Inside the Crosstown Shootout: Cincinnati vs. Xavier: The Rivalry That Captivates a City

The campuses of the Cincinnati Bearcats and Xavier Musketeers are only 3½ miles apart, and since 1928, it has been a neighborhood rivalry, a city rivalry, and one of the most intense rivalries in college sports. In Bill Koch’s “Inside the Crosstown Shootout: Cincinnati vs. Xavier—The Rivalry That Captivates a City,” this annual winter rite is told through the eyes of the players and coaches who have competed against each other since 1980. You will read about the animosity between some of the coaches and the closeness of fiercely opposing players. You’ll get the inside story on the 2011 fight that almost caused a hiatus in the rivalry and relive the upsets, game-winning shots, memorable performances, and much more.

During five decades as a sportswriter, Bill Koch has covered the Cincinnati Bearcats and Xavier Musketeers as a beat writer and columnist. A Cincinnati native, Koch is a 1977 graduate of UC who has worked at the Cincinnati Post, Cincinnati Enquirer, and currently writes for UC's athletics web site. He is the author of a 2015 memoir, "I Can't Believe I Got Paid For This," and three books about high school sports.