Sherwin Anderson didn't want his quote in print, but he made his feelings known.
On Monday, the day before the Crosstown Shootout against No. 1-ranked Cincinnati, Xavier's senior guard said without hesitation that his team would win Tuesday night.
Guess what? He was right.
The Musketeers knocked off the Bearcats 71-69 at Shoemaker Center with a dramatic buzzer-beater by sophomore guard Lenny Brown.
''I said it, quote me,'' Anderson said of his off-the-record prediction. ''I had a gut feeling. I knew deep down in my heart we were going to win this. We've got big hearts. Xavier is a school of pride. We care too much about each other. We refuse to lose.''
For the second straight season, Xavier had a legitimate chance to knock off the No. 1 men's basketball team in the country.
This time they did it.
The Musketeers lost to No. 1 Massachusetts 78-74 in overtime last season at Cincinnati Gardens.
But Tuesday night, Xavier won for the first time at Shoemaker and ended a two-game losing streak to its rival.
''We held on to this one,'' senior center Kevin Carr said. ''You can't even say how it feels. I know no one expected us to do this.''
When it was over, sophomore guard Gary Lumpkin had trouble keeping the tears from flowing.
''I said many prayers before this game, and I think they were answered,'' Lumpkin said. ''We just wanted to stick together and have confidence in each other. Even when we were down late in the game, I told the guys not to give in.
''The main thing is we were tough mentally.''
Especially at the end.
First, it was James Posey, who scored on an inbounds pay to tie the game with 6.7 seconds left.
''We were still figuring out the play,'' Posey said. ''I just happened to be right there.''
Then UC guard Charles Williams lost the ball out of bounds. Then XU guard Lenny Brown hit the game-winner as time expired.
''I was hoping he'd foul me so I would go to the free throw line and just hit one,'' Brown said.
Said XU coach Skip Prosser: 'He's got the courage of a cat burglar. He's got that one-on-one capability and unbelievable courage.''
Carr made it his first appearance of the season. He had knee surgery in June and was originally expected to be out until January.
Xavier must regroup for a game with Miami on Saturday (6 p.m.) at Cincinnati Gardens.
''What it means to the program remains to be seen,'' Prosser said. ''We'll see how we prepare for Miami.''
SHOOTOUT PAGE
GAME IN PICTURES
PAUL DAUGHERTY COLUMN
NOTEBOOK
BEARCATS PAGE
MUSKETEERS PAGE
Published Nov. 27, 1996.
