Cincinnati Bearcats Basketball Faces Tough UCF Knights Test

Bearcats look to bounce back after recent struggles as they host UCF in Big 12 matchup

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

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The Cincinnati Bearcats basketball team is under .500 in February for the first time since 2008 after a tough loss to West Virginia. They now turn their attention to a Sunday afternoon battle against the UCF Knights, who are having a strong season in the Big 12. Cincinnati will need to find a way to overcome their injury issues and poor shooting to try and pull off the home win against the surging Knights.

Why it matters

This game is an important conference matchup for both teams as they look to position themselves for the postseason. Cincinnati is struggling with injuries and poor shooting, while UCF has been one of the surprise teams in the Big 12 this year. A win for the Bearcats would help them get back on track, while a UCF victory would further cement their status as a contender in the conference.

The details

Cincinnati lost to West Virginia on Thursday despite holding a 14-point lead, with head coach Wes Miller apologizing to fans for the team's inability to close out the game. The Bearcats are dealing with several key injuries, including to forward Moustapha Thiam, who missed the West Virginia game and is questionable for Sunday. Without Thiam and other injured players, Cincinnati has very little forward size and depth to work with. UCF, meanwhile, has been solid across the board this season and is led by guard Riley Kugel, who scored 19 points in the teams' first meeting. The Bearcats will need to find a way to contain Kugel and shoot the ball better than their 48.6% effective field goal percentage, which ranks 323rd nationally.

  • Cincinnati lost to West Virginia on Thursday, February 6, 2026.
  • The Cincinnati vs. UCF game is scheduled for Sunday, February 9, 2026 at 2 p.m. ET.

The players

Wes Miller

The head coach of the Cincinnati Bearcats basketball team.

Moustapha Thiam

A forward for the Cincinnati Bearcats who missed the West Virginia game due to an ankle injury and is questionable for the UCF game.

Riley Kugel

A guard for the UCF Knights who scored 19 points in the teams' first meeting this season.

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What they’re saying

“I want to apologize to our fans and all the people who support Cincinnati basketball. It's not OK. I don't want for one second for people to think that I think it's OK. In this program, there's a higher standard. There's no excuse. None of the circumstances matters. We have to close games out.”

— Wes Miller, Head Coach (SI.com)

What’s next

If Moustapha Thiam is unable to play on Sunday, it will be a major challenge for Cincinnati to keep up with the high-powered UCF offense. The Bearcats will need to find a way to contain Riley Kugel and shoot the ball more efficiently if they hope to pull off the home win.

The takeaway

This game highlights the struggles Cincinnati has faced this season with injuries and poor shooting, as they try to overcome those issues against a strong UCF team that has been one of the surprise teams in the Big 12. A win would be a much-needed boost for the Bearcats, but it will require them to play at a high level despite their current limitations.