Live Game Thread & Updates for No. 8 Kansas vs Cincinnati

No. 8 Kansas will return to Allen Fieldhouse today to host a Cincinnati Bearcats team that is riding a three-game winning streak. The Jayhawks are coming off an 81-69 road win against Oklahoma State and are looking to position themselves higher in the Big 12 standings.

We will be tracking the live game score periodically here at Kansas On SI. Refresh this page for updates and highlights if you cannot tune into the contest.

Kansas vs. Cincinnati Live: First Half Updates

Kansas freshman guard Elmarko Jackson (13) dunks over Cincinnati in the first half of the Big 12 Conference Tournament first round game Wednesday, March 13, 2024, inside the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. | Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Pregame - Same starting five as usual for the Jayhawks. Melvin Council Jr., Darryn Peterson, and Tre White in the backcourt, along with Bryson Tiller and Flory Bidunga in the frontcourt.

18:13 - Peterson is looking to get going early, scoring each of KU's first baskets. He is 2-for-3 from the field and the only Jayhawk who has attempted a shot. Kansas and Cincinnati are tied, 4-4.

16:52 - Bidunga has thrown down consecutive alley-oop dunks, the first assisted by White and the next by Council. Cincinnati is having a difficult time guarding the big man down low. Kansas leads, 8-5.

15:25 - White just tried to end a Cincinnati defender's career with a poster dunk. Fortunately for the Bearcats, it didn't go down. Tiller blocked a shot off the glass on the other end to recover and it will be UC ball after the timeout. Kansas and Cincinnati are tied, 8-8.

13:28 - KU left Baba Miller, a 14.6% shooter from 3-point range, open at the top of the key, but he knocked down his seventh trey of the season to give the Bearcats the lead. Just before that, Tiller hit a nifty post fadeaway from 12 feet out. Cincinnati leads, 11-10.

11:34 - Cincinnati is outworking the Jayhawks, which Bill Self can't be pleased with. Wes Miller's group already has five offensive rebounds, and Elmarko Jackson was just caught sleeping on a rebound attempt to give the Bearcats the ball after the TV timeout. Kansas leads, 15-13.

9:52 - The Bearcats are back in front after a pretty driving layup by Keyshuan Tillery. They are playing stifling defense on the Jayhawks right now. Cincinnati leads, 17-15.

7:13 - It has been an exciting back and forth matchup up to now. Council just helped KU re-take the lead with a floater. Bidunga currently leads the team with 10 points. Kansas leads, 25-24.

4:50 - Peterson finally finds himself on the board again after going scoreless for a little over 13 minutes. KU's offense has been stagnant and it could definitely use some buckets from the freshman phenom. Kansas leads, 30-26.

Halftime - UC ends the half on a 8-2 run to take the lead before the break. Baba Miller and Bidunga are tied for a game-high 12 points. Kansas is 1-for-9 from 3-point range and has turned the ball over five teams. It also does not have a point from a bench player yet. Cincinnati leads, 36-34.

Second Half

19:13 - Bidunga gets the scoring started in the second half with a nice finish down low, but Baba Miller knocks down his second three of the game. He's shooting under 15% from three on the season, so why wouldn't he shoot it lights out against Kansas? Cincinnati leads, 39-36.

17:21 - KU reclaims the lead with back-to-back mid-range jump shots — one from White and the next from Peterson. Twelve points for Peterson now. Kansas leads, 40-39.

16:00 - Moustapha Thiam connects on an and-1 post hook for Cincinnati, and Bidunga now has three fouls. Self subbed him out the game and is running four guards with Tiller as the big man. Bidunga's foul trouble is something to monitor down the stretch of this game. Cincinnati leads, 43-40.

14:23 - Cincinnati is now up to 10 offensive boards after Thiam scores second chance points off a missed three. Thiam is up to a game-best 15 points. Cincinnati leads, 48-44.

10:54 - Jackson came in and provided a spark off the bench but missed a heat-check three. Baba Miller was fouled on a dunk attempt by Tiller and will head to the free throw line for a pair after the TV timeout. Peterson came out around at the 13-minute mark, so it'll be worth monitoring whether he re-enters the game anytime soon. He has played 23 minutes so far, close to his average of 21.0 minutes over the past two contests. Kansas and Cincinnati are tied, 49-49.

7:31 - Today will officially be dubbed as the Moustapha Thiam game. The 7-foot-2 big man is up to 24 points and just put his team ahead by five points with a high-arcing three. The next few minutes will be massive for KU as it looks to avoid a home upset. Cincinnati leads, 61-56.

5:57 - Kansas is in big trouble here. Jalen Celestine just knocked down a triple to extend the Bearcats' lead by eight. UC has now hit 10 threes and continues to pick up stops on the defensive end. Not many more chances for Self and Co. Cincinnati leads, 66-58.

4:42 - Peterson just missed the first free throw in a one-and-one. The Bearcats might just pull this one off. Cincinnati leads, 70-60.

Left Moo open. 😱

📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/tDaQrU7SIr
— Cincinnati Men’s Hoops (@GoBearcatsMBB) February 21, 2026

How to Watch Kansas vs. Cincinnati

Time: 12 p.m. CT
Channel: CBS
Link: Watch CBS