Minimum expectations for next year?

[Pablo's Brother]

As CJ would say, this year has made us all "salty." What would it take to make 20013-2014 "on deem" for you?

[GoMuskies]

Return to the NCAA Tournament.

[MADXSTER]

Minimum Expectations = NCAA 1st round

[STL_XUfan]

As CJ would say, this year has made us all "salty." What would it take to make 20013-2014 "on deem" for you?

"On deem" is a greater level than minimum expectations. "On deem" represents a higher plane, and the only way to reach that is with a final 4.

[coasterville95]

New conference may take some getting used to, and we have a promising if largely unknown squad. Just get us back in the NCAA picture, anything more is gravy.

[bjf123]

First year in the Big East? I'll take making the NCAA Tourney.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[UCGRAD4X]

It may be another rough year with so many new faces, but by the end of it, this team will be battle tested and playing like a well oiled machine. I would expect a sweet 16 at least. We will be much deeper (not a difficult feat) and better prepared for the stretch run and beyond.

[GIMMFD]

Tourney for sure, with the talent level in Semaj coming back, and some pieces looking to fit in, yeah we should make the NCAA tournament.

[smileyy]

I thought it was "on deam"?

[X-Fan]

It may be another rough year with so many new faces, but by the end of it, this team will be battle tested and playing like a well oiled machine. I would expect a sweet 16 at least. We will be much deeper (not a difficult feat) and better prepared for the stretch run and beyond.
Totally agree. Team will be deeper, more experienced, and very hungry. Make em all pay for how '12-'13 went!

[Masterofreality]

Too many things can change the equation between now and August...like the potential filling of two available scholarships.

Expect to see at least one addition who can play right away.

[nkymuskie]

Semaj will bring the steez next year from day one. We'll be back in the tourney.

For those not up on the steez, read this article

http://m.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/wp/2012/11/02/jordan-crawford-describes-his-steez/

[paulxu]

Bring on the Vez.

[Kahns Krazy]

Lots can change, but sitting here today, facing a new conference and lots of new talent, a return to the dance would mark a successful first year in the Big East.

Every team is entitled to a year off every now and then. Two is a pattern.

[danaandvictory]

I'm with Kahns.

[PMI]

Too many things can change the equation between now and August...like the potential filling of two available scholarships.

Expect to see at least one addition who can play right away.

Exactly. Assuming we finally have an offseason without any... surprises... and we have the roster we plan on having, I think we should be a top 25-caliber team. Not necessarily ranked from start to finish, but I think we'll be good. Semaj will be a legitimate BE POY candidate. Philmore will be back, better, and in better shape from the get go. Stainbrook will be a very useful weapon down low. I expect Randolph to be productive in his first year, even through some growing pains. Both Davis' should contribute, and Farr might be ready for some minutes. The two wild cards to me are Justin Martin and Jalen Reynolds. If Martin works his ass off this summer and takes a step forward next year, it takes so much pressure off the team, because we will have a legitimate 3. He needs to be ready for a lot of minutes, as Richards will probably be a work in progress. Reynolds is my other wild card because his ceiling is insanely high, but I really don't have any idea how ready he is to be a high level D1 player yet. If he's similar to, say, freshman year Derrick Brown, that's a hell of a boost for our team.

Overall, I think we go back to the tournament at a minimum. How we come together at that point (which we usually do well under Mack) will determine what kind of postseason it is.

[Caveat]

Return to the Tourney -- it'll be an adjustment year as far as conference play is concerned. Teams like Georgetown, Marquette and 'Nova play a more athletic and more physical brand of hoops than Xavier is used to seeing in conference.

Also, the Big East (minus UConn and Syracuse now) is going to have a perception problem with ESPN right out of the chute. All the Syracuse broadcasting school grads that migrate to Bristol after college won't be pimping the conference like they have been for years now that their beloved Orange are in the ACC -- when you add in the fact that the rights are controlled by a competing sports network (Fox Sports One), it'll be in ESPN's best interest to downplay the success of the league and freeze them out of favorable coverage slots.

The new AD (and, really, everyone in the Big East old and new) needs to be ready to win the PR battles needed to be at the top of the rankings and in prime position for the postseason next year.

[PMI]

I don't care what ESPN thinks or says about us anymore. Screw it. It doesn't affect your seed and since I don't watch ESPN anymore unless there's a game or a 30 For 30 on, I personally could give a shit what one of its cartoon characters thinks about the Xavier/Georgetown matchup, now that the Big East has changed. I'm sure Fox will have a favorably biased view of the league, so we've got that going for us.

[DC Muskie]

I remember when we moved up to the A-10 and trying to beat GW was a big deal. Let alone Temple and UMass.

My have times changed.

I'm not sure what to expect next season, because frankly I have no idea what the rest of the league will look like. I don't really know that much about St. John's, Providence, and a few others. I certainly hope we don't struggle transitioning into this league...

The coaches in this league are top notch. I'd like to think we'd be battling for the title, but so much can happen between now and then.

[UCGRAD4X]

Semaj will bring the steez next year from day one. We'll be back in the tourney.

For those not up on the steez, read this article

http://m.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/wp/2012/11/02/jordan-crawford-describes-his-steez/

No I'm never gonna do it without the steez on!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aepm3FcShD8

[bobbiemcgee]

http://c.shld.net/rpx/i/s/pi/mp/9251/2150961301p?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.commercialvacuum. com%2Fassets%2Fimages%2Fstain-x_64_oz.jpg&d=3e7e43368a4d9f4e0907bc0edde0bdc8526b0ac1













The Big Stain will propel us to new heights

[LA Muskie]

I learned my lesson. I'm not prognosticating until March Madness, when I know who's actually on our team.

[PMI]

I remember when we moved up to the A-10 and trying to beat GW was a big deal. Let alone Temple and UMass.

My have times changed.

I'm not sure what to expect next season, because frankly I have no idea what the rest of the league will look like. I don't really know that much about St. John's, Providence, and a few others. I certainly hope we don't struggle transitioning into this league...

The coaches in this league are top notch. I'd like to think we'd be battling for the title, but so much can happen between now and then.

Marquette and Georgetown are going to be really good. Marquette gets everyone back and Georgetown gets everyone back other than (presumably) Otto Porter. Those should be two stacked teams. Villanova should be really solid too. They return plenty and add Kris Jenkins and someone else. It'll definitely be tough to compete for a league title. Semaj will have to have a POY type year and others will have to play huge roles. But I think we will be clearly in the upper half and I don't see too many Big East teams or anyone coming into Cintas and leaving with wins.

And again, this is all contingent on no "surprises."

[casualfan]

Marquette and Georgetown are going to be really good. Marquette gets everyone back and Georgetown gets everyone back other than (presumably) Otto Porter. Those should be two stacked teams. Villanova should be really solid too. They return plenty and add Kris Jenkins and someone else. It'll definitely be tough to compete for a league title. Semaj will have to have a POY type year and others will have to play huge roles. But I think we will be clearly in the upper half and I don't see too many Big East teams or anyone coming into Cintas and leaving with wins.

And again, this is all contingent on no "surprises."

Providence gets everyone back other than Vincent Council (They also may add Ricardo Ledo a 5-star guard who wasn't eligible this year).

St. John's everyone is back other than presumably Jakarr Sampson.

[XUFan09]

Providence gets everyone back other than Vincent Council (They also may add Ricardo Ledo a 5-star guard who wasn't eligible this year).

St. John's everyone is back other than presumably Jakarr Sampson.

Jakarr Sampson isn't projected in either round on nbadraft.net.

[PMI]

Jakarr Sampson isn't projected in either round on nbadraft.net.

Yea, I was about to ask why Sampson was presumably not coming back because I haven't heard even the slightest blurb that he's entering the draft.

[casualfan]

I had always assumed he will leave, but I guess we'll see.

If he comes back then St. John's will have everyone back plus Orlando Sanchez and God's Gift.

[sgarcia]

I don't expect to make the NCAA tourney next year (I believe NIT) and I think the seat will start to get warm for Mack in the 2014-2015 season. I think Semaj will be solid again and Philmore will improve like Taylor did this year. I don't think we can make up for Brad's 3 pt shooting and I don't think the light will go on for Martin offensively. I also think that the combination of several new players next year and a new league where the top teams won't be losing players won't help us out in the short term. Just my opinion.

[GoMuskies]

I don't think we can make up for Brad's 3 pt shooting

This I do not understand. Brad's 3-point shooting, while nice, wasn't much of a weapon for us since he could rarely get open. Plus, while not as bad as some think, he wasn't exactly a stopper on the defensive end. I don't think Redford's production will be difficult to replace. I'm more worried about finding a replacement for Taylor's production.

[PMI]

I don't expect to make the NCAA tourney next year (I believe NIT) and I think the seat will start to get warm for Mack in the 2014-2015 season. I think Semaj will be solid again and Philmore will improve like Taylor did this year. I don't think we can make up for Brad's 3 pt shooting and I don't think the light will go on for Martin offensively. I also think that the combination of several new players next year and a new league where the top teams won't be losing players won't help us out in the short term. Just my opinion.

I think you're either crazy or not paying close attention. Or perhaps you're just setting yourself up to be really pleasantly surprised. That must be it.

We will be very solid next year, and in the top half of a very good league.

[danaandvictory]

This I do not understand. Brad's 3-point shooting, while nice, wasn't much of a weapon for us since he could rarely get open. Plus, while not as bad as some think, he wasn't exactly a stopper on the defensive end. I don't think Redford's production will be difficult to replace. I'm more worried about finding a replacement for Taylor's production.

On the list of things that concern me going into next year, replacing Redford's production is right next to the sideline bow tie deficit resulting from Stainbrook being eligible.

[PMI]

This I do not understand. Brad's 3-point shooting, while nice, wasn't much of a weapon for us since he could rarely get open. Plus, while not as bad as some think, he wasn't exactly a stopper on the defensive end. I don't think Redford's production will be difficult to replace. I'm more worried about finding a replacement for Taylor's production.

Taylor's production is all we have to replace. While Redford is the best pure shooter I've seen at Xavier, I wouldn't be surprised if Myles Davis hits more threes next year than Redford did this year. Davis is considerably taller and more athletic than Redford, and is a really good player. As a team, between both Davis', Randolph, and an improved Semaj, among others, we will be a much better outside shooting group. As for Taylor's production, I expect Philmore to take another step forward like he did late this year. I also expect Stainbrook to be a stud. He's going to be a handful for any defense. They won't have the same bounce and ability to rebound out of their areas that Taylor did, but the overall production will be greater I think. Martin is a total wild card. If he's good our team will be really, really good. If not, we will be good but missing a big piece. The other wild card is Jalen Reynolds. I expect inconsistency, but if he's more ready than we'd expect, that's a hell of an addition. To me, it would be an epic failure if this team doesn't make the tournament, in what I expect to be Semaj's final year. Not only do I expect to make it, I expect a top 8 seed and, depending on matchups, a bit of a run.

[PMI]

On the list of things that concern me going into next year, replacing Redford's production is right next to the sideline bow tie deficit resulting from Stainbrook being eligible.

I was under the impression that the Big Stain was going to wear the bow tie over his jersey to go with the hair and glasses, perfecting the ultimate triple threat of the opponent mind fuck.

[danaandvictory]

I was under the impression that the Big Stain was going to wear the bow tie over his jersey to go with the hair and glasses, perfecting the ultimate triple threat of the opponent mind fuck.

My sources tell me he is going to wear one of those roll up dickeys like in the cartoons, and a monocle.

[MHettel]

Semaj will be a stud. Dee will start if necessary. Myles Davis should contribute, and if he cannot, then Brandon Randolph will have too. We need just one of MDavis or Randolph to be ready to play. I think there is almost a 100% chance that next years backcourt will be better than this years, with Semaj and Dee being more experienced and hopefully a shooter emerging.

Up Front, we'll miss Taylor, but not Robinson. I'm expecting Stainbrook to produce big numbers out of the 5 spot, something like 13-14 points and 7+ rebounds with a high shooting percentage. I do not expect a big improvement from Philmore. He plays "below the rim" and the size / athleticism increase in the new conference will offset any improvement that we might otherwise get out of him. Reynolds and Farr are wild cards. I think Reynolds has the body to play in the BE, and I hope Farr just improves like many freshman do.

The 3 spot is where I'm most concerned. None of our bigs have the skillset to play the wing, so we're left with Martin, Kamall Richards, or Chris Cantino. I already know what to expect from Martin (or to NOT expect), and we've seen the reports on Cantino as a role player. Richards might surprise, but realistically it's going to be a stretch for him to produce in that conference as a freshman.

I'd REALLY like to see us sign 2 more guys (we have 2 schollies left, right) that can fill the frontcourt. Maybe JUCO's or a 5th year guy like what Lyons and Andre Walker did. Need a SF.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

I would quote MHettel but it's too long.

Phillmore will have to replace or try to replace what Taylor did. I think by the end of the year he was moving in that direction.
Stainbrook starting for Robinson is addition by subtraction.
Martin is Martin and all we have at the 3. Kamall is a glue type of guy who will prove to a valuable player in years to come just not this year.
Christon is Christon and will only get better.
Dee should get better.

Those of us who don't think M.Davis will improve upon Redford are nuts. This kid can shoot and he is bigger and taller than Redford and shouldn't be too much of a drop off shooting wise and better on the defensive end.

Don't forget we have Farr coming in and Reynolds who might not play much but could provide 5-10 solid minutes off the bench. Remember how this year's team got tired at the end of games, next year's team won't.

[MHettel]

I'm hopefull that MDavis can replace Redfords offense. However, we've seen MANY first year players come into the program and some flourish and other dont. You just never know. In any case, we'll also have Randolph, so as long as ONE of those guys can contribute, we'll be no worse off than we wer this year.

[PMI]

One thing you guys may not know about Philmore is that he is not as athletically limited as he showed most of this year. He was playing heavier (at times it looked like he was wearing rocks for shoes) and he was coming off an injury. I expect him to be in much better shape next year. He also came in with the reputation of being a much better shooter than he showed most of the year. I absolutely expect a very noticeable improvement in his game, and those who don't probably were saying the same thing about Taylor this time last year.

[paulxu]

I'll just never quite understand the downer attitude on Brad Redford.
Somebody drives around Redford to score...he's slow, unathletic, one-trick pony, etc.
They drive around Semaj (or anybody else) and you don't even see it.
Redford is the number 1 three point shooter in the league. He is second in the whole league in offensive rating.

When he was used at least 30 minutes a game, we only lost once.
In those games where we used him a lot, he consistently scored in double digits.
His weak offense against the Havoc produced 15 pts. on 5 of 8 shooting.

I wished Mack had played him more and Davis less, even sharing the point with Semaj.
He proved he could do that against St Louis, arguably the strongest team in our league, when Dee was out.
If we could have had a better handle on hitting him when he flashed from the screen quicker, that would have helped.
Bottom line is I think his "liabilities" were vastly overstated, and he proved that, especially late in the season.

I will miss his play; his dedication embodied the best of a Xavier Musketeer basketball player/student.

[PMI]

I'll just never quite understand the downer attitude on Brad Redford.
Somebody drives around Redford to score...he's slow, unathletic, one-trick pony, etc.
They drive around Semaj (or anybody else) and you don't even see it.
Redford is the number 1 three point shooter in the league. He is second in the whole league in offensive rating.

When he was used at least 30 minutes a game, we only lost once.
In those games where we used him a lot, he consistently scored in double digits.
His weak offense against the Havoc produced 15 pts. on 5 of 8 shooting.

I wished Mack had played him more and Davis less, even sharing the point with Semaj.
He proved he could do that against St Louis, arguably the strongest team in our league, when Dee was out.
If we could have had a better handle on hitting him when he flashed from the screen quicker, that would have helped.
Bottom line is I think his "liabilities" were vastly overstated, and he proved that, especially late in the season.

I will miss his play; his dedication embodied the best of a Xavier Musketeer basketball player/student.

I agree. Redford deserves nothing but respect for how he worked and played. Even with his relative athletic limitations, he didn't get beat off the dribble half as often as Justin Martin, and he also didn't reach in and foul when he did get beat, as Martin did far too often. Personally, I can handle Redford getting beaten off the dribble due to his athleticism over Martin getting beaten off the dribble due to his mental lapses. Redford did the best he could with what he had, which is not something you could always say about every one of our guys. He changed the game just by being on the floor. Sure the defense targeted him sometimes, but he wasn't the only one. His presence on offense caused headaches for the opposition. Brad Redford was a good player who got a lot out of his abilities. The same can't be said about one of our other departing seniors.

[kmcrawfo]

I'll just never quite understand the downer attitude on Brad Redford.
Somebody drives around Redford to score...he's slow, unathletic, one-trick pony, etc.
They drive around Semaj (or anybody else) and you don't even see it.
Redford is the number 1 three point shooter in the league. He is second in the whole league in offensive rating.

When he was used at least 30 minutes a game, we only lost once.
In those games where we used him a lot, he consistently scored in double digits.
His weak offense against the Havoc produced 15 pts. on 5 of 8 shooting.

I wished Mack had played him more and Davis less, even sharing the point with Semaj.
He proved he could do that against St Louis, arguably the strongest team in our league, when Dee was out.
If we could have had a better handle on hitting him when he flashed from the screen quicker, that would have helped.
Bottom line is I think his "liabilities" were vastly overstated, and he proved that, especially late in the season.

I will miss his play; his dedication embodied the best of a Xavier Musketeer basketball player/student.

I enjoyed Redford and think he represented X well. I also would have preferred more Red and less Dee.

[MHettel]

One thing you guys may not know about Philmore is that he is not as athletically limited as he showed most of this year. He was playing heavier (at times it looked like he was wearing rocks for shoes) and he was coming off an injury. I expect him to be in much better shape next year. He also came in with the reputation of being a much better shooter than he showed most of the year. I absolutely expect a very noticeable improvement in his game, and those who don't probably were saying the same thing about Taylor this time last year.

Taylor definitely exceed my expectations this year. He was really good, all year long, in most everything. I think part of his JR season struggles had to do with playing alongside Mr. Clog-the-middle-Kenny, and the fact that we had a couple ball-hogs in the backcourt. I cant say the same thing about Philmore. If ever there was a chance to succeed, this was the year. If he could have exerted himself offensively, he could have put up a bunch of numbers. But since he didn't, I'm just assuming he couldn't. I expect him to improve next year, but I also expect the competition to improve more....

[PMI]

Taylor definitely exceed my expectations this year. He was really good, all year long, in most everything. I think part of his JR season struggles had to do with playing alongside Mr. Clog-the-middle-Kenny, and the fact that we had a couple ball-hogs in the backcourt. I cant say the same thing about Philmore. If ever there was a chance to succeed, this was the year. If he could have exerted himself offensively, he could have put up a bunch of numbers. But since he didn't, I'm just assuming he couldn't. I expect him to improve next year, but I also expect the competition to improve more....

Taylor had his opportunities last year. The PF spot was totally there for the taking. He showed no touch all year, even though we had all heard he had it. He was lost out there. Now you can make whatever excuses you want for him, but those are the facts. If you're going to rationalize why Taylor struggled, you must also do the same for Philmore. He came off an injury and was playing heavier. By the time he did get things together, he was probably our third best offensive option, fourth at worst. We've seen it time and again, and I see something in Philmore that leads me to believe he can be very productive. Based on what he did at Towson, what the coaches think about him, and what I saw, I think he will be a good starter next year. The only way I see him not being a productive starter is if Reynolds shocks us all and is immediately an animal, and that would be a good thing.

[danaandvictory]

I think Philmore is going to be a big player for X next year. He doesn't have the athleticism but he has the wide base and he knows how to shield the ball. I think he could be an Anthony Myles type next year.

The worry for me is that he and Stain are both positional guys, not particularly fleet, not guys you can run with. This makes Jalen Reynolds a big key to next season, because that guy should be a Taylor-style rim runner very early in his career.

[SixFig]

You see Mitch McGary out there for Michigan...remember the articles about Jalen Reynolds outplaying him at Brewster. We are going to need big minutes at the backup PF spot a la Derrick Brown his freshman year.

[Cheesehead]

30-2....What?

[PMI]

You see Mitch McGary out there for Michigan...remember the articles about Jalen Reynolds outplaying him at Brewster. We are going to need big minutes at the backup PF spot a la Derrick Brown his freshman year.

Not to mention BE ROY Jakarr Smapson. Reynolds more than held his own against both those guys.

[ammtd34]

Not to mention BE ROY Jakarr Smapson. Reynolds more than held his own against both those guys.

And TJ Warren. That team was so stacked.

[wkrq59]

With the exception of Dee, Semaj and the rest of that starting five as projected by many, Xavier wil be woefully lacking in experience and loaded with question marks:
Can Semaj be taught to develop an entire game that includes passing to open teammates?
Can Semaj ever learn to stop trying to take over games late and not drive headlong to the basket when there are three big men under there and nowhere to go?
Will, he develop a better stop and jump shot to avoid charges?
Will he improve his three-point shooting and free throws as well?
What is the condition of Stain's knee cartilege?
How ready will he be?
Will Justin Martin develop his consistency especially on defense and from three-point land?
Will James Farr spend the summer practicing defensively?
Will Farr focus on his quickness and left-handed shooting that could allow him to play the three and four?
Will Philmore improve at the four and even five to let him be a consistent factor?
Will Reynolds and MDavis suffer from not playing in any organized competition last season?
Will the two new freshmen be able to emerge after Christmas as a forcee defensively?
Will the fact that Mack and his assistants have had a full season together with their team improve the overall play?
Will Canty be able to contribute as Andre Walker did?
Will Mario Mercurio be able to set up a preseason foreign trip of exhibition games in Europe or Asia or Australia to allow this team three or four games to get to know each other, to bond and basically learn the one-for-all-all-for-one philosophy?
Will this team be able to avoid the off-court disasters that have plagued Xavier recently? Will the senior captain or captains keep a supply of prophalactics on hand at all times?
Can Semaj avoid falling for the agent-driven lure of the NBA because he knows he's not ready?
Will Xavier be able to keep up at first with the fists and elbows in the face style of the Big East 7 ?
And will the game-officials finally start calling the game according to the rules and not be overwhelmed by the home fans, the ancient traditions and other BS?
If half of these questions can be answered yes, Xavier should have a pretty good season. But a return to the NCAA? Maybe even though I'd be happy with that. Right now, there are just too damned many "ifs" and questions to be answered, especially in a new league.

:headscratch::blink::drool::lmao:

[UCGRAD4X]

What is the condition of Stain's knee cartilege? YES
How ready will he be? YES

At least we got those two out of the way.

[UCGRAD4X]

Sorry.

I think Reynolds (and maybe Davis to a lesser extent) will be ready to go. Maybe not right out of the gate, but pretty early on. They have both played against some pretty good competition in the past - post HS. A long way from high level D1, for sure, but they will not be your typical first year players. And they have played enough together to be an advantage when both are on the court at the same time (perhaps some Myles to Jalen highlights to come).

They have had a year to concentrate on their classes (and probably conditioning) so they can spend the time on the court, learning and bonding, and getting into the flow of the coaches schemes.

Still, many questions that won't be answered for some time. With the great teachers and motivators that are on this team, I am engouraged that the answers to many of these will be positive.

(Which is why my min expectation is Sweet 16)

[bobbiemcgee]

Is Canty coming back? Dee Davis needs to turn into Shane Larkin. Martin needs to go to a shrink. Stain needs to get in great shape. I think he can play a little bit. Myles needs to come in and make 3's right away. Reynolds needs to contribute immediately. Philmore needs to continue his improvement. Not too worried about Semaj. High ceiling. We might have to get Randolph out there right away ala TU. Nothing will be easy next yr. Hoping for an "impact" late signee like Temple got with O"Brien.

[casualfan]

Sorry.

I think Reynolds (and maybe Davis to a lesser extent) will be ready to go. Maybe not right out of the gate, but pretty early on. They have both played against some pretty good competition in the past - post HS. A long way from high level D1, for sure, but they will not be your typical first year players. And they have played enough together to be an advantage when both are on the court at the same time (perhaps some Myles to Jalen highlights to come).

They have had a year to concentrate on their classes (and probably conditioning) so they can spend the time on the court, learning and bonding, and getting into the flow of the coaches schemes.

Still, many questions that won't be answered for some time. With the great teachers and motivators that are on this team, I am engouraged that the answers to many of these will be positive.

(Which is why my min expectation is Sweet 16)

They also will have not played in a real game in awhile. If you look at the trend of guys recently who have sat a year (Taylor, Philmore) it has taken them awhile to get into the flow. It took Taylor a whole year and Philmore the better part of one and those are guys who had college experience.

I like your enthusiasm with regards to those two, I just don't necessarily share it.

[BMoreX]

Wkrq, who is Canty?

[bigkatxu]

They also will have not played in a real game in awhile. If you look at the trend of guys recently who have sat a year (Taylor, Philmore) it has taken them awhile to get into the flow. It took Taylor a whole year and Philmore the better part of one and those are guys who had college experience.

I like your enthusiasm with regards to those two, I just don't necessarily share it.

I guess I'm somewhere in b/w these opinions. I think it will be easier for Myles and Jalen to play impactful minutes early on. TTaylor never had the body of a 4 and if he wasn't scoring he had a hard time making a difference out there. It took him a full year to make the adjustments to become consistently effective. Hats off to him, he did it.

Reynolds on the other hand should be able to contribute in non-scoring ways. No question he is physically built to bang. He won't face the same physical challenges TTaylor did early on. He won't come out and start putting up double doubles but I think his minutes will be meaningful in a very interesting front court rotation.

We've all seen the range that Myles brings from the perimeter. Our front court goes from depleted to fairly deep and very young. The comment earlier about both players being out of competitive hoops for over a year can't be overstated but I think each brings some unique skill sets to help them along early.

[xfan'17]

Wkrq, who is Canty?

I think he means Cantino

[xudash]

It may be another rough year with so many new faces, but by the end of it, this team will be battle tested and playing like a well oiled machine. I would expect a sweet 16 at least. We will be much deeper (not a difficult feat) and better prepared for the stretch run and beyond.

This.

Chris will have them clicking to secure an at-large. Once, they get there, it's about match-ups and a whole new season, if you will; anything can happen at that point.

[JTG]

Wasn't Reynolds acclaimed by many as the best player in Mich, on the court if not in the ratings ? He's had a year to build muscle. Martin will lose minutes with a full bench if he pulls his Space Cadet routine next year. This year he had to play because of numbers. I agree with someone else, Martin needs a psychiatrist. I think Stain and Philmore both have Big East bodies. I say Randolph is a pleasant surprise ala Semaj. Should be an exciting year.

[MADXSTER]

Interesting.

[Mel Cooley XU'81]

Interesting.

I'd say.

"Play-in Game" wasn't a choice.

[Muskie]

I didn't pay attention to the date and thought this was "new" poll... But based on our poll's results, 61% of the fans (on this board) woke up satisfied Wednesday morning.

[GoMuskies]

I'd say.

"Play-in Game" wasn't a choice.

Sure it was. That's now called the First Round of the NCAA Tournament.

Lawyered.

[GoMuskies]

based on our poll's results, 61% of the fans (on this board) woke up satisfied Wednesday morning.

You're always satisfied when something meets minimum expectations?

[XUFan09]

I'd say.

"Play-in Game" wasn't a choice.

It was basically minimum minimum expectations. On the awkward border of disappointment and contentment.

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[Muskie]

You're always satisfied when something meets minimum expectations?

No, but after the prior season I was happy to be in the tournament. If we had won a few games I would have been elated.

[smileyy]

You're always satisfied when something meets minimum expectations?

If "good enough" wasn't good enough it wouldn't be good enough.

[Pablo's Brother]

The author of the this thread is clearly brilliant, humble and psychic. However, the handsome lad - and mostly every XU fan - is still salty about the season. Expecting more next year. Here is our new slogan for next year:

"On DEEM in 2015!"

[LadyMuskie]

If "good enough" wasn't good enough it wouldn't be good enough.

But, what's good enough one year may not be good enough another year depending upon how long things were just good enough.

[nokoolaid]

This season came to a quick close because of the lack of perimeter defense and most of all because of the lack of perimeter scoring. One of those issues will be addressed when the 2014 class shows up. There are a couple of kids in this class that can flat out SHOOT and even though they are Freshmen,if they can defend,they will make an impact and no longer will teams be able to pack it in paint,thus opening up the lanes for Christon and no more double teams on Stainbrook. I can see next season as a step up the ladder.

[XfansinKy]

Sure it was. That's now called the First Round of the NCAA Tournament.

Lawyered.
I thought it was considered a play in game to make the tournament and is why those games are not even part of brackets. I know that from watching all the interviews at different regions across the country that the "first round" does not do any of that either. If that is the first round then why are the first games for the rest of the field still called first round games? If it is the first round then why is it that if a team is considered one of the last 4 in they know for sure it will be in Dayton unlike the rest of the field having to wait on what region they will be in? If it is the first round then why do only 8 teams play and the entire rest of the field get a bye and why doesn't the entire rest of the field say "bye" on the brackets? Do schools that are excited to just be at the "first round" as you call it go hang a banner up that says first round? :headscratch:

[bleedXblue]

I thought it was considered a play in game to make the tournament and is why those games are not even part of brackets. I know that from watching all the interviews at different regions across the country that the "first round" does not do any of that either. If that is the first round then why are the first games for the rest of the field still called first round games? If it is the first round then why is it that if a team is considered one of the last 4 in they know for sure it will be in Dayton unlike the rest of the field having to wait on what region they will be in? If it is the first round then why do only 8 teams play and the entire rest of the field get a bye and why doesn't the entire rest of the field say "bye" on the brackets? Do schools that are excited to just be at the "first round" as you call it go hang a banner up that says first round? :headscratch:

It's called round 1 for a reason. They were in the tourney. Marquette, Indiana etc were not ...pretty simple to me

[bleedXblue]

Can we start on predictions and expectation for next year.

With both Justin and Semaj. No less than 24 wins

Only Justin. 22

Without both. 20

[whiteyxu]

I thought it was considered a play in game to make the tournament and is why those games are not even part of brackets. I know that from watching all the interviews at different regions across the country that the "first round" does not do any of that either. If that is the first round then why are the first games for the rest of the field still called first round games? If it is the first round then why is it that if a team is considered one of the last 4 in they know for sure it will be in Dayton unlike the rest of the field having to wait on what region they will be in? If it is the first round then why do only 8 teams play and the entire rest of the field get a bye and why doesn't the entire rest of the field say "bye" on the brackets? Do schools that are excited to just be at the "first round" as you call it go hang a banner up that says first round? :headscratch:

I agree it doesn't feel like the real NCAA tournament, but the "Round of 64" is officially referred to as "Second Round Games", even if most people don't know or say it. Also, the last 4 in don't know they are going to dayton...they have to anxiously wait to see if they are in the tournament at all.

[bjf123]

It's called round 1 for a reason. They were in the tourney. Marquette, Indiana etc were not ...pretty simple to me

While we technically "made the tournament", since we didn't play in the round of 64, it's just not the same. I'd call it a miss.


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[muskienick]

While we technically "made the tournament", since we didn't play in the round of 64, it's just not the same. I'd call it a miss.


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I'm pretty sure that it IS "the same"! The cash given to a Conference is based on the number of games each Conference's members have played in the Tourney (including Round One).

[bjf123]

Agreed. Technically, financially, record-wise, it is the same. Emotionally? Nope. Not the same.


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[XfansinKy]

I agree it doesn't feel like the real NCAA tournament, but the "Round of 64" is officially referred to as "Second Round Games", even if most people don't know or say it. Also, the last 4 in don't know they are going to dayton...they have to anxiously wait to see if they are in the tournament at all.

What? The last 4 have to go to Dayton before going to each respective region where the rest of the field is already at. Am I wrong?

[LA Muskie]

Until this year I think we all would have agreed that the "Last 4 In" was just a play-in format. Can't change now just because it suits our purpose. As far as I'm concerned, the real tourney starts on Thursday. But I'll take the credit we get for "making" it in this year nevertheless.

[Cheesehead]

FINAL 4…..and nothing less! (kidding)

[muskienick]

What? The last 4 have to go to Dayton before going to each respective region where the rest of the field is already at. Am I wrong?

I'm pretty sure we were a 12 seed. Some people contend that we would have been an 11 (with UD getting the #12) but the Committee didn't want to place the Flyers on their own home floor for a Round One game. It would appear that the seeding was correct for both reasons.

I'd prefer the Committee simply seed the top 60 teams #'s 1-15 in each of the four brackets and leave the 16th seeds empty. Determine who the 8 lowest remaining seeds are as 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 17A, 17B, 17C, and 17D (best to worst) and pair them 16A vs 17D, 16B vs 17C, 16C vs 17B, and 16D vs 17A. Place the winner of the first game in the same bracket with the lowest-ranking #1 seed; the winner of the 2nd game in the bracket with the second-lowest #1 seed; the winner of the 3rd against the 2nd-best #1 seed, and the 4th game winner against the highest ranked #1 seed.

I simply can't understand why an 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, or 15th seeded team should have to play a game in Dayton except for the somewhat silly reason to avoid Conference foes competing against each other early on. That should not be a consideration if the Selection Committee is being truly fair and unbiased during the seeding process. If the chips fell such that Xavier had to play Creighton or UC had to play UConn in the Round of 64, so be it.

[xsteve1]

1 win in the tourney at least. Anything less would be disappointing. If X doesn't make the tourney next year the seat will get really warm.

[Masterofreality]

We were who we were this year...a Top 50 team, but that's about it. You could argue that we could have been a 10, 11, or 12 seed, but really not much better.

You would have had to have beaten a Top 50 team to advance on our position, but we did not. So.....

Next year? Tournament, but better than the First 4. I don't know about Top 25 with all the youth, but should be no worse than Top 35-40.