Cincinnati’s preseason plans took a hit on Thursday when first-year head coach Jerrod Calhoun said Tulsa transfer guard Tylen Riley will be out for at least four to six weeks with a hand injury.
The Bearcats are waiting on one of the most important additions to their backcourt, and now they’ll have to do it without him for the time being. Riley was brought in after a strong season at Tulsa, where he started all 38 games and averaged 15.0 points and 4.4 assists per contest. He earned second-team All-American Conference honors and was named to the American Conference All-Newcomer Team.
According to the press release, Riley scored in double figures 31 times and led Tulsa in scoring 12 times. He also posted eight games with 20 or more points, including a 20-point outing against Auburn in the NIT Championship. His efficiency at the line stood out, too: he led the American and ranked 11th nationally with 203 made free throws, while finishing second in the conference in free-throw percentage at 87.1%.
That production is a big reason Riley was expected to be one of Cincinnati’s top minute-eaters this season. He arrived with the kind of résumé that suggested he’d slide in quickly and give the Bearcats a steady, proven guard.
Riley’s excitement about the move was obvious when he talked about choosing Cincinnati during the transfer process.
"They had every quality: the coaching staff, head coach, fan base, facilities, overall city. It's hard to say no to that," Riley said about his decision to pick the Bearcats over other offers in a busy transfer process this offseason. "Especially what they're about to do, what we're about to do, bringing in the type of team that we're bringing in, they're flipping the script, get back to the tournament, like everything's gonna be so big, and the fan base is all in on it.
"It's just a magical city, and something magical is about to happen, like I feel every day I go to the facility, work out, and practice with the team. I just know something nice is about to happen, and God led me here for a reason. I never thought I'd live in Cincinnati, but I'm glad I'm here."
Cincinnati is scheduled to play an exhibition game in the Bahamas on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.
In Other News...
Bearcats Face An Early Lineup Test After Key Injury
The Bearcats head into their first competitive games of 2026 in the Bahamas with a little less certainty than they would have liked, and not just because opening weekend always brings its own questions. Cincinnati is set to face the University of Calgary and the University of Victoria, but the early look at the roster has already been altered by an injury in practice, forcing the staff to sort through lineup and role adjustments before the season truly gets going.
Tylen Rileys absence changes the feel of the offense and puts more pressure on the rest of the backcourt to settle in quickly, while the projected starting group also leaves a few defensive questions to be answered once the games begin. The Bearcats still have time to adjust before conference play matters, but these early trips often reveal more than a coach would prefer, and Cincinnati will learn fast how much it can lean on its new combinations. [Read more 🡒]
Tylen Riley's Injury Adds New Question For Cincinnati's Bahamas Trip
The Bearcats trip to the Bahamas has already been pushed back by travel issues, and now there is another wrinkle before the first exhibition game even tips off. Cincinnati will face Victoria on Aug. 4 and Calgary on Aug. 5, with both games set to stream on FloCollege Basketball, giving the staff a first real look at the roster against outside competition after a summer of anticipation.
Tylen Riley will not take part in those games because of a hand injury, leaving the point guard spot without one of the players Cincinnati hoped to evaluate on this trip. There is some optimism he could be available for the fall exhibitions in October, but for now the Bearcats will have to keep sorting through their backcourt plans without him while the rest of the group gets its first game action in a new setting. [Read more 🡒]