Cincinnati Basketball: Bearcats gear up for regular season opener against Illinois-Chicago
By Charles Post
Cincinnati Bearcats are continuing to gear up for the long-awaited regular season opener against Illinois-Chicago Flames on Monday, November 6!
Illinois-Chicago finished with a 12-20 overall record last year and the Flames currently sit at 243rd in the KenPom rankings heading into the upcoming 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 the program.
Wes Miller’s team is hoping to find success in the inaugural Big 12 campaign as the season opener is scheduled to get underway in one week from today.
Look ahead to the #Bearcats upcoming schedule that includes a five-game home stand to start the season!https://t.co/dbKhXxtUDZ pic.twitter.com/ZiCLfDvdx2
— Cincy on the Prowl (@CincyOnTheProwl) October 28, 2023
Cincinnati Basketball: Bearcats gear up for regular season opener against Illinois-Chicago
- Date: Monday, November 6 at 9:00 PM
- Location: Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati
- Series History: Third ever meeting
- TV Broadcast: ESPN+ and fuboTV
During the press conference at Big 12 media day, Miller looked ahead to the regular season and reacted to roster changes per Cincinnati Athletics.
Following an upcoming game against Illinois-Chicago in November, the Bearcats will meet Dayton, Georgia Tech and Xavier before conference play starts.
Make sure to stay tuned for recruiting updates and schedule announcements as Cincinnati gets ready for the first Big 12 season to get started soon.
The Bearcats are led by veterans Viktor Lakhin, Ody Oguama, John Newman III and Dan Skillings Jr, plus freshman guards Rayvon Griffith and Jizzle James!
November is filled with non-conference games against Georgia Tech, Northern Kentucky and more. #Bearcatshttps://t.co/dbKhXxtUDZ pic.twitter.com/SlITUOLs6I
— Cincy on the Prowl (@CincyOnTheProwl) October 28, 2023
Cincinnati Basketball: Looking ahead to the first month of the Bearcats upcoming schedule
Griffith was the 8th highest rated recruit to commit to Cincinnati according to 247 Sports and is aiming to carve out a consistent role as a true freshman.
Lakhin is looking to continue to improve after scoring a career-high 11.6 points and 7.1 rebounds on 61.7 percent shooting from the field in his junior year.
Skillings showed off elite potential as a freshman with a season-high 20 points in a win over Temple, and will have an increased role this coming season.
With a chance to secure an NCAA Tournament berth for the first time since 2019, Cincinnati is looking to improve on a 23-13 overall record from a year ago!
Cincinnati Basketball: Bearcats hope to find major success in Wes Miller’s third season. dark. Next