Which non-conference games are you most excited for?
Per GoBearcats:
The University of Cincinnati’s men’s basketball non-conference schedule has been announced, featuring nine home dates and the famed Maui Jim Maui Invitational during Thanksgiving Week.
The Bearcats open at home with Chaminade (Monday, Nov. 7), followed by two-time defending Horizon League champ Cleveland State (Nov. 10) and Eastern Kentucky (Nov. 13). Cincinnati then crosses the river to play at Northern Kentucky on Wednesday, Nov. 16. It comes as part of a two-for-one agreement when the Bearcats rented Truist Arena for the 2017-18 season during Fifth Third Arena renovations, ultimately reaching as high as fifth in the national polls and finishing 31-5.
UC opens Maui play on Monday, Nov. 21 against defending No. 1-seed and Pac-12 champion Arizona, followed by either Ohio State or San Diego State on Tuesday. The next opponent will be either Arkansas, Creighton, Louisville or Texas Tech inside the historic Lahaina Civic Center. All games will air on the ESPN Family of Networks.
Cincinnati returns to the mainland to host NJIT on Wednesday, Nov. 30, before hosting NEC champion Bryant for the second-straight season on Dec. 4.
The Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout returns to Fifth Third Arena on Dec. 10, with UC hosting Xavier in front of a full capacity for the first time since 2018. UC leads the all-time series 51-38, including a 9-6 mark in its current home.
The Bearcats then remain at home with Miami (Ohio) on Dec. 14. UC has a 95-53 edge all-time against the RedHawks, the most games of any opponent, with last year’s 59-58 win in Oxford serving as the first meeting since 2011. The non-conference slate concludes with La Salle (Dec. 17) and Detroit Mercy (Dec. 21), the first game against each school since 2004.
The full AAC schedule will be announced at a later date, but UC will play every team twice except for Tulsa (home) and Wichita State (away).
