Mick Cronin stated earlier in the season he was looking to add a quality opponent to the schedule for next season and he wanted to have them play in Fifth Third Arena. Today we got confirmation of what the head coach of the basketball team was talking about as Tennessee signed on for a home and home with Cincinnati. Tennessee will come to Cincinnati next December.
#BearcatNation what are your thoughts on this home and home?
Per GoBearcats
The University of Cincinnati men’s basketball team will play a home-and-home series with Tennessee beginning in 2019-2020 in the Queen City.
Cincinnati will play host to Tennessee on Dec. 18, 2019 at Fifth Third Arena. The following season, the Bearcats will travel to Knoxville, Tennessee, to battle the Volunteers on Dec. 12, 2020 at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Tennessee enters this week ranked third in the nation according to the Associated Press Top 25 Poll after outlasting top-ranked Gonzaga, 76-73, Sunday in Phoenix. Under head coach Rick Barnes, the Volunteers posted a 26-9 overall record last season, claiming a share of the Southeastern Conference regular-season crown with a 13-5 league mark. Tennessee ended 2017-18 ranked 13th in the final AP poll.
“We’re excited to add another quality opponent to our schedule the next two seasons,” UC head coach Mick Cronin said. “I have a great deal of respect for Rick Barnes and what he’s accomplished in his career and the job he’s doing at Tennessee. It should make for some competitive games.”
Cincinnati has won five of six meetings in its series with Tennessee but the two programs haven’t played since the Bearcats registered a 79-58 victory on Jan. 4, 1993 at the Shoemaker Center (now Fifth Third Arena). The Bearcats leads the series 3-0 in Cincinnati and 2-1 in Knoxville.
