Cincinnati Bearcats basketball: Admission free to Red-Black scrimmage at Princeton High
Tom Groeschen
The public will get its first look at the 2018-19 University of Cincinnati men's basketball team Thursday night.
UC will hold its 2018 Red-Black scrimmage on Thursday at Princeton High School in Sharonville, with Fifth Third Arena in the final stages of renovation. Doors open at 6 p.m. with tipoff set for 7 p.m., and admission is free.
The scrimmage benefits the American Cancer Society’s Coaches vs. Cancer program. Fans can make donations to the Coaches vs. Cancer program online or at the event.
Seating at the arena located on campus in Viking Village is limited, with capacity 2,500.
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Led by junior guard Jarron Cumberland and senior guards Justin Jenifer and Cane Broome, the 2018-19 Bearcats are coming off back-to-back 30-win seasons for the first time in program history and look to defend their 2017-18 AAC regular-season and tournament championships. UC seeks its ninth straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
UC this week was picked to finish second in the American Athletic Conference preseason coaches poll.
"We definitely feel like we're second to none," Broome said. "We feel like we’ll be the best in the league, as everybody else should. But we don’t want to be second. We want to be first."
UC coach Mick Cronin usually splits his best players among the Red and Black teams, hoping for competitive balance. Cronin said he is still searching for a starting lineup.
"Right now we’ll really rely on Jarron and our two seniors, Justin and Cane, early in the season as our other guys need to get game minutes," Cronin said. "Nysier Brooks, Eliel Nsoseme, Tre Scott, Rashawn Fredericks, Keith Williams, Trevor Moore and Logan Johnson all need to get game minutes."
UC returns to Fifth Third Arena for an exhibition game against Tusculum on Thursday, Nov. 1, before its season opener with Ohio State on Wednesday, Nov. 7.