Two days after their men's basketball teams engaged in a postgame incident, the athletic directors from Xavier and Richmond sought closure on the simmering subject.

        Though Atlantic 10 commissioner Linda Bruno continues an investigation and will address the matter this week, Xavier AD Mike Bobinski and Richmond AD Jim Miller spoke Monday afternoon and issued simultaneous statements designed to defuse debate about who was responsible.

        “We are both disappointed in what occurred ... and in the postgame attention directed to what were "heat of the moment' actions and comments,” Bobinski's statement said. “Our conversation revolved around the issue of shared responsibility, and we have agreed that each of us will take whatever action necessary to ensure this type of situation does not occur again.”

        Miller's statement echoed those comments, adding, “This incident should not reflect negatively on the student-athletes, coaches and fans of these two fine institutions.”

        Those were a far cry from earlier verbal volleys. XU coach Thad Matta had declined comment until Monday morning, when he felt compelled to explain his team's on-court celebration.

        “What our players took throughout the course of the game from their fans was unlike what I've ever seen before,” Matta said. “Did our players have something to prove to their students? Sure. I don't think we were at fault (for the fight).”

        A rowdy Richmond student section hounded the Musketeers, and XU players and coaches said many of the shouts were profane. When the game ended, with XU rallying from a 16-point deficit to win, some Musketeers ran toward the student section, yelling and defiantly crossing their arms in the shape of an “X.”

        Miller grabbed Matta and angrily told him to get his team off the court.

        “When a guy grabs me and starts cussing at me and it turns out to be their AD, that's when I got upset,” Matta said.

        Richmond coach John Beilein said Monday morning that XU's celebration was unsportsmanlike.

        “The Xavier players were perhaps too pleased with the victory and showed it to our players and our fans,” Beilein said. “We suggested strongly they get in the locker room, and their response was not as immediate as it needed to be, and that was the problem.

        “When you win on the road, you (should) do the same thing as at home — you shake the hands and go to the locker room, despite what the crowd may be.”

        Miller had earlier pinned blame for the altercation on XU: “Knowing the kind of kids we have and seeing the type of display (the Musketeers) put on ... my best guess is that their poor behavior carried over to the hallway and there was a problem.”

        XU president Father Michael Graham declined comment.

        HEAVY HEART:

        The grandfather of XU freshman guard Jaison Williams died last Thursday, but family members told coach Thad Matta they wanted to wait until after Saturday's game to tell him. The decision proved poignant as Williams came off the bench in the last five minutes and rescued the Musketeers with five points, three assists and a steal.

        “I had known about it a couple of days, and I knew what he was soon to go through with the funeral (which Williams attended Monday),” Matta said. “I felt really good for Jaison that his family wanted him to play and he ended up playing that well.”

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