By Dustin Dow
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Xavier players still feel the sting from last season's 75-55 Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout loss to Cincinnati.

Not only did the Bearcats dominate the Musketeers, but Xavier star forward David West wasn't even a factor because he sprained his ankle near the end of the first half.

Don't think that won't be a motivational tool for the 16th-ranked Musketeers when the game starts at 4 p.m. today at Shoemaker Center.

"It's in the back of my mind," West said, "the way they beat us on our floor."

Cincinnati, meanwhile, isn't used to its status as the lower-ranked team. Not since the 1997-98 season has Xavier been ranked higher than UC going into the Shootout. And until UC won last year, Xavier had won four of the previous five Shootouts and was the Bearcats' nemesis of sorts. Now, it seems, the roles have been reversed.

Xavier, with a pair of All-America candidates in David West and Romain Sato, is the team with a target on its back. Cincinnati, which features at times a one-man offense in Leonard Stokes, is finding ways to win and will do whatever it takes to beat Xavier.

"Really, the veteran team should win," UC coach Bob Huggins said. "We were that team last year."

Xavier is that team this year with four players who have played in two or more Shootouts and a fifth who played in one last season. Cincinnati has just three players who have seen action in the game.

"We have guys who have played this thing for some years," West said. "Hopefully, it pays off in the end."

Both teams are 3-1, but Xavier, which handily beat Purdue 74-59 on Tuesday, has looked better. Cincinnati fell out of the Top 25 this week after losing last week at Dayton 75-69. The Bearcats beat Valparaiso by 16 on Monday.

"No question," Huggins said. "We've got one guy (Leonard Stokes). They (the Musketeers) have everybody."

But the Musketeers are searching for a regular starting lineup, and coach Thad Matta might pull a switch or two today. Former starter Dave Young has come off the bench in the last two games and scored 18 points, and centers Will Caudle and Anthony Myles both have started this season. Outside of West, Sato and Lionel Chalmers, there are no sure bets in the Xavier lineup.

"I would say (most teams) probably view us that way," Matta said. "I still think we need some other guys to step up. Anthony and Will did a nice job the other night against Purdue. We have to get that on a consistent basis.

"You have to show us in practice, and guys have made progress. I've been very pleased with what David Young has been bringing to the table every day in practice. I think he's become a better player in practice because of it. To say that we're set in stone (with the lineup) now, I wouldn't say that's the case. I think it will change."

Cincinnati is in a similar situation at its center position, where three different players have started this season. Kareem Johnson is the likely candidate today, ahead of Rod Flowers and Derek Hollman.

With both teams a little unsure of themselves, today's game might come down to which team wants to win more. In the past, no doubt the game has meant more to Xavier, the smaller, less recognizable school.

"It hasn't over the years been as big of a rivalry for us as it has for them," Huggins said.

West agreed that the Musketeers always have put more stock in this game.

"We don't get the notoriety or the recognition that UC gets," West said. "Year after year after year, they've had powerhouse after powerhouse, so they deserve it. A lot of times, we get pumped up because it's a big game for Xavier that if we win would help down the road."

The game is so big that after the loss last season, West said that if he hadn't been injured, Xavier would have won. This week, UC's Jason Maxiell responded that he is tougher than West and said West doesn't like contact. Other than telling Maxiell to "be careful what you wish for," West has backed down from further verbal battles.

"I'm not going to trash-talk," he said. "We'll just go over there and see what happens."

Fans, on the other hand, aren't quite so even-keeled.

"If you look at the two teams, Xavier is clearly the favorite," said UC fan Dan Abromowitz. "But in the Shootout, it doesn't matter who the better team is. Either one can win. The greatest thing about the Crosstown Shootout is that you win bragging rights for an entire year. Until David West and Xavier beat UC, Jason Maxiell can say what he wants."

E-mail ddow@enquirer.com

Cincinnati vs. Xavier

Records: XU 3-1, UC 3-1

Coaches: XU-Thad Matta (29-7, second season; 53-15 third overall); UC-Bob Huggins (335-101, 14th season; 503-173, 22nd overall).

Xavier's probable starting lineup:

Pos.	Name	Ht.	Yr.	PPG	RPG
F	David West	6-9	Sr.	19.3	8.8
F	Romain Sato	6-5	Jr.	16.0	9.3
C	Anthony Myles	6-9	Jr.	6.5	3.3
G	Dedrick Finn	6-1	Fr.	2.5	3.0
G	Lionel Chalmers	6-0	Sr.	17.3	1.0

Top reserves:

G-F	David Young	6-5	Sr.	6.8	3.8
G-F	Keith Jackson	6-5	So.	4.3	2.3
C	Will Caudle	6-9	Fr.	4.3	2.0

Cincinnati's probable starting lineup:

Pos.	Name	Ht.	Yr.	PPG	RPG
F	Leonard Stokes	6-6	Sr.	15.8	3.3
F	Jason Maxiell	6-7	So.	9.8	4.8
C	Kareem Johnson	6-7	Jr.	3.3	4.5
G	Field Williams	6-3	Jr.	14.8	4.5
G	Taron Barker	6-1	Sr.	7.5	4.0

Top reserves:

G	Tony Bobbitt	6-4	Jr.	6.3	2.8
C	Rod Flowers	6-8	Jr.	4.8	3.8
F	Eugene Land	6-7	Sr.	3.0	1.8