Bearcats Head to Hartford Looking to Take AAC Title

The Cincinnati Bearcats finished the regular season with a 22-9 record, earning them a three seed in the American Athletic Conference.  Going 13-5 in conference play, Cincinnati finished a game behind the second seed Tulsa and two behind the number one seed, #20 SMU.  That third seed in the AAC Tournament is good for a first round bye.  Their first game of the tournament will take place on Friday, March 13th against the winner of USF and UCONN.  Tickets for the Bearcats game against either USF or UCONN are going for an average of $61.71 with a get-in price of $14.

Bearcats head coach Larry Davis will be happy that his team has earned a first round bye, which gives his players an extra day of rest and time to scout their next opponent.  In all likelihood, UCONN will defeat USF, who only managed a 9-22 record during the 2014/2015 regular season.  If this is the case, then Cincinnati will have their work cut out for them.  While UCONN is not having a great season by their standards, they still pose a major threat to the Bearcat’s title run, having beat them January at home by a score of 62-56.  In addition to Huskies prestige as a program, the tournament is taking place in Hartford, Connecticut, meaning this will essentially be an away game for the Bearcats.

Given the sprawling nature of the teams in this conference, travelers’ best bet might be looking for flights to New York City and traveling to Hartford from there. Hotels in New York City could be a good option, although staying in Hartford would be optimal. Either way, Hipmunk.com is the optimal source for booking your travel arrangements.

For Cincinnati, their star forward, junior Octavius Ellis, will be the key to their success in the postseason.  His 10 points per game and 7.3 rebounds per game lead the team in both categories.  Ellis scored 19 points in their most recent win over Memphis and notched 20 against UCF, both efforts coming in the Bearcat’s five game winning streak.  Even though they have a tough draw in the AAC Tournament, their current winning streak makes them one of the hottest teams coming into postseason play.  Tough away crowds and potential matchups against perennial powerhouse UCONN and no. 2 seeded Tulsa however, will make things a little more difficult for the number three seed in the AAC.