Two ex-West Virginia men’s basketball players will team up for the first time next season with a conference opponent of the Mountaineers.
Cincinnati men’s basketball has secured commitments from two ex-WVU players in the transfer portal. One Bearcat recruit was part of the WVU roster, consistently featured in the starting lineup last season, while the other is a notable name from a season the fanbase would prefer to forget.
Joe Tipton from On3 Sports reported on both matters: initially, he announced on Sunday that Kerr Kriisa would be heading to Cincinnati. However, within the hour, he also learned of another ex-Mountaineer joining the program, as he reported that Sincere Harris would be transferring too.
On Sunday, the Bearcats acquired two ex-Mountaineers from the transfer portal.
Harris competed for WVU during the last season and was a starter in all 32 games. He played a significant role in the defensive strategy for the Mountaineers and earned a spot on the Big 12 All-Defensive Team. Harris exhibited an unparalleled amount of energy and focus on the defensive side of the game. On offense, Harris averaged 5.9 points, 1.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.
Following the announcement of his commitment to Cincinnati, Harris took to X to convey his gratitude towards WVU and its supporters. Harris was cherished by Mountaineer supporters for his dedication to defense and his relentless 110% effort on that end.
Kriisa was in Morgantown with interim head coach Josh Eilert, but he was originally recruited by Bob Huggins before Huggins’ resignation due to a 2023 DUI. Following his single season at WVU, Kriisa will return to the Big 12 after playing one season at Kentucky.
This will be Kriisa’s fourth team in four years — he has been with Arizona, West Virginia, Kentucky, and now Cincinnati. In his solitary season at WVU, Kriisa recorded an average of 11.1 points and 4.7 assists per game.
New head coach Ross Hodge will be competing against a few ex-WVU players who are familiar with the WVU basketball program. Hodge will provide a defensive advantage aimed at suppressing Big 12 rivals. Should the Mountaineers and Bearcats face each other in the 2025-2026 season, Hodge will need to devise a strategy to limit Kriisa while also developing an offensive scheme to prevent Harris from dominating defensively.
