Xavier, Cincinnati rivalry moving to neutral site

By The Associated Press

CINCINNATI (AP) The city's annual college basketball rivalry is moving to a neutral court.

Xavier and Cincinnati have agreed to change the setting for their annual game following a brawl that resulted in eight players suspended last season.

Instead of playing on campus, the next two games will be at a downtown arena. Cincinnati will be the home team for the Dec. 19 game, with Xavier the home team the following year. The schools will split ticket sales, with some of the money going to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

After the two neutral-site games, the schools will re-evaluate the arrangement.

A brawl in the closing seconds last December on Xavier's court prompted officials to end the game. The crosstown rivalry game would have been played at Cincinnati this season.

Updated June 14, 2012