Sean Kilpatrick steadies Cincinnati _ with 5 freshmen _ in move to new conference

Cincinnati head coach Mick Cronin talks with guard Troy Caupain (10) in the second half of an exhibition NCAA college basketball game against Carleton, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Al Behrman) (The Associated Press)

Cincinnati guard Sean Kilpatrick (23) shoots against Carleton in the first half of an NCAA exhibition college basketball game, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Al Behrman) (The Associated Press)

Senior guard Sean Kilpatrick figures the conference schedule won't be so brutal now that Cincinnati is out of the Big East.

The Bearcats revived their program in one of the nation's toughest basketball leagues. When the Big East morphed into a basketball-only league, Cincinnati was left in the American Athletic Conference, which will be in flux for the first two years.

Cincinnati returns a core of experienced players to go with five freshmen in the inaugural AAC season. Kilpatrick was fifth in the Big East with 17 points per game last season and is positioned to finish his career as one of Cincinnati's all-time leading scorers.

Senior forwards Justin Jackson and Titus Rubles need to turn into scorers near the basket.

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