The usual themes and storylines always accompany the Crosstown Shootout every year when it arrives on the calendar.
Not much needs to be said. It's well known what's demanded in order to win this game.
In that sense, the statistics can be thrown out the window on Saturday night (8:30 p.m., Fox Sports 1) when Cincinnati meets Xavier in the Cintas Center for the 89th Shootout.
Xavier (8-1) has won two in a row in the Shootout and seven of the last 10, and Cintas Center has been a friendly venue for the Musketeers, winners of eight straight at home.
First-year Cincinnati head coach Wes Miller will make his Shootout debut. Miller's Bearcats sit at 7-2 and although a significant portion of the rotation will be making its debut in the rivalry, UC's core of Jeremiah Davenport, David DeJulius, Mika Adams-Woods and Mike Saunders Jr. all have Shootout experience.
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On the other side, Xavier's led by Paul Scruggs, a fifth-year senior, who will be playing in his fifth Shootout, trying to become the first player in Xavier history to beat the Bearcats four times.
Scruggs is one of seven Musketeers with experience in the Shootout, while Jack Nunge, Jerome Hunter and Dieonte Miles will get their first taste of the Bearcats.
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Xavier and UC can both defend and rebound well. The Musketeers have a little more balance offensively with four players scoring in double figures, while the Bearcats only have two, but what UC lacks offensively it more than makes up for with effort, intensity and defensive execution.
"I say it every year, this is a player's game, always has been, always will be," Xavier head coach Travis Steele said Friday at his pre-game press conference. "Don't look over at the bench. ... The better team doesn't always prevail in this game and I think that's shown through the years. I think the tougher team always wins this game."
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THE GAME
- Tipoff: 8:30 p.m. on Saturday at Cintas Center
- TV/Radio: FS1 with play-by-play from Eric Collins and analysis from
Nick Bahe. Byron Larkin and Joe Sunderman will have the radio call on WKRC-AM (550). Dan Hoard and Terry Nelson will have the radio call on WLW-AM (700). - Series info: This is the 89th meeting between Cincinnati and Xavier, with the Bearcats owning a 51-37 advantage. The Musketeers have won seven of the last 10 meetings, including the last two. Xavier defeated Cincinnati 77-69 last season at UC's Fifth Third Arena.
SCOUTING REPORT
Cincinnati Bearcats (7-2)
Coach: Wes Miller, first season (7-2)
Offense: 71.6 ppg
Defense: 58.6 ppg
Projected lineup
Player (Position, Height, Key Stat)
David DeJulius (G, 6’, 13 ppg)
Mika Adams-Woods (G, 6’3”, 3.8 apg)
John Newman III (G, 6’5”, 5.5 ppg)
Jeremiah Davenport (G, 6'7", 11.1 ppg)
Abdul Ado (F, 6’11”, 1.6 bpg)
Xavier Musketeers (8-1)
Coach: Travis Steele, fourth season (59-38)
Offense: 75 ppg
Defense: 59.8 ppg
Projected lineup
Player (Position, Height, Key Stat)
Paul Scruggs (G, 6'5", 11.4 ppg)
Jerome Hunter (F, 6'8", 5.9 rpg)
Colby Jones (G, 6'6", 12.9 ppg)
Dieonte Miles (F, 6'11", 3.1 rpg)
Nate Johnson (G, 6'4", 14.6 ppg)
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Jeremiah Davenport
As the only Cincinnati native on either team, the Crosstown Shootout means a little more to Davenport. The former Moeller High School standout missed the Bearcats' last game with a mild ankle sprain.
Davenport, who is averaging 11.1 points and 5.1 rebounds this season, is set to return to the starting lineup against the Musketeers. The 6-foot-7, 210-pound junior hit two 3-pointers off the bench for Cincinnati in the rivalry game last season.
Zach Freemantle
Freemantle's return from foot surgery in mid-October had been a little rocky. Wednesday night in a 96-50 win over Ball State, Freemantle looked like himself again, like the player who was a preseason first-team All-Big East selection with a game-high 24 points, seven rebounds and four assists on 9-of-11 shooting.
If nothing else, Freemantle's outing on Wednesday gives UC another thing to worry about on Saturday night.
KEYS TO THE GAME
Cincinnati: Win possessions
Miller has talked all season about wanting to see improved offensive execution and better rebounding, both on the offensive and defensive ends, from his team. But Miller said he just wants to see the Bearcats win possessions against a Musketeers team that has four players averaging double-digits in scoring and another in Freemantle that appears to be back to full strength after scoring 24 points in 20 minutes against Ball State on Wednesday night.
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"I don't care how we do it, I don't care if it's pretty, we just want to be a team that is consumed with what we can do to win the next possession," Miller said. "And then whatever happens on that possession, be consumed with what we can do to win the next one after that. I don't care about the nature of how you do that, I care more about the mentality."
Xavier: Toughness and turnovers
Playing on its home floor, Xavier has to match the environment with toughness and intensity for 40 minutes. Toughness has always gone a long way in the Shootout, so the Musketeers need to manufacture that edge at both ends of the floor.
Xavier has to do a better job of taking care of the basketball. Entering Saturday, Xavier's turning it over 15.3 times per game and its opponents are averaging 11.6 points off those turnovers.
The Bearcats defend at a high level and for Xavier to be able to score consistently, the Musketeers can't get sloppy and give away possessions with turnovers. Xavier needs to get into its offense and give itself every opportunity to score.
RANKINGS
KenPom.com: Cincinnati (69); Xavier (27)
NET: Cincinnati (40); Xavier (18)
RPI: Cincinnati (59); Xavier (13)
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