2018 – 19 Cincinnati Bearcats men 's basketball team represented the University of Cincinnati in the 2018 – 19 NCAA Division I men 's basketball season . The Bearcats were led by 13th-year head coach Mick Cronin , and played its home games at the newly renovated Fifth Third Arena as members of the American Athletic Conference . They finished the season 28 – 7 , 14 – 4 in AAC play , finishing in second place . They defeated SMU , Wichita State , and No. 1 seed Houston to win the AAC Tournament for the second consecutive year , and received the conference 's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament . As the No. 7 seed in the South region , they were upset by No. 10 seed Iowa in the first round
AAC Tournament
2019 American Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
2018–19 Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball team