Fans Show up in Force for Rekindled UC-Miami Rivalry

CINCINNATI — Miami and Cincinnati hadn't matched up in over a decade before UC's 59-58 victory on Wednesday night. If the crowd is any indication, then this needs to be an annual event.

The final attendance at Millett Hall checked in at 7,285 fans, 2,683 of which were students. That is the highest attendance at Millett Hall since the 1999 season when Wally Szczerbiak and company played great basketball alongside the Bearcats.

"That was an awesome atmosphere," Wes Miller said postgame. "I mean, college basketball is so much fun. That was a great college basketball game. You couldn't hear yourself. I mean, we're trying to call out ball screens and call out actions to each other on the court, and guys can't hear themselves."

Miller wasn't lying; he legitimately couldn't hear the sideline reporter's questions as his team headed to the halftime locker room up 30-29.

Sports and Miami haven't gone hand in hand recently. Students sparsely attended football and basketball games in recent years. They showed up for this rivalry.

The two schools battle for the Victory Bell every fall on the gridiron but hadn't matched up on the hardwood since Nov. 29, 2011, when Cincinnati won another defensive battle 56-47. Hopefully, the two sides can keep scheduling this non-conference affair every season. They are separated by less than 50 miles and have a pair of young coaches on the rise.

"When coach [Miller] got the job, made a call, and we talked, and we talked," Miami head coach Kevin Owens said. "Our staffs continued to communicate, and our administrations continued to communicate with each other and was able to work out a game, a two-year deal. This is something I hope we can have Xavier, Dayton, everyone latch onto because I think fan bases can relate to this. It would be a great thing to have it done every year."

The dream scenario is an Ohio Invitational during Feast Week each November. All of the top Division 1 programs in Ohio battling it out every year to see who's king in the Buckeye State. It's a pipe dream, but there's a litany of hungry young coaches littered across the state, always looking to challenge their teams.

Cincinnati battles the Bryant Bulldogs on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET in front of the home crowd at Fifth Third Arena.

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