XU's Lenny Brown shoots over Melvin Levett. (Micheal Snyder photo) | ZOOM |

        Every time it looked like Xavier was about to dry up and get blown away Thursday night in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout, Lenny Brown or Gary Lumpkin would keep the Muskies alive.

        The senior guards have always been good in the Shootout. Each had 23 points in last year's 88-68 win. Brown hit the game-winning shot two seasons ago, beating then-No. 1 UC 71-69.

        This time, their individual brilliance was not enough. Lumpkin, coming off two bad games, led all scorers with 25 points. Brown had 21. Nearly every basket they hit was crucial.

        But Cincinnati had too much depth, too much inside. The No. 5 Bearcats ended Xavier's two-game winning streak in the Shootout, 87-77.

        “Anything less than a "W' is underachievement,” Lumpkin said. “I expect to win every time I step on the court.”

Xavier's James Posey tries to protect the ball from UC's Jermaine Tate. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

        Brown kept Xavier in it early, hitting 3-of-4 from three-point range.

        Brown, the emotional leader for XU, was mixture of fire and ice on the most emotional night of the Cincinnati sports calendar. He'd be smiling, talking and trying to outduel his man one-on-one all at the same time.

        “Lenny Brown's a tough guy,” UC's Michael Horton said. “The first half, he was getting a lot of good shots.”

        Brown was instant offense when XU was struggling. His third three-pointer helped the Muskies go up 26-20.

        When UC rallied for a 27-26 lead with 5:03 left, Brown came right back. He ran UC's Melvin Levett off a screen, then hit a three to make it 29-26, XU, with 4:49 left.

        But the momentum would soon be UC's again. The Bearcats took a 34-29 lead to the halftime break.

        Brown kept Xavier in it with five early second-half points. But then UC pushed its lead to 42-31.

        That's when Lumpkin took over.

Xavier coach Skip Prosser doesn't seem to like what he hears from an official. (Michael Snyder photo) | ZOOM |

        He hit a three. Then he hit another three, was fouled, and converted. Just like that, Xavier was off to a 16-2 run, which would give the Muskies a 47-44 lead with 14:11 to go.

        Brown put an exclamation point on the run with steal and a dunk on the other end. Unfortunately for Brown, he was given a technical foul for hanging on the rim.

        The call gave UC some life. The Bearcats would go up 55-54 with 9:44 to go.

        The Muskies had the lead back at 59-58 with 7:05 to go. But UC regained control and steadily pulled away.

        • GAME STORY
• Box score
Shootout best game in town
Martin, Horton key UC
Guards kept XU kicking
Logan large for UC
CROSSTOWN NOTEBOOK
ESPN barely gets the tip of Shootout