Cincinnati Basketball: Key takeaways from 2022-23 non-conference schedule

The non-conference schedule for Cincinnati Basketball has been released. Who are the key matchups to watch for the Bearcats?

Cinncinati Basketball didn’t do as well as expected last season, finishing 18-15 overall. In the non-conference, the team finished with a 10-3 record. But it’s a bit misleading, as the Bearcats lost three of its four toughest games of the early schedule, including at home to Monmouth.

The one bright spot for the program was the win over then-No. 14 ranked Illinois in the non-conference. There weren’t too many high moments afterward, including losing to rival Xavier by 20 points a couple of weeks later. Cincinnati is hoping for more success this upcoming season, after releasing its own non-con slate of opponents.

Here are some key games to watch.

at Northern Kentucky – Nov 16th

Part of a multi-game series, the Bearcats will be going on the road to face the Horizon League program. The Norse has been a consistent mid-major team and could very well be the preseason favorite in their respective league. They return the top three scorers from the backcourt, including star guard Marques Warrick (16.8 ppg). This team doesn’t have a ton of size upfront but has an experienced backcourt and with the game at Northern Kentucky, this could be an upset candidate.

Maui Invitational – Nov 21st (Arizona, San Diego State/Ohio State, TBD.

Cincy’s at-large resume will have to be built in this prestigious non-conference tournament, which has several expected preseason top-25 teams. That includes their first opponent Arizona, who was a 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament last season. Their two best players are gone but forward Azuolas Tubelis will be a handful. A win over the Wildcats would be massive but even if they fall, both San Diego State and Ohio State are solid resume builders as well. But if the Bearcats lose that game as well, it could be a miserable Maui experience on the court with nothing to come home with.

Bryant – Dec 4th

Bryant dominated the Northeast Conference last season and made the NCAA Tournament and may have an even better roster now, led by several quality transfers including Earl Timberlake from Memphis. With 18 ppg scoring guard Charles Pride back, there’s a lot of firepower on this roster, similar to the Monmouth team that beat the Bearcats a year ago.

Xavier – Dec 10th

One of the best rivalries in college basketball continues, with the Bearcats looking to exact some revenge on the Musketeers’ homecourt. They have a new head coach in Sean Miller but bring back the frontcourt duo in Jack Nunge and Zach Freemantle. The backcourt is a little different, with transfer Souley Boum set to run the offense.

Cincinnati’s veteran backcourt has the edge but how they deal with Xavier inside will likely decide the matchup. Unless the Bearcats can make some noise in the Maui Invitational, this is their best chance to improve their resume before Big East play, making the game all of the more consequential.