Xavier beats Cincinnati in the Crosstown Shootout: 3 key takeaways

After an 89-76 win over Cincinnati, Xavier looks like it could be due for a repeat of last March

The 2017-18 Crosstown Shootout between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Xavier Musketeers built up with a roar, but in the end the matchup petered out with a whimper as the No. 21 ranked Musketeers easily handled their No. 11 ranked rivals, 89-76, at the Cintas Center. As usual, the top 25 contest shed some light on where both teams are at this stage in this season, so let’s dive into the most important takeaways from Saturday’s meeting.

1. Xavier’s offense is good enough to beat the country’s best

The Musketeers entered Saturday’s contest with a top 10 offense in the nation based on adjusted efficiency, per KenPom, and very little about their performance suggested otherwise. Xavier averaged 1.24 points per possession against one of the top 10 defenses in Division I while winning nearly every important statistical matchup.

The Musketeers consistently generated open outside looks — more on the how later — en route to knocking down 10 of their 20 (50.0 percent) 3-point attempts. Senior wing Trevon Bluiett led the way, going 5-for-10 from deep while scoring a team-high 28 points. Bluiett’s ability to shoot accurately from deep range is a significant component of Xavier’s offense even when he’s not knocking down looks because of how it opens up the floor for the team’s guards.

Beyond the deep balls, the Musketeers cleaned up the offensive boards, creating a slew of second-chance opportunities. Xavier impressively rebounded 41.9 percent of its own misses against a Cincinnati team allowing opponents to rebound just 22.1 percent of their misses on average so far this season.

Efficient 3-point shooting combined with a slew of offensive rebounds are a quick way to put up a lot of points. That it happened against a defense of Cincinnati’s quality lends credence to the idea that these Musketeers may be plenty capable of holding onto their form last March.

2. Cane Broome can bring some necessary creation to Cincinnati’s offense

Sacred Heart transfer Cane Broome moved from starting point guard into a bench role in his first eligible season with the Bearcats after just four games, but the 6-foot-0 junior showed he’s still an important cog in the machine. Cincinnati’s halfcourt offense can get bogged down posting up Kyle Washington and Gary Clark if neither of those players are consistently beating their defenders one-on-one down low.

That’s where Broome’s ability to create his own offense from the perimeter can be valuable. The 23-year-old has a quick first step and a solid enough handle that he’s able to break down defenders off the bounce, especially out of ball screen actions.

Against the Musketeers, Broome finished with 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field as he shined as one of the few bright spots offensively for the Bearcats. He attempted six of his 12 field goal attempts at the rim, connecting on four of them. Creating those easy baskets can be a vitalizing force for a struggling offense.

Cincinnati head coach Mick Cronin faces a bit of a dilemma at the point guard spot, though, because as potentially important — consistency is a bit of a problem — as Broome is offensively, he can struggle to keep up with opposing point guards on the defensive end, which hurt the Bearcats on Saturday.

3. Xavier was able to consistently break down Cincinnati’s defense

Whether it was against Broome or starting point guard Justin Jenifer, the Musketeers were able to consistently get the ball into the middle of the floor on Saturday afternoon. Sophomore Quentin Goodin, in particular, was effective at the point of attack either simply beating his defender one-on-one or using a ball screen to make his way into the paint.

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Once there, Goodin’s presence forced rotations from Cincinnati’s defenders, which often meant leaving open shooters on the perimeter. The 6-foot-4 point guard took advantage, dishing out eight assists as he finished as a team-high +16 in the box score.

While Goodin struggled to shoot efficiently against the Bearcats, going 2-of-8 from the floor, he got to the foul line seven times and used his pressure to effectively create good scoring chances for his teammates.