The top two colleges in the state of Ohio in terms of enrollment will meet on the hardwood again, only this time it will be outdoors.
The Cincinnati Bearcats and Ohio State Buckeyes are the opening exhibition game in the CareSource Invitational at 3 p.m. Oct. 7, which will be played at the Lindner Tennis Center in Mason.
Fans in the grandstand will now see nets on both ends, as opposed to the big net in the middle that graces the court each August at the Cincinnati Open.The Xavier Musketeers and Dayton Flyers will follow the Bearcats and Buckeyes at 5:30 p.m. Should weather interfere, the games will move to the University of Dayton Arena.
"We'll probably play 12-13 players," new UC coach Jerrod Calhoun said. "It's a chance for us to get a little
dry run and see where we're at. I think (the event) is really, really neat. I hope we sell a lot of tickets and get a lot of Bearcats fans there."
Calhoun predicts an ugly shooting game based on a conversation with Vanderbilt's coach Mark Byington. The Commodores just beat Virginia at a tennis facility in Charleston, South Carolina, but struggled to see the basket at times because of the sun.
Early weather forecasts project sun with temperatures in the lower 80s, so UC's afternoon tip-off could warrant some sunglasses for the coaches.
UC last played Ohio State in an exhibition in October 2024 at Fifth Third Arena, winning 80-62 in what may have been the highlight of a 19-16 season under Wes Miller. A much-hyped preseason eventually ended with a disappearance from the polls by January.
In the regular season, the Buckeyes have won five straight, with the latest coming in 2022 in the Maui Invitational. Before 2006, the two teams hadn't played since 1962, when the Bearcats won the second of their back-to-back national championships against Ohio State.
Buy Cincinnati Bearcats basketball tickets
3 keys for Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Ohio State Buckeyes
1. Cincinnati Bearcats must avoid injuries
The afternoon start time is because the portable floor could develop condensation in the evening hours, and nobody wants to see their favorite players slip and fall in an exhibition.
2. Team bonding must continue as it did in Bahamas
The Bearcats went 2-0 in the Baha Mar Summer Hoops Classic, but the competition the two Canadian teams presented was nothing like what UC will see from Ohio State. Calhoun has "We Over Me" surrounding Fifth Third Arena, and his teams often feature position-less players making even contributions.
Seven players were in double figures in a 47-point win over Victoria on Aug. 4. The next day, in a 41-point drubbing of Calgary, 11 players played double-digit minutes, with four in double figures.
Ohio State is a Top 25 team, according to some outlets, coming off a 21-13 season.
"Every game we play, we're going to take it serious like it's a Final Four game," UC guard Akai Fleming said.
Said guard Trevian Carson, "It's just another game on the schedule. We're fixin' to go hoop."
Cincinnati Bearcats, fans must understand the meaning of an exhibition
After Wes Miller's crew started 2024 with an exhibition win over Ohio State, it went to Ann Arbor to start last year and beat the eventual NCAA champion Michigan Wolverines 100-98. For some, it felt like a major triumph, but in the end, these games don't count.
A week after taking down Michigan, UC was paddled in Bud Walton Arena by Arkansas 89-61.
Before Mick Cronin's final season, which ended in the NCAA Tournament, UC lost an exhibition to Carleton of Canada. If you go back to the 1991-92 Final Four team coached by Bob Huggins, it lost to Athletes In Action in an exhibition where the Bearcats blew a 20-point lead.
Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Ohio State Buckeyes tip time
Tip: 3 p.m. Oct. 7, Lindner Tennis Center in Mason (12,000)
TV/Radio: TBD (likely gobearcats.com)
Series: Ohio State leads (non-exhibitions) 42-39
Ohio State Buckeyes scouting report
Record: 21-13, 12-8 Big Ten in 2025-26
Coach: Jake Diebler, third season, 44-30
Offense: 79.3 ppg
Defense: 72.6 ppg
Ohio State projected starters
(Position, Height, Stats)
Justin Pippen (G, 6'4", 14.2 ppg)
John Mobley Jr. (G, 6'2", 15.7 ppg)
Anthony Thompson (F, 6'9", 24.9 ppg/high school)
Amare Bynum (F, 6'8", 9.7 ppg)
Josh Ojianwuna (C, 6'10", 7.4 ppg)
Cincinnati Bearcats scouting report
Record: 18-15, 9-9 Big 12
Coach: Jerrod Calhoun, first year; 297-159 overall with five seasons in Division II and nine in Division I
Offense: 73.1 ppg (under Wes Miller)
Defense: 67.6 ppg (under Wes Miller)
Cincinnati Bearcats projected starters
(Position, Height, Stats)
Tylen Riley (G, 6'2", 15 ppg)
Myles Colvin (G, 6'5", 11.6 ppg)
Adlan Elamin (F, 6'10", 6.7 ppg)
Jayden Hastings (C, 6'10", 6.7 ppg)
Tyler Tejada (F, 6'9", 17.7 ppg)
Cincinnati Bearcats, Ohio State Buckeyes to watch
Quite honestly, for UC, watch them all, as many fans haven't seen these players if they didn't catch the streaming of the Bahamas games. Adlan Elamin has pro potential, Myles Colvin has incredible leaping ability and savvy, Tyler Tejada can really shoot and Akai Fleming has improved immensely since his arrival. Elamin is another Utah State transfer; Colvin comes from Wake Forest, Tejada from Towson and Fleming from Georgia Tech. MJ Collins remains ineligible with his college future in the hands of lawyers and judges.
For the Buckeyes, John Mobley Jr. withdrew from the NBA draft and is a 41% 3-point shooter. Justin Pippen is a Cal transfer and, yes, is the son of Naismith Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen. Anthony Thompson is from Lebanon and once played against former UC Bearcat Tyler McKinley on the local prep circuit. Underneath, 6-foot-10, 270-pound Josh Ojianwuna is a Baylor transfer who has faced UC before.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Basketball exhibition scouting report for UC Bearcats vs. Ohio State
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