- Tipoff: 3 p.m. ET
- Television: ESPN3.com (Not technically TV but it can be viewed online)
- Announcing crew: Bob Picozzi (play-by-play), Malcolm Huckaby (analyst) and Jeff Goodman (sideline reporter)
- Radio: 700 WLW
- Announcing crew: Mo Egger (play-by-play) and Chuck Machock (analyst)
- Series history: Cincinnati has won both previous meetings with URI. Most recently, the Bearcats, ranked No. 17 at the time, took down a 70-53 decision on the road during the 1998-99 season. URI was also ranked at that time, sitting at No. 25. The two squads were also ranked in the first meeting, which came the season before the second, when No. 21 UC defeated No. 22 URI 88-82 at Fifth Third Arena.
The Naismith Hall of Fame Tip-Off at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut should make for a great weekend of college basketball. The biggest matchup of the first day is easily the showdown between the No. 24 Cincinnati Bearcats and the No. 21 Rhode Island Rams, two teams on the rise that are hungry to prove they belong among the nation’s elite.
UC, which features three returning starters and plenty of new talent, has ridden a hot start from scoring machine Jacob Evans and the strong debut of NC State transfer Kyle Washington to a 2-0 start. With an average margin of victory of 26 points, the Bearcats have not faced too much hardship, although Albany hung around for the first half on Monday. Matching up with URI should make for a tighter contest.
On the other side, URI has returned to basketball relevancy. Sporting a 3-0 record, the Rams are ranked in the AP poll for the first time since 2008 and only the fourth time in program history. The return to health of E.C. Matthews (20.0 PPG) is a major reason for the resurgence. The potential for a shootout between Evans and Matthews makes this game that much more intriguing.
Make sure to check out our full game preview before tip-off.
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