The Big East has announced next season’s Cincinnati Bearcats basketball schedule. The games and times are below:
| Tackles | TFL | Sacks | QB Hurries | FF | Avg. Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pitt | 39 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 2.6 |
| Rutgers | 35 | 10.5 | 6.5 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| Cincinnati | 39 | 8.5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3.4 |
| UConn | 31 | 11 | 4.5 | 1 | 0 | 3.4 |
| South Florida | 32 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3.8 |
| Syracuse | 39 | 6.5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3.8 |
| Louisville | 25 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| West Virginia | 26 | 5.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6.4 |
Based on this I can come away with a simple phrase, “tough but manageable”. The Big East conference is the deepest most talented compilation of teams in college basketball. You simply can’t take a night off when you play the likes of Syracuse and have to turn around and play Villanova two or three nights later. The strength of the conference was seen last year as UConn, the 9th best team in the Big East, ended up winning the conference tournament and even a national title. For the Bearcats, they will be among the better teams in the Big East next year ranking in the top half of the conference and maybe even the top quarter. For the first time, Cincinnati will be looked at as one of the harder teams on a Big East opponent’s schedule. Still, that front half of the schedule looks like a gauntlet with games at Pittsburgh and hosting Notre Dame and St. John’s the first three Big East games. Let’s hope the Bearcats catch the Red Storm early before their youth starts to gain experience. The schedule doesn’t begin to lighten up until about half way through the season when Cincinnati will play Rutgers (although improved), DePaul, and a rematch with St. John’s.