The Cincinnati Bearcats and Xavier Musketeers combine to create one of the biggest rivalries in college sports and sports as a whole. Three miles separate two universities that share one city, which they fight for during the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout.
The crosstown shootout this year will feature a lot of new faces: Bearcats head coach Jerrod Calhoun, the 12 new rostered players for the Bearcats, and the 7 new incoming transfer players for Xavier.
The Bearcats haven't won at Cintas Center since 2001, when Steve Logan scored 19 en route to a 75-55 win over the Musketeers. This year, the Bearcats will be hosting the Musketeers at Fifth-Third Arena on Saturday, Dec. 5th at 7:00 p.m. after losing last year 79-74, behind a career-high 30 points for Tre Carroll.
Xavier currently holds the No. 18 transfer class with 7 incoming transfers, headlined by Chance Westry from UAB, Mike Nwoko from LSU, Tru Washington from Miami (FL), and Ruben Dominguez from Texas A&M. Cincinnati is at the No. 25 transfer class with 11 incoming transfers.
Xavier has dominated the series in recent years, winning 11 of the last 16 matchups between the teams, with Cincinnati getting its last victory in 2024, winning narrowly 68-65. Cincinnati also has recent victories in 2020-21, 2018-19, and 2016-17. Xavier has won the last 11 games played at Cintas Center. Cincinnati holds the all-time series lead at 52-41, this year marking the 94th meeting all-time between these two great college basketball programs in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Sources: The annual Crosstown Shootout between Cincinnati and Xavier will be played next season on Saturday, December 5th at Fifth Third Arena.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 29, 2026
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