Cincinnati Basketball: Looking ahead to the first month of the Bearcats upcoming schedule

A year of new beginnings is on the horizon for the Cincinnati Bearcats basketball program that is set to begin the inaugural Big 12 campaign next month!

Cincinnati will host the Illinois-Chicago Flames on November 6 as coach Wes Miller and the Bearcats open the season with a five-game home stand.

Illinois-Chicago finished with a 12-20 overall record last year and the Flames currently sit at 243rd in the KenPom rankings heading into this coming season.

The Flames are led by senior guard Toby Okani, who averaged 11.0 points and 7.1 rebounds per game in his junior year and is a focal point of this team.

Cincinnati Basketball: Looking ahead to the first month of the Bearcats upcoming schedule

• Illinois-Chicago (11/6)
• Detroit Mercy (11/10)
• Eastern Washington (11/12)
• Northern Kentucky (11/19)
• Georgia Tech (11/22)
• Howard (11/28)

Detroit Mercy Titans travel to Fifth Third Arena on November 10 after finishing 14-19 a season ago. The Titans lost five of six top scorers from last year.

Just two days later, the Bearcats host the Eastern Washington Eagles. During the offseason, Eastern Washington landed Wyoming transfer Jake Kyman.

The Eagles are led by 6’ 10 junior forward Ethan Price, who averaged 9.6 points and 4.2 rebounds while helping the Eagles finish 23-11 last season.

Cincinnati Basketball: Bearcats hope to find major success in Wes Miller’s third season

After the matchup against the Eagles, the Bearcats will get a full week to prepare for preseason Horizon League favorite the Northern Kentucky Norse.

Northern Kentucky is led by guard Marques Warren, who posted 18.8 points and 2.6 assists per game last season, and Marquette transfer Keeyan Itejere.

The Bearcats toughest test of the home stand will come versus ACC opponent the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on November 22 inside of Fifth Third Arena.

Cincinnati Basketball: Bearcats get ready for home and home series against Georgia Tech

During the offseason, Georgia Tech added two SEC transfers in former Ole Miss guard Amaree Abram and former Florida guard Kowacie Reeves.

In his freshman season at Ole Miss, Abram totaled 8.0 points and 2.0 assists per game, while Reeves put up 8.5 points and 2.6 rebounds at Florida.

Georgia Tech junior guard Miles Kelly will return after averaging 14.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game on 37.9 percent shooting from 3-point range last year.

The Bearcats will travel to the nation’s capital to take on the Howard Bison for the third time ever in the final game of the month on November 28.

Cincinnati Basketball: Howard scheduled to host the Bearcats in final game of November

After compiling a 22-13 record last year, Howard head coach Kenny Blakeney decided to seize more talent in the portal with several transfer additions.

Former Ohio State Buckeyes forward Seth Towns recently joined the Bison, and Sierra Canyon alum Shy Odom will also return for his sophomore year.

While the Bearcats are 53rd in KenPom rankings, they must take it one game at a time to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019.