Cincinnati Adds Elite Defensive Guard to 2026-27 Roster

The Bearcats have locked in their final roster spot for the 2026-27 season. On3's Joe Tipton reported on Saturday that the team is adding former MAC Defensive Player of the Year and Bowling Green guard Javontae Campbell to its first roster under Jerrod Calhoun.

"Bowling Green transfer Javontae Campbell, the MAC Defensive Player of the Year, has committed to Cincinnati," Tipton posted on X. "The 6-2 guard averaged 18.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 3.0 steals per game this past season, leading all of Division I in steals."

Cincinnati now has some serious bulldog defenders in its backcourt with Campbell and fellow guard Trevian Carson. The team will have all 15 roster spots filled, pending the court finalization of MJ Collins' eligibility, which has another date scheduled for Sept. 22.

Campbell spent the past two seasons with BG after time in junior college with Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa (no minutes logged). He got an additional season confirmed via a temporary restraining order recently granted in Oklahoma.

He brings a lot of strong experience to Cincinnati, which is ramping up its preseason practice schedule this week.

"We are extremely happy for Javontae's opportunity with the 76ers," said BGSU head men's basketball coach Todd Simon earlier this offseason. "He's put the work in for two years here and has earned every success along the way. We will be following him and are honored to have him as part of the Falcon family."

Campbell started 32 games for the Falcons last season and averaged a team-leading 18.7 points per game, including a MAC-leading 21.4 points per game in conference play. In addition to his scoring output, Campbell shot 50.0% from the field for the season, ranking ninth in the MAC. He rounded out his strong stat line with 163 assists, leading the team and ranking eighth in program history.

He is a highly efficient shooter who should help Cincinnati inch ever closer to breaking its streak of not making the NCAA Tournament (52.5% effective field goal rate this past season, 14th in the MAC).

Check out his highlights below:

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