By Shannon Russell
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Before the basketball season started, the University of Cincinnati women were ranked 18th in the nation and Xavier was welcoming a new coach and potential freshmen starters.

Times have changed for the unranked Bearcats (7-2) and surprising Musketeers (7-1), who square off in the 25th annual Crosstown Shootout at 1:30 p.m. today at UC's Shoemaker Center.

The Bearcats, who dropped out of the Associated Press Top 25 poll after a 65-55 loss to Nebraska Dec. 15, take on an XU team that has begun to garner votes in both the AP and ESPN/USA Today polls.

The Dec. 23 womenscollegehoops.com Top 50 poll ranks Xavier No. 25 and UC No. 42.

But UC has dominated the Shootout, winning 18 of the 24 games, including the last six. The Musketeers haven't beaten the Bearcats since 1996, and they've won on UC turf only twice. But that doesn't mean the Bearcats will take them lightly, UC coach Laurie Pirtle said.

"It doesn't matter who's better or who's worse. You just have to hope and go play and see if it falls your way," Pirtle said. "We may have won the last six games, but about every one has been a barn-burner."

In the last four games - one decided in overtime, another in double overtime - UC's average winning margin has been eight points.

Strong defense and a potent inside game propelled UC to a 62-56 win over Xavier in last season's Shootout. At 6-feet-3, center Debbie Merrill was the difference, with 22 points and 13 rebounds. Merrill averages 18.8 points and 6.8 rebounds a game this season.

The Bearcats' top scorer, Valerie King (19.6 points a game), and career assists leader, K.B. Sharp, are a double threat in the backcourt.

Xavier's greatest asset is its backcourt. Seniors Reetta Piipari (14.6 points, 5.4 assists per game) and Amy Waugh (18.5 ppg, 3.0 apg) both became members of the XU 1,000-point club Nov. 30.

The Muskies have six freshmen on their roster. Two - guard Kristy Wallner and forward Tara Boothe - are starters.

Boothe has dominated the boards while detracting pressure from the backcourt. A Highlands High School graduate, Boothe is first in rebounding (7.1 rpg) and second in scoring (15 ppg).

The Musketeers have had eight games to implement first-year coach Kevin McGuff's style of coaching, which emphasizes defense and rebounding. McGuff, who has never been to a Shootout, sees the feud as another test for Xavier.

"I think it's a big deal because it's Cincinnati, and they have a great program. Any time we play someone of that stature, it's going to be big," McGuff said. "Especially when you're only three miles away from each other."

UC has won 14 straight in the Shoe, and today they could tie a school record for consecutive home wins. The Bearcats' biggest challenge will be overcoming shooting slumps, especially in 3-point territory. UC has shot .194 percent from behind the arc in its last four games, including a 1-for-17 showing at Nebraska.

With the Musketeers' youth comes a greater trend of turnovers. To defy the UC defense, which forces 15.7 turnovers a game, the Xavier offense must improve its 15.6 average.

UC is coming off three straight wins; XU is coming off four wins.

Today, the local bragging rights are up for grabs.

"It's just one of those things that can go either way," Pirtle said.

E-mail srussell@enquirer.com

Women's Shootout

When: 1:30 p.m. today.

Where: Shoemaker Center.

Series: UC leads 18-6.