This one won't get filed under Classic Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootouts. Well, maybe at the University of Cincinnati.

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        UC turned Friday night's annual shootout into a blowout and ended a two-game losing streak to Xavier with a convincing 75-55 victory.

        It was the UC's largest margin of victory in the series since they won by 30 points on March 3, 1965.

        “Last year they came into our building and stole the game, and we just wanted to come in here early and make a statement,” UC junior Leonard Stokes said.

        Xavier University star David West suffered a sprained right ankle with 1:03 left in the first half. The 6-foot-9 junior returned for a short time but appeared unfit to play. Mr. West went to the bench for good with 8:45 remaining and finished with just nine points and five rebounds.

        The Bearcats won their seventh consecutive game and improved to 7-1. They received the 26th-most votes in the most recent Associated Press poll and have a good chance of being ranked in the top 25 when the new ratings come out Monday.

        Xavier dropped to 5-3.

        By the time Mr. West was hurt, the damage had been done. UC was ahead by 13 points. Xavier had led 21-19, then the Bearcats went on a decisive 18-2 run from which the Musketeers never fully recovered.

        Steve Logan led UC with 22 points. Leonard Stokes added 15, Immanuel McElroy 14 and Jamaal Davis 12.

        Lionel Chalmers scored a team-high 19 points for Xavier, which also got 15 from Romain Sato.

        It was so loud in the sold-out Cintas Center (10,250) that both coaching staffs were using signs to call plays from the bench.

        Theo Nelson, 38, of Kennedy Heights, who said he played high school basketball at Western Hills, won $1 million at halftime by sinking a half-court shot.

GAME STORY
Photo Gallery
DAUGHERTY: West or not, UC simply is better
SULLIVAN: Davis' defense gets better of West
Crosstown shootout notebook
Frey can't save XU
'Light' goes on for UC
Man hits $1 million shot
Basketball Q&A with Perry and Schmidt