Men's Basketball Hosts Thomas More in Exhibition Game

THOMAS MORE (16-9*) at CINCINNATI (28-7*)
Thursday, Oct. 31  // 6 p.m. (ET)
Fifth Third Arena // Cincinnati, Ohio
* - Records from 2018-19 season
SERIES INFO: First meeting
COACHES: John Brannen is in his first season at Cincinnati (0-0); Sixth season overall (82-52)
Justin Ray is in his second season at Thomas More (16-9); second season overall (16-9)
AP/USA TODAY RANKINGS (PRESEASON): Cincinnati (RV/-) 
RADIO: None
TV: BEARCATS TV streamed on GoBearcats.com - WATCH
Dan Hoard provides play-by-play alongside color analyst Kevin Johnson
JOIN THE CONVERSATION (TWITTER, FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM): @GoBearcatsMBB or GoBearcatsMBB

// GAME PREVIEW

• Cincinnati fans get the opportunity to watch the Bearcats  in competition for the first time in the new John Brannen coaching era Thursday, Oct. 31, when UC plays its lone exhibition game of the preseason against Thomas More at 6 p.m. ET inside Fifth Third Arena. 
• The game will be streamed live by BEARCATS TV on GoBearcats.com - WATCH
• Tickets for the exhibition game start at $20. Fans can purchase tickets online at GoBearcats.com/Tickets or by calling 1-877-CATS-TIX. Fans can also celebrate Halloween at Fifth Third Arena with trick-or-treating before the game, starting at 4:30 p.m. on the concourse level.
• UC was picked to finish third in The American by the league's coaches at conference media day on Oct. 14. The Bearcats received 94 points and one first-place vote, finishing behind Houston (113 points, seven first-place votes) and Memphis (113 points, four first-place votes), who tied for first.
• UC senior guard Jarron Cumberland was tabbed the league's preseason player of the year. 
• Thursday marks the first meeting between Cincinnati and Thomas More. 
• UP NEXT: Cincinnati opens the regular-season on the road for the first time since the 2001-02 campaign when the Bearcats play at Ohio State on Wednesday, Nov. 6. Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m. on FS1 and 700 WLW.

// SCOUTING THOMAS MORE

• Thomas More University moved to the NAIA level and the Mid-South Conference from the NCAA Division III level on July 1, 2019. 
• The Saints posted a 16-9 record last season. 
• Thomas More suffered an 84-47 setback to John Brannen's Northern Kentucky squad in an exhibition game during the preseason a year ago (Oct. 30, 2018). 
• The 2019-20 Saints return two of their top six scorers in sophomore center Ryan Batte (10.8 points and 5.2 rebounds in 13 games) and junior forward Garren Bertsch (8.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 53.3 percent from the floor in 24 starts). 
• Newcomer Thomas More was picked to finish ninth in the Mid-South Conference in a preseason poll of league coaches.  

// SERIES HISTORY

• First meeting in series history.

// EXHIBITION RESULTS UNDER BRANNEN 

• John Brannen is 4-0 as a head coach in preseason exhibition games, posting wins during each of his four seasons at Northern Kentucky: 
• 11/30/18: NKU 84 Thomas More 47
• 11/4/17: NKU 81, Urbana Univ. (Ohio) 26
• 11/4/16: NKU 102, Wilmington 54
• 11/7/15: NKU 81, Ohio Northern 76

// CINCINNATI STORYLINES

• Thursday's exhibition game with Thomas More marks the first time Bearcats fans can witness new head coach John Brannen's squad in competition.
• Brannen was officially introduced as Cincinnati's head coach on April 14, 2019 after serving in the same position nine miles away at Northern Kentucky University the previous four seasons. 
• Brannen took the Norse to the postseason each of their last three seasons, including two appearances at the NCAA Tournament. His squads won the Horizon League regular-season title twice (2018, 2019) and the league tournament twice (2017, 2019).
• American Athletic Conference coaches predicted a third-place finish for Cincinnati in a preseason poll earlier this month. The Bearcats received 94 points and one first-place vote, finishing behind Houston (113 points, seven first-place votes) and Memphis (113 points, four first-place votes), who tied for first.
• Senior guard Jarron Cumberland was tabbed the AAC Preseason Player of the Year by the league's coaches. Other preseason honors for Cumberland include selection to the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Watch List, first-team All-America accolades from Lindy's Sports Magazine and third-team All-America praise from NBCSports.com, among others.
• Cumberland (18.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists) along with redshirt-senior forward Trevon Scott (9.3 points, 6.9 rebounds) and junior guard Keith Williams (9.9 points, 3.2 rebounds) are the three returning starters from last year's squad that posted a 28-7 overall mark, finished second in the AAC at 14-4, won its second consecutive AAC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the ninth consecutive season.