Xavier @ Cincinnati

This was as ugly of a basketball game as you are going to see. Between the defense, the trash talk, and the number of fouls (and technicals), this game never really had a flow to it. Cincinnati is really hurting offensively with out Cashmere Wright as they do not have a point guard. They have no one that can really set up their offensive and outside of Deonta Vaughn, nobody on this team can get the ball to the rim. They have some great athletes and some good big men, but they have no one that can get their players the ball in a spot where they can be effective.

A lot of that had to do with the defense that Xavier was playing. Cincinnati could not get anything going in the first half, and eventually Xavier built up a 45-28 lead early in the second half. A big reason for that was Dante Jackson. He looked so impressive in the first half. Xavier is still playing with a limited Terrell Holloway due to injury, but Jackson more than made up for that with his first half play. He was doing a great job defensively, he was hitting open shots (13 points, 3-4 from deep in the first half), and he was making smart plays with the ball.

But, like I said, it was Xavier's defense and toughness in the first half that allowed them to build up such a big lead (how about this for a stat - with 8:00 to go in the first half, Cinci had 10 turnovers and 8 points). They were simply out hustling and out working the Bearcats. In the second half, Cinci was able to make their comeback because they out worked Xavier. That is really what this game came down too. Both teams were so good on the defensive end, it was tough for either team to get into an offensive rhythm. It also helped that Vaughn finally woke up in the second half. He finished the game with 27 points, but he didn't score until a lay-up with about 5:00 left in the first half and finished the half with just 8 points.

Watching this game, it is clear why this is such a heated rivalry - these guys genuinely do not like each other. The trash-talking led to six technicals on the game, with Xavier's Derrick Brown picking up two of them. The two T's really put a damper on what was a great game for Brown, who finished with 20 and 10 and made a lot of big shots for the Musketeers down the stretch. CJ Anderson added 17 and 11 as well.