Both Cincinnati and San Francisco enter the first round of the National Invitation Tournament on the back of a 12-point loss to a ranked team in their respective conference tournaments.
The Bearcats were downed by Baylor in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament after upsetting Kansas in the second round. The Dons fell to Gonzaga in the semifinals of the West Coast Conference tournament.
Both teams are hungry for a win and for their journeys to continue into March. With both teams at 20 wins or above, the winner will be extending an already successful season.
Both teams also had no shortage of awards at the end of the regular season. Cincinnati's John Newman III was named to the Big 12's All-Defensive team, with 41 steals and seven blocks on the season. Dan Skillings Jr. and Aziz Bandaogo also earned honorable mentions.
San Francisco's Jonathan Mogbo was named the WCC Newcomer of the Year and Ryan Beasley earned WCC Freshman of the year. Mogbo and Marcus Williams were named to the All-WCC first team, and Ndewedo Newbury and Malik Thomas were given honorable mentions.
Here's what you need to know about Wednesday's matchup between Cincinnati and San Francisco, including broadcast information and start time.
What channel is Cincinnati vs. San Francisco on today?
- TV channel: None
- Live stream: ESPN+
The winner of this contest will face either Bradley or Loyola Chicago in the second round.
Fans looking to stream Cincinnati vs. San Francisco can watch live on ESPN+.
Cincinnati vs. San Francisco start time
- Date: Wednesday, March 20
- Time: 9 p.m. ET
The NIT game between Cincinnati and San Francisco is set to tip off at 9 p.m. ET from Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Cincinnati and San Francisco have only met once before in 1976, an overtime win in which the Bearcats emerged victorious. San Francisco won the NIT in 1949, taking down Loyola Chicago in the championship.
The Dons last appeared in the NIT in 2013-14 where they lost in the first round to LSU 71-63. Cincinnati has appeared in 12 NITs, most recently in the 2022-23 season.
Last year the Bearcats went all the way to the quarterfinals before losing to Utah Valley, but after winning twice on the road. They'll get to stay at home, however, at least for this first round.
2024 NIT schedule, scores
The NIT begins with Round 1, which is slated for Tuesday, March 19, and Wednesday, March 20. The entire schedule for Round 1 is included below.
Round 1: Tuesday, March 19
| Game | Time (ET) | Location | TV Channel/Live Stream |
| Providence vs. Boston College | 7 p.m. | Amica Mutual Pavilion | ESPNU/Sling |
| Georgia vs. Xavier | 7 p.m. | Stegeman Coliseum | ESPN/Sling |
| Ohio State vs. Cornell | 7 p.m. | Value City Arena | ESPN2/Sling |
| LSU vs. North Texas | 7 p.m. | Pete Maravich Assembly Center | SEC Network/ESPN+ |
| Virginia Tech vs. Richmond | 9 p.m. | Cassell Coliseum | ESPN2/Sling |
| Butler vs. Minnesota | 9 p.m. | Hinkle Fieldhouse | ESPNU/Sling |
| Iowa vs. Kansas State | 9 p.m. | Carver-Hawkeye Arena | ESPN/Sling |
| Utah vs. UC Irvine | 11 p.m. | Jon M. Huntsman Center | ESPN2/Sling |
Round 2: Wednesday, March 20
| Game | Time (ET) | Location | TV Channel/Live Stream |
| Seton Hall vs. Saint Joseph's | 7 p.m. | Prudential Center | ESPN2/Sling |
| Indiana State vs. SMU | 7 p.m. | Hulman Center | ESPN+ |
| Bradley vs. Loyola Chicago | 7 p.m. | Carver Arena | ESPN+ |
| Princeton vs. UNLV | 8 p.m. | Jadwin Gymnasium | ESPN+ |
| Wake Forest vs. App. State | 8 p.m. | LJVM Coliseum | ESPN+ |
| Cincinnati vs. San Francisco | 9 p.m. | Fifth Third Arena | ESPN+ |
| Villanova vs. VCU | 9 p.m. | Finneran Pavilion | ESPN2/Sling |
| UCF vs. South Florida | 9 p.m. | Addition Financial Arena | ESPN+ |
If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Learn more >