# 1996–97 Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball team

The 1996–97 Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball team represented the University of Cincinnati in NCAA Division I competition in the 1996–97 season. The Bearcats, coached by Bob Huggins, won Conference USA and reached the second round of the 1997 NCAA tournament. The team finished with an overall record of 26–8 (12–2 C-USA) and a No. 10 ranking in the final AP poll.

## Schedule

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site city, state |
| Regular Season ||||||
| Nov 23, 1996* | No. 1 | Western Carolina | W 99–72 | 1–0 | Myrl H. Shoemaker Center Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Nov 26, 1996* | No. 1 | Xavier | L 69–71 | 1–1 | Myrl H. Shoemaker Center Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Nov 30, 1996* | No. 1 | Rutgers | W 105–65 | 2–1 | Myrl H. Shoemaker Center Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Dec 4, 1996* | No. 4 | vs. No. 1 Kansas Great Eight | L 65–72 | 2–2 | United Center Chicago, Illinois |
| Dec 17, 1996* | No. 7 | Howard | W 90–46 | 3–2 | Myrl H. Shoemaker Center Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Dec 19, 1996* | No. 7 | Eastern Michigan | W 102–79 | 4–2 | Myrl H. Shoemaker Center Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Dec 28, 1996* | No. 7 | vs. Western Kentucky Gatorade Rock-N-Roll Shootout | W 81–57 | 5–2 | Gund Arena Cleveland, Ohio |
| Dec 30, 1996* | No. 6 | vs. Southeast Missouri State Puerto Rico Holiday Classic | W 80–57 | 6–2 | Eugene Guerra Sports Complex Bayamón, Puerto Rico |
| Dec 31, 1996* | No. 6 | vs. Nebraska Puerto Rico Holiday Classic | W 84–73 | 7–2 | Eugene Guerra Sports Complex Bayamón, Puerto Rico |
| Jan 1, 1997* | No. 6 | vs. SW Missouri State Puerto Rico Holiday Classic | W 101–60 | 8–2 | Eugene Guerra Sports Complex Bayamón, Puerto Rico |
| Jan 5, 1997 | No. 6 | at Saint Louis | W 64–52 | 9–2 (1–0) | Kiel Center St. Louis, Missouri |
| Jan 8, 1997 | No. 6 | UAB | W 74–54 | 10–2 (2–0) | Myrl H. Shoemaker Center Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Jan 10, 1997* | No. 6 | Miami (OH) | W 91–61 | 11–2 | Myrl H. Shoemaker Center Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Jan 16, 1997* | No. 4 | Temple A-10/C-USA Challenge | L 55–70 | 11–3 | Myrl H. Shoemaker Center Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Jan 18, 1997* | No. 4 | Arkansas | W 92–57 | 12–3 | Myrl H. Shoemaker Center Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Jan 21, 1997 | No. 9 | at UNC Charlotte | W 77–67 | 13–3 (3–0) | Dale F. Halton Arena Charlotte, North Carolina |
| Jan 26, 1997* | No. 9 | at USC | W 100–81 | 14–3 | L.A. Sports Arena Los Angeles, California |
| Jan 30, 1997 | No. 8 | at No. 9 Louisville | L 70–81 | 14–4 (3–1) | Freedom Hall Louisville, Kentucky |
| Feb 1, 1997 | No. 8 | DePaul | W 90–53 | 15–4 (4–1) | Myrl H. Shoemaker Center Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Feb 6, 1997 | No. 12 | No. 21 Tulane | W 65–64 | 16–4 (5–1) | Myrl H. Shoemaker Center Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Feb 8, 1997 | No. 12 | Marquette | W 91–70 | 17–4 (6–1) | Myrl H. Shoemaker Center Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Feb 10, 1997* | No. 8 | at Washington | W 82–69 | 18–4 | Hec Edmundson Pavilion Seattle, Washington |
| Feb 13, 1997 | No. 8 | Saint Louis | W 69–56 | 19–4 (7–1) | Myrl H. Shoemaker Center Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Feb 15, 1997* | No. 8 | No. 12 South Carolina | L 83–97 | 19–5 | Myrl H. Shoemaker Center Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Feb 18, 1997 | No. 11 | Houston | W 97–64 | 20–5 (8–1) | Myrl H. Shoemaker Center Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Feb 20, 1997 | No. 11 | at South Florida | W 76–56 | 21–5 (9–1) | Sun Dome Tampa, Florida |
| Feb 22, 1997 | No. 11 | at DePaul | W 83–54 | 22–5 (10–1) | Rosemont Horizon Rosemont, Illinois |
| Feb 25, 1997 | No. 9 | Southern Miss | W 63–49 | 23–5 (11–1) | Myrl H. Shoemaker Center Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Feb 27, 1997 | No. 9 | at Marquette | W 80–74 | 24–5 (12–1) | Bradley Center Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Mar 1, 1997 | No. 9 | at Memphis State | L 63–75 | 24–6 (12–2) | The Pyramid Memphis, Tennessee |
| C-USA Tournament ||||||
| Mar 6, 1997* | (1) No. 10 | at (9) Saint Louis Quarterfinals | W 71–43 | 25–6 | Kiel Center St. Louis, Missouri |
| Mar 7, 1997* | (1) No. 10 | vs. (5) Marquette Semifinals | L 79–91 | 25–7 | Kiel Center St. Louis, Missouri |
| NCAA Tournament ||||||
| Mar 13, 1997* | (3 MW) No. 10 | vs. (14 MW) Butler First Round | W 86–69 | 26–7 | Palace of Auburn Hills Auburn Hills, Michigan |
| Mar 15, 1997* | (3 MW) No. 10 | vs. (6 MW) No. 18 Iowa State Second Round | L 66–67 | 26–8 | Palace of Auburn Hills Auburn Hills, Michigan |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. MW=Midwest. ||||||

## Awards and honors

* Danny Fortson – C-USA Player of the Year, Consensus First-Team All-American