According to an overly poetic Ken Broo, this is the game that Dr. Naismith dreamed of when he invented basketball, hanging a peach basket as the goal. According to columnist Paul Daugherty, the rivalry between the two local colleges five miles apart has lost its luster because it is played at an inconvenient time for the press.
Tell the latter to the Xavier students who camped out at 5pn on Friday night to get a good seat. Tell that to a majority of Cincinnati area residents who have a bachelor's degree at one of the combatant Universities and a masters from the other.
The truth is that this game is a chore for both coaches when it intercedes with conference play but and they downplay it. But make no mistake both Mich Cronin and Chris Mack, who grew up about a mile from each other want to win this game badly.
Cincinnati (7-0) with its history of two consecutive national championships over 50 year ago has the series edge in this 85th meeting, 50-34. Yet upstart Xavier (6-1) that has taken a program from the tny confines of Schmidt Fieldhouse to a modern facility, the Cintas Center has become prominent in modern college basketball and has won three of the last four meetings.
Cincinnati ranked 11th in the AMusketeer squad ranked 21st in the same poll, 86-78 by shutting down Xaver star Trevon Bluiett in the second half.
Xavier looks to put a complete game together this season at the Cintas Center where they have won 232 games and lost 35. They have beaten the last 34 non-conference guests in this building. Xaiver is 6-1 against Cincinnati at the Cintas Center.
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