Cincinnati has been playing its home games since 1989 at Fifth Third Arena , which received an $ 87 million renovation for the 2018 season . The Bearcats played their 2017-18 season at BB&T Arena on the campus of Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights , Kentucky while their home arena was renovated . Cincinnati joined the original Big East Conference in 2005 , which was rebranded as the American Athletic Conference ( AAC ) in 2013
original Big East Conference
Big East Conference (1979–2013)
Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball