Maybe UD hasn't passed us as a program

[gundun]

http://www.daytondailynews.com/story/co ... lid=inform
Recent results tip scales in Xavier's favorUD athletic director admits, 'We have some catching up to do.' Flyers hope recent recruits help them compete.
By Kyle Nagel

Staff Writer

Sunday, February 24, 2008

When Derrick Brown was a high school senior, he packed just 187 pounds on his 6-foot-8 frame. Still, the skinny all-state forward from Chaminade-Julienne was recruited heavily by both the University of Dayton and Xavier.

He chose Xavier.

"There was a lot of pressure, people wanting me to go to Dayton," Brown said last week, standing in a Cintas Center hallway on the Xavier campus. "At the same time, I know picking your college and picking your wife are probably the two things you really have to be selfish about."

Unfortunately for Dayton, the Flyers have been the bridesmaid recently in their relationship with their rivals from Cincinnati.

As the two prepare to play at UD Arena today, Feb. 24, Xavier is accomplishing feats that Dayton fans would like their program to achieve.

The Musketeers are ranked 10th nationally and lead the Atlantic 10 Conference with an 11-1 record, while the Flyers stand in 11th place at 5-7. Xavier's 23-4 overall record puts them in the argument for a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament, while Dayton's tournament hopes are evaporating with seven losses in 10 games.

In the postseason, Xavier will try to improve on its seven tournament wins in the past 12 seasons, while the Flyers are looking for their first in that span. If the Musketeers have one of their seniors drafted by the NBA, he will be the seventh since Xavier joined the A-10. Dayton's last draftee, Negele Knight, came in 1990.

It's difficult for many programs to compare with Xavier, but the Flyers are in a unique position to do so. As league mates and rivals, the two schools have similar athletic departments and fan bases, which makes many UD supporters wonder why the Musketeers are doing the things they don't see from the Flyers.

"There's no question," said Ted Kissell, the Dayton athletic director, "we have some catching up to do."

Those around the Xavier program say they're not content, even as coach Sean Miller is discussed for the open Indiana University job and the Musketeers are a dark-horse pick for the Final Four.

"There's always pressure because that's your rival and that's the team you want to compete with," said UD coach Brian Gregory. "We've been able to hold service at home up until last year, and it's important that we do the same (today)."

Never even

In reality, the Dayton-Xavier series hasn't often been competitive.

From the first meeting on Feb. 20, 1920 — a 24-18 Dayton victory — there have been 11 streaks of at least five consecutive wins between the two. In one stretch, from January 1973 to March 1977, the Flyers won 10 straight. Xavier, meanwhile, has taken 28 of the past 37 meetings.

The Musketeers stung Dayton in the 1958 NIT final, but the fortunes of both programs turned after that Xavier overtime victory. In the next 21 seasons, the Flyers went 382-201 with 13 postseason appearances while Xavier failed to earn a winning record 15 times.

In 1979 — in a move that started Xavier toward its current success — the school hired Bob Staak, who helped the Musketeers to a Midwestern City Conference title and NCAA tournament berth in his fourth season as coach.

Finally, Xavier was ready to compete with Dayton. Soon, the Musketeers would pull ahead.

Pulling away

In the early 1980s, Bucky Bockhorn went to a high school basketball game at Hara Arena featuring Cincinnati's Withrow High School. The UD radio broadcaster unknowingly watched a player who would soon swing Xavier's fortunes: Tyrone Hill.

"He was gangly, nervous, but you could see unbelievable potential," Bockhorn said. "Pete Gillen walked out of the dressing room afterward and said he had him locked up, or something to that effect. That was the start of those Xavier big guys. They really got lucky with some big men."

In 1987, Hill's first season under second-year coach Gillen, Xavier won its first-ever NCAA tournament game. The 6-9 Hill then led the Musketeers to the 1990 Sweet 16 before Golden State made him the 11th overall pick in that summer's NBA draft.

Then came another key big-man recruit.

"An unknown kid from tiny Georgetown, Ohio," said Gillen, who will broadcast today's game for CSTV.

Brian Grant, who didn't play high school basketball for two seasons, came to Xavier the year after Hill departed and led the Musketeers to three more conference titles and three more postseason tourneys. Grant and Hill are considered the two key players who helped Xavier show future recruits — particularly power forwards and centers — that the program could develop NBA talent.

Xavier also used a line of successful coaches to make the program a consistent winner. Gillen followed Staak and remains the school's all-time wins leader (202-75), while the next three coaches — Skip Prosser (148-65), Thad Matta (78-23) and Miller (86-36) — continued winning.

Dayton, meanwhile, stumbled. Although Jim O'Brien took UD to the NCAA tournament in 1990, his first season, he left the program four years later after consecutive records of 4-26 and 6-21. In those two seasons, Xavier made the NCAA tournament second round and NIT quarterfinals as part of 24 winning records in the past 25 years.

Between the coaching continuity — Prosser was an assistant for Gillen and Miller was an assistant for Matta — and recruiting success, Xavier coaches, players and administrators say they have built a tight-knit program not satisfied with success.

"There is a sense of unfinished business at all times," said Mike Bobinski, the Xavier athletic director. "We never are satisfied; we certainly don't feel like we've arrived. We're not all that impressed with ourselves, to be quite honest."

Closing the gap?

Next season, Dayton will welcome 6-10 Josh Benson from Dunbar High School. The next year, 6-10 Matt Kavanaugh will arrive from Centerville.

These are two recruits, analysts say, that show the Flyers are turning the tide against Xavier in the struggle for area big men.

"I don't think Xavier has a decided edge," said John Stovall, the Ohio correspondent for PrepSpotlight.com. "In college basketball, it doesn't take much. Just one key guy can take you a long way."

Many view Chris Wright as that key player and the proof of Dayton's recruiting success. The freshman from Trotwood-Madison came to UD with much fanfare after turning down advances from high-level schools and even Xavier, which Wright said recruited him early in the process.

Unlike C-J grad Brown, Wright chose Dayton because it is close to home. He sees a foundation of administrative and fan support set to help the Flyers regularly earn national rankings, NCAA tournament appearances and NBA draftees.

"We have what we need to be successful right now," Wright said. "I don't want Dayton to be like Xavier. I want us to continue being Dayton."

Is it a rivalry?
As Xavier has pulled away from the rest of the Atlantic 10 Conference, the Musketeers' success has perhaps been most noticed by Dayton. Because the athletic departments are similar and the schools are close, the Flyers have a unique perspective on their rivals to the south.
That rivalry once swayed in Dayton's favor, but that has changed since the two became A-10 mates. A look at finances and how each school has fared on the basketball court from 1995-96 to 2006-07 (12 seasons):
Dayton Category Xavier
6,925 Full-time undergraduates 3,360
$8,772,504 Men's basketball revenue, 2006-07 $9,421,233
$2,814,955 Men's basketball expenses, 2006-07 $3,154,106
$16,799,536 Athletic department revenue, 2006-07 $18,538,464
$16,078,493 Athletic department expenses, 2006-07 $11,437,131
223-145 (.606) Men's basketball record 266-115 (.698)
4 A-10 championships (division or tourney) 7
6 Postseason appearances 10
0 NCAA tournament wins 7
3 Seasons ranked 6
0 NBA draftees 6
9 Wins in UD-XU series

[gundun]

Wise, Q and others,
Can it be assumed that the reason UD has such high Athletic Department expenses compared to us is football?

[GBXU]

I am kind of shocked to see that they have twice the number of undergrads as X. Maybe that's how they makeup for the lack of revenue in their Athletics.

[XUOHTX]

[XU Horns]

Failed to mention Mr. Frease coming to town!!

Matt Kavanaugh, a 2-star prospect listed on Rivals at 6-8" is the savior? Chris Wright sounds like he'll be a good one.

[gundun]

GBXU,
I didn't realize it until I saw your post, but if we add this season's two victories to your list - XU HAS WON 35 OF THE LAST 50 GAMES AGAINST UD.