Catching up with Nancy Prosser ahead of Crosstown Shootout

When the University of Cincinnati introduced Wes Miller as their 28th basketball coach on April 16, 2021, numerous people gathered at his introductory press conference.

His proud father Ken Miller was there and later found himself greeted by a woman wearing a mask. April 2021 still carried COVID-19 precautions, particularly for a well-wisher employed in the emergency room at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

Ken Miller didn't recognize the person congratulating him for a second until he saw her eyes. He had seen them before.

Miller's father, a prominent donor at Wake Forest, recognized the eyes of Nancy Prosser, wife of the late Skip Prosser. Skip had four NCAA tournament appearances at Wake Forest where the team practices in a gym inside the Miller Center.

While Nancy had not met Wes Miller she came knowing it was the son of Ken Miller with whom she had crossed paths in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

"They're a great family and have done a lot of things for Wake Forest," Prosser said. "It's nice when people support one another and I wanted to support his son, not knowing that his dad was there. It was good seeing him. It brought back great memories."

Prosser said the elder Miller was surprised to see her and teared up likely thinking about Skip. His sons had attended Skip's basketball camps.

"I'm happy for Wes Miller," she said. "I'm happy that he got a great job at Cincinnati. I was delighted to hear that he got the job and happy that he's doing well this year."

'If you can't be on time, be early'

That's just one of many "Skip-isms" those around him quote or his flowery vocabulary which could pepper in a word like "vicissitudes" into a post-game press conference.

It's been 17 years now since George "Skip" Prosser died at age 56. Before leaving for Wake Forest he was head coach at Xavier between 1994-2001, taking over for Pete Gillen when the other redhead left for Providence. Prosser was 4-3 in Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootouts.

The coach of the Demon Deacons had gotten off a plane at 10:30 a.m., jogged around a Wake Forest track around noon and by 1:30 p.m. departed this world.

Nancy Prosser attends one or two Xavier games per season. She was hoping to be at Saturday's 91st clash between the two schools separated by less than four miles. It's admittedly difficult for her, going from being at every game her husband coached, to her most recent situation.

"Initially it was so hard for me, knowing that he's not on a bench somewhere," Prosser said. "It all happened so suddenly. I was flipped upside down. It was hard for me to turn on TV period and watch anything, much less watch basketball."

She says the image of the affable coach with a twinkle in his eye is still there.

"It's hard to believe that happened to Skip," Prosser said. "He was so healthy."

Cincinnati Bearcats under a Cintas spell

UC hasn't won in Xavier's Cintas Center since Dec. 14, 2001, after Thad Matta took over for Prosser.

The Prosser/Bob Huggins Shootouts were thrillers, but animosity was kept to a minimum. Nancy Prosser wishes emotions were kept in check. Huggins and Prosser were friends with West Virginia connections. Many UC fans will tell you the only Xavier coach they ever liked was Skip.

"I've never understood that," Prosser said of the friction in the series.

As many know, the rivalry has not always featured the best of the two schools.

Classic Crosstown Kerfuffles

1958 – A wine bottle is tossed at "The Big O" Oscar Robertson when the game was played at Cincinnati Gardens.

1967 –UC's Raleigh Wynn has enough of Xavier Joe Pangrazio and slugs him. Enraged, Pangrazio runs into the stands and somehow grabs a crutch. Though he's stopped from hitting Wynn, the crutch is hurled.

1985 – Mild-mannered Myron Hughes of UC who is still active and approachable in the community, punches Xavier's Eddie Johnson. It was away from the ball. No harm, no foul.

1990 – Xavier's Michael Davenport and UC's Lou Banks collide and the ball is declared to have gone off of Banks. With the possession, Xavier's Jamal Walker cans a 3-pointer and UC coach Bob Huggins chases the officials off the floor.

1994 – Xavier prevails at the Gardens and UC's Huggins claims Xavier's assistants were shouting insults at him during the game. He passes by Pete Gillen, the Musketeers coach, minus a handshake. Gillen is hotter than a match.

2011 – The game that inspired Tu Holloway's post-game comments and Xavier's TBT moniker "Zip'Em Up." A bench-clearing brawl where UC's Yancy Gates punches Xavier's Kenny Frease. Gates, Cheikh Mbodj and Octavius Ellis are suspended six games, Ge'Lawn Guyn one. Xavier's Dezmine Wells and Landen Amos got four-game suspensions, Mark Lyons two and Holloway one. The game is briefly moved from campus sites and called the Crosstown Classic which goes over about as well as New Coke.

Skip was a giant killer

He may have have been known for his kindness, but Xavier's two wins over UC when they were No. 1 came in 1996 and 1999 courtesy of Lenny Brown and Kevin Frey's heroics. When Andy MacWilliams screamed, "The UC Bearcats are No. 1 in the country and No. 2 in their own city!" Skip was at the helm.

Nancy Prosser prefers kindness to conflict

It's been noted that Skip Prosser never met a stranger, be it here or during his various stops in his basketball career. As a UC emergency room nurse, Nancy Prosser has been reminded of that when a patient or family peers at her name badge. Her responses have become easier over the years.

"People would ask me that and I'd start crying," Prosser said. "The people at work there understand what my tie is. Word gets around, but I don't say a whole lot. I'm pretty close-mouthed at work. Lots of people don't even know."

Shootout build-up is not the same

When Skip Prosser and Bob Huggins were trading fast breaks on the hardwood the city would come to a standstill. Not only was there the annual Skyline Chili get-together downtown but there was an event at the Convention Center that always featured a cleverly written video from former Channel 9 sports anchor John Popovich. Even before Prosser and Huggins, Gillen and Huggins would have strained and forced public meetings in front of microphones with both sides looking for locker room material.

"I'm not entrenched in like I was when I was married to Skip, but I don't think there's a much hype compared to back in the day," Prosser said. "The two coaches would get up there and banter back and forth and it was always a big deal."

'Never delay gratitude'

Skip Prosser was a Xavier coach who could be seen at UC football games. Before the Dos Equis pitchman known as "The most interesting man in the world", there was Skip who immediately won over those around him, regardless of their school colors.

"Everyone loved Skip, me included," Prosser said. "I love hearing stories but it also makes me a little sad because I wish he were here. So many things have happened in the profession or in my life where I think, 'What would Skip say? You know, with Chris Mack and all of that business down in Louisville. I just wish he were here. It all happened at such an early age. He had so many years ahead of him. You would think me being a nurse I would get it, but it's different when it's your husband. Why, why, why?"

Skip Prosser Classic

Nancy is not the mother of Skip Prosser's sons Scott and Mark but is proud Xavier has established The Skip Prosser Classic game featuring his son Mark's Winthrop Eagles against Sean Miller's Musketeers.

That contest will be a week after the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout on Saturday, Dec. 16 at Cintas Center and Prosser plans to attend.

"It's great that he followed in his dad's footsteps," she said.

From the Skip Prosser Skybox, it should be a fascinating couple of weekends.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Nancy Prosser on Cincinnati, Xavier Crosstown Shootout