UC not finished yet

The University of Cincinnati basketball team isn’t finished playing this season after all.

The Bearcats learned late Sunday night that they have been invited to play in the inaugural 16-team College Basketball Invitational on Wednesday at either Penn State (15-16) or Virginia (15-15).

“We’ll find out our opponent (Monday) morning,” said senior associate athletic director Mike Waddell said.

UC (13-18) lost its last six games, including its first-round game in the Big East Tournament last Wednesday, 70-64, to Pittsburgh, the eventual Big East champion.

“To say that our guys are excited is an understatement,” said UC coach Mick Cronin. “When I rounded them up to tell them they were jumping through the phone.”

UC officials had been in contact with both the CBI near the end of the regular season.

“Last week, after the end of the season we sent out a note saying thanks for the consideration and good luck with your first tournament,” Waddell said, “just keeping in contact with them. We got a call tonight at about 9:25.”

Cronin said CBI officials told UC that the tournament was not concerned about the Bearcats’ record.

“They’re trying to get the best teams available that aren’t in the NCAA Tournament,” Cronin said. “I was surprised, but when you start looking at our strength of schedule and the way we played against Pitt. It’s arguable that we played them better than Marquette and Georgetown.”