Xavier v Dayton, Sunday

[Jesseandrippers]

X lost one of the three most important players on the team, along with McKnight and Freemantle. I think Conwell is the best player, but they're loaded at the shooting guard position. X will just have to rebound by committee and run every chance they get, something they would have done even with Traore. Hughley becomes even more important now, and fortunately, Hunter plays very solid D as an undersized center.

With a 9-man rotation, I hope presses a lot more, even if it is token pressure, to shave 8-10 seconds off the shot clock, and reduce the amount of time for teams to run their half-court sets. Even with Traore, their D would have been a little suspect with Freemantle and Green. I haven't seen enough of Maddox or Foster to know how well they guard. Conwell seems solid.

On a different note, one guy who apparently is much better than I thought, and as his numbers would indicate, is Roddie Anderson, PG transfer from Boise St, who is redshirting. His numbers last year were 7ppg, 36%-FG/55%-FT/27%-3 pt. Not exactly awe-inspiring. However, I listened to the Broering Fritschner podcast, and both are very high on him. They both went so far as to say that if something happened to McKnight, they could slot Anderson right in w/o missing a beat. That makes me feel a lot better about the PG position next year.

This is the most talented, offensive team X has ever had. Even without Traore, they have a shot to contend for the title in the Conference of Champions.

I wonder if this fella still feels this is the most talented offensive team X has ever had.

[skyhops]

Anderson is really fast, but was redshirted because he is not a good three point shooter. We have two capable scorers in Free and Conwell, so I don’t think that would justify best offensive team ever.

[Anti-Homer]

X lost one of the three most important players on the team, along with McKnight and Freemantle. I think Conwell is the best player, but they're loaded at the shooting guard position. X will just have to rebound by committee and run every chance they get, something they would have done even with Traore. Hughley becomes even more important now, and fortunately, Hunter plays very solid D as an undersized center.

With a 9-man rotation, I hope presses a lot more, even if it is token pressure, to shave 8-10 seconds off the shot clock, and reduce the amount of time for teams to run their half-court sets. Even with Traore, their D would have been a little suspect with Freemantle and Green. I haven't seen enough of Maddox or Foster to know how well they guard. Conwell seems solid.

On a different note, one guy who apparently is much better than I thought, and as his numbers would indicate, is Roddie Anderson, PG transfer from Boise St, who is redshirting. His numbers last year were 7ppg, 36%-FG/55%-FT/27%-3 pt. Not exactly awe-inspiring. However, I listened to the Broering Fritschner podcast, and both are very high on him. They both went so far as to say that if something happened to McKnight, they could slot Anderson right in w/o missing a beat. That makes me feel a lot better about the PG position next year.

This is the most talented, offensive team X has ever had. Even without Traore, they have a shot to contend for the title in the Conference of Champions.

I wonder if this fella still feels this is the most talented offensive team X has ever had.

On paper, yes. Look at the offensive output of the players prior to coming here. Maddox was highly coveted, as was Conwell, as both averaged 17-18 ppg, while shooting at 40% from 3, and 80% at the line. Foster avg. 17 a game as well. Then, throw in Freemantle, McKnight, Green, and Hugley - on paper. Also, even Miller was bragging about the offensive firepower of this team all summer, and they showed it against a very good Dayton team. He especially noted Swain, who might be even more limited this year than last. Other caveats I was not aware of.

First of all, you have to have a competent chef. Even if one has the greatest cut of beef, if he microwaves it and smothers it with ketchup, it probably won't taste very good. Miller is in the running for the worst coach in the BE chef along with Cooley, and those two are ten lengths ahead of everyone else.

Also, I watch Creighton's offense, whose team has below average athleticism yet seem to get many open shots. I wish McDermott was running sets for this team. They would average 90 points a game. This team has taken so many late-in-the-shot clock desperation threes, and other difficult shots. They stand around as much as Steele's teams. Also, as much as I like Conwell, he forces a lot of threes. I think Miller may be drinking out of the same coffee cup T Steele left behind.

Miller also has had poor roster construction for the 2nd straight year. Again, as individuals, X has really good offensive players collectively. However, while he has four guys who can score at the guard position, they don't have a wing scorer and only one in the post (Freemantle). It's like having Joe Burrow and wasting picks in early rounds on QBs the next two years. I think X needs to bring someone in to manage the NIL budget because SM has been an awful steward of the fund. He did a hell of a job in 22,' but unfortunately, has squandered any momentum.

If only Steele had stayed as a recruiter.

[skyhops]

AH,

Creighton might have the best mobile center in college basketball as well as a better all around team. Swain not improving, losing confidence, and not developing a shot has been one of the biggest disappointments. Conwell and Maddox were highly sought after, but Foster is a mid major at best and undersized. With our lack of size and athleticism the pieces just don't fit. Free and Conwell can be counted on, but not many others on this roster.