Danny Fortson was a gracious loser Tuesday night, saying if No. 1-ranked UC had to lose, it might as well have been to Xavier.
''Xavier did a good job,'' he said. ''Those boys came out and played hard. They deserved to win the game.''
UC coach Bob Huggins said much of the same after the Musketeers' 71-69 victory at Shoemaker Center.
''I think they're just hungrier than we were,'' Huggins said.
TECHNICAL TANGLE: With 16:22 left, Fortson and Xavier's T.J. Johnson got into a little skirmish, and both ended up with technical fouls.
''We got tangled up,'' Johnson said. ''He was running back down the court, and I slipped and fell. He was about to step on me, so I pushed his leg away. I didn't want him to step on me. He started coming after me, so I just grabbed his shirt.''
The referees quickly stepped in, and teammates had to restrain Johnson.
''That mixed with the heat of the ballgame, it just spilled over,'' Johnson said.
Said Fortson: ''I felt somebody grabbing my leg. I didn't mean to, but I think I kicked him. I just hope he isn't mad. It was no big deal.''
FINDERS KEEPERS: When Xavier emerged from the locker room, freshman Nate Turner was carrying the Shootout trophy.
''They left it sitting in there,'' he said smiling. ''I just picked it up.''
CARR BACK: Senior center Kevin Carr who had knee surgery and wasn't expected back until January, ended up playing almost 11 minutes. He had no points or rebounds, but gave XU another big body inside. ''I feel good,'' he said.
KEY STAT: Xavier outrebounded UC 33-31; more important, it was XU 19-12 in the second half.
N0. 1 FOR NO. 1: It was the first time Xavier beat the AP's No. 1 team. If Xavier beats Miami Saturday at the Gardens, the Musketeers could be poised to join the Top 25 themselves.
SI PAINTS UNFLATTERING PICTURE: The long-awaited Sports Illustrated story on the University of Cincinnati's basketball program hits the newsstands today. The story is not flattering, but it doesn't cover much new ground.
The magazine rates UC No. 1, and Danny Fortson is on the cover.
The story, written by Alexander Wolff, with special reporting by Don Yaeger, is headlined: ''Breaking Through.''
The subtitle is: ''Bob Huggins has taken Cincinnati from the pits to our No. 1 rankings, but given his players' history off the court and in the classroom, has he done it the right way?''
The four-page story begins by comparing UC to UNLV. It chronicles the
off-the-court problems of Art Long, Dontonio Wingfield and Darnell Burton.
SHOOTOUT PAGE
GAME IN PICTURES
GAME STORY
PAUL DAUGHERTY COLUMN
XAVIER: 'WE REFUSE TO LOSE'
BEARCATS PAGE
MUSKETEERS PAGE
Published Nov. 27, 1996.
