League Announces 2017-18 Men’s Basketball Pairings

The American Athletic Conference announced the 2017-18 men's basketball pairings Thursday. 

With the addition of Wichita State to the league for this coming season, the new 12-team format sees each team playing seven of its 11 opponents twice and its four remaining opponents once each, two at home and two away. 

// CINCINNATI'S CONFERENCE PAIRINGS

Cincinnati will play UCF, UConn, Houston, Memphis, SMU, Temple and Wichita State both home and away during the 2017-18 campaign. The Bearcats will face East Carolina and Tulsa at home with games taking place at BB&T Arena while meetings with USF and Tulane will occur on the road.

The complete 2017-18 men's basketball schedule with dates and times will be announced at a later date. 

// TEAM-BY-TEAM LEAGUE HOME AND AWAY PAIRINGS

UCF
Home and Away: Cincinnati, UConn, Memphis, USF, SMU, Temple, Wichita State
Home Only: Houston, Tulane
Road Only: East Carolina, Tulsa

Cincinnati
Home and Away: UCF, UConn, Houston, Memphis, SMU, Temple, Wichita State
Home Only: East Carolina, Tulsa
Road Only: USF, Tulane

UConn
Home and Away: UCF, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Memphis, Temple, Tulsa, Wichita State
Home Only: USF, SMU
Road Only: Houston, Tulane

East Carolina
Home and Away: UConn, Houston, Memphis, USF, SMU, Tulane, Tulsa
Home Only: UCF, Wichita State
Road Only: Cincinnati, Temple

Houston
Home and Away: Cincinnati, East Carolina, USF, SMU, Temple, Tulane, Wichita State
Home Only: UConn, Tulsa
Road Only: UCF, Memphis

Memphis
Home and Away: UCF, Cincinnati, UConn, East Carolina, USF, Tulane, Tulsa
Home Only: Houston, Wichita State
Road Only: SMU, Temple

USF
Home and Away: UCF, East Carolina, Houston, Memphis, SMU, Tulane, Tulsa
Home Only: Cincinnati, Temple
Road Only: UConn, Wichita State

SMU
Home and Away: UCF, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Houston, USF, Tulane, Wichita State
Home Only: Memphis, Temple
Road Only: UConn, Tulsa

Temple
Home and Away: UCF, Cincinnati, UConn, Houston, Tulane, Tulsa, Wichita State
Home Only: East Carolina, Memphis
Road Only: USF, SMU

Tulane
Home and Away: East Carolina, Houston, Memphis, USF, SMU, Temple, Tulsa
Home Only: Cincinnati, UConn
Road Only: UCF, Wichita State

Tulsa
Home and Away: UConn, East Carolina, Memphis, USF, Temple, Tulane, Wichita State
Home Only: UCF, SMU
Road Only: Cincinnati, Houston

Wichita State
Home and Away: UCF, Cincinnati, UConn, Houston, SMU, Temple, Tulsa
Home Only: USF, Tulane
Road Only: East Carolina, Memphis

// ABOUT THE AMERICAN

The American closed out the 2016-17 regular season with four teams selected for postseason play. SMU and Cincinnati both finished with top-25 national rankings in the Associated Press poll after reaching the NCAA Tournament, while UCF advanced to the semifinals of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). Additionally, Houston returned to the NIT for the second straight season.

Entering 2017-18, nearly 60 percent of the points scored and minutes played across The American return to their respective teams. Four squads (Cincinnati, Temple, Tulsa, and Wichita State) bring back over 70 percent of their points from last season, while half the players selected first or second team all-conference return as well. 

// ABOUT THE BEARCATS

Cincinnati's 2017-18 squad features three returning starters from last season's team that posted the second-most wins in school history (30-6), tied the school mark for conference wins (16-2) and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the seventh consecutive year.

// 2017-18 CINCINNATI SEASON TICKET DEPOSITS

Secure your seats now for Cincinnati basketball by placing a $50 season ticket deposit. Call 1-877-CATS-TIX or log online at GoBearcats.com/tickets. The Bearcats will play their home games during the 2017-18 campaign at Northern Kentucky University's BB&T Arena while Fifth Third Arena undergoes renovations before its scheduled reopening for the 2018-19 season.