Tip-Off Times For Final Non-Conference Basketball Games Revealed

Mar 22, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Mick Cronin talks with forward Shaquille Thomas (3) during the first half against the Creighton Bluejays during the second round of the 2013 NCAA tournament at the Wells Fargo Center. Duke defeated Albany 73-61. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

With the much-anticipated Bearcats basketball season just a few, short, excruciating weeks away, the final tip-off times have been announced:

• 11/8: North Carolina Central – 2 pm – ESPN3
• 11/16: Appalachian State – 2 pm – Fox Sports Ohio/ESPN3
• 11/20: Campbell – 7 pm – ESPN3
• 11/26: UMass-Lowell – 7 pm – Fox Sports Ohio/ESPN3
• 11/29: Kennesaw State – 4 pm – Fox Sports Ohio/ESPN3
• 12/3: USC-Update – 7 pm – ESPN3
• 12/21: Middle Tennessee State – 2 pm – Fox Sports Ohio/ESPN3
• 12/23: Chicago State – 7 pm – ESPN

Normally tip-off times for basketball games, and especially basketball games against cupcakes, aren’t really newsworthy. To me, they’re about the most uninteresting aspect of sports right behind conference media contracts. But this time around this announcement really drew my interest.

The reason being, it’s extremely encouraging that all of these games tip in the afternoon or evening. Drawing crowds to non-conference games has been a recurring challenge for the Cincinnati athletic department during the Mick Cronin era. Slotting these games later in the day will only help with attendance. Especially considering these are against teams the Bearcats should run off the floor by halftime. Now, I’m not sure how much sway athletic director Whit Babcock had in determining these times, but the fact that they aren’t at noon (or earlier) should help give Cincinnati a decent boost at the gates.