed that these exhibitions were designed around preparing for the Big 12 grind rather than immediate success. Drawing from his experience coaching in the conference, he explained:

 

“I learned a lot about what the demands of league play are. Everything about our preseason was about preparation — what it’s going to take to have success in the Big 12.”

 

The choice to play two high-level road games against Michigan and Arkansas was intentional:

 

“It was very strategic to go play two road games in October… Let’s challenge ourselves, let natural adversity occur, and deal with it.”

 

He noted that playing on the road early builds toughness and teaches players to adjust to hostile environments before conference play begins.

 

Balancing Success and Adversity

While the Bearcats left Ann Arbor encouraged and Fayetteville frustrated, Miller cautioned against reading too deeply into either result:

 

“We didn’t overanalyze the outcome of the Michigan game. We didn’t overanalyze the outcome of the Arkansas game — that wasn’t the intention of either opportunity.”

 

He said the Michigan win “felt good driving home,” but emphasized that the Arkansas loss “felt terrible flying back,” which was also valuable. Both, he said, were “tools to teach, to help us get ready for the season.”

 

Exhibition Games as Teaching Tools

Miller made clear that exhibition games are experiments — for lineup combinations, rotations, and systems.

 

“We started four different lineups in four halves… There’s nothing about lineups, minutes, or rotations from the exhibitions that you can read into for the season.”

 

He also admitted to deliberately trying “lineups we’d never practiced” to test versatility and adaptability.

 

“We would never do that in a real game, but we’d be wasting the preseason if we didn’t try it.”

 

Miller passionately argued that college basketball should have more exhibitions:

 

“I’ve pleaded with anybody that’ll listen — could we do four or five of those? We get more out of one exhibition than seven straight practices.”

 

Learning to Tune Out “Rat Poison”

Asked about whether playing more exhibitions might lead to overreactions to wins or losses, Miller acknowledged the psychological lessons involved.

 

“We’ve utilized that in our locker room — don’t listen when people are praising you because you had success, and certainly don’t listen if it’s the other way.”

 

He described the early season as a time for the team to learn emotional maturity and focus on internal standards rather than external noise.

 

Player Updates and Injuries

When asked about forward Jalen Haynes, Miller confirmed he had undergone a medical procedure:

 

“He’s recovering. It just won’t be soon. We still have hope that he could find a way to get back this year.”

 

Miller also discussed Jalen Celestine who was limited against Arkansas after missing time in the offseason:

 

“He’s really good and he stunk in the game — and he’ll tell you that. He hasn’t played or practiced much, but we’ll be better with him as he learns our defensive principles.”

Offensive Emphasis: Points in the Paint and Pace

 

One of the key discussion points was scoring inside. Miller was blunt about the Arkansas game:

 

“We didn’t create rim pressure. That’s why points in the paint were a problem.”

 

He outlined the offensive blueprint:

 

“When we have great pace, great ball movement, and create rim pressure — through cuts, penetration, or post touches — we’re going to score plenty of points in the paint.”

 

He singled out players like Moustapha Thiam (“excellent inside of five or six feet”), Baba Miller, and Sincere Harris as key rim attackers.

 

Player Growth and Roles

Miller praised several players’ development, especially Day Day Thomas (“his improvement’s been so significant”) and the team’s collective progress since summer practices.

 

“We’re still learning our team… but when we’ve stood by our standards, the improvement’s been significant.”

Leadership, Standards, and Early-Season Goals

 

Miller reiterated his belief in holding players accountable to core standards rather than results:

 

“We’ve been very clear from the first meeting about expectations — the approach, the culture, the things we value. When those aren’t met, we draw a line in the sand.”

 

He described the Arkansas loss as “a great opportunity to address” those lapses, saying that confronting those moments honestly will define their growth.

Celestine, Miller Reflect on the Preseason

 

Both players agreed that the two exhibition games were vital in gauging the team’s readiness and identifying areas for growth before the official season opener.

 

Jalen Celestine described the team’s mindset following those matchups as balanced and grounded:

 

“We’re not as good as we felt after [the Michigan] game and just like we’re not as bad as we felt after the Arkansas game.”

 

He added that the team is “pretty close” to where they want to be and emphasized how the exhibitions helped them “work the kinks out” against other high-level teams.

 

Baba Miller highlighted the value of playing on the road early:

 

“Playing on the road against Michigan, number seven, and I think Arkansas’s 14th… it’s good for a new team to go on the road and play against someone different in their environment, get some real adversity.”

 

The Bearcats lost to Arkansas but beat Michigan, and both players saw the contrast as healthy preparation. Miller said even in the loss there were “a lot of good things to take away,” while Celestine said the Michigan win “was good for obvious reasons” but reminded that the team must stay even-keeled.

 

Celestine: Progress and Health

Celestine, who missed the Michigan game due to a restriction, noted he felt strong after playing limited minutes against Arkansas:

 

“I feel good. My body’s feeling really good. I was on a minute restriction… I’m just grateful to be on the court with my brothers, be on the court with Baba.”

 

Miller emphasized how he’s been pushed by head coach Wes Miller to take advantage of his physical gifts and impact the game more consistently:

 

“Coach Miller has really pushed me to be the player that he envisioned me to be… using my size and athleticism to impact the game every possession.”

He added, “I feel like these past few weeks I’ve really improved.”

 

 

Players on Home Advantage:

Miller said one of the team’s biggest early-season advantages will be playing at home in Fifth Third Arena:

 

“The biggest advantage we got is that we play at home… not having to travel as much is going to be a great opportunity for us to take advantage of our schedule.”

 

He also expressed excitement about the atmosphere:

 

“From what I’ve heard, Fifth Third gets loud, gets packed on a daily basis. I’m looking forward to that.”

 

When asked about the team’s main goal heading into conference play, he reiterated the importance of winning early and building chemistry through these non-conference matchups.

 

Celestine on choosing Cincinnati

 

For Celestine, his decision to join Cincinnati came down to trust in the coaching staff and their vision:

 

“The biggest thing was honestly Coach Miller and the staff… I really believed in the vision he had for myself and for the team.”

 

He also spoke about the excitement of starting his final college season alongside Miller:

 

“It’s my last year of college, Baba’s last year too. So, I just know we’re excited, man. For real.”

 

Celestine compared the team dynamic—where players’ ages range from freshmen to sixth-year seniors—to “pro basketball,” saying, “We relate on a lot of things, but… I for sure do feel old sometimes,” while noting that’s “the beauty of college basketball” today.

 

Celestine also mentioned he’s looking forward to facing former Bearcat Dan Skillings, now at Baylor:

 

“I’ve chopped it up with Dan a couple times… I wish him nothing but the best. When he comes here, I hope he enjoys his time back at Cincinnati—but I hope we get the dub.”

 

Final Takeaways: 

 

As the Bearcats prepare to open their season at home in Fifth Third Arena, the team’s message was clear: they’re learning, growing, and eager to compete.

 

“We’re not as good as we felt after Michigan, and we’re not as bad as we felt after Arkansas,” Miller said. “We’re just excited to get in front of our fans and get the season rolling.”

 

The Bearcats’ exhibitions against Arkansas and Michigan served as the perfect testing ground—Michigan proving what the team can be at its best, and Arkansas showing what still needs sharpening.