Cincinnati Bearcats basketball to meet Villanova in Big East/Big 12 Challenge in December
The Big East/Big 12 Challenge is back and will feature the University of Cincinnati Bearcats basketball team this season. After word leaked out early in the week, UC's game in Philadelphia against Villanova was announced Thursday morning.
Cincinnati will play at Villanova on Saturday, Dec. 3. The Bearcats and Wildcats haven't played since 2013 when Mick Cronin's Bearcats defeated Jay Wright's squad 68-50. JaQuon Parker and Sean Kilptatrcik each had 19 points.
Villanova leads the all-time series 6-4, with nine of those games happening as Big East foes (2006-13) and another in 1947. UC has claimed the last three,
The Battle matchups, which feature five Sweet 16 teams and seven ranked in the final AP poll, are jointly determined by the two conferences, with the home team choosing the venue of its game. Broadcast arrangements for the contests will be determined by the national television rights holder of the home team, which is FOX Sports for the Big East and ESPN for the Big 12. Xavier also plays in the event, visiting TCU on Dec. 6.
Return to Heritage Bank Center
Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports posted the likelihood of a UC/Dayton rematch Thursday.
NEWS: Cincinnati and Dayton are working to finalize an
agreement to meet next season at Heritage Bank Center in downtown Cincinnati, according to multiple sources. https://t.co/AJcnuujqkl— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 25, 2024
Last Dec. 16, the two teams met in the arena just hours after a Cincinnati Bengals home game with the Flyers winning 82-68 in front of 14,000-plus fans. The majority were UD fans who seized the opportunity to watch their team against the Bearcats. The game is believed to have some NIL tie-ins for both schools.
Who plays?
While still adding pieces to the puzzle, 247Sports.com ranks Wes Miller's class of two transfers and two high school players as No. 21 in the country. Tyler Betsey, who is anywhere from 6-foot-6 to 6-foot-8 depending on your internet source is ranked No. 59 in the ESPN Top 100 for 2024. Tyler McKinley, who played locally at Walnut Hills and Winton Woods, is 6-foot-8 and was No. 82 in the ESPN Top 100.
From the 2023 ESPN Top 100, Jizzle James was ranked No. 78, while Rayvon Griffith was No. 83. James just recently announced his return to the Bearcats, as did Griffith who redshirted his first year.
UC transfers Connor Hickman from Bradley, a 6-foot-2 guard, and Arrinten Page from Southern Cal, a 6-foot-11 center, are ranked No. 39 by 247Sports, though the Bearcats are likely to make additions in this area.
Of note, Duke's Sean Stewart, a 6-foot-9 forward who played AAU ball with James is available. Recently, Labaron Philon from the Link Academy Wes Miller is familiar with, de-committed from Kansas. Philon had UC on his shortlist before committing to the Jayhawks and was in attendance at Kansas in January when UC played at Allen Fieldhouse.
Also back for the Bearcats are Dan Skillings Jr,, Day Day Thomas, Simas Lukošius, Aziz Bandaogo and Josh Reed. Bandaogo has indicated he was testing the NBA draft process but was returning in all likelihood.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: CIncinnati Bearcats to play at Villanova in Big East/Big 12 Challenge
