Ranking the Current Bearcats Performances in the Crosstown Shootout

It may seem odd, but the Cincinnati Bearcats, as currently constructed, do not have a ton of experience in the great Crosstown Shootout rivalry. Gary Clark is the only player with at least three outings against Xavier, while players like transfer Kyle Washington and then freshman Jarron Cumberland experienced their first taste of the rivalry last year.

If there’s one thing the Crosstown Shootout does, no matter how many someone has played, it shows just how well a player can fare under pressure. It really is a baptism by fire type of situation. Some of the current Bearcats have come out stronger for it, while others have struggled a bit more. To the rankings!

Honorable Mention - Kyle Washington March 18, 2014

This isn’t a Crosstown Shootout performance exactly, as this was back when Washington was playing for NC State. So we’ll just mention it, but not put it on the official rankings. Washington played 11 minutes in NC State’s 74-59 victory in the First Four round of the NCAA Tourament. He produced six points on 3-of-3 shooting and grabbed two rebounds.

11. Justin Jenifer - Jan. 26, 2017

Last year was Jenifer’s second run in the Crosstown Shootout but it wasn’t a particularly memorable one. In only two minutes of work, the point guard did not take a single shot. In fact, the only statistic he accounted for was one personal foul. Fortunately, the Bearcats still won.

10. Justin Jenifer - Dec. 12, 2015

So full disclosure, Jenifer hasn’t got a ton of opportunities in these games. As a freshman, he played in a whole four minutes and, like he did the next season, he didn’t record many counting stats. He took one three-point shot and that was it.

9. Tre Scott - Jan. 26, 2017

Scott was used sparingly last season in his first Crosstown Shootout. He only got in for four minutes and collected a rebound. However, he was also called for a foul and missed both of his shots from the field.

8. Gary Clark - Dec. 12, 2015

I know. I know. It’s ridiculously odd that Clark has a game this far down the list. Unfortunately that’s what happens when you score zero points despite playing 29 minutes. To be fair, Clark only took two shots, and he did tally seven rebounds, two assists and two steals, but this was far from a dominant showing, especially in a 65-55 loss.

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7. Nysier Brooks - Jan. 26, 2017

By this time in the 2017 season, Brooks had overtaken Scott as the No. 1 post player off the bench. He showed up in a meaningful way during this Crosstown win for the Bearcats. He logged 12 minutes and made 2-of-3 shots from the floor to go with three rebounds and two blocks. His four points matched his foul total (four) meaning he was banging around in the post, but needed a little more finesse.

6. Jacob Evans - Dec. 12, 2015

Evans’ first foray into this rivalry was iffy. Not only did UC lose, but Evans only had four points on 2-of-5 shooting across 18 minutes. However, he did block two shots and grab a couple boards so he did some good things as well. This wasn’t a fantastic performance, but not a particularly bad one considering Evans was only 10 games into his college career.

5. Kyle Washington - Jan. 26, 2017

After playing Xavier with NC State, Washington got another shot as a Bearcat last season. His final numbers were solid (12 points, eight rebounds, four blocks), but it was not as good as it could have been as he had a miserable time at the foul line. He made only 4-of-14 free throws in an otherwise strong game, especially on the defensive end of the floor.

4. Gary Clark - Feb. 18, 2015

Clark made a real statement in his first Crosstown Shootout. He scored what was then a career-high 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting and also had seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks. A special player from the jump, Clark had scored in double figures in seven of the first 25 games before this showing. While his coming out effort was probably against Ole Miss or East Carolina earlier in his freshman campaign, this was a game we’ll really remember.

3. Gary Clark - Jan. 26, 2017

Its no surprise that the best efforts came in the Bearcats first win against the X since the 2012-13 season. Clark did his thing and littered the box score with crooked numbers. En route to a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds, he also added three assists and two steals. In his career, Clark has averaged 9.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game against Xavier.

2. Jarron Cumberland - Jan. 26, 2017

I’ve written about Cumberland in this game multiple times before. While his 15 points might not seem earth shattering, it was the way in which he helped carry UC on his back — as a freshman no less — that really elevates it in the pantheon. Cumberland made 5-of-7 shots from the field in the second half to help the Bearcats erase a 44-36 halftime deficit and get a W.

1. Jacob Evans - Jan. 26, 2017

While Cumberland’s heroics pushed the Bearcats over the edge, it was Evans that kept them in the game to begin with. The then junior carried the offense, with 21 points on 7-of-16 shooting, while giving it everything he had. Playing 37 minutes in total, Evans never let his play deteriorate due to the heavy workload, as he added seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks in the important victory.