In this review, winning streaks are extended in the men’s and women’s Crosstown Shootout. The Cincinnati Bengals lost in overtime after a fourth quarter comeback. While Cincinnati Football players past and present won awards.

Crosstown Shootout weekend recap

Xavier Basketball won their third-consecutive men’s Crosstown Shootout last Saturday. With an 83-63 home win against Cincinnati Basketball. Coming days after Xavier routed Ball State at the Cintas Center 96-50. The Xavier Musketeers haven’t lost a Crosstown Shootout at the Cintas Center since the 2001-02 season. Xavier fell into early foul trouble; Colby Jones was benched early in the first half after two fouls. Zach Fremantle had three fouls in the first half including a technical. He fouled out of the game with another technical in the second half.

Jack Nunge stepped up from the bench with a massive game. Making me regret not listing him as a Musketeers playmaker to watch going into last Saturday. Nunge led the first half overall with 14 points. He wrapped up the Crosstown Shootout with a game-leading 31 points and 15 rebounds. Paul Scruggs will wrap up his college playing career with a record four wins against Cincinnati.

Amid Xavier’s early fouls, the Cincinnati Bearcats also slipped into early foul trouble. Wrapping up the first half with ten fouls compared to Xavier’s nine first half fouls. Cincinnati struggled to make shots of all kind during the game. Making four of eight free throws in the first half. All contributed to Xavier breaking away with a deep lead midway through the first half.

Xavier took a 42-27 lead into the halftime break. That score held roughly three minutes into the second half. Xavier ultimately didn’t relinquish their lead. While Cincinnati struggled to gain any kind of sustained momentum. As Cincinnati falls to a 7-3 record and Xavier improves to a 9-1 record this season.

The day after the men’s game, Cincinnati Women’s Basketball won their third-consecutive Crosstown Shootout. Coming from behind to beat Xavier 82-73 at Fifth Third Arena. Xavier led by three at the end of the third quarter. Cincinnati outscored Xavier 32-20 in the fourth. Primarily through Cincinnati going 9-15 from field goal range in that quarter.

Xavier was three of fifteen from field goal range in the fourth. Overall, Cincinnati also outpaced Xavier with 43 bench points compared to Xavier’s nine. Earlier in the week, Xavier’s women’s team beat Niagra Basketball 82-78 at Xavier. Cincinnati didn’t have a game in the week prior to Sunday’s Crosstown Shootout. Cincinnati improved to a 5-4 record through Sunday’s win; Xavier now holds a 4-6 record.

After the Crosstown Shootout

Xavier’s men’s team will host Morehead State Basketball Wednesday. That game is set to tip-off at 8:30 PM Eastern on FS1. The Musketeers will begin Big East Conference play this Saturday. Hosting Marquette Basketball at 4 PM Eastern on FS1. Xavier’s women’s team will host Southeast Missouri Basketball Sunday at 2 PM Eastern on FloSports.

Cincinnati’s men’s team will host Florida A&M and Texas Southern Basketball this week. The Florida A&M game is Tuesday at 7 PM Eastern. The Texas Southern game is Saturday at Noon Eastern. Both games can be seen on ESPN+ and heard on WLW-AM (700). Cincinnati’s women’s team will face Chattanooga Basketball on the road Wednesday at 7 PM Eastern. The Bearcats will host North Carolina A&T Basketball Sunday. Tip-off is set to happen at 2 PM Eastern on ESPN+.

The rest of the week in local college basketball

Northern Kentucky Men’s Basketball snapped a four-game losing streak last week. Northern Kentucky beat Canisius Basketball 75-62 last Wednesday. Then beat NAIA program Alice Lloyd Basketball 91-55 last Sunday. Winning both games at home and improving to 4-5 overall. Northern Kentucky will try to get their first road win of the season this Saturday. Taking on Eastern Kentucky Basketball at 7 PM Eastern on ESPN+ and WSAI-AM (1360).

While NKU’s men’s team snapped their losing streak. Northern Kentucky’s Women’s Basketball won their last three games. After beating Purdue Fort Wayne Basketball on December 5^th. NKU beat Kentucky State Basketball 72-51 at home last Wednesday. Then beat Saint Louis Basketball on the road 80-69. Northern Kentucky’s next game is December 20^th at Wofford Basketball in Spartanburg, SC. That game is set to tip-off at 6 PM Eastern on ESPN+.

Perhaps the most inspiring result of the entire weekend featured Western Kentucky Men’s Basketball. Western Kentucky beat Ole Miss Basketball 71-48 last Saturday in Atlanta, GA. The game happened hours after this weekend’s devastating tornadoes. Which unleashed horrific damage across Western Kentucky and several neighboring states. There was a moment of silence in memory of those who lost loved ones and homes before tip-off.

WKU also dedicated the win to their hometown Bowling Green. One of many cities and towns across the region sustaining storm damage. Western Kentucky is planning to go forward with their home game against Centre College this Tuesday. They’re also scheduled to host Louisville Basketball this Saturday.

Cincinnati Bengals lose in overtime to San Francisco 49ers

The Cincinnati Bengals lost 26-23 in overtime hosting the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Cincinnati pulled off a big comeback just to get it to overtime. Trailing 20-6 early in the fourth quarter. Touchdowns from Ja’Marr Chase with 9:20 and 1:19 left in the fourth. Along with extra points from Evan McPherson tied the game.

Then 49ers kicker Robbie Gould missed a game-winning field goal attempt at the end of the fourth. The Bengals worked their way down the field in the first possession of overtime. Though were ultimately forced to kick a field goal, instead of getting a game-winning touchdown. Having two rushing plays instead of having Joe Burrow pass it just outside of the end zone. 49ers player Brandon Aiyuk narrowly got the ball past the pylon before going out of bounds to win the game.

Another takeaway from Sunday’s game was the rough evening for Bengals punt returner Darius Phillips. He fumbled two punts that ultimately resulted in ten of the 49ers 17 first half points. The drive started by the second dropped punt was extended by a controversial taunting penalty. Going against Bengals defensive back Vonn Bell. Next up for the Bengals, a road game against the Denver Broncos. This coming Sunday at 4:05 PM Eastern on CBS. The Bengals and Broncos will go into Sunday with 7-6 records.

Both are in third place in their respective divisions. Denver is solidly in third in the AFC West. The Bengals are tied record-wise with the AFC North’s second place Cleveland Browns. Yet, Cleveland holds a head-to-head advantage over Cincinnati. Cincinnati blundered a chance to pull into a tie with the AFC North-leading Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore lost to the Browns moments before the Bengals vs. 49ers game began.

A week of accolades for Cincinnati Football

One week after Cincinnati Football qualified for the College Football Playoff. Cincinnati alumnus and Canadian Football quarterback Zach Collaros won a milestone of his own. He and his Winnepeg Blue Bombers teammates won last Sunday’s Canadian Football League Grey Cup title. Beating the Hamilton Tiger Cats in Hamilton, Ontario in overtime 33-25. Marking the Blue Bombers’ second-consecutive Grey Cup championship. Sunday’s game was a rematch of the 2019 edition of the Grey Cup; there was no Grey Cup and CFL season last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Collaros was named the Grey Cup’s Most Outstanding Player.

Meanwhile, Cincinnati Football earned more national recognition last week. Luke Fickell won the Home Depot Coach of the Year Award. Defensive Back Coby Bryant won the Jim Thorpe Award. Bryant is the first Bearcats player to win the award. Along with that, Cincinnati Football will face this year’s Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Jones in the Cotton Bowl Classic. The Alabama Football quarter became that program’s fourth overall Heisman winner. Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder finished eighth in the Heisman vote.

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