Hometown Boys Meet In Crosstown Shootout

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The University of Cincinnati and Xavier University are three miles apart.

Xavier's coach Chris Mack, 44, and Cincinnati's coach Mick Cronin, 42, grew up closer than that.

Cronin's childhood home was in Groesbeck down the street from St. Ann's elementary school.  Mack's is less than two miles away near St. Margaret Mary on Galbraith Road in North College Hill.  The went to different high schools but both are on North Bend Road.  Mack went to St. Xavier. Cronin to LaSalle.

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Mack played basketball at the Northside KofC with Cronin's older brother Danny.

Today, the two lifelong neighbors bring their college alma mater's to the Cintas Center to renew a rivalry that is 82 games old.  Both are ranked UC (8-1) is ranked 23rd in the Associated Press poll and Xavier (9-0) is ranked 12th. UC holds a 49-33 advantage but Xavier has won the last two and six of the last eight.

Mack is 5-1 against Cronin which is his career mark.  Cronin is 3-6 against Xavier in his career.

The last time the two teams met at the Cintas Center it ended in an ugly fight.  This year will be hard fought but far more civil.