(BCSNN) — Cincinnati dismissed fifth‑year head coach Wes Miller after the Bearcats again fell short of an NCAA Tournament berth, a move reported Friday and coming two days after a 66–65 overtime loss to UCF in the Big 12 quarterfinals.

The Bearcats (18–15) blew a 12‑point lead with 9:24 remaining and an eight‑point margin with 2:17 left, allowing an 8–0 run that forced overtime before UCF took control.

Miller, who went 100–74 across five seasons, never reached the NCAA Tournament during his tenure. Cincinnati’s late‑season surge — winning seven of its final 10 Big 12 games — had put the Bearcats on the bubble, but Wednesday’s collapse likely sealed his fate. The program also failed to capitalize on final‑possession opportunities at the end of regulation and overtime.

Two days before his firing, Miller expressed confidence in the program’s direction, saying he believed Cincinnati had become “one of the best teams in college basketball” over the past two months and that the foundation was “sustainable.” After the loss, he argued the Bearcats were among the best teams in the country, even if their overall résumé left room for doubt.

Miller arrived in 2021 after a decade at UNC Greensboro that included two NCAA Tournament appearances. Cincinnati never posted a losing season under him but lost at least 13 games each year, finishing with win totals of 23, 22, 19 and 18 in his final four seasons.

The Bearcats now join Syracuse, Providence and Arizona State among major‑conference programs with head‑coaching vacancies, while Kansas State recently filled its opening with Belmont’s Casey Alexander.