The American 2019 Men's Basketball Conference Composite Schedule

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The American Athletic Conference announced its 2018-19 men's basketball conference schedule which tips off after New Year's Day with 10 teams in action on January 2. All 108 conference games will be carried on ESPN and CBS networks this season.

In total, 81 league games are set to air on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNews or ESPN3 with 27 contests on CBS or CBS Sports Network.

Further highlighting a competitive slate for The American are 26 other nonconference television matchups that already have been announced with more to be released in the coming weeks. Nonleague TV matchups already feature 15 games against NCAA Tournament participants, four against Elite 8 teams and two contests against 2018 national champion.

The American is coming off a record-breaking season. The league secured its highest seeds in the NCAA Tournament as Cincinnati and Wichita State secured No. 2 and No. 4 seeds, respectively, along with Houston as No. 6 seed. All three teams were ranked in the final USA Today's Coaches Poll (Cincinnati - 12, Houston - 22, Wichita State - 25).

Cincinnati and head coach Mick Cronin aim for their ninth-consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament as they boast the fifth-longest streak in the nation. Just behind is head coach Gregg Marshall and Wichita State, which have made the tournament in seven-straight seasons.

American play tips with five different games to start the New Year. Tulane at Cincinnati and UConn at USF air on CBS Sports Network, while Temple at UCF, Tulsa at Houston and ECU at SMU play on the ESPN family of networks.

In a rematch of the 2018 American Athletic Conference championship game, Houston hosts Cincinnati on Sunday, February 10 at 4 p.m. ET, on ESPN. The two teams will square off again in the final regular-season contest for both squads on Sunday, March 10 at noon ET on CBS. Both teams open newly-renovated facilities for the 2018-19 season in Cincinnati's Fifth Third Arena and Houston's Fertitta Center.

Wichita State welcomes Cincinnati on Saturday, January 19 at 2 p.m. ET, for a matchup on CBS. The Shockers and the Bearcats will show down again in Cincinnati on Sunday, February 17 on ESPN at 1 p.m. ET.

Three new head coaches will make their debuts in The American in 2019. UConn's Dan Hurley leads the Huskies to USF on the first day of league competition (1/2/19) on CBSSN as will ECU's returning Joe Dooley, when the Pirates face SMU on ESPN3. Memphis' Penny Hardaway coaches his first American game the next night on January 3 as the Tigers host Wichita State on CBSSN.

Temple's Fran Dunphy, the all-time winningest coach in Philadelphia Big 5 history, returns for his 13^th and final season as head coach of the Owls and tips league play on ESPNews against UCF on January 2 against Johnny Dawkins and UCF.

The American Athletic Conference Championship returns to FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., on March 14-17. FedExForum Forum was site of the inaugural American championship tournament in 2014.


Noteworthy Nonconference Television Games
Wednesday, Nov. 7
Ohio State at Cincinnati -- 6 p.m. -- ESPN2

Friday, Nov. 9
Wichita State vs. Providence -- 6 p.m. -- CBSSN -- Veterans Classic (Annapolis, Md.)

Tuesday, Nov. 20
SMU vs. Bradley -- 6 p.m. -- CBSSN --Cancun Challenge (Cancun, Mexico)

Thursday, Nov. 22
Tulsa vs. Nevada -- 3 p.m. -- FS1 -- Continental Tire Las Vegas Holiday Classic (Las Vegas, Nev.)

Friday, Nov. 23
Cincinnati vs. George Mason -- 7 p.m. -- CBSSN -- Emerald Coast Classic (Niceville, Fla.)

Thursday, Nov. 29
Alabama at UCF -- 7 p.m. -- ESPNU

Saturday, Dec. 1
Temple at Saint Joseph's -- 5:30 p.m. -- NBCSN
Cincinnati at UNLV -- 6 p.m. -- CBSSN
Baylor at Wichita State -- 8 p.m. -- CBSSN
Oregon at Houston -- 9 p.m. -- ESPN2

Sunday, Dec. 2
Arizona at UConn -- 1 p.m. -- ESPN2

Wednesday, Dec. 5
Oklahoma State at Tulsa -- 8 p.m. -- CBSSN
Temple at Villanova -- 8:30 p.m. -- FS1
TCU at SMU -- 10 p.m. -- ESPNU

Saturday, Dec. 8
Xavier at Cincinnati -- 2 p.m. -- ESPN2
Kansas State at Tulsa -- 4:30 p.m. -- CBSSN
Florida State vs. UConn -- 6 p.m. -- ESPN2 -- Never Forget Tribute Classic (Newark, N.J.)

Wednesday, Dec. 12
LSU at Houston -- 9 p.m. -- ESPN2

Saturday, Dec. 15
Tennessee at Memphis -- Noon -- ESPN2
SMU at Georgetown -- Noon -- FS1
Southern Miss at Wichita State -- 5:30 p.m.-- CBSSN

Sunday, Dec. 16
Saint Louis at Houston -- 3 p.m. -- ESPNU

Wednesday, Dec. 19
UCLA at Cincinnati -- 9 p.m. -- ESPN2

Saturday, Dec. 22
Villanova vs. UConn -- 12:30 p.m. -- CBS -- at Madison Square Garden (New York, N.Y.)
Wichita State at VCU -- 4 p.m. -- ESPN2

Saturday, Jan. 19
Penn at Temple -- 5 p.m. -- CBSSN

All times Eastern



THE AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE:
The American Athletic Conference (The American), a member of the NCAA, was reconstituted in 2013. With the conference office in Providence, Rhode Island, The American is comprised of the following institutions: UCF, Cincinnati, UConn, ECU, Houston, Memphis, Navy (in football only), USF, SMU, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa and Wichita State. Under the leadership of Commissioner Mike Aresco, The American sponsors 22 championships - 10 for men and 12 for women; is a member of the College Football Playoff; began new television partnerships with ESPN and CBS Sports in 2014; and has a marketing partnership with Learfield. For more information, please visit www.TheAmerican.org.