TicketsCINCINNATI — The Cincinnati men’s basketball team is set to open its three-game exhibition schedule when it takes on Ohio State in the CareSource Invitational at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Lindner Family Tennis Center. The game is the first game of a doubleheader with the second featuring Xavier against Dayton.
Fans can tune in to audio for Cincinnati’s game on GoBearcats.com or the Bearcats App. Mo Egger and Terry Nelson will be on the call.
The CareSource Invitationals are a series of college basketball games focused on raising awareness and funds for adolescent and young adult mental health, with an emphasis on suicide prevention. Launched in 2023, these events are part of CareSource’s commitment to addressing whole-person health in communities through physical engagement and mental health support. Invitationals have engaged more than 10,000 high school students and reached over 100,000 college basketball fans nationwide.
Bearcat Bits
- The 2026-27 campaign marks the 126th season of competition for Cincinnati men’s basketball. Cincinnati, which was named a top-10 program in college basketball history by the Associated Press, boasts 44 All-Americans, 41 conference titles, six Final Four appearances and back-to-back national championships across its history, which dates back to the 1901-02 season.
- Cincinnati is under the direction of first-year head coach Jerrod Calhoun, who was named the 29th head coach in program history on March 24, 2026. The 2026 Mountain West Conference and 2023 Horizon League Coach of the Year has nine 20-win seasons as a head coach and has been a conference champion in three different leagues on his way to a 297-159 career record.
- The Bearcats welcome 14 newcomers to the program, with the lone returner fifth-year Grant Darbyshire. Cincinnati is one of just seven teams nationally to return zero points from a season ago.
- A veteran group, the Bearcats are comprised of a group of three fifth-year players, six seniors, two juniors and four sophomores without a freshman on the roster.
- Ohio State, under the direction of third-year head coach Jake Diebler, return starters John Mobley Jr. and Amare Bynum, while also welcoming eight newcomers to the roster. Mobley Jr. will be one of the top guards in the Big Ten this season as he has made 174 3-pointers and shot 40% from long range over his first two years.
- Cincinnati also has two more exhibitions slated in October at Fifth Third Arena. The Bearcats take on 2026 Final Four participant Illinois Oct. 17 and Oakland Oct. 27.
- The Bearcats, who open the regular season against American Nov. 2 at Fifth Third Arena will play 10 non-conference games at Fifth Third Arena before Big 12 play opens with a home matchup against Texas Tech Jan. 2.