CINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati men's basketball team opens its 18-game league schedule on New Year's Day at Fifth Third Arena against UConn, as the American Athletic Conference announced the 2019-20 composite schedule Friday. 

All of Cincinnati's 18 conference games will be televised by national or regional networks, including the Wednesday, Jan. 1 contest against the Huskies which will air on CBS Sports Network at 7 p.m. ET. It marks the third time in seven seasons in the league the Bearcats have started AAC play on New Year's Day.  

Cincinnati, who has won the most AAC games since league formation (2013-14) and has claimed each of the last two American Championship titles, battles 2018-19 AAC regular-season champion Houston twice in 2019-20. The Bearcats play host to the Cougars on Saturday, Feb. 1 (6 p.m. on ESPN2) and visit Houston on Sunday, March 1 (1 p.m. on ESPN). 

The Bearcats also face longtime rival Memphis twice, taking on the Tigers in the Bluff City on Thursday, Jan. 16 (7 p.m. on ESPN) and in Cincinnati on Thursday, Feb. 13 (7 p.m. on ESPN or ESPN2). 

Wichita State and Cincinnati have played five exciting games since the Shockers joined the league prior to the 2017-18 campaign. The two teams meet twice during 2019-20, first in Wichita, Kan., on Thursday, Feb. 6 (7 p.m. on ESPN or ESPN2) before a matchup in the Queen City on Sunday, Feb. 23 (1 p.m. ESPN). 

New head coach John Brannen will lead the Bearcats into three battles against the other two new head coaches in the league. Cincinnati's first league road game of the season takes place at Tulane on Saturday, Jan. 4 (4 p.m. on CBS Sports Network) against the Green Wave's new mentor, Ron Hunter. The Bearcats also face new Temple head coach Aaron McKie and his Owls in Philadelphia on Wednesday, Jan. 22 (7 p.m. on ESPNews) and on Senior Night at Fifth Third Arena on Saturday, March 7 (8 p.m. on CBS Sports Network). 

Other conference home games include matchups with Tulsa on Wednesday, Jan. 8 (7 p.m. on ESPN2 or ESPNU), ECU on Sunday, Jan. 19 (6 p.m. on ESPNU), SMU on Tuesday, Jan. 28 (7 p.m. on ESPNews) and UCF on Wednesday, Feb. 19 (7 p.m. on ESPN2 or ESPNU). 

Other conference road games for the Bearcats include visits to UCF on Saturday, Jan. 11 (noon on ESPN2), UConn in Storrs Conn., on Sunday, Feb. 9 (noon on CBS Sports Network), ECU on Sunday, Feb. 16 (noon on CBS Sports Network) and USF on Tuesday, March 3 (7 p.m. on ESPNU). 

The 2020 American Championship is March 12-15 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. ESPN networks will provide live coverage of all four days of the championship.

All games airing on an ESPN network will also be available through the ESPN App, computers, smartphones, tablets and streaming devices to fans who receive their high-speed Internet connection or video subscription from an affiliated service provider.

CBS Sports' coverage will be available to stream live via the CBS All Access subscription service, with additional coverage on CBSSports.com and CBS Sports HQ. CBS Sports Network is widely available through all major cable, satellite and telco distributors as well as via OTT streaming service providers YouTube TV, fuboTV, PlayStation Vue, DirecTV and Hulu. Additionally, a live CBS Sports Network stream is available through CBSSports.com and the CBS Sports App by authenticating with select providers. For more information, including a full programming schedule, go to cbssportsnetwork.com.

// TIP TIMES FOR TENNESSEE AND VERMONT HOME GAMES ANNOUNCED
Game times and television designation for a pair of Cincinnati nonconference home games were also announced Friday. The Bearcats will face 2019 American East Conference champion Vermont on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network and welcome Tennessee to Fifth Third Arena on Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2. The Volunteers advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament a year ago. 

// BEARCATS TO FACE THOMAS MORE IN EXHIBITION CONTEST
Cincinnati's lone exhibition game of the preseason will feature a matchup against nearby Thomas More on Thursday, Oct. 31 at Fifth Third Arena. The contest will tip at 7 p.m. and be streamed live on BEARCATS TV at GoBearcats.com. Thomas More moved to the NAIA level on July 1, 2019.  

// A CLOSER LOOK AT CINCINNATI'S OPPONENTS IN 2019-20
Among the 2018-19 accomplishments achieved by Cincinnati's upcoming opponents: 

• 16 teams won 20 or more games
• 16 teams advanced to postseason play
• 15 teams finished in the Top 100 of the NET Rankings
• Nine teams participated in the NCAA Tournament 
• Seven nonconference teams finished first or second in their league

// ABOUT THE BEARCATS
John Brannen, who takes the reigns as head coach at Cincinnati in 2019-20, guided Northern Kentucky to two Horizon League regular-season championships and two tournament titles in the previous three seasons. The Bearcats welcome seven newcomers and return three starters, including AAC Player of the Year Jarron Cumberland, from a year ago when they posted a 28-7 overall mark, won the American Championship for the second year in a row and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the ninth consecutive season.

// "BEARCATS MADNESS PRESENTED BY SKYLINE CHILI" SCHEDULED FOR OCT. 4 
After 15 years, University of Cincinnati Athletics, in collaboration with UC Student Government and Skyline Chili, will once again celebrate the start of basketball season with a "Bearcats Madness" event at Fifth Third Arena. 

Festivities start at 11:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 4, following the football game against UCF. 

Be sure to get your first look at the men's and women's basketball teams and hear from men's coach John Brannen and women's coach Michelle Clark-Heard. 

Admission is free. Fifth Third Arena doors open at 10 p.m.

ARENA ENTRANCE NOTE: Fans coming to the event after attending the football game at Nippert Stadium should enter Fifth Third Arena on the west concourse. Fans attending the basketball event only should enter the arena on the east concourse. Gameday arena bag policies will be in effect. 

// FOLLOW THE TEAM
Stay connected with Cincinnati men's basketball on Facebook (GoBearcatsMBB), Twitter (@GoBearcatsMBB) and Instagram (GoBearcatsMBB).