Cincinnati basketball vs San Francisco prediction: Who has edge in 2024 NIT

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It’s win or hang up the sneakers from here on out for the University of Cincinnati Bearcats. Denied an NCAA bid despite an NCAA NET rating better than many teams in the field, UC will now host a first-round NIT game for the second consecutive season under Wes Miller.

The Bearcats will take on the San Francisco Dons from the West Coast Conference who won 23 games this season. The Bearcats and Dons have only played once before when UC won 89-88 on Feb. 28, 1976 at Cincinnati Gardens. That team featured 7-foot-1 Bill Cartwright who went on to be a 1st-round pick of the New York Knicks.

Gale Catlett’s Bearcats were 25-6 that year losing in the NCAA tournament to No. 7 Notre Dame.

After winning a pair of games in the Big 12 tournament in Kansas City, UC coach Wes Miller will lead the Bearcats in an NIT game Wednesday night at 9 p.m. vs. San Francisco at Fifth Third Arena.

Both schools feature Basketball Hall of Famers

As UC is known for Oscar Robertson and Jack Twyman, San Francisco had Bill Russell and K.C. Jones who both went on to win multiple NBA titles with the Boston Celtics.

Boston Celtics center Bill Russell (6) fights for a loose ball against Cincinnati Royals guard Oscar Robertson (14) at Cincinnati Gardens. The alma maters of the two Hall of Famers play Wednesday night in the NIT as the Big O’s Bearcats take on the San Francisco Dons where Russell starred.

UC could host more NIT games

Last season, UC made its first postseason appearance since 2019 when they defeated Virginia Tech at Fifth Third Arena, then beat Hofstra on the road before losing in the NIT quarterfinals to Utah Valley University. They were a win away from the semifinals in Las Vegas.

UC couldn’t use Fifth Third Arena beyond one game due to pre-scheduled floor resurfacing, otherwise, they could have had three home games to make the NIT “Final Four”. This year, there are no such roadblocks, if they can regroup and keep winning,

Ticket information

Tickets go on sale Monday at noon on www.gobearcats.com. Courtside,…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/cincinnati-basketball-vs-san-francisco-033348653.html

Author : Cincinnati.com | The Enquirer

Publish date : 2024-03-18 03:33:48

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