The University of Cincinnati announced its 2026 non‑conference men’s basketball slate, a schedule that blends early‑season tests with holiday‑time showcases. Exhibition contests are set against traditional powerhouses Ohio State, Illinois and Minnesota, while the season opener arrives on November 2 when the Bearcats host American University at Fifth Third Arena.
A marquee matchup arrives on December 5, when Cincinnati meets Xavier in the annual Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout, a game that draws statewide attention each year. Later in the month the Bearcats will welcome Minnesota of the Big Ten on November 9, a team that helped christen the arena back in 1989, and they will travel to Orlando for the ESPN Events Invitational on Thanksgiving to face Georgia.
Boston College coach Luke Murray, who previously worked under Chris Mack at Xavier and Louisville, is slated to bring his Eagles to Fifth Third Arena on November 27, a reunion that adds a narrative twist involving former Bearcat post player Jayden Hastings, who spent last season at Boston College.
The women’s basketball team will head to Cancun, Mexico, for the Cancun Challenge from November 26‑27, where they will square off against Miami (Ohio) and Minnesota in a six‑team field that also includes Kansas, Missouri State, Washington State and others.
Additional non‑conference opponents on the horizon include Dayton, BYU, Clemson, Illinois, and a host of other mid‑major programs, ensuring a varied competitive landscape before conference play begins.
Rivalries and Holiday Highlights
The early‑season meeting with Illinois pits the Bearcats against a squad ranked No. 5 in the initial KenPom projections and No. 5 in last year’s AP poll, while Illinois coach Brad Underwood shares a coaching lineage with former Kansas State assistant Brad Underwood, echoing the path of UC’s own Jarred Calhoun.
Clemson will meet Cincinnati again on December 18 at Heritage Bank Center in the CareSource Invitational, a rematch that recalls a dramatic comeback the previous year that fell just short.
The schedule also features a November 14 showdown with Dayton, a date that coincides with the football Bearcats’ contest against Iowa State, underscoring the multi‑sport overlap at the university.