Depth, Depth and more Depth. That is the key to success at Xavier

[Drew's Crew]

Watching this game and a few others this year, I have been constantly impressed by the depth that Mack has been able to put together this year. With Myles Davis, Stainbrook, Reynolds, and Farr making an impact this year, you can clearly see the difference.

When X basketball has been at its best the last 10-15 years, it has ALWAYS included teams that go deep on the bench and get contributions from almost everyone involved. Some of my observations in this season so far:

DEPTH:

We saw the exact opposite of this last season when we relied far too heavily on Semaj because we had no other choice. Because we didn't have contributions from the bench, Martin, Dee and Philmore all pressed at times and were far too inconsistent. With our renewed depth this season, I can see us competing with and potentially beating any team on our schedule and potentially making a nice run in March. While we don't have overwhelmingly talented players outside of Semaj (at least those with enough experience to put that talent into action consistently), we do have A LOT of solid performers, not knowing who will be the star from one game to the next.

I noticed this specific contrast watching this game, because while Butler has some talented players, they don't have the depth that we do. While their bench actually scored more than ours today, their reliance on a select few players allowed our defense to clamp down on Dunham and Marshall and the rest of their squad couldn't quite rise to the occasion. It was eerily similar to last year when teams would lock down Semaj and Philmore and we basically had no other options.

PATIENCE:

I think that the disaster at Atlantis earlier this season might be a blessing in disguise. While we didn't return playing great basketball, we have become a more patient and even-keeled team. We stick with the gameplan no matter what the circumstances and the players trust Mack to provide them with their most effective options, and it's working. The games against Alabama and St. John's were perfect examples of this patience and it will only further contribute to more wins down the road.

STAINBROOK:

I know this is a bit obvious, but Stainbrook's presence in the middle has changed the team entirely. Philmore isn't forced to provide double digit points for us to have success, and Farr and Reynolds are able to be slowly introduced into the rotation, allowing for them to grow and mature at a reasonable rate. Most importantly, he provides us with a traditional 5, something we didn't have last year. We can rotate the ball inside and out, providing an opportunity to find open shooters or have Matt out-think the defender and get an easy two. Our ability to send it down low when we needed points and have Matt provide us with consistency, especially for a 3-4 minute stretch in the second half set us up for victory.

CHRISTON'S UNSELFISHNESS:

Lastly, the emergence of Christon as not just a scorer, but a facilitator, defender and complete PG has taken us to a new level. It seems as though when Christon was hit with two early fouls against UC, he was able to sit and watch his teammates go on a huge run and decimate the Bearcats without him. For a PG, having confidence in your teammates is critical and I wouldn't be surprised if that experience provided him the confidence in them that he needed. With Semaj playing unselfish basketball, it is creating open looks for Stainbrook, Martin, and Dee especially. On top of that, he is still scoring when provided with the opportunities and settling down at the FT line.

I look forward to watching these guys the rest of the season and I think we can compete for a spot towards the top of the BE in our inaugural season...

[XUFan09]

I'd just like to add that though Semaj still plays a lot of minutes (37 minutes this time), they aren't as tiring as minutes, as he doesn't have to make something happen as often.

[XUPhilly04]

Stainbrook is making a case for 1st-team all-Big East.

[xavierj]

I'd just like to add that though Semaj still plays a lot of minutes (37 minutes this time), they aren't as tiring as minutes, as he doesn't have to make something happen as often.

It's as simple as Semaj playing like an nba point guard. He has a sick 25 to 1 assist to turover ratio the last 4 games. If he is playing to drive and kick while playing great d this team will win a lot of games.

[bobbiemcgee]

Last 3 games: 20 assists ZERO t/o's....today "quiet" 20/8...wow.

[nuts4xu]

So far Semaj is averaging 8 assists and 0 TO's in Big East play.

[X-man]

Watching this game and a few others this year, I have been constantly impressed by the depth that Mack has been able to put together this year. With Myles Davis, Stainbrook, Reynolds, and Farr making an impact this year, you can clearly see the difference.

When X basketball has been at its best the last 10-15 years, it has ALWAYS included teams that go deep on the bench and get contributions from almost everyone involved. Some of my observations in this season so far:

DEPTH:

We saw the exact opposite of this last season when we relied far too heavily on Semaj because we had no other choice. Because we didn't have contributions from the bench, Martin, Dee and Philmore all pressed at times and were far too inconsistent. With our renewed depth this season, I can see us competing with and potentially beating any team on our schedule and potentially making a nice run in March. While we don't have overwhelmingly talented players outside of Semaj (at least those with enough experience to put that talent into action consistently), we do have A LOT of solid performers, not knowing who will be the star from one game to the next.

I noticed this specific contrast watching this game, because while Butler has some talented players, they don't have the depth that we do. While their bench actually scored more than ours today, their reliance on a select few players allowed our defense to clamp down on Dunham and Marshall and the rest of their squad couldn't quite rise to the occasion. It was eerily similar to last year when teams would lock down Semaj and Philmore and we basically had no other options.

PATIENCE:

I think that the disaster at Atlantis earlier this season might be a blessing in disguise. While we didn't return playing great basketball, we have become a more patient and even-keeled team. We stick with the gameplan no matter what the circumstances and the players trust Mack to provide them with their most effective options, and it's working. The games against Alabama and St. John's were perfect examples of this patience and it will only further contribute to more wins down the road.

STAINBROOK:

I know this is a bit obvious, but Stainbrook's presence in the middle has changed the team entirely. Philmore isn't forced to provide double digit points for us to have success, and Farr and Reynolds are able to be slowly introduced into the rotation, allowing for them to grow and mature at a reasonable rate. Most importantly, he provides us with a traditional 5, something we didn't have last year. We can rotate the ball inside and out, providing an opportunity to find open shooters or have Matt out-think the defender and get an easy two. Our ability to send it down low when we needed points and have Matt provide us with consistency, especially for a 3-4 minute stretch in the second half set us up for victory.

CHRISTON'S UNSELFISHNESS:

Lastly, the emergence of Christon as not just a scorer, but a facilitator, defender and complete PG has taken us to a new level. It seems as though when Christon was hit with two early fouls against UC, he was able to sit and watch his teammates go on a huge run and decimate the Bearcats without him. For a PG, having confidence in your teammates is critical and I wouldn't be surprised if that experience provided him the confidence in them that he needed. With Semaj playing unselfish basketball, it is creating open looks for Stainbrook, Martin, and Dee especially. On top of that, he is still scoring when provided with the opportunities and settling down at the FT line.

I look forward to watching these guys the rest of the season and I think we can compete for a spot towards the top of the BE in our inaugural season...

I would add another paragraph to your excellent comments. It would go something like this:

D. DAVIS:

He has evolved into our top perimeter defender, showing both tenacity and high basketball acumen in the way he anticipates and fights through screens. He also has less pressure on him to score now that we have the luxury of depth, and this has made him a far more patient and selective shot taker. He no longer forces the issue, and can be counted on to both score when it's available and distribute when it is not.

[XU-PA]

I would add another paragraph to your excellent comments. It would go something like this:

D. DAVIS:

He has evolved into our top perimeter defender, showing both tenacity and high basketball acumen in the way he anticipates and fights through screens. He also has less pressure on him to score now that we have the luxury of depth, and this has made him a far more patient and selective shot taker. He no longer forces the issue, and can be counted on to both score when it's available and distribute when it is not.

Definitely agree about D! Just re watch the Butler game and see the difference between the long span he was out in the first half with 2 fouls, and the second half when he came back in fresh. Killer! He has really developed into a real killer on both end of the court!

[OTRMUSKIE]

Depth IMHO only matters when the depth is good. Xavier has very good depth, very very good! I have never been that worried about a lot of depth in the past. We always hear about how other teams are ten deep only to,watch a team that goes 6 deep beat them. I think Xavier has beaten a few teams in the NCAA that claimed to be ten deep.

It's just great to watch this team learn their roles. You can see Kentucky struggling with this. They have all these NBA players on their team but I am not sure they know what their role is. We have a lot of new guys on this team and it's obvious now they are learning how to play as a team.

[blobfan]

I would add another paragraph to your excellent comments. It would go something like this:

D. DAVIS:

He has evolved into our top perimeter defender, showing both tenacity and high basketball acumen in the way he anticipates and fights through screens. He also has less pressure on him to score now that we have the luxury of depth, and this has made him a far more patient and selective shot taker. He no longer forces the issue, and can be counted on to both score when it's available and distribute when it is not.
Agreed. I admit I wrote him off this year, not thinking we'd see anything new. I'm really impressed with his improvement and his quiet dedication. Really impressed.

[xu82]

I would add another paragraph to your excellent comments. It would go something like this:

D. DAVIS:

He has evolved into our top perimeter defender, showing both tenacity and high basketball acumen in the way he anticipates and fights through screens. He also has less pressure on him to score now that we have the luxury of depth, and this has made him a far more patient and selective shot taker. He no longer forces the issue, and can be counted on to both score when it's available and distribute when it is not.

Any time someone is back to back MVP in a state championship game, it's not a fluke. Granted, size is more challenging at a major college level, but he was not competing against slouches and stood out as MVP. It's nice that he doesn't have to do as much this year and can be a PART of the team and not feel he has to cary the load with Semaj.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

Any time someone is back to back MVP in a state championship game, it's not a fluke. Granted, size is more challenging at a major college level, but he was not competing against slouches and stood out as MVP. It's nice that he doesn't have to do as much this year and can be a PART of the team and not feel he has to cary the load with Semaj.

I missed the game, who was Dee guarding? My issue with him is size. If he was on Barlow all game, Barlow is even smaller than him. Dee, from what I have seen, has issues with players that are bigger/taller.

I like Dee and whether Semaj returns or not I really hope he isn't the transfer.

[RealDeal]

I missed the game, who was Dee guarding?

Dunham.

[SemajParlor]

I missed the game, who was Dee guarding? My issue with him is size. If he was on Barlow all game, Barlow is even smaller than him. Dee, from what I have seen, has issues with players that are bigger/taller.

I like Dee and whether Semaj returns or not I really hope he isn't the transfer.

"the" transfer? I must have missed this discussion. I hope he doesn't either..

[ammtd34]

I missed the game, who was Dee guarding? My issue with him is size. If he was on Barlow all game, Barlow is even smaller than him. Dee, from what I have seen, has issues with players that are bigger/taller.

I like Dee and whether Semaj returns or not I really hope he isn't the transfer.

Shut down Dunham in the second half. Like, absolutely shut him down.

[XU Cowbell Kid]

"the" transfer? I must have missed this discussion. I hope he doesn't either..

With how many recruits we have coming in next year (5) and how many graduating scholarship players we have this year (3), we are going to have 2 few scholarships to go around. The thought that I have heard most commonly is that Semaj goes pro and one person transfers. Hence "the" transfer.

[xu82]

With how many recruits we have coming in next year (5) and how many graduating scholarship players we have this year (3), we are going to have 2 few scholarships to go around. The thought that I have heard most commonly is that Semaj goes pro and one person transfers. Hence "the" transfer.

I hate the whole "someone has to transfer" topic, but I realize it happens a lot and always works itself out. I have just two points:
1) I sure would hope it's not Dee - he brings too much to the table
2) How common is this at other serious programs? Are we better or worse than whatever is "typical"?

[UCGRAD4X]

I hate the whole "someone has to transfer" topic, but I realize it happens a lot and always works itself out. I have just two points:
1) I sure would hope it's not Dee - he brings too much to the table
2) How common is this at other serious programs? Are we better or worse than whatever is "typical"?

Agreed - a lot of things have to happen between now and then.

Transfer is not the only way for a scolly to become available (although it may be the better scenario than injury, ineligibility, defective commit, to name a few).

If and when 'something' happens, it will be nice to have the next man in rather than scrambling to fill a need.

[smileyy]

Unfortunately, "transfer" is often a poor description of what actually happens -- its not so much that its a player choosing to leave. Rather, its the school telling a player that his scholarship won't be renewed, and he'll have to play somewhere else if he wants to play on a scholarship.

[xu82]

Unfortunately, "transfer" is often a poor description of what actually happens -- its not so much that its a player choosing to leave. Rather, its the school telling a player that his scholarship won't be renewed, and he'll have to play somewhere else if he wants to play on a scholarship.

Exactly, and that's why I hate it so much. That's also why I wonder how we compare to other programs. Is it the "Xavier Way" to lead the NCAA in kids thrown to the wayside, or is this very common and we're actually better than most? I honestly have no idea...

[anXUfan]

Or a current player may have already indicated they won't return, or they won't return unless they can expect a certain number of minutes. We just don't (and can't) know everything the coaches know. At some point you just have to trust the university and coaches to do the right thing.

[xu82]

We seem to have a transfer come in almost every year, so I guess this happens everywhere and we don't stand out as a bad program that boots kids who don't "cut it" for some reason. I guess..... I mean, look at our current roster, they come and go a lot! Some from smaller programs with kids moving up a class and some from the big boys (you know, like us) who want minutes or something else. And yes, I do trust those in charge. It's how that world works.

[danaandvictory]

Exactly, and that's why I hate it so much. That's also why I wonder how we compare to other programs. Is it the "Xavier Way" to lead the NCAA in kids thrown to the wayside, or is this very common and we're actually better than most? I honestly have no idea...

I think that alums and fans are more touchy about this than the actual athletes. These kids are pretty savvy, they know the score.

[MADXSTER]

I think that alums and fans are more touchy about this than the actual athletes. These kids are pretty savvy, they know the score.

agree

[xu82]

I think that alums and fans are more touchy about this than the actual athletes. These kids are pretty savvy, they know the score.

Alright, I'll buy that. It seems reasonable and it clears my conscience - so all is well. If you stop to consider the recruiting process and how these kids are courted for years and often play schools against each other looking for what their best offer is going to be, there has to be some awareness that it's a business and a two way street.

[SemajParlor]

A lot of things can and will happen from now until next season (I think we all know this too well haha). Who knows, it might be in everyone's best interest for one of the freshman to redshirt. A lot of possibilities, but expecting or asking a 3 year player and 2 year starter to leave doesn't seem very realistic/ good for anybody. Love having Dee on this team.

[LA Muskie]

I think that alums and fans are more touchy about this than the actual athletes. These kids are pretty savvy, they know the score.
I see it a bit differently. I don't think any recruit ever thinks they will be in that situation. By and large they have been the best player on the floor (if not at the AAU level, then at least at the HS level) for years and people have been fawning all over them. They never contemplate the possibility that they may not be the best at their position or may be recruited over by a (gasp) younger recruit.

Nevertheless it happens. And when it does, the vast majority of players are more interested in going somewhere they can get the playing time they crave than getting a degree from the school they first chose. So they leave. They probably aren't thrilled about it, but they leave. And for most of them, I can't blame them.

Is it voluntary? Maybe not completely. But it's not entirely involuntary either.

[LA Muskie]

A lot of things can and will happen from now until next season (I think we all know this too well haha). Who knows, it might be in everyone's best interest for one of the freshman to redshirt. A lot of possibilities, but expecting or asking a 3 year player and 2 year starter to leave doesn't seem very realistic/ good for anybody. Love having Dee on this team.
Redshirting doesn't solve the problem. It doesn't open up a scholly.