The Cincinnati Bearcats now know exactly when they’ll be on the floor in the 2026 ESPN Events Invitational, and the holiday setup gives the event a little extra shine.
CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein reported that the matchups are locked in for the tournament in November, with games set for Nov. 26 and Nov. 27.
Cincinnati opens against Boston College on Thanksgiving, while Georgia and UCF meet in the other game that day. Then on Nov. 27, the Bearcats face Georgia, and Boston College takes on UCF.
Rothstein had already revealed the event in late May, though the specific game dates were not part of that initial announcement.
The Invitational is only one piece of a nonconference slate that already looks packed for Cincinnati. The Bearcats are scheduled to play Ohio State in an exhibition game at the Lindner Family Tennis Center, host Minnesota in a November game that is still listed as TBD, travel to Dayton on Nov. 14, take part in the neutral-site games against Boston College and Georgia on Nov. 26 and 27, host Xavier on Dec. 5, and play Clemson in another game that has yet to be finalized.
There was also supposed to be a return trip to Louisville to finish off the home-and-home the teams had arranged, but that game will not happen because Freedom Hall is undergoing renovations.
Cincinnati has not announced any buy games yet. If Eastern Michigan is not on the schedule, there does not appear to be much concern there.
On top of all that, the Bearcats are also set to participate in the Baha Mar Hoops Summer League in early August, giving them more time to build chemistry before Big 12 play begins.
In Other News...
Bearcats Jump Into Another Major 2027 Guard Recruiting Battle
The Bearcats have jumped into another significant 2027 recruiting fight by extending a scholarship offer to a highly regarded point guard from The Villages, Fla. The class is still early, but Cincinnati is clearly trying to get involved before the race gets crowded around a prospect whose profile has risen quickly thanks to strong play at The Villages Charter High School and with Trey Mann Elite Pro.
For a program trying to keep building around Jerrod Calhouns vision, the appeal is obvious: this is the kind of lead guard target that can shape a class if the Bearcats can stay in the mix. The challenge is just as clear, though, because the offer sheet is already filling up with major Division I programs, which means Cincinnati is entering a battle that may only get tougher from here. [Read more 🡒]
Bearcats Still Have One Huge Roster Question Heading Into November
The Bearcats spent their summer media availability talking less about finished products and more about the process of becoming one. Assistant coach Ben Asher and several players described a roster still taking shape, with chemistry and development front and center as Cincinnati heads toward a pair of exhibition tune-ups that should offer a first real look at how the pieces fit together.
One of the biggest pieces remains MJ Collins, who is practicing with the team while his fifth-year eligibility case is still being sorted out. For now, the Bearcats are treating him like part of the group, and that matters in a month when the program will get live-game reps in the Bahamas and then face Ohio State in an outdoor exhibition, both chances to sharpen a roster that still has one major question hanging over it. [Read more 🡒]