Cincinnati basketball vs San Francisco prediction: Who has edge in 2024 NIT

It's win or hang up the sneakers from here on out for the University of Cincinnati Bearcats. Denied an NCAA bid despite an NCAA NET rating better than many teams in the field, UC will now host a first-round NIT game for the second consecutive season under Wes Miller.

The Bearcats on Wednesday will take on the San Francisco Dons from the West Coast Conference who won 23 games this season. The Bearcats and Dons have only played once before when UC won 89-88 on Feb. 28, 1976 at Cincinnati Gardens. That team featured 7-foot-1 Bill Cartwright who went on to be a 1st-round pick of the New York Knicks.

Gale Catlett's Bearcats were 25-6 that year losing in the NCAA tournament to No. 7 Notre Dame.

Both schools feature Basketball Hall of Famers

As UC is known for Oscar Robertson and Jack Twyman, San Francisco had Bill Russell and K.C. Jones who both went on to win multiple NBA titles with the Boston Celtics.

UC could host more NIT games

Last season, UC made its first postseason appearance since 2019 when they defeated Virginia Tech at Fifth Third Arena, then beat Hofstra on the road before losing in the NIT quarterfinals to Utah Valley University. They were a win away from the semifinals in Las Vegas.

UC couldn't use Fifth Third Arena beyond one game due to pre-scheduled floor resurfacing, otherwise, they could have had three home games to make the NIT "Final Four". This year, there are no such roadblocks, if they can regroup and keep winning,

Ticket information

Tickets go on sale Monday at noon on www.gobearcats.com. Courtside, Arena Club, Champions Club, loges and suites are $35 per ticket. Lower-bowl reserved seatbacks are $25 and lower-bowl general admission (student section area) are $20 each and $10 for students.

Should UC win they would take on the winner of Bradley/Loyola-Chicago either Saturday or Sunday.

The 2024 semifinals and finals will be more accessible to Cincinnati fans should UC advance as they'll be held at Butler's Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Before last year's run in Las Vegas, the NIT semifinals were always at New York's Madison Square Garden with the exception of 2021 when it was held at North Texas, north of the Dallas-Fort Worth area, due to Covid-19.

3 keys for UC to win their NIT opener

1. Don't pout

Every player would prefer to be in the NCAA tournament, but several good teams are in the same predicament with a chance to make the best of it. Seton Hall, Providence, Wake Forest, Ohio State, Indiana State, Villanova, Iowa and Utah are just a few of the teams who also were snubbed. Ditto for Indiana, St. John's, Pitt, Memphis and Ole Miss who all elected to pass on the tournament. Not many teams or players get better by not playing their games.

On the ESPN2 selection show, former Marquette, Indiana and Georgia coach Tom Crean picked UC to win their bracket, while commentator Dalen Cuff likes the Bearcats to cut down the nets at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

2. Man up Mogbo

San Francisco power forward Jonathan Mogbo has been in double figures for 27 of their 33 games and has had double-digit rebounds in 18 of the 33. UC averages 39.5 rebounds per game to San Francisco's 33.9, but they were outrebounded by 12 in their Big 12 quarterfinal loss to Baylor.

3. Limit Dons to less than 70 points

San Francisco only won one game when they didn't score 70 or better, beating Seattle 62-59 back in December. Each time they have reached 80 or more they have won.

Cincinnati vs. San Francisco

Tip: 9 p.m., Wednesday (Fifth Third Arena)

TV/Radio: ESPN+/700WLW

Series: UC leads 1-0

Scouting report for San Francisco Dons

Record: 23-10 (11-5 West Coast Conference)

Coach: Chris Gerlufsen (second year 43-24)

Offense: 77.9 ppg

Defense: 66.3 ppg

Projected lineup

(Position, Height, Stats)

Jonathan Mogbo (F, 6'8", 14.4 ppg)

Malik Thomas (G, 6'5", 11.8 ppg)

Marcus Williams (G, 6'2", 14. 1ppg)

Ndewdo Newbury (F, 6'7", 9.3 ppg)

Mike Sharavjamts (G, 6'8", 7.8 ppg)

Cincinnati Bearcats scouting report

Record: 20-14 (7-11 Big 12, excluding Big 12 tournament games)

Coach: Wes Miller (third season, 61-42)

Offense: 74.6 ppg

Defense: 67.9 ppg

Projected lineup

(Position, Height, Stats)

Dan Skillings Jr., (F, 6'6", 12.6 ppg)

Day Day Thomas (G,6', 10.5 ppg)

John Newman III (F, 6'5", 9.6 ppg)

Simas Lukošius (G, 6'8", 10.7 ppg)

Aziz Bandaogo (C, 7', 6.7 ppg)

Players to watch

Jonathan Mogbo is a Missouri State transfer who packs 225 pounds on his 6-foot-8 frame. He tops the team in scoring and rebounding at 14.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. His best game was in early January against Pacific where he had 30 points and 18 rebounds. Of local interest, Mike Sharavjamts is originally from Mongolia but played some high school ball in Xenia and played a season with the Dayton Flyers. Sharavjamts, like Simas Lukošius gives the Dons a tall look at guard at 6-foot-8, though he weighs just 190 pounds.

Rankings

NCAA NET: UC is No. 37, San Francisco is No. 66

KenPom.com: UC is No. 33, San Francisco is No. 70

Prediction

UC lives to play another day as they down the Dons 77-69.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati vs San Francisco prediction, pick for NIT first round