XU will not play Miami U in 2012-13 season

CINCINNATI - It had become sort of a mini-rivalry when Xavier University and Miami University came together on the court.

Xavier fans had grown to love to hate Charlie Coles, and Miami fans had begun to consider themselves underdog champions whenever they took down the mighty Musketeers.

But this year, not only is Charlie Coles gone, but this mini-rivalry takes a break.

Xavier and Miami announced Thursday that the two schools will not meet in men’s basketball during the 2012-13 season. Miami will visit Cintas Center in the 2013-14 season in the final game of the current agreement between the two schools.

"There are several factors that have impacted this year's non-conference schedule, not the least of which are the immediate additions of Butler and VCU to our Atlantic 10 Conference schedule,” said Xavier University Athletic Director Mike Bobinski. “We have a tremendous amount of respect for Miami University and its basketball program. We look forward to discussing future opportunities in the years ahead."

“This has been a great rivalry for many years that the schools, their alumni and fans and people in the area have enjoyed,” said Miami University Athletic Director Brad Bates. “We have had a great working relationship with Xavier but understand that as the conference landscapes continue to change there are needs at times to adjust year-to-year scheduling. We too have tremendous respect for Xavier University and its basketball program and look forward to finishing out this current agreement next year and to discussing the future of this series.”

Xavier announced Tuesday their home and away schedule for conference play.

At home they'll host new A-10 member VCU, Temple, St. Louis, Dayton, Fordham, George Washington, La Salle and Massachusetts.

Away, Xavier will travel to play another new A-10 member in Butler, Charlotte, Dayton, Duquesne, Rhode Island, Richmond, St. Bonaventure and St. Joseph's.

Dayton is the only team Xavier will play twice in the A-10 Conference in the 2012-2013 season.

One nuance to the schedule is that the Butler game will be played out of normal conference schedule time on Nov. 13 at 4 p.m. as part of ESPN's College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon.

Xavier will also host Vanderbilt and Memphis during the non-conference schedule at the Cintas Center as part of multi-year deals with those teams after having visited both of their home court's last season.