Cincinnati. Xavier.
It's a rivalry that runs deep within the city of Cincinnati. Two programs that do not like one another. The tension spills over into both fanbases on that one day of the year where the two teams meet on the court to settle who is the best program in the city.
"It's one of the best rivalries in college basketball and you know, this is a sports town," Miller told media Tuesday afternoon. "This is one of the best sports towns in the United States and college basketball is a big part of that."
Xavier Head Coach Sean Miller echoed Wes Miller's comments during his media availability earlier this week.
"This has and will always be the most important game on our schedule."
The Musketeers have dominated this rivalry winning the last five matchups, nine of the last eleven, and 13 of the last 17.
The program from Norwood won last season's match up, 84-79, inside Cintas Center.
Cincinnati still leads the all-time series, 51-40.
Xavier by the numbers:
Xavier, 8-2, is coming off a 119-58 win over Morgan State on Tuesday. XU set a school record for largest victory margin (61 points) and a Cintas Center record for most points (119).
Xavier leads the BIG EAST in fastbreak points (second in the nation in at 20.8 ppg.). Xavier is third in the BIG EAST in assists per game (13th in the nation at 18.9 apg.), free-throw percentage (39th in the nation at .770) and 3-point percentage (16th in the nation at .401).
Kenpom ranks the Musketeers 62nd. Sean Miller's squad is 59th in offensive efficiency and 72nd in defensive efficiency. NCAA's Net Ratings have Xavier at 75th. The Bearcats are 31st after last week's loss to Villanova.
Players to know:
6'9" Grad F Zach Freemantle (16.8 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 2.4 apg)
A preseason Second Team All-BIG EAST selection, Freemantle leads the team in scoring (sixth in the BIG EAST at 16.8 ppg.) and in rebounding (fourth in BIG EAST at 7.8 rpg.). He also leads the league in defensive rebounding at 6.1 drpg.
Freemantle is coming off his third double-double of the season with 27 points and 10 rebounds vs. Morgan State, and is the only XU player that has scored in double figures in all 10 games.
6'4" Jr G Ryan Conwell (16.4 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.5 apg)
Conwell, who earned preseason Third Team All-BIG EAST selection, is second on the team in scoring at 16.4 ppg. (eighth in the BIG EAST), while ranking second in the BIG EAST and 12th in the nation at 3.6 3-point field goals made per game. Conwell has hit at least two 3-pointers in all 10 games and is currently shooting 45.6% from deep for the season.
Wes Miller on Conwell:
"He's as good of a shooter as we have in college basketball and he's not just a shooter. He's a complete player. All three coaches that have coached him have let him play with freedom and confidence. I'm sure he's earned that in the practice but I thought Brian Gregory (at USF) did a nice job with him as a young player and then obviously they did a great job with him at Indiana State last year and they're doing the same thing this year at Xavier. He plays with with a ton of confidence. His shooting is again as good as anybody in the country and he does a lot more than that. He moves well without the ball. He's got the ball in his hands a lot more in decision making situations. He's a terrific player."
6'0" Grad G Dayvion McKnight (11.1 ppg, 4.3 apg, 2.6 rpg, 45.8 3FG)
Preseason All-BIG EAST selection and currently leading the team in assists at 4.3 per game. McKnight lit the Bearcats up last season, making 2-of-4 attempts from deep and finishing with 20 points, eight rebounds, four assists. How Cincinnati defends him will be a crucial key to winning the game.
6'8" Soph G/F Dailyn Swain (8.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.7 apg)
The Columbus (OH) native was named one of Jon Rothstein's 20 Breakout Players ahead of this season Big East All-Freshman Team following last season. Swain has scored nine or more points in the Musketeers last three games after being held scoreless in a loss to Michigan. His best performance of the season was a 14 point, 6 rebound, 5 steal effort against South Carolina. Swain has the ability to affect the game in multiple areas, but is primarily known for his defense. Swain is fifth in the Big East in steals, 18th in overall rebounding at 5.1 rpg. and is 12th in defensive rebounding at 4.5 drpg.
6'5" Grad G Marcus Foster (7.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.7 apg, 46.2% 3FG)
While at Furman last season, Foster was Second Team All-Southern Conference and earned 2024 All-SoCon Tournament honors. Foster has only scored in double figures in three games this season but is coming off a season-high 18 point performance against Morgan State. Foster finished 4-of-6 from three in that game and is capable from getting hot from deep in a hurry. Cincinnati will have to find a way to limit his looks from the perimeter.
Role Players:
6'8" F Jerome Hunter (5.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg)
6'2" G Dante Maddox Jr (5.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg)
Final Thoughts
The 92nd edition of the Crosstown Shootout returns to Fifth Third Arena on Saturday as the No. 22 Bearcats host Xavier at 2 p.m.
This game was Jizzle James' coming-out party last year, as the then-freshman scored a career-high 19 points to go with a block in 21 minutes. This year, he is 37th nationally in assist-turnover ratio at 3.15.
Dan Skillings returned to the lineup Sunday against Howard and was able to log minutes ahead of the Crosstown Shootout. How he performs will go a long way in the Bearcats winning this game, as his length, athleticism, and energy at both ends can completely change the game.
UC will have to play physical and set the tone early on the glass. Coming off a 17-point performance against Howard, how Aziz Bandaogo plays against Zach Freemantle could be the most important match up within this game. UC is 10-1 (4-0 this year) when Bandaogo scores in double-figures, which includes two top-15 Big 12 road wins.
Simas Lukosius, 13th in KenPom's offensive rating, is sixth nationally with a 52.8 percent 3-point clip. He was 16-for-23 his first four games (69.6 percent) and is the only Bearcat to score in double-figures all eight games. UC will need their star to play like a star in this game. Lukosius was 1-of-9 from the field and 0-for-4 from three last season, scoring just two points in 17 minutes.
At the end of the day, how Cincinnati starts will be the biggest key of the game. The Musketeers have gotten off to quick starts in the most recent match up between these two rivals, forcing the Bearcats to spend a lot of the game clawing back from double-digit deficits. Build a lead early and get the crowd going and the final outcome should be in the Bearcats' favor.
UC is currently a 7.5 point favorite, with the over/under set at 145.5.
