Cincinnati Basketball: 3 reasons why the Bearcats will be better than Xavier in 2018-19

By TJ Miller | Sep 4, 2018

NASHVILLE, TN - MARCH 18: Trevor Moore #5 of the Cincinnati Bearcats high fives Jarron Cumberland #34 against the Nevada Wolf Pack during the first half in the second round of the 2018 Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 18, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) /

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ORLANDO, FL – MARCH 11: The Cincinnati Bearcats celebrate their championship over Houston Cougars at the final game of the 2018 AAC Basketball Championship at Amway Center on March 11, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /

Cincinnati Basketball and Xavier will meet December 8th in one of college basketball’s most competitive rivalries. Here’s why the Bearcats should win that matchup and put together a better 2018-19 season.

The Crosstown Shootout has given fans quite the spectacle in recent years: wild brawls, coaches calling out players, and plenty of tight finishes. There’s no doubt Mick Cronin and Chris Mack has provided an entertaining rivalry the last several years.

Now Mack is heading to coach Louisville, and Cronin will face off against newly promoted Travis Steele in the next chapter of the rivalry. Although the Musketeers have got the better of the Bearcats recently winning 4 of the last 5 matchups, Mack’s departure opens the door for Cincinnati to leap back into the driver’s seat.

Cronin has led the program to back to back 30+ win seasons. The losses of Jacob Evans, Gary Clark, and Kyle Washington might make it difficult to reach such a mark. However, Cronin will have plenty of talent and athleticism to work with this coming season.

Tenacious defense and outstanding desire are paramount to the Cincinnati way. Cronin won’t allow this to change. Even with significant roster changes, the Bearcats can topple Xavier this December and go on to have a better season overall. Here are three reasons why:

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