The series had developed a history of bad blood in the years leading up to the 2011 Crosstown Shootout. In 2008, a total of six technical fouls were called in a 76-66 Xavier win. Xavier's Derrick Brown was ejected, and two freshman post players were involved in an altercation that displayed the enmity between the two schools: Xavier's Kenny Freaseheadbutted UC's Yancy Gates, for which both players received technicals. The following year, multiple verbal exchanges resulted in UC clearing their bench, as well as technicals called on Xavier's Jordan Crawford and UC's Rashad Bishop in Xavier's double overtime win. In 2010, Holloway received a technical foul for throwing an elbow late in UC's 66-46 win.
The brawl
The 2011 Crosstown Shootout was close at first, with eight ties and six lead changes in the first half. Xavier led 34–25 at halftime.[2] The first sign of trouble occurred in the closing seconds of the first half, when Bearcat backupOctavius Ellis began exchanging some words with Xavier player Mark Lyons from the bench. Ellis jumped up from the bench to confront Lyons, and the two players had to be separated. Before the start of the second half, according to Xavier coach Chris Mack, both teams were warned that any further incident would result in technical fouls.[3] The Musketeers started the second half on a 9–2 run and were never seriously threatened afterward.[4] Ultimately, the Musketeers outscored the Bearcats 42–28 in the second half.[2]
With 18.6 seconds remaining, Xavier's Tu Holloway scored a layup to give the Musketeers the 76–53 lead. As Holloway walked to the other end of the court, he began shouting at the Bearcat bench, bringing UC's Ge'Lawn Guyn over to confront him and triggering an argument between both men. As Guyn reached for Holloway's throat, Xavier's Dezmine Wells intervened by pushing Guyn to the floor,[4] causing UC's Yancy Gates to throw the ball at Holloway's head and both benches to empty. In the ensuing fight, Gates punched Xavier's Kenny Frease in the face, opening up a large cut under Frease's left eye and knocking him to the ground. As Frease tried to crawl away from the crowd, UC's Cheikh Mbodj stomped on the back of his head. Ellis threw a punch at Lyons, causing him and Wells to throw several back before coaches got in between them. This brought Gates over, who began shouting and throwing more punches at a Xavier backup, until Xavier assistant Aaron Williams and Lyons calmed him down.[5]Referees Michael Roberts, Jeff Anderson, and Tony Crisp ended the game with 9.4 seconds remaining, giving Xavier the 76–53 win. UC's Gates and Mbodj, and Xavier's Wells, were retroactively ejected from the game for fighting. Under National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules, these players were suspended for their next game, a sanction that could not be appealed.
Aftermath
UC coach Mick Cronin, furious at how his players behaved, ordered them to take off their jerseys in the locker room, to the point he physically stripped them off from some of the players himself in disgust. In his postgame comments, a visibly angry Cronin said that he told his players not to put them on again "until they have a full understanding of where they go to school and what the university stands for and how lucky they are to even be there, let alone have a scholarship." He also hinted that several players could face suspensions, and possibly dismissal from the team, saying that he was going to review the tape with school president Gregory H. Williams and athletic director Whit Babcock "and decide who's going to be on my team going forward." Cronin also appeared to blame the referees for not taking control of the situation sooner (threats of technicals after the first-half incident notwithstanding), saying that Xavier players were yelling at his bench for the whole game and even cursing at his coaches. Cronin said he tried to call a time-out before the brawl broke out so the players could go to their respective benches, but couldn't get the officials' attention.[6]
In the postgame interview, Holloway claimed the Bearcats had "disrespected" his teammates in the run-up to the game. He also said, "We went out there and zipped them up at the end of the game." He also added that he and his teammates considered themselves "gangsters, not thugs, but tough guys on the court." Lyons added, "If somebody puts their hand in your face or tries to do something to you, where we're from, you're gonna do something back."[5]
Later that night, Cronin spoke with ESPN's Andy Katz and reiterated that there would be additional suspensions coming. "Nobody is going to walk on our side," he said. He also said the brawl was the most embarrassing moment of his coaching career. Mack was somewhat more restrained in his remarks, saying he wasn't "in a position to be a decision maker," but that his players needed to learn "how to handle themselves and not let that happen again." Earlier, Mack had tweeted, "If my players say they've been taught to be tough their whole life, they mean ON THE FLOOR. Nothing else is condoned."[7]
Both schools' presidents issued statements condemning the brawl. UC's Williams strongly supported Cronin's postgame remarks, saying that the brawl was "not what we expect of representatives of the University of Cincinnati" and that school officials would "act swiftly and firmly" to ensure it would never happen again.[8] Xavier's Michael J. Graham called the brawl "unsportsmanlike" and apologized to Xavier's fans and "the entire Cincinnati community."[9] The Big East Conference and the Atlantic 10 Conference, the home conferences for UC and Xavier, respectively at the time, also condemned the brawl and promised to hand down additional suspensions if they felt the schools hadn't acted harshly enough.[7]
On December 11, both schools announced suspensions for the players involved. UC suspended Gates, Mbodj and Ellis for six games each, and Guyn for one game. Cronin said that the four players would still have to earn their way back onto the team even after they served out their suspensions. At the very least, Cronin said, they would have to sincerely apologize on camera and complete several other unspecified tasks. Xavier suspended Wells and Landen Amos for four games, Lyons for two and Holloway for one. Xavier athletic director Mike Bobinski also apologized for Holloway and Lyons' postgame remarks. Mack said that Holloway was suspended specifically for his postgame comments, and admitted that neither he nor Lyons should have appeared before the media.[10]
On December 11, Mack, Holloway, Lyons and Xavier Athletic Director Mike Bobinski all apologized for what occurred. Mike Bobinski said, "It was an embarrassment. It was a disappointment at every level. We take full responsibility for the role that we played in those events and are resolved to whatever is necessary to see to it that it never happens again."[11] Holloway also apologized for his postgame comments, saying, "Myself, I used the wrong choice of words. I represent Xavier University, my family and myself and I really apologize for what took place."[11] The following day, an emotional Gates apologized for his actions, saying they were "not what my family is about." Guyn, Ellis and Mbodj also apologized.[12]
Hamilton County prosecutor Joe Deters said he was considering filing criminal charges related to the brawl. Under Ohio law, Deters' office would handle the case if the charges rose to the level of felonies; Cincinnati city solicitor John Curp would prosecute if they are only misdemeanors. There is no known instance of criminal charges being filed as a result of a brawl at an NCAA game.[13] Two days later, Deters announced he would not file charges, indicating that Gates and Frease had "reached out to each other privately" and that Frease was satisfied with a personal apology from Gates.[14] On that same day, Bobinski used Mack's radio show to again apologize and take questions from fans concerning the incident.
On December 18, prior to Xavier's game against Oral Roberts, Mack took the floor again to apologize for the incident that had occurred in the previous game. Mack said, "We were all embarrassed by our behavior last weekend," and added, "It's extremely disappointing and in no way was a representation of what our university and our basketball program is all about."[15]
Partly due to the incident, Xavier and UC officials decided to move the Crosstown Shootout to U.S. Bank Arena for at least the next two seasons and rename it the Crosstown Classic. Player and fan behavior was extensively reevaluated after the 2013 game, and was said to be a major factor in the decision to continue the series beyond the 2013–14 season.[16][17] On May 12, 2014, the two schools announced a ten-year agreement to continue the series, alternating between campuses, and to revert the name of the series back to the Crosstown Shootout.[18]
Heritage Bank Center is an indoor arena located in downtown Cincinnati, next to the Great American Ball Park. It was completed in September 1975 and named Riverfront Coliseum because of its placement next to Riverfront Stadium. In 1997, the facility became known as The Crown, and in 1999, it changed its name again to Firstar Center after Firstar Bank assumed naming rights. In 2002, following Firstar's merger with U.S. Bank, the arena took on the name U.S. Bank Arena and kept that name until 2019.
Fifth Third Arena is an indoor arena in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. The arena opened in 1989 and is located on the campus of the University of Cincinnati. It primarily serves as the home venue for the Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball, women's basketball, and women's volleyball teams and hosts other events. It is located in the Myrl H. Shoemaker Center, which was also the name of the arena until 2005, when it was named for Cincinnati-based Fifth Third Bank.
The Cintas Center is a 10,250-seat multi-purpose arena and conference center at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. The arena officially opened in 2000 and was constructed through private donations as part of Xavier University's Century Campaign. It is home to the Xavier University Musketeers basketball and volleyball teams. It is named for the uniform company Cintas.
The Crosstown Shootout is an annual men's college basketball game played between the University of Cincinnati Bearcats and Xavier University Musketeers. The two schools are separated by 3 miles (4.8 km) in Cincinnati, making the archrivalry one of the closest major rivalries in the country. The game was first played in 1927, and has been played every year since 1946. In recent years, the game has been sponsored by Skyline Chili.
The Cincinnati Bearcats are the athletic teams that represent the University of Cincinnati. The teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and the Football Bowl Subdivision as members of the Big 12 Conference.
Michael Walter Cronin is an American men's college basketball coach who is the head coach of the UCLA Bruins of the Pac-12 Conference.
The Xavier Musketeers men's basketball team represents Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. The school's team currently competes in the Big East Conference, and are coached by Sean Miller. Xavier has appeared in the NCAA tournament 29 times, 16 times in the 18 tournaments between 2001 and 2018. On March 11, 2018, Xavier earned its first ever No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Xavier is also a two-time winner of the NIT, with their most recent championship coming in 2022.
The Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball program represents the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio. The school's team competes in NCAA Division I as part of the Big 12 Conference. The Bearcats are currently coached by Wes Miller.
Christopher Lee Mack is an American college basketball coach and the former head coach at the University of Louisville and Xavier University.
The 2010–11 Xavier Musketeers men's basketball team represented Xavier University in the 2010–11 college basketball season. This was head coach Chris Mack's second season at Xavier. The Musketeers competed in the Atlantic 10 Conference and played their home games at the Cintas Center. They finished the season 24–8, 15–1 in A-10 play to win the regular season conference championship. The Musketeers lost in the quarterfinals of the A-10 tournament to Dayton. They received an at-large bid in the NCAA tournament as a #6 seed where they lost in the second round to Marquette.
The 2011–12 Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball team represents the University of Cincinnati during the 2011–12 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team plays its home games in Cincinnati, Ohio at the Fifth Third Arena, which has a capacity of 13,176. They are members of the Big East Conference.
The 2011–12 Xavier Musketeers men's basketball team represented Xavier University in the 2011–12 NCAA Divisions I Men's Basketball Season. Xavier was led by head coach Chris Mack in his third season at Xavier. The Musketeers competed in the Atlantic 10 Conference and played their home games at the Cintas Center. Xavier finished the season 23-13,10–6 in A-10 play to finish in tie for third place in conference. The Musketeers lost to St. Bonaventure in the championship of the A-10 tournament. Xavier received a #10 seed in the NCAA tournament. The Musketeers defeated Notre Dame and Lehigh to reach the Sweet Sixteen where they were defeated by Baylor.
The 2014–15 Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball team represented the University of Cincinnati in the 2014–15 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bearcats played home games on Ed Jucker Court at the Fifth Third Arena. The 2014–15 season was the second season the Bearcats participated in the American Athletic Conference, and were coached by Mick Cronin in his ninth season. Mick Cronin discovered he had an arterial dissection and sat out the rest of the season, last coaching December 17 against San Diego State, which would see Assistant Head Coach Larry Davis coach the rest of the season. They finished the season 23–11, 13–5 in AAC play to finish in a tie for third place. They lost in the quarterfinals of the American Athletic tournament to UConn. They received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament where they defeated Purdue in the second round before losing in the third round to Kentucky.
The 2015 Cincinnati Bearcats football team represented the University of Cincinnati in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team returned on campus to Nippert Stadium after playing 2014 home games at Paul Brown Stadium during stadium renovation. The Bearcats were led by third-year head coach Tommy Tuberville and were members of the Eastern Division of the American Athletic Conference. They finished the season 7–6 overall and 4–4 in American Athletic lay to finish in a tie for third place in the East Division. They were invited to the Hawaii Bowl where they lost to San Diego State.
Yancy Grayson Gates is an American professional basketball player who last played for Semt77 Yalovaspor of the BSL. He played college basketball for the University of Cincinnati.
The 1955 Xavier Musketeers football team was an American football team that represented Xavier University as an independent during the 1955 college football season. In its first season under head coach Harry Connolly, the team compiled a 7–2 record and outscored opponents by a total of 196 to 72. The team played its home games at Xavier Stadium in Cincinnati.
Naji Maurice Marshall is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Xavier Musketeers.
The Cincinnati–Xavier rivalry is a college sports rivalry between the University of Cincinnati Bearcats and the Xavier University Musketeers. The two schools are separated by less than 3 miles (4.8 km) in Cincinnati, making the archrivalry one of the closest major rivalries in the country. The rivalry dates to their first college football game between the teams in 1918. The first men's college basketball game was played in 1927, which has become the most famous sport in the rivalry, known as the Crosstown Shootout. National outlets cover the game each year, many considering that it is one of the fiercest rivalries in college basketball. The college football series would run until the Xavier Musketeers football ceased play after their final season in 1973. Many other sports at the universities, such as baseball, also face off annually.
The 1955 Cincinnati Bearcats football team was an American football team that represented the University of Cincinnati as an independent during the 1955 college football season. In their first year under head coach George Blackburn, the Bearcats compiled a 1–6–2 and were outscored by a total of 199 to 97.
The 2020–21 Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball team represented the University of Cincinnati in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bearcats were led by second-year head-coach John Brannen. The team played their home games at Fifth Third Arena as members of the American Athletic Conference. They finished the season 12–11, 8–6 in AAC play to finish in fifth place. They defeated SMU and Wichita State in the AAC tournament before losing to Houston in the championship game.
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