In the Greater Cincinnati area, a single basketball game can elicit passionate and knee-jerk reactions when discussed among fans of two power conference universities separated by just over four miles.
The Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout for years has featured top-notch players, with many being from nearby communities or high schools.
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Fast forward to 2025, and the locals have seen the game go global.
Friday, Dec. 5, at Cintas Center, a dozen international players will be in the lay-up lines. You can actually make it 13 if you count UC freshman Shon Abaev, born in Israel but from Broward County, Florida.
UC’s roster includes players from Brazil, Canada, Estonia, France, Senegal and Spain. Xavier has new Musketeers from Canada, Italy, Ivory Coast, Mexico and Serbia.
Portal-wise, UC has players from Baylor, Florida Atlantic, George Mason, Kentucky, UCF and West Virginia who have not played in a Crosstown Shootout. Ditto for Xavier players from Belmont, Evansville, FAU, New Mexico, North Dakota, UNLV, Valparaiso and Virginia.
Cincinnati Bearcats center Moustapha Thiam (52) plays in his first Skyline Chili Crosstown Shoout Dec. 5 at Xavier’s Cintas Center. The 19-year-old from Senegal is one of several internatonal players on both roster.
International reactions to rivalries, Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout
Kerr Kriisa, Estonia – “Every school has their rivalry partner. Louisville/Kentucky was big. On the other hand, West Virginia, Pitt, Arizona, Arizona State. I have heard a lot about it (Crosstown Shootout). I actually looked it up. A lot of places have it as a top four for rivalries in college basketball.”
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Moustapha Thiam, Senegal – “In the Big 12, I would say Kansas (UCF vs. Kansas) was the biggest rivalry. I’m so excited for it (Crosstown Shootout). The crowd will be crazy. I’m good. That actually motivates me to play harder.”
Baba Miller, Spain – “Biggest rivalry I’ve played in is Florida/Florida State. I played in that twice and lost twice. I’ve heard this (Crosstown Shootout) is one of the biggest ones in college basketball. I feel like everybody knows about it. Being here in Cincinnati, ever since I got here, I keep getting the question, ‘When ya’all playing Xavier? Whoever wins is going to run the city.’ Stuff like that. I’m really excited to play in it, and I know it’s going to be a hostile environment. I think we’re ready for it. We’re a hard-nosed team and we’re going to have fun.”
Jovan Milicevic, Ontario − “We had New Mexico vs. New Mexico State. That was a big rivalry. That’s probably the biggest game I’ve been a part of. I got goosebumps walking into the stadium. It was electric in there. Hopefully I get the same feeling on Friday.”
Filip Borovicanin, Serbia − “I’ve been hearing from some teammates that it’s a big rivalry, and I know it means a lot to these people.”
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Pape N’Diaye, Ivory Coast − “I asked people if it’s a good rivalry or a fighting rivalry. All of them told me it’s a fighting rivalry, so we have to win that game, no matter what happens. I just want to see it for myself and feel that experience. We have to win, that’s all that matters right now.”
More: How have first-year Xavier, UC coaches fared in Crosstown Shootout?
Day Day Thomas, lone Shootout veteran
“Xavier and Cincinnati!” Thomas answered immediately when asked about his biggest rivalry game. “It’s a big one for the city. The city’s going to be involved, the team, the coaches, the whole fan base.”
Cincinnati Bearcats guard Sencire Harris will play in his first Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout Dec. 5. At Illinois he played vs. Missouri in a rivalry and he also has experience with West Virginia in the “Backyard Brawl”.
Sencire Harris, transfer from Illinois, West Virginia – “I played in Illinois and Missouri, they called that ‘The Bragging Rights Game’, then I played in West Virginia vs. Pitt, ‘The Backyard Brawl.” Probably Illinois vs. Missouri is my biggest so far. I really don’t know nothing (about Crosstown Shootout). I’m here for the fun, here for the ride, here for the battle.”
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Grant Darbyshire, transfer from Kentucky, from Sycamore – “Either Kentucky/Louisville or Kentucky/Tennessee was the biggest rivalry game. I grew up here, but I’ve actually never been to one (Crosstown Shootout) so I actually don’t know too much about it.”
Tyler McKinley, from Walnut Hills/Winton Woods – “The biggest rivalry I’ve played in was probably in high school, probably like Walnut Hills vs. Turpin. My favorite memory (of Crosstown Shootout) was I was at my grandma’s house and I was watching the news and that was the year they got into the brawl. I didn’t know if it was gang violence or a basketball game.”
Keyshuan Tillery, from Albany, New York – “Something in New Hampton, my prep school (when asked of his biggest rivalry). It (Shootout) is pretty big to the city.”
Isaiah Walker (7), the son of former Xavier forward Tyrice Walker, said it’s a “dream come true” to play in the Crosstown Shootout. Walker hit the game-winning shot for Belmont in last year’s “Battle of the Boulevard” against Lipscomb.
Isaiah Walker, from Cincinnati/Wyoming High School − “It’s (The Battle of the Boulevard between Belmont and Lipscomb) honestly, very similar because both schools are so close (in Nashville), just like this is. It means a lot to a lot of people down there. I think understanding the game is gonna be a little different than most games. It’s (Crosstown Shootout) is a game I always focused on growing up, went to a bunch of them. I know what this is about, and it’s a cool opportunity to finally get to play in it.”
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More: Xavier guard Isaiah Walker has family ties in Crosstown Shootout
Roddie Anderson III, from Orange County, California − “I didn’t really believe the hype until I saw it last year. It’s one of the craziest games I’ve ever been a part of, and I wasn’t even playing.”
Tre Carroll, from Port Charlotte, Florida − “Once I got to Xavier (from FAU), that was the first thing they showed me was the Crosstown Shootout rivalry. Before I even committed, I was like, ‘I don’t like UC.’ When we play UC at Cintas Center, I’m ready for that. I wanna see what the hype is about.”
Malik Messina-Moore, from Ventura, California − “I didn’t realize how big of a rivalry it was until I got out here. It’s kind of part of their recruiting pitch. We had Montana-Montana State last year, but it did not compare to UC-Xavier. I’m excited for that crowd.”
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Former player/announcer reactions
Brian Thornton, former Xavier player, current Big 12 director of basketball – “Buckle up! The Crosstown Shootout’s one of the most intense rivalries in the entire country. I loved playing in it. I had the opportunity to play against Jason Maxiell and Eric Hicks and some of those guys at UC. It was just a great battle. It’s something that means so much to the city of Cincinnati. Buckle up and be prepared for a hard-fought game.”
Dan Hoard, UC Bearcats play-by-play – “The very first one I ever did on Fox 19 was the Lenny Brown game. I was the color analyst for Thom Brennaman. Obviously (it’s) one the Bearcat fans would like to forget. Andy Mac (MacWilliams) had the legendary call after that one, ‘No. 1 in the country, No. 2 in their own city!’ That one was memorable, definitely not my favorite.”
“As for a favorite, this one might surprise you: Mick Cronin’s first. Cincinnati won when they had no business winning. That was the roster he threw together at the last second. Xavier wasn’t great that year, but Xavier was good that year. For Cincinnati to pull off the win that year, that’s my favorite that I’ve had the opportunity to call.”
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Tyrice Walker, former Xavier player − “Watching it on TV or hearing about it definitely doesn’t do it any type of justice. When you see that crowd, then you see how intense the players are playing, it’s different. You’re gonna be hyped up for that game.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: UC, XU Crosstown Shootout rivalry from different viewpoints
