Recap: Xavier 78 Cincinnati 74

Another Crosstown Shootout, another night of frustration for Cincinnati.

 

(Photo: Taylor Keeton / BearcatSportsHub)

 

Despite dominating the glass, mounting a furious comeback, and briefly grabbing a late lead, the Bearcats once again walked out of Cintas Center with disappointment—falling 79–74 to Xavier on Saturday, extending their 11th straight road loss in the rivalry. Wes Miller now sits at 1–4 against the Musketeers.

 

No answer for Tre Carroll

 

 

The night belonged to Tre Carroll, who delivered a career-high performance when his team needed him most. The Xavier forward poured in 30 points on 14-of-23 shooting, punishing Cincinnati from the midrange and the post. Every UC push had an answer, including the dagger—a high-arcing pull-up with 57 seconds left that stretched Xavier’s lead to 74–70.

 

"Tre Carroll had a terrific night. It just felt like he kept making them over the top… made a bunch of tough ones, tough mini twos over the top," Miller said following the game. "When we had to go back to man-to-man or possessions we couldn’t get into the zone, he was terrific in the post. You gotta tip your cap.”

 

Xavier shot 46.9% overall, overcame a cold night from deep (6-of-28), and used a pivotal 13–0 run early in the second half to build a 56–43 advantage—their largest lead of the night.

 

(Photo: Taylor Keeton / BearcatSportsHub)

 

Bearcats effort on the boards not enough

 

Cincinnati fought back with overwhelming physicality, winning the rebounding battle 51–37, grabbing 15 offensive boards, and turning those into 18 second-chance points. But the Bearcats’ inability to convert high-value chances proved fatal: they shot 11-of-22 at the free-throw line and just 37.7% from the field.

 

 

Miller did not hide his frustration with the missed opportunities:

 

“We win a lot of the statistical categories of the game… but we leave 11 free throws on the board. I think we missed like four layups. That’s what happens—you gotta be able to convert those things on the road to win.”

 

Baba Miller delivered one of the grittiest stat lines in recent Shootout history: 17 rebounds, 6 assists, 10 points, showing constant activity around the rim, and defensive versatility.

 

Shon Abaev led UC with 16 points on 4-of-7 shooting from deep, while Day Day Thomas added 15 and scored a late layup that cut the deficit to 78–74 with five seconds remaining. But Cincinnati managed just one field goal in the final 2:39, squandering the momentum it had created with the late push that briefly produced a 68–67 lead.

 

(Photo: Taylor Keeton / BearcatSportsHub)

 

Xavier’s Poise vs. Cincinnati’s Missed Chances

UC committed nine turnovers, while Xavier coughed it up just four times, generating a 9–3 points-off-turnovers edge.

While Tre Carroll was the star of the night, his supporting cast did just enough to provide support to help get the Musketeers across the finish line.

• Fedor Borovicanin: 12 points, two threes

• Javon Milicevic: 12 points, 7 boards

• Messina-Moore: 6 assists, steady tempo control

Xavier held the lead for nearly 30 minutes, absorbing UC’s physicality and responding with poise down the stretch.

 

The Turning Point: A Four-Minute Collapse

Miller was blunt about the game’s most decisive window—the first four minutes of the second half, when Xavier exploded for its 13–0 run to turn a two-point deficit into a double-digit lead.

 

“If there’s any four-minute segment I’d like to have back, that’d be the one. They build out a 13-point lead… I didn’t think we were playing with great effort during that stretch. We were slow to get back, getting cross-matched in transition, not in a stance. He also explained the shift to zone that sparked the comeback.

 

“I thought going to the zone helped change the game for us," Miller said. "We were kind of struggling to cover with our front court. Our guys did a nice job of playing the zone and we found our footing defensively. But even after the rally, late-game execution slipped."

Players Reflect

Kriisa emphasized the group’s competitive spirit:

“I think our group has a lot of hunger… we kind of leaned into each other more and more and got back in the game. JC hit a big three, kind of felt like we had the momentum. There’s a lot of positives… I mean, Baba had 17 rebounds. We didn’t turn the ball over nine times, which has been an issue for us lately. So I think there’s a lot of positives.”When asked about the final four minutes, Kriisa focused on Xavier’s responses:

“They hit the big three, they went up two again, hit another one… They were up four and we took a timeout. They had a big layup there. Like, I mean, there’s a lot to take from this game in general.”

Jalen Celestine, who hit a crucial three during the comeback stretch and finished with 10 points, six rebounds, remained critical of himself despite praise from others.

“Best game of the season? I didn’t really play a great game per se… I’m happy it is the best game, but got a lot of work to do. I’m not happy with this.”

Takeaways and Lessons

Miller stressed the value of playing in such an emotional environment so early in the season.

“There’s a lot we can learn from in this game… It’s clear we’re going to have a great team and a great year. That’s like a Big 12 road game—feels like a rivalry game every night in our league. Our guys showed a lot of poise and fight. It’ll pay dividends later.”

He also emphasized staying grounded despite the emotional weight of the rivalry:

“We’re new—we’re still learning how to play together. But it’s a connected group… I understand what this game means to our city. I want to win for our fans because of that. But in January and February, when we’re doing what we need to do in the Big 12, nights like tonight will help us.”

(Photo: Taylor Keeton / BearcatSportsHub)

Cincinnati walks away with another painful reminder of how difficult winning at Cintas Center has become. The toughness, the rebounding dominance, the comeback—it was all there. But once again, the Bearcats lacked the late-game precision and shot-making required to flip the result. Xavier, meanwhile, extends its home streak against the Bearcats.

Cincinnati will now get a week off to try to re-focus and re-group before heading to Atlanta for a matchup against Georgia next Saturday at State Farm Arena.

“It’ll be fun to get back on the practice court this week," Miller concluded. "We’ll take another step and get ready for what’s next.”

Game Highlights:

Postgame Video: