Cincinnati Bearcats Basketball Announces Tip Off Time Change For BYU Home Game

The Bearcats' Senior Night game against BYU has been moved to a later 9 p.m. ET tip-off.

Published on Mar. 1, 2026

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The Cincinnati Bearcats' basketball game against BYU on March 3 has been moved to a 9 p.m. ET tip-off, later than the originally scheduled 7 p.m. start time. The game will be broadcast on ESPN or ESPN2 and is part of the Bearcats' Senior Night festivities.

Why it matters

The time change to a later tip-off is a tougher ask for the home fans, but it provides a better TV window for a projected tough matchup between the Bearcats and the 23rd-ranked Cougars. Cincinnati is looking to build momentum heading into the final stretch of the season as they try to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

The details

The Big 12 Conference made the decision to move the tip-off time for the Cincinnati-BYU game, which was originally scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. The game will now tip off at 9 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN or ESPN2.

  • The game is scheduled for Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
  • The original tip-off time was 7 p.m. ET.
  • The new tip-off time is 9 p.m. ET.

The players

Jizzle James

A guard for the Cincinnati Bearcats.

A.J. Dybantsa

A player for the BYU Cougars.

Wes Miller

The head coach of the Cincinnati Bearcats.

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What they’re saying

“A bunch of guys are playing in a rhythm. It hasn't happened all year, and it's happened in the last two games. We felt like we put together this special roster, but we've never really had it together with any real continuity. It's nice to see the ball go in the last couple of games.”

— Wes Miller, Head Coach (si.com)

“There were some good things, but the best thing is that we won a game down the stretch when things weren't going our way, and I think that's something we can continue to build off. I'm really proud that we're figuring that out.”

— Wes Miller, Head Coach (si.com)

What’s next

The Bearcats have a big game against Kansas on Saturday, February 25 at 1 p.m. ET on CBS before their Senior Night matchup against BYU on March 3.

The takeaway

The Bearcats are looking to build momentum heading into the final stretch of the season and secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The time change for the BYU game provides a better TV window but a tougher ask for the home fans, as Cincinnati tries to take down the 23rd-ranked Cougars on Senior Night.