Former Arizona Guard Returns With Bearcats
No. 1 Arizona's Wednesday night game against Cincinnati seems like just another Big 12 basketball game, but it will also be a homecoming for a former Wildcat star.
Guard Kerr Kriisa, who began his college career playing for Sean Miller's staff at Arizona, is making his return with the Bearcats. He spent three seasons in Tucson before entering the transfer portal and playing for a couple of other schools. It's his sixth collegiate season due to injuries.
Where has Kerr Kriisa been?
Kriisa was an important player for Arizona, displaying a knack for distributing the basketball and shooting from long range. When current head coach Tommy Lloyd took over for Miller in 2021, Kriisa entered the transfer portal but decided to return to Arizona. He averaged nearly 10 points per game in the two seasons he played under Lloyd, leaving with the 10th-most three-pointers in program history and becoming the first PAC-12 guard to lead the conference in assists in back-to-back seasons since 2000 and 2001.
The Estonian guard went back into the transfer portal in 2023 and chose to play at West Virginia. In Morgantown, Kriisa enjoyed his best individual season of his college career, averaging a career-high 11 points while shooting over 40% form the floor and from beyond the arc.
He transferred again after that season, choosing Kentucky. However, Kriisa suffered a foot injury in a nonconference game against Gonzaga and only made nine appearances for the (other) Wildcats before transferring yet again.
Kerr Kriisa's Current Season
Kriisa joined Cincinnati through his latest portal experience and has played in 14 games for the Bearcats this season. He's averagign 7.3 points 1.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists while shooting 33.3% from three-point range and playing over 24 minutes per night. His best performances have come against Tarleton State, Lipscomb, and Xavier.
There was some question as to whether the senior would be able to play on Wednesday. He suffered a separated shoulder during a Jan. 3 game against then-No. 8 Houston and has missed the last four games. However, he has been listed as probable for the Arizona game, according to Cincinnati's official availability report, opening the door for his return.
If he does play, as expected, the Wildcats know what he brings to the table. He can shoot the ball and run an offense. Cincinnati's 10-8 record doesn't appear threatening, but it just knocked off then-No. 2 Iowa State without Kriisa. It can certainly give Arizona trouble as he returns to the lineup.
🏀 Cincinnati Bearcats PG Kerr Kriisa is upgraded to 'Probable' for the game tomorrow night @ #1 Arizona Wildcats
— The Bearcat Bunch (@bearcatbunch) January 21, 2026
🔴 Kriisa will face off against his former team after missing the last 4 games
⚫️ No update on C Jalen Haynes who is still listed as OUT and has yet to play for UC pic.twitter.com/pBKHV6o9Jb
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_(1)-718df543ba5564ea141c31c2d86089eb.jpg "Travis Tyler")
Travis Tyler joined On SI as a writer in January 2026. He has experience contributing to FanSided’s NFL, college football, and college basketball coverage, in addition to freelance work throughout the Dallas–Fort Worth area, including high school, college, and professional sports for the Dallas Express and contributions to the College Football Dawgs, Last Word on Sports/Hockey, and The Dallas Morning News. In addition to his writing, Travis contributes video and podcasting content to Fanatics View and regularly appears as a guest analyst. He is a graduate of Michigan State University and SMU and is an avid Detroit sports fan with a deep knowledge and appreciation of sports history. Follow Travis Tyler on Twitter at @TTyler_Sports.