It’s hard to say where to start with this. If you’re on this website, you already know. Xavier hates Cincinnati, Cincinnati hates Xavier. Sometimes they fight. This is a legitimate rivalry game between two teams whose campuses are within walking distance of one another. There’s no love lost between these programs and it bleed over on the court.
Xavier has handled business in the run up to this game. Aside from the neutral-site loss to a stunningly good Iowa State team while the roster was ravaged by the flu, Xavier’s record is unblemished. The Muskies were one of just two teams with 3 Q1 wins when the NET debuted, and they remain one of only a handful of teams to hold that distinction.