In this review, Xavier Men’s Basketball’s latest late season slide continues. Several local college basketball teams’ conference tournament brackets take shape. Plus, Cincinnati Cyclones player Jesse Schultz achieves a career milestone.

The local College Basketball weekly roundup

Men’s Basketball

Xavier Basketball is struggling to fend off a sense of Deja-vu. After starting February with their NCAA Tournament hopes in a good spot. The Xavier Musketeers are stumbling their way out of February. Losing their last four games of February and six of their last seven overall. Including their triple-overtime 92-99 loss at No.11 Providence last Wednesday. A game that stretched over past the three-hour mark. Due to a combination of overtime, numerous replay reviews and a roof leak.

Xavier trudged through last Saturday’s 66-82 home loss to Seton Hall. The Musketeers struggled to keep up with Seton Hall leading scorer Jared Rhoden. He scored a career-high 30 points helping Seton Hall hold a lead through most of the game. Now Xavier heads into crunch time without much room left for losses. Heading into the last week of their regular season 17-11 overall and 7-10 in Big East Conference play. This leaves Xavier with two must win games this week. Facing St. John’s on the road Wednesday. Then hosting Georgetown for Senior Night Saturday.

Cincinnati Basketball lost both of their games last week in different fashions. As Xavier was battling back and forth with Providence last Wednesday. Cincinnati trailed and ultimately lost on the road to Central Florida 61-75. Last Saturday, Cincinnati lost on Senior Night through a buzzer-beater to South Florida 54-56. Sending the Cincinnati Bearcats into a three-game losing streak.

Northern Kentucky Basketball wrapped up their regular season with wins. Beating Robert Morris at home last Thursday 78-64. Along with Youngstown State on Senior Night last Saturday 75-61. NKU secured the No.3 seed in the Horizon League Tournament. Earning a bye to the quarterfinals through their 14-6 Horizon League and 18-11 overall record. NKU will host their quarterfinal game Thursday at 7 PM Eastern. NKU will play the second-lowest remaining seed from the first round.

Women’s Basketball

NKU wrapped up their regular season with two home wins last week. Beating Oakland 66-62 last Thursday and Detroit Mercy 67-44 last Saturday. Sending the NKU Norse into the Horizon League Tournament 20-7 overall and 14-6 conference-wise. The No.5 seed Norse will host No.12 seed Detroit Mercy again this week. In the first round of the Horizon League Tournament. If the Norse win, they will travel to face No.4 seed Cleveland State Thursday.

Xavier lost a chance to have a firmer grip on the Big East Tournament’s No.9 seed. Losing at home to current No.9 seed Georgetown 40-54 last Friday. Marking a regular season split against the Georgetown Hoyas. Last Sunday, Xavier lost 49-58 at home to Villanova. Giving Xavier a 9-19 overall and 4-15 conference record heading into Tuesday’s Senior Day.

Cincinnati snapped a five-game losing streak last Wednesday. Beating Memphis at home on Senior Night 71-58. The Bearcats wrapped up their regular season with a loss. Losing 39-74 at American Athletic Conference-leading Central Florida last Saturday. Now the Bearcats turn their attention to the AAC Tournament March 7-10 in Fort Worth, Texas. The Bearcats will likely be the No.11 seed in that tournament. Heading into it with an 11-16 overall and 4-11 conference record.

The rest of the week that was

FC Cincinnati began their 2022 season with a thud and a continuation of their doldrums. Losing on the road to Austin FC 5-0 last Saturday. In the debut match for FC Cincinnati manager Chris Albright. FCC fell behind quickly with Cecilio Dominguez scoring two minutes into the match. Dominguez scored another goal in the second half. Austin took a 3-0 lead into the halftime break. While FCC goalie Alec Kann had an own goal in second half stoppage time.

The Cincinnati Cyclones swept the Allen Americans in Cincinnati last week. Winning 3-2 last Thursday, 4-3 in overtime last Saturday and 4-2 last Sunday. In last Thursday’s game, Jesse Schultz scored his 1,000th career point. Doing so through scoring a goal in the first period. In the 39-year-old right winger’s 1,128th professional game.

Meanwhile, today will be a pivotal day regarding Major League Baseball’s lockout. The league announced last week the regular season would not start as originally scheduled. If the owners and players don’t reach an agreement on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement today. With no clear sense of a breakthrough between the two sides immediately in sight. The Cincinnati Reds’ currently scheduled Opening Day game on March 31st will likely be cancelled. Last Christmas, I thought to myself that a frigid Opening Day was likely. At this rate, Opening Day might be delayed to a point when it will be 80 degrees outside.

What to watch this week (all times Eastern)

Men’s College Basketball

Cincinnati at Houston, Tuesday at 9 PM on ESPNU and WLW-AM (700).

Xavier at St. John’s, Wednesday at 6:30 PM on FS1 and WLW-AM.

Northern Kentucky’s Horizon League quarterfinal game, Thursday at 7 PM on ESPN+ and WSAI-AM (1360).

Cincinnati at SMU, Thursday at 7 PM on ESPNU and WLW-AM.

Xavier vs. Georgetown, Saturday at 7 PM on FS1 and WLW-AM.

Women’s College Basketball

Xavier vs. Seton Hall, Tuesday at 1 PM on FloSports.

The Big East Tournament starts Friday in Uncasville, Connecticut. Xavier’s matchup in that tournament hasn’t been determined yet. Going into Monday, Xavier is in position to be the No.10 seed. The Big East Tournament’s bracket can be found here.

NKU vs. Detroit Mercy, Tuesday at 7 PM on ESPN+.

(If NKU wins Tuesday) NKU at Cleveland State, Thursday at 5:30 PM on ESPN+.

FC Cincinnati

FC Cincinnati’s home opener is Saturday at 6 PM against DC United on WSTR-TV (64).

2022 Winter Paralympics

The 2022 Winter Paralympics will start this Friday and run through March 13th in Beijing, China. 67 athletes will compete for Team USA during these games. Including Louisville KY’s Oksana Masters; the six-time Paralympian will compete in skiing. Masters has a personal connection to the biggest story in the world right now. Russia’s invasion of her birth country Ukraine.

Cincy Sports Journal will have more regarding Masters’ 2022 Paralympic journey later this week. Friday’s Opening Ceremony can be seen at 6:30 AM Eastern on USA. The schedule of Paralympic events airing on USA and NBC can be found here.

Cincinnati Cyclones

Cincinnati Cyclones at Fort Wayne Komets, Saturday at 7:30 PM on cycloneshockey.com

Cincinnati Cyclones at Toledo Walleye, Sunday at 5:15 PM on cycloneshockey.com