Wes Miller Discusses What To Expect From Ohio State Exhibition Game

Fans get to see the Bearcats in action on Friday.

Mar 14, 2024; Kansas City, MO, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Wes Miller looks on during the first half against the Baylor Bears at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: Amy Kontras-Imagn Images / Amy Kontras-Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — Bearcats fans get a brand-new addition to the basketball schedule in 2024: Friday's CareSource Exhibition Game against Ohio State.

Recently lifted restrictions on preseason events spurred Dayton head coach Anthony Grant to get on the phone with Ohio college basketball coaches to try and set up these types of contests for charity.

"Probably learn more about yourself in that 40 minutes, then you do the five practices before that combined," Miller said about what they are taking from the game. "We're playing against ourselves a lot, and so you're guarding the same people. You're guarding the same actions, you're guarding the same defensive principles and defensive schemes. And so there's only so much you can take from that. When you go against somebody else, it's going to highlight the things that maybe you're doing well and you didn't quite realize. It's also going to highlight some things that maybe you're struggling with that you weren't aware of.

"It's a great litmus test to not necessarily just where you are, because guys 40 minutes, and as (Ohio State HC) Jake (Diebler) said it, you're going to approach it differently in terms of your preparation and your strategy, like we will not approach this in terms of preparation and strategy like a real game. Now we're going to be as competitive as all get out to want to win every possession with the five guys that are on the floor. And I know Jake's group will be like that too, but we're not going to substitute the same way."

Dayton and Xavier are playing in a game under the same umbrella on Sunday as all the proceeds go to mental health charities/providers, including Jay's Light, an organization Grant's family set up to help people access mental health resources.

It should be a fun-filled night flashing talent from both teams but don't expect the programs to exhaust their stars to win. Miller actuallly revealed he and Diebler want to play three 20-minute halves, but were restricted to 40 minutes by NCAA rules.

"If fans and and people want to see this grow into something bigger and bigger, then support it," Miller said about playing regular season games against Ohio State. "Come out and show us that. And I think that would do a lot for the people that make decisions well above Jake and I's head right? The administrators and people that make decisions. If fans are really excited about these four programs playing against one another and want to see that sometime down the road in a regular season come support this. And I think that would be something down the road that is possible.

Things get rolling at 7 p.m. ET inside Fifth Third Arena.

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