The Cincinnati Bearcats women’s basketball team hopes it has a team that can put them in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in more than 20 years, based on its 2024-25 schedule.
Cincinnati’s last NCAA Tournament was in 2022, which was after the time of current Bearcats coach Katrina Merriweather, who was a player before that appearance. But, she was a graduate assistant on that team, so she at least got a taste of it.
Since then, the Bearcats have made WNIT bids, including one last year under Merriweather in spite of a losing record. But a berth in March Madness has proven elusive. It’s why she came back to her alma mater. Her two appearances leading Wright State is why her alma mater wanted her back.
The Bearcats schedule includes 10 non-conference games and 18 Big 12 games.
The Cougars’ lone tournament during non-conference is a trip north to the Atlantic Slam in Charlottetown, Prince Edward, Canada, with games against Georgetown and FGCU.
Cincinnati will open Big 12 action at Kansas State on Dec. 22 and end it at home against rival West Virginia on March 1.
The Big 12 Tournament will be held March 5-10 at T-Mobile Arena and all 16 teams will participate, with the top four teams in the final standings getting double byes and the teams that finished in fifth through eight place will get single byes.
Here is the entire schedule, with game times and television designations, which are subject to change.
Cincinnati Bearcats Women’s Basketball 2024-25 Schedule
(all times local)
Nov. 5 at UIC, 8 p.m.
Nov. 10 vs. Delaware State, 2 p.m., ESPN+
Nov. 13 vs. Davidson, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+
Nov. 18 vs. Seton Hall, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+
Nov. 22 vs. Georgetown@, 5 p.m., ESPN+
Nov. 24 vs. FGCU@, 3 p.m.
Dec. 3 vs. Central Connecticut State, 11 a.m., ESPN+
Dec. 6 vs. Western Illinois, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+
Dec. 15 at Xavier, 1 p.m., FloHoops
Dec. 18 vs. Marshall, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+
Dec. 22 at Kansas State*, 2 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 1 vs. BYU*, 2 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 4 at TCU*, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 8 vs. Oklahoma State*, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 11 at UCF*, 2 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 18 vs. Colorado*, 6 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 22 at Arizona*, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 25 at Arizona State*, TBA, ESPN+
Jan. 29 vs. Houston*, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+
Feb. 2 at Baylor*, 3 p.m., ESPN+
Feb. 5 vs. Iowa State*, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+
Feb. 8 vs. Kansas*, noon, ESPN+
Feb. 12 vs. Kansas State*, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+
Feb. 15 at West Virginia*, 2 p.m., ESPN+
Feb. 19 at Texas Tech*, 7 p.m., ESPN+
Feb. 23 vs. Utah*, 2 p.m., ESPN+
Feb. 26 at Oklahoma State*, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+
Mar. 1 vs. West Virginia*, 2 p.m., ESPN+
All home games in bold at Fifth Third Arena, Cincinnati, Ohio; *-Big 12 Conference games; @-Atlantic Slam, Charlottetown, PE, Canada; Big 12 Tournament is at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo., March 5-10.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
