Cincinnati Bearcats 2018-19 basketball headed to Canada in August for exhibitions

The University of Cincinnati men’s basketball team gets an early tune-up for the 2018-19 season with a five-day, three-game foreign tour in Canada, Aug. 4-8.

Cincinnati’s trip includes contests against the University of Ottawa on Aug. 5 in Montreal, Québec; Carleton University on Aug. 6 in Ottawa, Ontario; and McGill University on Aug. 7 in Montreal, Québec. The game against Ottawa will start at 2 p.m. ET while contests with Carleton and McGill will tip at 7 p.m. ET. The trip is coordinated through JD Sports.

NCAA rules allow for a foreign tour once every four years. In preparation for the trip the Bearcats will be allowed 10 practices.

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“It will be great to get the extra practice time this summer and three games in Canada,” Cronin said. “Losing Gary (Clark) and Kyle (Washington) will change our strategy in a few ways and this trip will give us a chance to get experience playing without them. I expect us to be much more consistent with our full-court pressure defense this season. Our roster will be the fastest group we’ve had in years.”

The trip is Cincinnati’s second to Canada during the Cronin coaching era (since 2006-07). The Bearcats played three games north of the border in August 2010 against McGill, Carleton and Ottawa. The Bearcats also took a six-day trip to the Bahamas in August 2014.