The Cincinnati Bearcats have shown interest in Memphis point guard Dug McDaniel, a transfer guard who was recently granted another year of eligibility through the Judge Sweeney ruling tied to the NCAA’s 5-in-5 rule.
McDaniel’s latest season at Memphis produced 13.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. He also shot 41.3% from the field and 32.9% from three, numbers that stand out as a possible concern, though he was carrying a heavy workload at 34.4 minutes per game. That kind of usage would likely look different if he ended up at Cincinnati.
If McDaniel moves on again, it would mark his fourth team in five seasons. He began at Michigan, where he spent his freshman and sophomore years, then transferred to Kansas State for his junior season before landing at Memphis for his senior year. Now he is back in the portal and drawing interest from several programs.
Cincinnati is not alone in the pursuit. According to Jeff Goodman, Arizona State, Stanford, NC State, Iowa State, USC, Utah and Oregon have also reached out.
McDaniel’s strongest season came during his sophomore year at Michigan, when the 5-foot-11 guard averaged 16.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. Michigan missed the tournament that season, but McDaniel was at his best as a scorer and in overall efficiency.
The Bearcats’ interest has also sparked speculation that it may be connected to the Tylen Riley injury, with the thinking being that Cincinnati could be looking for another guard despite already having a guard-heavy roster.
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