Crosstown Shootout (basketball)

2008 Shootout logo

The Crosstown Shootout is an annual men's college basketball game played between the University of Cincinnati Bearcats and Xavier University Musketeers. The two schools are separated by 3 miles (4.8 km) in Cincinnati, making the archrivalry one of the closest major rivalries in the country. The game was first played in 1927, and has been played every year since 1946. In recent years, the game has been sponsored by Skyline Chili. UC currently leads the series with a record of 49–34, but Xavier has won 14 of the last 20 meetings.

Throughout its history, the game has been played at six different venues including the Armory Fieldhouse and Fifth Third Arena on the UC campus; and the Schmidt Field House and Cintas Center on the Xavier campus. However, the majority of the games have been played at two other sites—Cincinnati Gardens and U.S. Bank Arena. The Gardens has served as the regular home court for both schools at different times, and was even shared by both teams from 1987 to 1989. U.S. Bank Arena was UC's home court from 1976–87 when it was known as Riverfront Coliseum.

From 1989 to 2011, the game alternated between the schools' on-campus arenas. However, the 2011 game was marred at the end by a bench-clearing brawl. The Cincinnati Enquirer reported on May 22, 2012 that due to the brawl, the game would be held at U.S. Bank Arena for the next two seasons. The continuation of the series beyond the 2013-14 season would depend on the behavior of the players and fans.[1] On June 14, 2012, both schools held a joint press conference at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center announcing that the annual rivalry will now be called "Skyline Chili Crosstown Classic.".[2]

On May 13, 2014, after a two year series at U.S. Bank Arena, the two rivals announced at a joint press conference that they would return to playing their annual men's basketball game on-campus, ditching the moniker of Classic in the process and returning the series to its previous name of the Skyline Crosstown Shootout.[3] The agreement for the alternating home-and-home series was for ten years. The first game of the series was held on February 18, 2015 during ESPN's Rivalry Week. Xavier hosted Cincinnati on December 12, 2015 at the Cintas Center. The dates for the first two games were set, ensuring that students are on campus when the game is played.

Notable Games

1963-64: A series-high 45 points was scored by Xavier's Steve Thomas, but Cincinnati's Ron Bonham scored 35 en route to a 94-92 Bearcats victory.[4] The 186 combined points is still the most in series history.

1996-97: The Cincinnati Bearcats were ranked #1 in the country and were largely considered frontrunners for the national championship by several media outlets, including Sports Illustrated. Xavier's Lenny Brown made a running one-hander at the buzzer to propel Xavier to a 71-69 win. Both teams made it to the NCAA Second Round.[4]

1999-00: Again the Bearcats were ranked #1 in the country. And again Xavier defeated Cincinnati 66-64 in the final moments of the game on two free throws and a breakaway dunk by Kevin Frey.[4] Both teams made the NCAA tournament.

2009-2010: Xavier beat Cincinnati in double-overtime thriller at the Cintas Center 83-79. The game was remembered because of future NBA players, Xavier's Jordan Crawford and Cincinnati's Lance Stephenson, going head to head. However, Xavier's Tu Holloway stole the show scoring a then career high 26.[5]

2011-12: Xavier, ranked #8 in the country, handily beat the Bearcats 76-53. But the focus of the game was the bench-clearing brawl which resulted in the game ending with 9.4 seconds left and the subsequent suspensions of four Bearcat players and four Musketeer players.[6] Despite speculation that the rivalry would cease to exist following the brawl, UC President Greg Williams stated to the Sporting News, "Every indication is that we are going to play next year." [7] Both teams made it to the Sweet Sixteen of the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

2014-2015: The Shootout was played at Cincinnati's Fifth Third Arena on February 18, 2015, marking the first game back on campus since the 2011 brawl. Xavier lead by 12 points at halftime, and was dominating Cincinnati until the Bearcats took a 57-56 lead in the final minute of the game. With the student section was going crazy, and it looked like Cincinnati might be able to get a win against Xavier. However, freshman Trevon Bluiett was fouled and made two free throws with 11.5 seconds left (his only points of the game) to give Xavier a 58-57 lead. Farad Cobb missed a three point jumper to seal the win for the Musketeers. [8]

Legacy

The rivalry between Cincinnati and Xavier is regarded as one of the best in the game. The two schools' short distance apart has distinguished it as a proximity rivalry. From 1990 through 2011, the game alternated between Xavier's and Cincinnati's campus arenas on a yearly basis.[9] ESPN's Jay Bilas was quoted as saying, "Cincinnati and Xavier have created a rivalry that is unparalleled when it comes to outright passion and civic division." [10]

In 1990 a local TV station refused to interrupt their coverage of the Cincinnati-Xavier game for the 1990 State of the Union address .[11]

The game is widely regarded as one of the hottest tickets in Cincinnati every year. The game is also regularly attended by local legends and sports icons Pete Rose and basketball great and former Bearcat Oscar Robertson.

College comparison

Category Xavier Cincinnati
Affiliation Catholic (Jesuit) State of Ohio
Location Cincinnati Cincinnati
Students 6,700 41,357
School Colors Navy Blue & White Red & Black
Nickname Musketeers Bearcats
Arena The Cintas Center Fifth Third Arena
Wins 34 49

Results

Season Result [12] Site
2015–16 Xavier 65 Cincinnati 55 Cintas Center
2014–15 Xavier 59 Cincinnati 57 Fifth Third Arena
2013–14 Xavier 64 Cincinnati 47 U.S. Bank Arena
2012–13 Cincinnati 60 Xavier 45 U.S. Bank Arena
2011–12 Xavier 76 Cincinnati 53 Cintas Center
2010–11 Cincinnati 66 Xavier 46 Fifth Third Arena
2009–10 Xavier 83 Cincinnati 79 Cintas Center (2OT)
2008–09 Xavier 76 Cincinnati 66 Fifth Third Arena
2007–08 Xavier 64 Cincinnati 59 Cintas Center
2006–07 Cincinnati 67 Xavier 55 Fifth Third Arena
2005–06 Xavier 73 Cincinnati 71 Cintas Center (OT)
2004–05 Cincinnati 65 Xavier 54 Fifth Third Arena
2003–04 Xavier 71 Cincinnati 69 Cintas Center
2002–03 Xavier 50 Cincinnati 44 Fifth Third Arena
2001–02 Cincinnati 75 Xavier 55 Cintas Center
2000–01 Xavier 69 Cincinnati 67 Fifth Third Arena
1999-00 Xavier 66 Cincinnati 64 Cincinnati Gardens
1998–99 Cincinnati 87 Xavier 77 Fifth Third Arena
1997–98 Xavier 88 Cincinnati 68 Cincinnati Gardens
1996–97 Xavier 71 Cincinnati 69 Fifth Third Arena
1995–96 Cincinnati 99 Xavier 90 Cincinnati Gardens
1994–95 Cincinnati 87 Xavier 80 Fifth Third Arena
1993–94 Xavier 82 Cincinnati 76 Cincinnati Gardens (OT)
1992–93 Cincinnati 78 Xavier 67 Fifth Third Arena
1991–92 Cincinnati 93 Xavier 75 Cincinnati Gardens
1990–91 Cincinnati 69 Xavier 56 Fifth Third Arena
1989–90 Xavier 90 Cincinnati 88 Cincinnati Gardens (OT)
1988–89 Cincinnati 86 Xavier 76 Cincinnati Gardens
1987–88 Xavier 98 Cincinnati 80 Cincinnati Gardens
1986–87 Cincinnati 75 Xavier 73 Riverfront Coliseum
1985–86 Xavier 80 Cincinnati 76 Cincinnati Gardens
1984–85 Xavier 55 Cincinnati 52 Riverfront Coliseum
1983–84 Xavier 72 Cincinnati 63 Cincinnati Gardens
1982–83 Cincinnati 73 Xavier 58 Riverfront Coliseum
1981–82 Xavier 53 Cincinnati 51 Riverfront Coliseum
1980–81 Cincinnati 79 Xavier 72 Riverfront Coliseum
1979–80 Xavier 77 Cincinnati 69 Riverfront Coliseum
1978–79 Cincinnati 60 Xavier 58 Riverfront Coliseum
1977–78 Cincinnati 59 Xavier 54 Riverfront Coliseum
1976–77 Cincinnati 77 Xavier 68 Riverfront Coliseum
1975–76 Cincinnati 81 Xavier 74 Riverfront Coliseum
1974–75 Cincinnati 66 Xavier 57 Cincinnati Gardens
1973–74 Cincinnati 68 Xavier 56 Cincinnati Gardens
1972–73 Cincinnati 78 Xavier 68 Cincinnati Gardens
1971–72 Cincinnati 76 Xavier 71 Cincinnati Gardens

Season Result Site
1970–71 Xavier 66 Cincinnati 65 Cincinnati Gardens
1969–70 Cincinnati 85 Xavier 72 Cincinnati Gardens
1968–69 Cincinnati 52 Xavier 50 Cincinnati Gardens
1967–68 Xavier 72 Cincinnati 71 Cincinnati Gardens
1966–67 Cincinnati 79 Xavier 69 Cincinnati Gardens (OT)
1965–66 Cincinnati 67 Xavier 62 Cincinnati Gardens
1964–65 Cincinnati 102 Xavier 72 Cincinnati Gardens
1963–64 Cincinnati 94 Xavier 92 Cincinnati Gardens
1962–63 Cincinnati 72 Xavier 61 Cincinnati Gardens
1961–62 Cincinnati 61 Xavier 58 Cincinnati Gardens
1960–61 Cincinnati 89 Xavier 53 Cincinnati Gardens
1959–60 Cincinnati 85 Xavier 68 Cincinnati Gardens
1958–59 Cincinnati 92 Xavier 66 Cincinnati Gardens
1957–58 Cincinnati 80 Xavier 68 Cincinnati Gardens
Cincinnati 79 Xavier 68 Armory Fieldhouse
1956–57 Cincinnati 69 Xavier 57 Armory Fieldhouse
Xavier 88 Cincinnati 62 Cincinnati Gardens
1955–56 Xavier 79 Cincinnati 72 Armory Fieldhouse (OT)
Cincinnati 71 Xavier 66 Cincinnati Gardens
1954–55 Cincinnati 70 Xavier 69 Armory Fieldhouse
Xavier 67 Cincinnati 64 Cincinnati Gardens
1953–54 Cincinnati 81 Xavier 76 Cincinnati Gardens
Cincinnati 77 Xavier 58 Cincinnati Gardens
1952–53 Xavier 70 Cincinnati 68 Cincinnati Gardens
Xavier 81 Cincinnati 78 Cincinnati Gardens
1951–52 Cincinnati 68 Xavier 63 Cincinnati Gardens
Xavier 77 Cincinnati 70 Cincinnati Gardens
1950–51 Cincinnati 81 Xavier 66 Cincinnati Gardens
Cincinnati 83 Xavier 70 Cincinnati Gardens
1949–50 Cincinnati 59 Xavier 48 Cincinnati Gardens
Xavier 54 Cincinnati 53 Cincinnati Gardens
1948–49 Cincinnati 57 Xavier 46 Cincinnati Gardens
Xavier 71 Cincinnati 64 Schmidt Field House
1947–48 Cincinnati 52 Xavier 45 Schmidt Field House
1946–47 Cincinnati 76 Xavier 51 Schmidt Field House
1945–46 Cincinnati 53 Xavier 39 Schmidt Field House
1942–43 Xavier 51 Cincinnati 37 Schmidt Field House
1927–28 Xavier 29 Cincinnati 25 Schmidt Field House

References

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