Musketeer Madness

While it wouldn't have changed the outcome, the big play was when D-brown missed 2 FT then X missed the free possession and Duncan picked up his 2nd on the other end. Oh, well, what a great season. While Miller has done a great job with OOC schedule, our deficiencies were evident vs a team with a skilled big man. Most teams X plays have one maybe 2 good players. Even in tourney, Alexander was tough but other than that, no one drastically better than the X front court-at least where we could't stop them. In the A-10 few teams have 5 guys that will hurt you inside like UCLA. On the OOC schedule, only Tennessee. UCLA is just a better team. They have too many players on the court at once who will make you pay if they get an offensive board and not just Love. For X, more to keep working on.

To MOR and many others, while I don't disagree with everything you say, you have always stood behind Miller. I think Miller did have a bit of a longer learning curve than the previous coaches, but he has exploded this year. His pack-line defense has proven to be great although not as good against the better teams. WVU and UCLA beat X up inside a bit with their 1,2, and 3's. I always said Miller was a good guy and hope he proves me wrong and he has. MOR always said (and mostly in a professional manner) that Miller will be good when he gets his own players and Elite 8 in this first year isn't bad. BTW, my previous names until I was forced to change it through Administration was Realist and Jimmy the Greek.

X won't be as good next year and the A-10 will get better so they could struggle. Hopefully, they get it down quick because they will need it. Frease has to come in ready and get some point guard going. Dante will be very good (offense and defense). Raymond will be fine but needs defensive work. D-brown has to develope a mid-range shot and a pull up so he can drive. Graves must start playing or he will be a bust at X if the freshman take over. Finally, if McClain can show anything, that would be helpful. X's biggest challenge is to get their players to make 3's. Losing Lavender and Duncan from a PG and 5 position shooting 3's was a match-up problem for most teams. Next year will be more of a traditional offense and with CJ, J-Love, and Brown scoring inside of 5 feet from the basket. this will have to be addressed. Two and three years ago, I would thought Miller can't coach them up-now I'm excited more than ever about the future. See you in October 2008. Thanks seniors.

I turned to my son when Brown missed both those FTs and said that could be a big turning point. I am sad to say but I was right. Even though X got the lead down they expended so much energy UCLA came right back...much like X did this year.

X may not be AS good (30 W's), but they'll be good..this coaching staff and program is on it's way..roles change for players year to year..i'm not interested in next year yet, but miller will have some surprises..i think he's a few steps ahead of us......

xuhuh, I agree with your assessment that we may not win 30 next year but that the coach and his staff has made the goal to always get better. I think many thought that when we went to the elite eight and Thad left that that would be the end or at least a downturn in the program because we had this unproven coach. Man did he make them look foolish. We will always have these woe-is- me fans but Sean is the best thing to be at Xavier since Fr Hoff and that is not taking anything away from previous coaches. Sean has stood on their shoulders and has taken his vision to a level we all have dream of over the years. IF Sean should ever leave X we can look back on him and say he was the right man at the right time to bridge the land of Stakk/Gillen/Skip/Thad to the promise land of upper program basketball. And to think it was Dawn that hired him...I guess a blind squirrel applies here.

This team went farther than I expected. Sean got a lot out of this team. Can't wait for next year.