With the Big 12 announcing their men’s college basketball matchups Thursday, June 12, the University of Cincinnati Bearcats will have numerous opportunities to showcase their highly-rated recruiting class against some highly-rated teams.
Most notably, Wes Miller’s fourth Cincinnati Bearcats squad will have to square off with Kelvin Sampson’s national runners-up, the Houston Cougars twice.
While it’s a great opportunity, UC hasn’t beat Houston in the last 12 tries dating to Feb. 1, 2020 when John Brannen was coach. After that win UC was 33-3 lifetime against the Cougars but they haven’t won since. Under Miller, the Bearcats have come up short by single digits four times.
However in 2025, just like the stock market, past results aren’t always indicative of future results. Only two current Bearcats (Jizzle James and Day Day Thomas) played for UC against Houston and the team has eight newcomers. Moustapha Thiam did face the Cougars as the UCF center.
Looking ahead, here are your Cincinnati Bearcats basketball matchups for 2025-26 (dates and times to be announced).
Cincinnati Bearcats
Big 12 home and home schedule
Houston Cougars – UC played the Cougars just once last season, losing 73-64 March 1. They’ve lost 12 straight in the series.
UCF Knights – UC beat the Knights 93-83 in February in Orlando, but short-handed UCF knocked UC out of the College Basketball Crown tournament 88-80 April 3. Adding to the intrigue is 7-foot-2 center Moustapha Thiam transferred to UC along with UCF big man coach Mamadou N’Diaye by the end of April.
West Virginia Mountaineers – The Mountaineers swept the Bearcats Feb. 2 and Feb. 19. Darian DeVries and son Tucker have since bolted for Indiana and Ross Hodge comes from North Texas to coach WVU. Sencire Harris, a defensive stopper, joined the Bearcats in early April after tormenting them as a Mountaineer last season.
Cincinnati Bearcats Big 12 home schedule
Baylor – The return of Dan Skillings Jr. Skillings transferred to Scott Drew’s Bears in Waco in mid-April but will now return to face his old teammates. UC was trounced in Waco in early January, but downed the Bears in late February. If you look at it as a trade, Miller picked up wing Jalen Celestine from Baylor less than a week after the departure of Skillings.
BYU – UC lost by 28 in Provo in January, then beat the Cougars by 18 in February at Fifth Third Arena.
Colorado – In their only meeting, UC beat the Buffaloes in Boulder 68-62 Jan. 15.
Iowa State – UC lost in Ames to the Cyclones 81-70 during the regular season but did lead early in the second half. Iowa State then eliminated the Bearcats in the second round of the Big 12 tournament March 12.
Oklahoma State – UC lost by 11 in Stillwater March 8, then beat the Cowboys three days later in the Big 12 tournament by 19.
Utah – The Bearcats split with the Utes, losing by three in late January in Utah then beating them by 10 Feb. 15.
Cincinnati Bearcats Big 12 road-only opponents
Arizona – The Wildcats beat UC at Fifth Third Arena Jan. 4 72-67.
Arizona State – Bobby Hurley’s Sun Devils lost to UC, 67-60 Jan. 18.
Kansas – In their lone meeting last season, the Bearcats led the Jayhawks 25-24 at halftime, but scored just 15 second-half points to lose 54-40. In their meeting at Phog Allen Fieldhouse in 2024, UC lost by five in a game that was tied at halftime.
Kansas State – The Wildcats beat UC by three in late 2024 and again by five in March damaging their NCAA hopes.
TCU – UC won the lone meeting 75-63 in February.
Texas Tech – The hot-shooting Red Raiders beat the Bearcats 81-71 in January. The previous season, UC went on the road to Lubbock and knocked off the then-No. 15 Red Raiders 75-72.
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