|
Scouting UMass!!!
By
Andy Mac Williams,
2/28/2013
The Muskies A-10 Murderer's Row End of Season Tour resumes Saturday afternoon at Cintas. The UMass Minutemen are in town at 2PM(CBS Sports Network). Mass is lurking on the fringes of the NCAA bubble(17-9 overall,7-6 in the A-10,tied for 7th with Richmond) so a road win over XU would be huge for their resume.
Mass hasn't been to the Big Dance since early in Bruiser Flynt's coaching tenure. We're talking 1998ish. It's been a long time since John Calipari battled with John Chenney at Temple-dominated the A-10 and depended on players like Lou Roe and Marcus Camby and current coach Derek Kellogg.
Kellogg's in his 5th year at UMass. They made the NIT Final 4 last season. Kellogg comes from the Calipari coaching tree. He and Josh Pastner were assistants under Cal at Memphis. It's dribble drive uptempo offense and ball pressure defense with some full court press. Mass shoots plenty of 3s. They score 74PPG,but give up 72.
Saturday will be a test of wills and contrasting styles. X wants to play in the 60s while UMass wants to force the score into the 80s. Mass PG Chaz Williams is full out all the time. He might be 5-7. Chaz plays over 36 minutes/game averaging 16 points and 6 assists. He'a deadly FT shooter and pesky defender. Wiliams buried XU last Feb. in Amherst with a monster game(29 points-9A-5REB) in a 80-73 Mass victory. The Muskies started slowly and never got close.
If Dee Davis is healthy,he'll be matched up with Chaz alot. If Dee is a "no go" Chaz might have a huge afternoon. Shooting guard Jesse Morgan's been out since the A-10 opener with an injury. He was playing well(13PPG-35 points vs Ohio U). 6-5 Senior Freddie Riley now starts at the 2G. He's a quick long range shooter and has prospered lately(14PPG-last 5 starts).
6-9 250 Soph Cady Lalanne has moved into the starting center spot recently. He starred in Mass's 76-66 win over Dayton last Saturday(24P-14R). UMass is well rested. They did not have a mid-week game.
The starting forwards have size and experience. Sampson Carter is a 6-8 220 Junior who does the dirty work around the basket. 6-7 220 Senior Terrell Vinson scores more(12PPG) and gets to the FT line. 6-9 190 Junior Raphael Putney plays big minutes off the bench now after starting most of the year. He's very explosive and will launch from "3". Maxie Esho is a 6-8 Soph who does a little of everything.
The only guard sub is 6 foot Frosh Trey Davis. Chaz Williams never gets a break. Mass lost 3 straight(at VCU,Temple,at St Bonnies) before beating Dayton. They're 2-4 on the road in the A-10 with wins at Fordham and LaSalle.
Xavier needs this one badly. They're tied for 5th in the league with Temple at 8-5 and the Owls seemingly have a walk-over Sat. at home against Rhode Island. LaSalle is tied for 4th with Butler at 9-4. The Explorers have a possible breather home vs Duquesne while Butler tries to handle Havoc at VCU.
It's time for Xavier to find another dependable long range scoring option. Brad Redford usually rates the opposition's top perimeter defender when he's in the game. He is the "known" Muskie threat from deep. Despite that extra attention Brad's managed 25 points total in scarmbling style full court games against VCU and Memphis.
Justin Martin is getting open wing 3 point looks. That shot is in his skill set. Opponents are almost conceding that shot right now. Martin has to take it and make it with some regularity for Xavier to keep up with a high octane UMass offense. Maybe James Farr will get another chance. That 3 ball is in his arsenal!!
Hey,it's a home game!! XU is playing well. The effort is there. Dee Davis might be able to slow down Chaz Williams and force Chaz to work on defense at the other end.
|
|
