The cup of coffee the morning after the end of a season is never an easy one to swallow for a head coach.
For Sean Miller, the cup of Joe might be easier to enjoy this morning, however, knowing that his Musketeers exceeded many expectations by reaching their third NCAA Sweet Sixteen in six years.
While the disappointment of squandering multiple opportunities to win their regional semifinal matchup with Pittsburgh certainly stings for Xavier, they can be comforted by a look into the future.
Simply glancing at the box score after the loss to the Panthers, one finds six underclassmen for Xavier playing double-digit minutes, including two freshmen and two sophomores.
If redshirt junior forward Derrick Brown decides to forgo the NBA and return to Xavier for his senior season then the Musketeers figure to be a legitimate title contender.
Brown is likely to return to Xavier if he is not slated to be among the top 15 picks in the 2009 NBA Draft, a position that he is likely on the verge of as the season concludes, and that he undoubtedly would have improved had Xavier been able to afford him added exposure against prime talent in a Final Four run. Brown will likely draw an invite to the NBA predaft camps, and get an opinion from NBA scouts on what he needs to work on--presumably added aggressiveness on the offensive end, among other things. Whether that recommendation comes with an endorsement of a top 15 guarantee will be the main question, however.
If Brown does return to Norwood for a shot to improve upon back-to-back trips to the NCAA second weekend, he will have a strong supporting cast.
Along with the maturing group of role players from this season's Sweet Sixteen bunch, the Musketeers are overhauling their backcourt that served as the Achilles heal of the 08-09 squad by adding two key members: Jordan Crawford, a 6'4" transfer from Indiana who averaged 9.4 points per game as a freshman with the Hoosiers in 2007-08, and Mark Lyons, an athletic 6'1" freshman defensive specialist who was forced to sit out the 08-09 season after being a partial qualifier out of high school.
When added to Kevin Parrom, a small forward that Rivals.com ranked No. 84 in the class of 2009, and whomever Miller is able to land with the final scholarship opening available (or multiple openings if any of the current scholarship players decide to transfer) the Musketeers will have a stout group of newcomers to add to a Sweet Sixteen-worthy core.
"Some people tell me that I have two of everything [on the 2008-09 team]. I don't know about that, but if you look ahead to next year, we really will have two of everything," Miller said with a smile in February of 2009.
So as the Musketeers head back to Cincinnati this afternoon, they do so with a sense of disappointment at a lost opportunity, but also hope at the potential for greater achievements in the months ahead.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Xavier comes up just short in game of inches
Every inch counts.
It is an old adage that is often applied to sports to inspire desire, but in a 60-55 loss to Pittsburgh in the Sweet Sixteen on Thursday night desire was not a problem for Xavier. Derrick Brown’s shoe size was.
With 1:20 remaining and Xavier leading 54-52 Brown chased down a ball thrown the length of the court by C.J. Anderson, appearing to give Xavier a critical possession and the ability to run the clock down.
It was not to be, as Brown’s toe touched the end line as he gathered the ball, giving Pittsburgh possession of the ball to set up heroics by Levance Fields. Fields would hit a step-back three point shot, cause a turnover and get a transition layin—a stretch that gave Pittsburgh the lead and separated them from Xavier.
“I thought the shot that Levance Fields hit says it all about a senior point guard,” Xavier head coach Sean Miller said.
For Xavier to be in a position in the final moments the Musketeers relied heavily on their familiar strength of lock-down halfcourt defense.
The Musketeers held Pittsburgh to 33.8 percent shooting on the night, including 35.5 percent in the first half when the Musketeers were able to build an eight point halftime lead. The key to holding the Panthers to 29 first-half points was containing sophomore center DeJuan Blair, who scored two points and grabbed four rebounds in the first 20 minutes.
“I tried to play him tough and be physical with him to keep him off of the boards,” Jason Love, the Xavier center who received the primary assignment on Blair said.
Blair would not remain quiet, however, as he broke out for eight points and 14 rebounds after halftime, contributing to a 9-0 run by the Panthers over the first 6:19 of the second half.
The scoring draught for the Musketeers would continue, as they shot 24.1 percent in the second half.
“It is disappointing that we could not finish the game,” C.J. Anderson said after scoring six points and grabbing eight rebounds in his final game at Xavier. “We felt like we had a good opportunity [at halftime], but we missed too many open shots.”
The misfires came after the Musketeers worked through the Pittsburgh defense, and got looks inside against Blair, but were unable to finish.
“It was a lack of execution,” Miller said. “We just missed some point-blank layups that you have to make in any game, particularly this tournament.”
While the missed layups hurt Xavier, they were still in the game in the final seconds.
“We missed layups. So what? We have missed layups before,” sophomore point guard Dante Jackson said. “I think the most disappointing thing was that we were not able to get that rebound, or that defensive stop.”
Despite the lack of lucky bounces in their final game, the Musketeers still had one of the most successful seasons in program history. They won a third straight Atlantic 10 regular season title, reached a third Sweet Sixteen in six year and won 27 games.
With only two seniors on the team—Anderson and B.J. Raymond—the Musketeers look to be among the top 10 teams in the country heading into 2009-10, and now have the desire to make up for a lost opportunity.
“It is going to motivate us to do much better next year. Guys will come back this summer hungry and ready to fight,” Jackson said. “It is the same situation as when we got beat two years ago by Ohio State [on a miraculous three point shot by Ron Lewis]. Hopefully it is a good omen.”
It doesn’t have to be that great of an omen; just good enough to make up for six inches.
It is an old adage that is often applied to sports to inspire desire, but in a 60-55 loss to Pittsburgh in the Sweet Sixteen on Thursday night desire was not a problem for Xavier. Derrick Brown’s shoe size was.
With 1:20 remaining and Xavier leading 54-52 Brown chased down a ball thrown the length of the court by C.J. Anderson, appearing to give Xavier a critical possession and the ability to run the clock down.
It was not to be, as Brown’s toe touched the end line as he gathered the ball, giving Pittsburgh possession of the ball to set up heroics by Levance Fields. Fields would hit a step-back three point shot, cause a turnover and get a transition layin—a stretch that gave Pittsburgh the lead and separated them from Xavier.
“I thought the shot that Levance Fields hit says it all about a senior point guard,” Xavier head coach Sean Miller said.
For Xavier to be in a position in the final moments the Musketeers relied heavily on their familiar strength of lock-down halfcourt defense.
The Musketeers held Pittsburgh to 33.8 percent shooting on the night, including 35.5 percent in the first half when the Musketeers were able to build an eight point halftime lead. The key to holding the Panthers to 29 first-half points was containing sophomore center DeJuan Blair, who scored two points and grabbed four rebounds in the first 20 minutes.
“I tried to play him tough and be physical with him to keep him off of the boards,” Jason Love, the Xavier center who received the primary assignment on Blair said.
Blair would not remain quiet, however, as he broke out for eight points and 14 rebounds after halftime, contributing to a 9-0 run by the Panthers over the first 6:19 of the second half.
The scoring draught for the Musketeers would continue, as they shot 24.1 percent in the second half.
“It is disappointing that we could not finish the game,” C.J. Anderson said after scoring six points and grabbing eight rebounds in his final game at Xavier. “We felt like we had a good opportunity [at halftime], but we missed too many open shots.”
The misfires came after the Musketeers worked through the Pittsburgh defense, and got looks inside against Blair, but were unable to finish.
“It was a lack of execution,” Miller said. “We just missed some point-blank layups that you have to make in any game, particularly this tournament.”
While the missed layups hurt Xavier, they were still in the game in the final seconds.
“We missed layups. So what? We have missed layups before,” sophomore point guard Dante Jackson said. “I think the most disappointing thing was that we were not able to get that rebound, or that defensive stop.”
Despite the lack of lucky bounces in their final game, the Musketeers still had one of the most successful seasons in program history. They won a third straight Atlantic 10 regular season title, reached a third Sweet Sixteen in six year and won 27 games.
With only two seniors on the team—Anderson and B.J. Raymond—the Musketeers look to be among the top 10 teams in the country heading into 2009-10, and now have the desire to make up for a lost opportunity.
“It is going to motivate us to do much better next year. Guys will come back this summer hungry and ready to fight,” Jackson said. “It is the same situation as when we got beat two years ago by Ohio State [on a miraculous three point shot by Ron Lewis]. Hopefully it is a good omen.”
It doesn’t have to be that great of an omen; just good enough to make up for six inches.
Halftime: Xavier 37 Pittsburgh 29
Xavier heads into the locker room with a lead. Pittsburgh heads into the locker room with an upset point guard.
There was a scuffle in front of the Xavier bench as the teams headed off the court for the break, with the Xavier players jubilantly yelling about their eight point advantage and Levance Fields taking umbridge at the statements.
Few things:
-Fr. Graham is down here celebrating with the band at the moment.
-I am sitting in front of Bill Murray
As for the game:
-The key so far has been Xavier's ability to neutralize and defend DeJuan Blair. The big man has two points on 1-5 shooting as Xavier has doubled him and frustrated him in the post, poking away offensive rebounds from his grasp.
-The key to stopping Blair's scoring is limiting him on the glass, where he only has four rebounds--two offensive. Xavier has a 16-14 lead in offensive boards, and 8-5 on the offensive glass--two categories that they were only hoping to hang close to Pitt.
-Pitt has been squandering plenty of opportunities with turnovers. They have turned the ball over seven times to Xavier's three. They are not your garden variety travels or tossing the ball into traffic, but making the type of passes that almost crack a reporter's laptop in half (seriously). Xavier expected to be dominated in this category as well, and are getting continued great play from their point guard spot of Jackson and Holloway (2 dazzling assists).
-The one bugaboo for Xavier that has held has been their inability stop dribble penetration. Xavier has let Young (11 pts.), Fields (10 pts.) and Dixon (2 pts.) into the lane a handful of times.
-Pitt has been slowed down some in transition, save a string of five possesions where they were able to run and get six easy points.
-Derrick Brown is playing like an NBA player. 10 pts including a dunk over Blair and two deep threes.
That's all for now. Check back after the game.
There was a scuffle in front of the Xavier bench as the teams headed off the court for the break, with the Xavier players jubilantly yelling about their eight point advantage and Levance Fields taking umbridge at the statements.
Few things:
-Fr. Graham is down here celebrating with the band at the moment.
-I am sitting in front of Bill Murray
As for the game:
-The key so far has been Xavier's ability to neutralize and defend DeJuan Blair. The big man has two points on 1-5 shooting as Xavier has doubled him and frustrated him in the post, poking away offensive rebounds from his grasp.
-The key to stopping Blair's scoring is limiting him on the glass, where he only has four rebounds--two offensive. Xavier has a 16-14 lead in offensive boards, and 8-5 on the offensive glass--two categories that they were only hoping to hang close to Pitt.
-Pitt has been squandering plenty of opportunities with turnovers. They have turned the ball over seven times to Xavier's three. They are not your garden variety travels or tossing the ball into traffic, but making the type of passes that almost crack a reporter's laptop in half (seriously). Xavier expected to be dominated in this category as well, and are getting continued great play from their point guard spot of Jackson and Holloway (2 dazzling assists).
-The one bugaboo for Xavier that has held has been their inability stop dribble penetration. Xavier has let Young (11 pts.), Fields (10 pts.) and Dixon (2 pts.) into the lane a handful of times.
-Pitt has been slowed down some in transition, save a string of five possesions where they were able to run and get six easy points.
-Derrick Brown is playing like an NBA player. 10 pts including a dunk over Blair and two deep threes.
That's all for now. Check back after the game.
Press row rumblings
Greetings from TD Banknorth Garden, an arena that despite its massive size in the center of Boston is still unheard of by many cab drivers apparently...
Some thoughts as the game is ten minutes from tip here:
-Miller may try to win this chess match with Dixon by using a variety of different looks on defense. Pitt has struggled with the press, so Xavier may go with a 3/4 court look in the early stages, or even a full court man. Also, Miller will likely turn to a 3-2 zone defense that has been effective for the Musketeers this season in limiting the opponent's looks on the interior, but also in increasing the opponent's offensive rebounds (which may be why Miller goes to a zone sparingly today).
-Look for Xavier to try to get Blair to guard on the perimeter in a variety of situations. If you don't like seeing a variety of high ball-screens, then hide your eyes when Xavier has the ball.
-As always, the first four minutes will tell a lot of the story for Xavier. They are not a team with a high-powered offense, so storming back from even a six point early deficit may be a tall order. Dante Jackson, especially has proven to indicate strong play throughout with his early play--or a tough night with weak play early. XU needs to come out strong.
Alright that is all I got for now. I need to go figure out why DeJuan Blair needed to be restrained from charging into the locker room during the national anthem.
Some thoughts as the game is ten minutes from tip here:
-Miller may try to win this chess match with Dixon by using a variety of different looks on defense. Pitt has struggled with the press, so Xavier may go with a 3/4 court look in the early stages, or even a full court man. Also, Miller will likely turn to a 3-2 zone defense that has been effective for the Musketeers this season in limiting the opponent's looks on the interior, but also in increasing the opponent's offensive rebounds (which may be why Miller goes to a zone sparingly today).
-Look for Xavier to try to get Blair to guard on the perimeter in a variety of situations. If you don't like seeing a variety of high ball-screens, then hide your eyes when Xavier has the ball.
-As always, the first four minutes will tell a lot of the story for Xavier. They are not a team with a high-powered offense, so storming back from even a six point early deficit may be a tall order. Dante Jackson, especially has proven to indicate strong play throughout with his early play--or a tough night with weak play early. XU needs to come out strong.
Alright that is all I got for now. I need to go figure out why DeJuan Blair needed to be restrained from charging into the locker room during the national anthem.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Xavier has long checklist against Pitt.
Having witnessed a fair share of Thanksgiving Day football games, slow-pitch softball games and backyard basketball battles, I can certainly attest that the desire to win in sports never runs stronger than when the opponent is your own flesh and blood.
While Sean Miller and the University of Pittsburgh community may not share the same familial genes, there is certainly a deep-rooted desire by Miller to jump the hurdle of his alma-mater to reach his second consecutive Elite Eight at Xavier.
Getting such a win is a tall order for Miller against the top-seeded Panthers, but here are some things that the Musketeers must do in order to be successful against Pittsburgh:
Attack the high ball-screen- Xavier will have to be efficient in the ball-screen at the top of the key. The Musketeers like to start their sets with the center coming out and getting either Dante Jackson or Terrell Holloway to come off of the screen early in the shot clock. Pittsburgh likes to defend this by jumping their center, DeJuan Blair, out to impede the progress of the ballhandler. Blair, however, will often get lazy in this situation, and attempt to slow the ballhandler with only half his body instead of fully sliding in front of the point guard. If Jackson and Holloway are able to attack Blair’s half-hearted effort in this area, and pick up a few quick fouls on the perimeter, the entire shape of the game will change.
Defend the high ball-screen- Pittsburgh likes to get out and run more than they have in past years, but like most Jamie Dixon-coached teams they will run through the offense efficiently in the halfcourt, and rely on the high ball-screen as the shot clock winds down. That means that Levance Fields will often have the ball coming off of a screen from either Blair or Tyrell Biggs. Fields loves to penetrate off of this situation and give a shovel pass to Blair on the interior for a lay-in, or pull up with a crossover, stepback, fadeaway jumpshot combination that he consistently turns to. Xavier has done their most effective job of the season thus far in the NCAA Tournament against the ball-screen out top, using Jason Love and Kenny Frease to trap the ballhandler. This strategy will have to be modified against Pittsburgh, as Fields is adept at splitting a double team in such a situation, and breaking down the defense completely. Still, Love and Frease will have to be able to impede Fields’ progress consistently on the perimeter, and avoid foul trouble in such situations if Xavier hopes to slow the Pittsburgh attack.
Slow the pace of the game- Pittsburgh has the reputation of being a similar team to Xavier, predicated on defense and rebounding. While the Panthers are strong in both areas, they will take advantage of transition opportunities whenever they can get them, something they have not done in past years. Led by Blair’s ability on the defensive glass, and Fields’ comfort with the ball in the open court, Pittsburgh has the ability to turn defense into offense in a flash. In games where Dixon perceives an advantage in speed, awareness or depth, the Panthers will look to get out on the break more often, as evidenced by their wins over Connecticut. Xavier possesses the athletes and depth to play an up-tempo game, but have not come across any point guard with Fields’ ability to attack transition defenses. Also, the Musketeers’ young backcourt of Jackson and Holloway has struggled when they have been forced to play at a faster pace than they are used to, throwing the ball away consistently in such situations. The bottom line is that Xavier will not be able to beat Pittsburgh if the final score is in the 70’s as a result of the Panthers getting out on the break. Xavier does not have the ability to respond with transition baskets of its own, and are not deep enough in individual scorers to match such a point total in the halfcourt offense.
Locate DeJuan Blair and box him out- Blair is one of the NCAA’s best offensive rebounders in recent history. He is able to take up a huge amount of space, use his strength to get position and get put-backs in traffic. Xavier cannot allow Blair to collect a handful of offensive boards, and subsequently get the Musketeer frontcourt in foul trouble. Keeping Blair off of the glass, and limiting the Panthers—the best offensive rebounding team in the nation—to one shot may just be the top priority for Sean Miller and his staff heading into the game. Also, besides picking up ticky-tack fouls on the high ball-screen, Blair is prone to get overaggressive going after offensive rebounds and go over-the-back. If Xavier is able to get Blair on the bench through a series of silly fouls on the perimeter and offensive glass, they will change the whole complexion of the game and give themselves a real chance to pull the upset.
Get offensive rebounds of your own- Pittsburgh is going to get offensive rebounds. The key is to nullify their advantage in added possessions by getting a few of your own on the other end of the court. Xavier is no slouch in that department—36th in the nation—but will have to rely on Derrick Brown to play like a power forward and rebound aggressively on the offensive end, not like a small forward and roam the perimeter like he has for much of the season.
Find a three point stroke- Pittsburgh has had trouble with teams when they have shot the ball well from the perimeter (losses to Villanova and West Virginia and close calls in the first two rounds of the Tournament to East Tennessee State and Oklahoma State). Xavier—the 12th best team in the nation from three point range at 40.1 percent—certainly has the firepower to get hot from deep, as B.J. Raymond, Jackson, Holloway and Brown all have the ability to hit an open look (along with Brad Redford, who will likely see limited action against a Pittsburgh team that has the athleticism to expose Redford’s defensive deficiencies). Pittsburgh’s defense is predicated on stopping interior shots, so there will be a few open looks to be had off of kick-outs. Making such shots will open the floor for the Musketeers, allowing C.J. Anderson to slash to the basket and collect fouls on Blair and Biggs. Pittsburgh’s defense becomes significantly more difficult to operate against when an opponent can’t hit the three point shot, something Xavier will have to do to have a chance on Thursday.
Hold your own in the turnover battle- It is unrealistic to think that Xavier is going to come out of this matchup with less turnovers than the Panthers, who rarely make miscues with Fields at the helm. Xavier will need to slow the game down, and run through their halfcourt sets, where they are much less prone to an errant pass. Xavier tends to turn the ball over more when they are forced to improvise and create from a broken play. While limiting those plays, they have to rely on a similarly stifling defensive performance to the one they turned in against Wisconsin in the second round of the Tournament. While Xavier’s halfcourt defense is built more around limiting good looks than collecting steals, if run correctly it will limit the number of points that Pittsburgh gets out of their added possessions as a result of Xavier turnovers. If Xavier is within five points in the ‘points off of turnovers’ column, or simply do not turn the ball over more than eight of nine times, they have a realistic chance of advancing to the Elite Eight.
While Sean Miller and the University of Pittsburgh community may not share the same familial genes, there is certainly a deep-rooted desire by Miller to jump the hurdle of his alma-mater to reach his second consecutive Elite Eight at Xavier.
Getting such a win is a tall order for Miller against the top-seeded Panthers, but here are some things that the Musketeers must do in order to be successful against Pittsburgh:
Attack the high ball-screen- Xavier will have to be efficient in the ball-screen at the top of the key. The Musketeers like to start their sets with the center coming out and getting either Dante Jackson or Terrell Holloway to come off of the screen early in the shot clock. Pittsburgh likes to defend this by jumping their center, DeJuan Blair, out to impede the progress of the ballhandler. Blair, however, will often get lazy in this situation, and attempt to slow the ballhandler with only half his body instead of fully sliding in front of the point guard. If Jackson and Holloway are able to attack Blair’s half-hearted effort in this area, and pick up a few quick fouls on the perimeter, the entire shape of the game will change.
Defend the high ball-screen- Pittsburgh likes to get out and run more than they have in past years, but like most Jamie Dixon-coached teams they will run through the offense efficiently in the halfcourt, and rely on the high ball-screen as the shot clock winds down. That means that Levance Fields will often have the ball coming off of a screen from either Blair or Tyrell Biggs. Fields loves to penetrate off of this situation and give a shovel pass to Blair on the interior for a lay-in, or pull up with a crossover, stepback, fadeaway jumpshot combination that he consistently turns to. Xavier has done their most effective job of the season thus far in the NCAA Tournament against the ball-screen out top, using Jason Love and Kenny Frease to trap the ballhandler. This strategy will have to be modified against Pittsburgh, as Fields is adept at splitting a double team in such a situation, and breaking down the defense completely. Still, Love and Frease will have to be able to impede Fields’ progress consistently on the perimeter, and avoid foul trouble in such situations if Xavier hopes to slow the Pittsburgh attack.
Slow the pace of the game- Pittsburgh has the reputation of being a similar team to Xavier, predicated on defense and rebounding. While the Panthers are strong in both areas, they will take advantage of transition opportunities whenever they can get them, something they have not done in past years. Led by Blair’s ability on the defensive glass, and Fields’ comfort with the ball in the open court, Pittsburgh has the ability to turn defense into offense in a flash. In games where Dixon perceives an advantage in speed, awareness or depth, the Panthers will look to get out on the break more often, as evidenced by their wins over Connecticut. Xavier possesses the athletes and depth to play an up-tempo game, but have not come across any point guard with Fields’ ability to attack transition defenses. Also, the Musketeers’ young backcourt of Jackson and Holloway has struggled when they have been forced to play at a faster pace than they are used to, throwing the ball away consistently in such situations. The bottom line is that Xavier will not be able to beat Pittsburgh if the final score is in the 70’s as a result of the Panthers getting out on the break. Xavier does not have the ability to respond with transition baskets of its own, and are not deep enough in individual scorers to match such a point total in the halfcourt offense.
Locate DeJuan Blair and box him out- Blair is one of the NCAA’s best offensive rebounders in recent history. He is able to take up a huge amount of space, use his strength to get position and get put-backs in traffic. Xavier cannot allow Blair to collect a handful of offensive boards, and subsequently get the Musketeer frontcourt in foul trouble. Keeping Blair off of the glass, and limiting the Panthers—the best offensive rebounding team in the nation—to one shot may just be the top priority for Sean Miller and his staff heading into the game. Also, besides picking up ticky-tack fouls on the high ball-screen, Blair is prone to get overaggressive going after offensive rebounds and go over-the-back. If Xavier is able to get Blair on the bench through a series of silly fouls on the perimeter and offensive glass, they will change the whole complexion of the game and give themselves a real chance to pull the upset.
Get offensive rebounds of your own- Pittsburgh is going to get offensive rebounds. The key is to nullify their advantage in added possessions by getting a few of your own on the other end of the court. Xavier is no slouch in that department—36th in the nation—but will have to rely on Derrick Brown to play like a power forward and rebound aggressively on the offensive end, not like a small forward and roam the perimeter like he has for much of the season.
Find a three point stroke- Pittsburgh has had trouble with teams when they have shot the ball well from the perimeter (losses to Villanova and West Virginia and close calls in the first two rounds of the Tournament to East Tennessee State and Oklahoma State). Xavier—the 12th best team in the nation from three point range at 40.1 percent—certainly has the firepower to get hot from deep, as B.J. Raymond, Jackson, Holloway and Brown all have the ability to hit an open look (along with Brad Redford, who will likely see limited action against a Pittsburgh team that has the athleticism to expose Redford’s defensive deficiencies). Pittsburgh’s defense is predicated on stopping interior shots, so there will be a few open looks to be had off of kick-outs. Making such shots will open the floor for the Musketeers, allowing C.J. Anderson to slash to the basket and collect fouls on Blair and Biggs. Pittsburgh’s defense becomes significantly more difficult to operate against when an opponent can’t hit the three point shot, something Xavier will have to do to have a chance on Thursday.
Hold your own in the turnover battle- It is unrealistic to think that Xavier is going to come out of this matchup with less turnovers than the Panthers, who rarely make miscues with Fields at the helm. Xavier will need to slow the game down, and run through their halfcourt sets, where they are much less prone to an errant pass. Xavier tends to turn the ball over more when they are forced to improvise and create from a broken play. While limiting those plays, they have to rely on a similarly stifling defensive performance to the one they turned in against Wisconsin in the second round of the Tournament. While Xavier’s halfcourt defense is built more around limiting good looks than collecting steals, if run correctly it will limit the number of points that Pittsburgh gets out of their added possessions as a result of Xavier turnovers. If Xavier is within five points in the ‘points off of turnovers’ column, or simply do not turn the ball over more than eight of nine times, they have a realistic chance of advancing to the Elite Eight.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Silver lining for Wake?
The NCAA Tournament is always seen as one of sports’ great events because of the upsets and Cinderella stories that come to the fore every March.
On the other side of those underdog victors, however, is a power-conference giant that has been slain.
The biggest name to fall in this year’s first round was Wake Forest, who suffered an 84-69 loss to Cleveland State in the first round on Saturday.
While the loss is undoubtedly disappointing for the Demon Deacons, there may be a silver lining to the early exit.
Wake features three key players in Jeff Teague, James Johnson and Al-Farouq Aminu who have the talent to be first round NBA draft choices this June.
However, just as Final Four runs have traditionally inflated the professional stocks of college players, early upsets have often leant themselves to an extra year on campus for many players with bright NBA futures. Blake Griffin at Oklahoma, the Lopez twins at Stanford and Adam Morrison at Gonzaga are three recent examples of players who decided to come back to school to attempt to inflate their draft stock while chasing a national title.
This is good news for the Deacs, even if only one of the talented trio decides to forgo the NBA for another season in Winston-Salem.
Wake Forest was one of the 64th youngest team in college basketball in 2008-09, and would likely enter next season in the top five nationally if Teague, Johnson and Aminu were to return to join center Chase McFarland, point guard Ismael Smith, wing L.D. Williams and developing big man Tony Woods.
With the addition of freshmen Ari Stewart and C.J. Harris, the Demon Deacons would not only be senior-laden, but exceptionally talented, making for an exceptional slate of games with Duke, North Carolina and Florida State in the ACC and Xavier in the non-conference.
So Demon Deacons fans are undoubtedly crossing their fingers after a devastating loss, hoping to find a silver lining on an otherwise gloomy Sunday.
Note: Xavier and Wake Forest are slated to begin a 10 year contract with a game in the early stages of the 2009-10 season.
On the other side of those underdog victors, however, is a power-conference giant that has been slain.
The biggest name to fall in this year’s first round was Wake Forest, who suffered an 84-69 loss to Cleveland State in the first round on Saturday.
While the loss is undoubtedly disappointing for the Demon Deacons, there may be a silver lining to the early exit.
Wake features three key players in Jeff Teague, James Johnson and Al-Farouq Aminu who have the talent to be first round NBA draft choices this June.
However, just as Final Four runs have traditionally inflated the professional stocks of college players, early upsets have often leant themselves to an extra year on campus for many players with bright NBA futures. Blake Griffin at Oklahoma, the Lopez twins at Stanford and Adam Morrison at Gonzaga are three recent examples of players who decided to come back to school to attempt to inflate their draft stock while chasing a national title.
This is good news for the Deacs, even if only one of the talented trio decides to forgo the NBA for another season in Winston-Salem.
Wake Forest was one of the 64th youngest team in college basketball in 2008-09, and would likely enter next season in the top five nationally if Teague, Johnson and Aminu were to return to join center Chase McFarland, point guard Ismael Smith, wing L.D. Williams and developing big man Tony Woods.
With the addition of freshmen Ari Stewart and C.J. Harris, the Demon Deacons would not only be senior-laden, but exceptionally talented, making for an exceptional slate of games with Duke, North Carolina and Florida State in the ACC and Xavier in the non-conference.
So Demon Deacons fans are undoubtedly crossing their fingers after a devastating loss, hoping to find a silver lining on an otherwise gloomy Sunday.
Note: Xavier and Wake Forest are slated to begin a 10 year contract with a game in the early stages of the 2009-10 season.
Xavier vs. Wisconsin -- Keys to Victory
“Mirror, Mirror on the wall…”
While Snow White and Seven Dwarfs is not the most talked about fairy tale in the NCAA Tournament, it is the most pertinent to a second round matchup between Xavier and Wisconsin.
Both teams are predicated on defense and rebounding. Both utilize a packline defense to keep opponents out of the lane. Both like to play the halfcourt offense more than get out in transition, preferring a final score in the 60’s to a shootout.
With such a low-scoring battle expected, attention to detail becomes inherently more important, and both teams need to be able to execute the gameplan for 40 minutes.
Here are five keys for each side that will go a long way in determining the outcome of this matchup (note: as stated, these teams are essentially the same profile, so you could easily switch the keys from one team to the other and, beyond changing a few names, not bat an eyelash):
Wisconsin
Stopping dribble penetration- The Badgers packline scheme routinely takes away the high ball-screen with help from the big men on the guard. This was evident in the Badgers’ first round matchup with Florida State, where the Seminoles were relegated to isolation plays for the majority of the game, abandoning their bread-and-butter of the high screen-and-roll. Xavier likes to begin their offense with the high ball-screen, but have proven to be effective in set plays. The one Xavier player that has consistently been able to penetrate defenses has been C.J. Anderson. If Wisconsin can stop Anderson from penetrating, drawing fouls and kicking out to open shooters, they will have a good chance of advancing.
Getting dribble penetration- Xavier is attempting to do the same things defensively as Wisconsin, but the Badgers have a point guard—Trevon Hughes—who can get into the paint off of the dribble, unlike the Musketeers. Hughes was limited in his penetration opportunities against Florida State because of the outstanding effort from Seminole point guard Toney Douglas. Hughes did come up with a game-winning drive, however, and will likely get similar opportunities against the often unreliable point guard defenders for Xavier.
Neutralizing the rebounding battle- That Badgers have one player—Jon Leuer—in their regular rotation taller than 6’8,” and average 12.4 less rebounds per game than Xavier. While the Badgers do not rebound on the offensive end much, they are still the fifth best team in the country at rebounding defensively. The question will be whether or not the Badgers can grab offensive rebounds themselves, and match what is expected to be 3-4 extra possessions for the Musketeers that result from a decided height advantage and the subsequent offensive boards. Wisconsin can’t afford to allow Xavier to get second opportunities, and if they are able get an equal number of possessions as the Musketeers, the effectiveness of their halfcourt set will give them a good chance at moving on.
Dominating the turnover matchup- The Badgers are incredibly efficient on the offensive end, compiling a 1.2 to one assist to turnover ratio as a team. They value the basketball, and probe a defense for a full 35 second every time down the floor. If Xavier figures to get added opportunities because of their rebounding edge, Wisconsin is likely to cancel that advantage out by being in single digits in the turnover column—something Xavier has only done five times this season—and taking the ball away from their opponent, something they are the seventh best in the nation at doing. Valuing the basketball, and possibly getting easy lay-ins as a result of poor Musketeer passing, will likely give Wisconsin a critical boost of five to 10 points.
Three point shooting- The Badgers get 30.6 percent of their points from behind the three point arc. However, as evidenced by the first half against Florida State, they can stagnate offensively without the long-range shot. Jason Bohannon, Hughes and Marcus Landry all shoot it at 37 percent from deep, and will figure to get some open looks against a Xavier team that defend inside-out. If the Badger shooters, particularly Bohannon, are able to get hot from three they give Wisconsin one of its few opportunities to go on an extended scoring run. Such a run figures to be the difference in a low-scoring game, and could be the separating factor for Badgers.
Xavier
Getting an early lead- Xavier has struggled in games where they have to fight out of a hole, and force three point shots instead of merely running their offense. In a game that is unlikely to swing more than a handful of points in either direction, Xavier will be able to play much differently if they are holding an advantage on the scoreboard in the second half. A lead allows them to score from the free throw line more often—something that rarely happens against Wisconsin—and run their offensive sets. Sophomore Dante Jackson and freshman point guard Terrell Holloway have gotten into trouble when they attempt to play too quickly, something the comfort of a lead allows them to get away from.
Getting easy baskets- Wisconsin prides themselves on not allowing a basket that will energize their opponent. They try to foul in transition to thwart dunks, force midrange jump shots rather than anything around the rim and almost never get caught allowing run-outs by opponents. If Xavier can find a way to get Jamel McLean or Derrick Brown to utilize their athleticism on a set play, put-back dunk or transition basket, they will have achieved what many Wisconsin opponents have found to be impossible.
Brad Redford- Redford is often not quick enough defensively to remain on the floor against quality opponents, but the slow-down, halfcourt style that Wisconsin deploys allows the Musketeers to hide the defensive shortcomings of their 6’0” freshman. This means that the Redford’s lightning-quick release and range out to 30 feet will be on the floor for 10-15 minutes against the Badgers. In what figures to be a game played decided single digits, giving Redford a few feet of space on the perimeter three or four times could be the difference maker.
Three point shooting- Beyond simply Redford’s contribution from the perimeter, Dante Jackson and B.J. Raymond need to be able to take advantage of the opportunities that will be available for them off of kick-outs. Wisconsin’s defense is built around limiting points in the paint, and allowing the three point shot—ideally with some contest on the shooter. This means that Jackson and Raymond will likely be forced to shoot six or seven three point shots apiece. If the duo combines for a 50 percent clip, Xavier will be tough to beat.
Point guard play- Xavier has gotten productive minutes from Jackson and Holloway over the last three games, including Jackson’s breakout performance against Portland State on Friday. Both guards will have to be able to run the offense effectively against an in-your-face defense for Xavier to score. With Xavier’s customary high-screen expected to be taken away, Jackson and Holloway will have to get their team into the offensive sets, and make smart passes for Xavier to be successful. If the point guards can handle the pressure, and limit their turnovers, they will have sured up their team’s biggest weakness.
While Snow White and Seven Dwarfs is not the most talked about fairy tale in the NCAA Tournament, it is the most pertinent to a second round matchup between Xavier and Wisconsin.
Both teams are predicated on defense and rebounding. Both utilize a packline defense to keep opponents out of the lane. Both like to play the halfcourt offense more than get out in transition, preferring a final score in the 60’s to a shootout.
With such a low-scoring battle expected, attention to detail becomes inherently more important, and both teams need to be able to execute the gameplan for 40 minutes.
Here are five keys for each side that will go a long way in determining the outcome of this matchup (note: as stated, these teams are essentially the same profile, so you could easily switch the keys from one team to the other and, beyond changing a few names, not bat an eyelash):
Wisconsin
Stopping dribble penetration- The Badgers packline scheme routinely takes away the high ball-screen with help from the big men on the guard. This was evident in the Badgers’ first round matchup with Florida State, where the Seminoles were relegated to isolation plays for the majority of the game, abandoning their bread-and-butter of the high screen-and-roll. Xavier likes to begin their offense with the high ball-screen, but have proven to be effective in set plays. The one Xavier player that has consistently been able to penetrate defenses has been C.J. Anderson. If Wisconsin can stop Anderson from penetrating, drawing fouls and kicking out to open shooters, they will have a good chance of advancing.
Getting dribble penetration- Xavier is attempting to do the same things defensively as Wisconsin, but the Badgers have a point guard—Trevon Hughes—who can get into the paint off of the dribble, unlike the Musketeers. Hughes was limited in his penetration opportunities against Florida State because of the outstanding effort from Seminole point guard Toney Douglas. Hughes did come up with a game-winning drive, however, and will likely get similar opportunities against the often unreliable point guard defenders for Xavier.
Neutralizing the rebounding battle- That Badgers have one player—Jon Leuer—in their regular rotation taller than 6’8,” and average 12.4 less rebounds per game than Xavier. While the Badgers do not rebound on the offensive end much, they are still the fifth best team in the country at rebounding defensively. The question will be whether or not the Badgers can grab offensive rebounds themselves, and match what is expected to be 3-4 extra possessions for the Musketeers that result from a decided height advantage and the subsequent offensive boards. Wisconsin can’t afford to allow Xavier to get second opportunities, and if they are able get an equal number of possessions as the Musketeers, the effectiveness of their halfcourt set will give them a good chance at moving on.
Dominating the turnover matchup- The Badgers are incredibly efficient on the offensive end, compiling a 1.2 to one assist to turnover ratio as a team. They value the basketball, and probe a defense for a full 35 second every time down the floor. If Xavier figures to get added opportunities because of their rebounding edge, Wisconsin is likely to cancel that advantage out by being in single digits in the turnover column—something Xavier has only done five times this season—and taking the ball away from their opponent, something they are the seventh best in the nation at doing. Valuing the basketball, and possibly getting easy lay-ins as a result of poor Musketeer passing, will likely give Wisconsin a critical boost of five to 10 points.
Three point shooting- The Badgers get 30.6 percent of their points from behind the three point arc. However, as evidenced by the first half against Florida State, they can stagnate offensively without the long-range shot. Jason Bohannon, Hughes and Marcus Landry all shoot it at 37 percent from deep, and will figure to get some open looks against a Xavier team that defend inside-out. If the Badger shooters, particularly Bohannon, are able to get hot from three they give Wisconsin one of its few opportunities to go on an extended scoring run. Such a run figures to be the difference in a low-scoring game, and could be the separating factor for Badgers.
Xavier
Getting an early lead- Xavier has struggled in games where they have to fight out of a hole, and force three point shots instead of merely running their offense. In a game that is unlikely to swing more than a handful of points in either direction, Xavier will be able to play much differently if they are holding an advantage on the scoreboard in the second half. A lead allows them to score from the free throw line more often—something that rarely happens against Wisconsin—and run their offensive sets. Sophomore Dante Jackson and freshman point guard Terrell Holloway have gotten into trouble when they attempt to play too quickly, something the comfort of a lead allows them to get away from.
Getting easy baskets- Wisconsin prides themselves on not allowing a basket that will energize their opponent. They try to foul in transition to thwart dunks, force midrange jump shots rather than anything around the rim and almost never get caught allowing run-outs by opponents. If Xavier can find a way to get Jamel McLean or Derrick Brown to utilize their athleticism on a set play, put-back dunk or transition basket, they will have achieved what many Wisconsin opponents have found to be impossible.
Brad Redford- Redford is often not quick enough defensively to remain on the floor against quality opponents, but the slow-down, halfcourt style that Wisconsin deploys allows the Musketeers to hide the defensive shortcomings of their 6’0” freshman. This means that the Redford’s lightning-quick release and range out to 30 feet will be on the floor for 10-15 minutes against the Badgers. In what figures to be a game played decided single digits, giving Redford a few feet of space on the perimeter three or four times could be the difference maker.
Three point shooting- Beyond simply Redford’s contribution from the perimeter, Dante Jackson and B.J. Raymond need to be able to take advantage of the opportunities that will be available for them off of kick-outs. Wisconsin’s defense is built around limiting points in the paint, and allowing the three point shot—ideally with some contest on the shooter. This means that Jackson and Raymond will likely be forced to shoot six or seven three point shots apiece. If the duo combines for a 50 percent clip, Xavier will be tough to beat.
Point guard play- Xavier has gotten productive minutes from Jackson and Holloway over the last three games, including Jackson’s breakout performance against Portland State on Friday. Both guards will have to be able to run the offense effectively against an in-your-face defense for Xavier to score. With Xavier’s customary high-screen expected to be taken away, Jackson and Holloway will have to get their team into the offensive sets, and make smart passes for Xavier to be successful. If the point guards can handle the pressure, and limit their turnovers, they will have sured up their team’s biggest weakness.
Xavier 77 Portland State 59
The 2008-09 season has been a roller coaster ride for Dante Jackson.
Forced to play out of position at the point guard spot, the sophomore has struggled through inconsistent play on both ends of the floor, multiple benchings and countless tongue lashings from head coach Sean Miller.
Nonetheless, Jackson has persevered, and found himself back in the starting point guard role in Xavier’s first round NCAA Tournament matchup with Portland State.
Jackson turned in his best game of the season—13 points, three assists, one turnover and four steals—to lead Xavier to a 77-59 win.
In what figured to be a decided mismatch in favor of Portland State at the point guard spot, Jackson outplayed Big West Player of the Year Jeremiah Dominguez, limiting the senior to 13 points—none in the second half—three assists, one turnover and four steals.
“Dante, to me, is a winner,” Xavier head coach Sean Miller said. “He knows for our team to [win] he's got to be a hawk on defense, guardingother good players at different positions, [which he did tonight].”
Jackson’s ability to neutralize Dominguez on the perimeter forced Portland State to rely on their three point shot, which Xavier contested effectively, holding the Vikings to 38.1 percent from three.
Meanwhile, Xavier continued their efficient three point shooting, as Jackson and B.J. Raymond combined for six three point shots, part of an 8-21 effort for the Musketeers.
The three point shot for Xavier was opened up by the resurgence of small forward C.J. Anderson, who scored 14 points after being held to 0-9 shooting in a 55-53 loss to Temple in the Atlantic 10 semifinal on March 13. Anderson’s ability to get into the lane, attract attention and score or create for teammates allowed the Musketeers to shoot 53.7 percent from the floor.
“C.J., any time he is aggressive he makes our team better,” Raymond said of his fellow senior. “He's getting shots for the shooters, but he's also puttingfouls on the other team… He's a pit bull and we appreciate it.”
Anderson was one of four Musketeers in double figures, as Xavier moved the ball effectively, running their offense with a season-low seven turnovers.
Everybody has confidence in the other players' ability to put it on the floor or make the right decisions,” Raymond said. “So we love to share the ball and see our teammates succeed.”
With the collective mentality offensively, and the added advantage of a deeper bench, Xavier was able to separate themselves in the second half with a 13-0 run after the 13:14 mark.
“I thought our defense and size really started to wear them down,” Miller said. “A lot of times if you're a good defensive team you can really get to the other team's heart… in the middle of the second half and I thought that really happened [tonight].”
Xavier will need to sustain a similar level of defensive intensity in their second round matchup with Wisconsin in what figures to be a low-scoring defensive battle.
But if they are able to get heroics from role players like Jackson, the Musketeers will look to advance to their third Sweet Sixteen in the last six years. They just have to hope that the drop-off does not follow the crescendo on the Jackson roller coaster.
Forced to play out of position at the point guard spot, the sophomore has struggled through inconsistent play on both ends of the floor, multiple benchings and countless tongue lashings from head coach Sean Miller.
Nonetheless, Jackson has persevered, and found himself back in the starting point guard role in Xavier’s first round NCAA Tournament matchup with Portland State.
Jackson turned in his best game of the season—13 points, three assists, one turnover and four steals—to lead Xavier to a 77-59 win.
In what figured to be a decided mismatch in favor of Portland State at the point guard spot, Jackson outplayed Big West Player of the Year Jeremiah Dominguez, limiting the senior to 13 points—none in the second half—three assists, one turnover and four steals.
“Dante, to me, is a winner,” Xavier head coach Sean Miller said. “He knows for our team to [win] he's got to be a hawk on defense, guardingother good players at different positions, [which he did tonight].”
Jackson’s ability to neutralize Dominguez on the perimeter forced Portland State to rely on their three point shot, which Xavier contested effectively, holding the Vikings to 38.1 percent from three.
Meanwhile, Xavier continued their efficient three point shooting, as Jackson and B.J. Raymond combined for six three point shots, part of an 8-21 effort for the Musketeers.
The three point shot for Xavier was opened up by the resurgence of small forward C.J. Anderson, who scored 14 points after being held to 0-9 shooting in a 55-53 loss to Temple in the Atlantic 10 semifinal on March 13. Anderson’s ability to get into the lane, attract attention and score or create for teammates allowed the Musketeers to shoot 53.7 percent from the floor.
“C.J., any time he is aggressive he makes our team better,” Raymond said of his fellow senior. “He's getting shots for the shooters, but he's also puttingfouls on the other team… He's a pit bull and we appreciate it.”
Anderson was one of four Musketeers in double figures, as Xavier moved the ball effectively, running their offense with a season-low seven turnovers.
Everybody has confidence in the other players' ability to put it on the floor or make the right decisions,” Raymond said. “So we love to share the ball and see our teammates succeed.”
With the collective mentality offensively, and the added advantage of a deeper bench, Xavier was able to separate themselves in the second half with a 13-0 run after the 13:14 mark.
“I thought our defense and size really started to wear them down,” Miller said. “A lot of times if you're a good defensive team you can really get to the other team's heart… in the middle of the second half and I thought that really happened [tonight].”
Xavier will need to sustain a similar level of defensive intensity in their second round matchup with Wisconsin in what figures to be a low-scoring defensive battle.
But if they are able to get heroics from role players like Jackson, the Musketeers will look to advance to their third Sweet Sixteen in the last six years. They just have to hope that the drop-off does not follow the crescendo on the Jackson roller coaster.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Stopping penetratoin, hot start are key for XU
If Xavier is to have success in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Boise, Id. on Friday night, the Musketeers will have to avoid a case of déjà vu.
The Musketeers take on an undersized, guard-oriented team in Portland State, and as senior shooting guard B.J. Raymond pointed out Thursday in the team’s pregame press conference, the Vikings are similar to the Duquesne and Butler teams that tripped up the Musketeers earlier this season.
While all three teams get a third or more of their points from beyond the three point arc, Xavier’s main issues against Duquesne and Butler came in defending the point guard position. The ability of Aaron Jackson for Duquesne and Shelvin Mack for Butler to get by the Xavier point guards and collapse the Musketeer defense was the key to each of those teams getting open three point looks.
In addition to opening up perimeter opportunities, the penetration forced Xavier’s big men into foul trouble, as Xavier center Jason Love played a combined 40 minutes in the two earlier losses because of foul trouble.
If Xavier is able to keep Portland State point guard Jeremiah Dominguez out of the lane consistently, they will have taken a huge step towards advancing to the second round of the Tournament for the third straight season.
Aside from defending Dominguez, Xavier must be able to come out of the gates strong.
While it is a goal of any team to jump out to an early lead, Xavier’s style of play makes an early lead a near necessity. With a cushion in the early going, they can slow the game down, and play a defensive battle. As the game progresses, holding a lead will create more foul shooting opportunities for the Musketeers, something that was a key to their early season success yet has dried up in their recent swoon—losing five of their last 10 games.
If Xavier is able to avoid digging themselves a hole in the first four minutes of the game—as they have done in five of their seven losses this season—the possibility of Portland State becoming a Cinderella story will be greatly diminished.
The Musketeers take on an undersized, guard-oriented team in Portland State, and as senior shooting guard B.J. Raymond pointed out Thursday in the team’s pregame press conference, the Vikings are similar to the Duquesne and Butler teams that tripped up the Musketeers earlier this season.
While all three teams get a third or more of their points from beyond the three point arc, Xavier’s main issues against Duquesne and Butler came in defending the point guard position. The ability of Aaron Jackson for Duquesne and Shelvin Mack for Butler to get by the Xavier point guards and collapse the Musketeer defense was the key to each of those teams getting open three point looks.
In addition to opening up perimeter opportunities, the penetration forced Xavier’s big men into foul trouble, as Xavier center Jason Love played a combined 40 minutes in the two earlier losses because of foul trouble.
If Xavier is able to keep Portland State point guard Jeremiah Dominguez out of the lane consistently, they will have taken a huge step towards advancing to the second round of the Tournament for the third straight season.
Aside from defending Dominguez, Xavier must be able to come out of the gates strong.
While it is a goal of any team to jump out to an early lead, Xavier’s style of play makes an early lead a near necessity. With a cushion in the early going, they can slow the game down, and play a defensive battle. As the game progresses, holding a lead will create more foul shooting opportunities for the Musketeers, something that was a key to their early season success yet has dried up in their recent swoon—losing five of their last 10 games.
If Xavier is able to avoid digging themselves a hole in the first four minutes of the game—as they have done in five of their seven losses this season—the possibility of Portland State becoming a Cinderella story will be greatly diminished.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Matchups will be key if XU hopes to advance
On this selection Sunday, there is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Xavier men’s basketball team.
They have lost five of their last ten games, and struggled both on the offensive (against Temple in the A-10 semifinals) and defensive (losses to Duquesne, Dayton, Charlotte and Richmond) ends.
It is useful, though, to take a step back and look at the Musketeers’’ strengths and weaknesses:
Strengths
Rebounding- Xavier is 20th in the nation at 42.7 rebounds per game, a statistic aided by their starting lineup featuring five players 6’5” or taller and their frontcourt depth.
Meaning- Maryland, Boston College and BYU could give Xavier trouble early because they can match their size. Generally, however, the Musketeers will need to take advantage of an advantage on the glass in the first round game to move on.
Defense (generally) - Xavier is 19th nationally in Ken Pomeroy’s adjusted defensive rankings, led mainly by their stout interior defense.
Meaning- Xavier will defend in a similar way against any team (Sean Miller will rarely ever go zone). Xavier will have to win close games throughout the tournament, as they will never be a team to blow anyone out.
Weaknesses
Point guard play- Xavier starts a shooting guard at the point, and brings an often unreliable freshman off the bench to relieve him. This has led to 15 turnovers per game from the Musketeers and frequent stagnation against pressuring defenses.
Meaning- Xavier does not matchup well against high-pressure teams. Teams like North Dakota St., Siena, BYU, Boston College and Creighton would be difficult first round opponents for Xavier. Defending penetration- Teams with multiple guards who are able to take Xavier’s bigger, slower guards off the dribble have consistently given Xavier trouble. It has created easy layups, foul trouble for the big men and open three point looks.
Meaning- Xavier does not match up well with guard-oriented teams, who are predicated on their point guard creating. Teams like VCU, St. Mary, Boston College, Michigan and even Maryland would be tough first round draws for the Musketeers.
In March, it is all about the matchups, really, and Xavier could have matchup problems against a number of their early opponents. However, they are not alone in this sentiment, as the majority of NCAA teams, save possibly the top seeds, are in the same boat. Nonetheless, the chinks in the Musketeers’ armor could manifest themselves in an early exit if the Selection committee is unkind to Xavier.
They have lost five of their last ten games, and struggled both on the offensive (against Temple in the A-10 semifinals) and defensive (losses to Duquesne, Dayton, Charlotte and Richmond) ends.
It is useful, though, to take a step back and look at the Musketeers’’ strengths and weaknesses:
Strengths
Rebounding- Xavier is 20th in the nation at 42.7 rebounds per game, a statistic aided by their starting lineup featuring five players 6’5” or taller and their frontcourt depth.
Meaning- Maryland, Boston College and BYU could give Xavier trouble early because they can match their size. Generally, however, the Musketeers will need to take advantage of an advantage on the glass in the first round game to move on.
Defense (generally) - Xavier is 19th nationally in Ken Pomeroy’s adjusted defensive rankings, led mainly by their stout interior defense.
Meaning- Xavier will defend in a similar way against any team (Sean Miller will rarely ever go zone). Xavier will have to win close games throughout the tournament, as they will never be a team to blow anyone out.
Weaknesses
Point guard play- Xavier starts a shooting guard at the point, and brings an often unreliable freshman off the bench to relieve him. This has led to 15 turnovers per game from the Musketeers and frequent stagnation against pressuring defenses.
Meaning- Xavier does not matchup well against high-pressure teams. Teams like North Dakota St., Siena, BYU, Boston College and Creighton would be difficult first round opponents for Xavier. Defending penetration- Teams with multiple guards who are able to take Xavier’s bigger, slower guards off the dribble have consistently given Xavier trouble. It has created easy layups, foul trouble for the big men and open three point looks.
Meaning- Xavier does not match up well with guard-oriented teams, who are predicated on their point guard creating. Teams like VCU, St. Mary, Boston College, Michigan and even Maryland would be tough first round draws for the Musketeers.
In March, it is all about the matchups, really, and Xavier could have matchup problems against a number of their early opponents. However, they are not alone in this sentiment, as the majority of NCAA teams, save possibly the top seeds, are in the same boat. Nonetheless, the chinks in the Musketeers’ armor could manifest themselves in an early exit if the Selection committee is unkind to Xavier.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Temple 55 XU 53
For the fifth time in 10 games the Xavier Musketeers will board the team bus after a tough loss away from Cintas Center and return home. The only difference is they know the next time they go through this routine it will be their last.
The sad march this time came after a 55-53 loss to Temple in the semifinals of the Atlantic 10 Tournament at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.
While defensive lapses had been the common theme in the Musketeers previous four A-10 losses, the defense was not the issue on this night, as the Owls were held to 35.3 percent shooting and went 4-17 from three point range.
Instead, Xavier’s shortcomings came on the offensive end, where they struggled to a 34.5 percent shooting night.
“We put ourselves in a hole because of the way that we played on offense,” Miller said.
While the defensive effort kept the Musketeers in a back-and-forth battle, the Owls were able to turn a three point defecit into a 51-47 lead with 1:27 remaining in large part because of a 5:57 scoreless streak by the Musketeers.
While Xavier was able to get some production from senior B.J. Raymond (18 points) and junior Derrick Brown (19 points, 15 in the first half), they failed to receive much of a boost from their small forward and center positions. Senior forward C.J. Anderson failed to score for the first time this season, going 0-9 from the field, and
“C.J. has really struggled over the last month. That puts a lot of pressure on our offense. When he plays well, we are a much different team,” said Miller.
Anderson’s struggles were not alleviated by the center position, where junior Jason Love and freshman Kenny Frease combined for four points on 2-10 shooting.
“Those guys have done a good job as a 1-2 punch, but recently we have not gotten that production, and it certainly puts a lot of pressure on our offense,” Miller said.
A large part of Anderson and the center positioin’s scoring this season has come from the free throw line, a place where Xavier has struggled to get to in recent losses.
The Musketeers have shot 19 free throws per game over the last 10 contests, including a 5-9 performance on Friday night. In their five loses over that stretch, the number has been slightly lower, at 18.8 attempts per game.
This is an alarming statistic for the Musketeers, as without a stable point guard presence, or a pure scorer, they often have to rely on frequent trips to the free throw line to provide the requisite offense.
The sad march this time came after a 55-53 loss to Temple in the semifinals of the Atlantic 10 Tournament at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.
While defensive lapses had been the common theme in the Musketeers previous four A-10 losses, the defense was not the issue on this night, as the Owls were held to 35.3 percent shooting and went 4-17 from three point range.
Instead, Xavier’s shortcomings came on the offensive end, where they struggled to a 34.5 percent shooting night.
“We put ourselves in a hole because of the way that we played on offense,” Miller said.
While the defensive effort kept the Musketeers in a back-and-forth battle, the Owls were able to turn a three point defecit into a 51-47 lead with 1:27 remaining in large part because of a 5:57 scoreless streak by the Musketeers.
While Xavier was able to get some production from senior B.J. Raymond (18 points) and junior Derrick Brown (19 points, 15 in the first half), they failed to receive much of a boost from their small forward and center positions. Senior forward C.J. Anderson failed to score for the first time this season, going 0-9 from the field, and
“C.J. has really struggled over the last month. That puts a lot of pressure on our offense. When he plays well, we are a much different team,” said Miller.
Anderson’s struggles were not alleviated by the center position, where junior Jason Love and freshman Kenny Frease combined for four points on 2-10 shooting.
“Those guys have done a good job as a 1-2 punch, but recently we have not gotten that production, and it certainly puts a lot of pressure on our offense,” Miller said.
A large part of Anderson and the center positioin’s scoring this season has come from the free throw line, a place where Xavier has struggled to get to in recent losses.
The Musketeers have shot 19 free throws per game over the last 10 contests, including a 5-9 performance on Friday night. In their five loses over that stretch, the number has been slightly lower, at 18.8 attempts per game.
This is an alarming statistic for the Musketeers, as without a stable point guard presence, or a pure scorer, they often have to rely on frequent trips to the free throw line to provide the requisite offense.
Temple vs. Xavier in A-10 semis
Greetings from Atlantic City!
Some rambling thoughts before today’s semifinal between Xavier and Temple:
-A big key will be the health of Temple power forward Lavoy Allen. Allen sprained his right ankle in practice early in the week, and has been less than 100 percent all week. Despite playing on a wounded wheel, Allen still grabbed 13 rebounds on Thursday in the semifinal against Saint Joseph’s. If Allen is not able to repeat such a performance less than 24 hours later, Xavier—namely Derrick Brown—will be able to score inside, and utilize their height advantage to the fullest to grab extra possessions.
-Don’t believe the hype you hear about this being a home crowd for Temple. 300 people do not constitute a home crowd. Just ask the Florida Marlins.
-The matchup to watch is between B.J. Raymond and Dionte Christmas. If Raymond is able to limit Christmas’ perimeter shooting as he did the first time around, in a Xavier win, then the Temple has to turn to alternative forms of offense. While Juan Fernandez, Sergio Olmos and Ryan Brooks have all shown that they can score throughout the A-10 schedule this year, none has a favorable matchup against the Xavier defense. Even if Raymond does not match his scoring output from the first time around, merely holding Christmas to single digits—thus continuing the Temple senior’s recent shooting struggles—will go a long way towards a Xavier win.
-Atlantic City is a great City to travel to, but not for a basketball tournament. The arena is old, decrepit, and lacking energy.
Overall, my prediction is Xavier 68, Temple 63
Some rambling thoughts before today’s semifinal between Xavier and Temple:
-A big key will be the health of Temple power forward Lavoy Allen. Allen sprained his right ankle in practice early in the week, and has been less than 100 percent all week. Despite playing on a wounded wheel, Allen still grabbed 13 rebounds on Thursday in the semifinal against Saint Joseph’s. If Allen is not able to repeat such a performance less than 24 hours later, Xavier—namely Derrick Brown—will be able to score inside, and utilize their height advantage to the fullest to grab extra possessions.
-Don’t believe the hype you hear about this being a home crowd for Temple. 300 people do not constitute a home crowd. Just ask the Florida Marlins.
-The matchup to watch is between B.J. Raymond and Dionte Christmas. If Raymond is able to limit Christmas’ perimeter shooting as he did the first time around, in a Xavier win, then the Temple has to turn to alternative forms of offense. While Juan Fernandez, Sergio Olmos and Ryan Brooks have all shown that they can score throughout the A-10 schedule this year, none has a favorable matchup against the Xavier defense. Even if Raymond does not match his scoring output from the first time around, merely holding Christmas to single digits—thus continuing the Temple senior’s recent shooting struggles—will go a long way towards a Xavier win.
-Atlantic City is a great City to travel to, but not for a basketball tournament. The arena is old, decrepit, and lacking energy.
Overall, my prediction is Xavier 68, Temple 63
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