Ohio’s four major basketball programs, Ohio State, Cincinnati, Dayton, and Xavier, will play in the CareSource Invitational on October 7, as the Buckeyes draw the Bearcats.
Ohio State, Cincinnati, Dayton, and Xavier will share a basketball court for the first time in program history. On October 7, the four programs will square off in outdoor exhibition games at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, home of the Cincinnati Open, as part of the new CareSource Invitational.
The event pairs Ohio State against Cincinnati, with Dayton facing Xavier in a companion matchup, as the tennis venue will be converted into a temporary basketball court. Should the weather interfere, the games will shift to UD Arena in Dayton.
Ohio State head coach Jake Diebler said bringing together the state’s four high-major programs has been a long-standing goal of his. He credited the number of people and logistical pieces required to finally make it happen, calling it a milestone for basketball fans across Ohio.
Diebler also embraced the novelty of playing outside so early in the preseason, noting it’ll give players a chance to log minutes and gauge where they stand against unfamiliar opponents while adjusting to elements like wind that never come into play in a typical gym. He drew a connection to childhood pickup games on driveways and playgrounds, saying the unconventional setting should make for a fun experience despite the different playing surface.
Beyond the basketball games, the invitational serves a charitable purpose: raising awareness and funds for mental health and suicide prevention. Diebler pointed to Jay’s Light, an organization tied to Ohio State assistant coach Anthony Grant and his family, as part of what makes the cause personally meaningful to the program.
The CareSource Invitational won’t be broadcast on television, but tickets are expected to go on sale soon. This early-October gathering provides a communal moment for Ohio’s basketball landscape.
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Blake Biscardi serves as Co-Founder, Lead Reporter, and Senior Editor of The Silver Bulletin. He hosts the Buckeye Cadence podcast, where he breaks down Ohio State football and basketball with an inside look into the programs. Covering Julian Sayin in New York City in 2025 was his Heisman moment, which became a viral moment in its own right. Biscardi is a member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and has degrees in Business Administration and Strategic Communication & Leadership.