By Dustin Dow
Cincinnati Enquirer

It's that time of year again, when friendships are tested, school colors go on display and a passion for college basketball comes forth throughout Cincinnati.

It's Crosstown Shootout week. The big game between 16th-ranked Xavier and No.21 Cincinnati is at 4 p.m. Saturday at UC's Shoemaker Center. The sold-out game will be televised on ESPN.

But before either team or its fans get embroiled in pre-game hype, there are other games to play. Cincinnati hosts Valparaiso at 8 p.m. Monday, and Purdue comes to Xavier for a 7:30p.m. tipoff Tuesday.

After that, everyone's focus will be on the Shootout.

"That's always a big week," said Xavier's Lionel Chalmers, who will play in his third game against UC. "I think a lot of people hype the game up a lot. That's always a big one."

Cincinnati leads the all-time series 45-24 and won decisively 75-55 last season. Before that, XU had won four of the previous five Shootouts.