Things I dont want to discuss, but have to know...

[atljar]

Things I dont want to discuss, but have to know... Just like the title says.


1.) Status of Ben Stanley's knee? It didnt look good when they do a brief ACL check on floor, and then walk you to the back. :(


2.) KyKy.... Very limited playing time, no points. Then posts quotes on instagram... "Keep grinding boy ya life can change in one year" and a text message from God saying "Something you prayed about is about to arrive". I immediately assume he may have played his last minutes in an X uni :(

[Xville]

Dont feel good about tandy right now. Unless something changes, I think hes going to transfer. He has a huge ceiling and dont understand other than I guess practice why kunkel gets playing time over him. That sophomore class is starting to look pretty pedestrian.

[xavierj]

Things I dont want to discuss, but have to know... Just like the title says.


1.) Status of Ben Stanley's knee? It didnt look good when they do a brief ACL check on floor, and then walk you to the back. :(


2.) KyKy.... Not even one minute of playing time. Then posts quotes on instagram... "Keep grinding boy ya life can change in one year" and a text message from God saying "Something you prayed about is about to arrive". I immediately assume he may have played his last minutes in an X uni :(

Stanley is fine according to what Travis said after the game. Also saw where he came back to the bench and gave the coaches a thumbs up but they said he was sore so they held him out. As for Tandy hopefully he sticks. He did play last night and made a basket but missed a couple of threes, one was rejected. I like Tandy and hope he stays because it will eventually click but when you are trying to win you have to play guys that give you the best chance. Right now a guy that thinks he has to score a bunch to play isn’t what they need. If he could be that guy that plays within the system and looks to drive and pass first and wait until the offense comes to him and shoot open looks when the ball moves around then he will play more and the team will be better for it. By all accounts I don’t think he is looking to transfer. I am sure he is frustrated but with Paul and Johnson moving on after the year, the opportunity will be there.

[xavierj]

Dont feel good about tandy right now. Unless something changes, I think hes going to transfer. He has a huge ceiling and dont understand other than I guess practice why kunkel gets playing time over him. That sophomore class is starting to look pretty pedestrian.

You give up on Zach and Miles already?

[Xville]

You give up on Zach and Miles already?

Zach of course not, but one guy does not a entire class make. Miles, he still of course has plenty of time to make an impact, but that class is underperforming greatly right now compared to their ranking.

[atljar]

As for Tandy hopefully he sticks. He did play last night and made a basket but missed a couple of threes, one was rejected.
Wow I must have been totally zoned out. Thanks for correcting me. I will correct original post


Otherwise, agree completely. For whatever reason, I think we all really want him around and want him to succeed.

[markchal]

It's nice to have a player like Tandy who can be instant offense off the bench. Also, with COVID, always helps to have another PG who can score in case we lose a starter for a few weeks.

He does need to work harder on his D though, it's not last year, playing time is much more competitive. And Kunkel moves the ball when he's in, and can shoot, whereas almost ALL of Tandy's offense just feels like a one-man show, him v the world, rather than coming in the flow of the offense.

[xavierj]

It's nice to have a player like Tandy who can be instant offense off the bench. Also, with COVID, always helps to have another PG who can score in case we lose a starter for a few weeks.

He does need to work harder on his D though, it's not last year, playing time is much more competitive. And Kunkel moves the ball when he's in, and can shoot, whereas almost ALL of Tandy's offense just feels like a one-man show, him v the world, rather than coming in the flow of the offense.

Agree on Kunkel moving the ball but he had a rough night last night, both offensively and defensively. Three air balls. KyKy played two minutes and took two threes and three total shots. Paul played 31 and only took 1 three and 7 shots. This team needs Paul to be more aggressive looking for his shot and the team needs to do better finding him for open looks. Paul for three straight years, including this year, is shooting over 37% from three. He needs to take more than 1 in a game. He shot only 2 against Seton Hall but was 12 of 18 the three games prior to the last two games.

[drudy23]

It seems KyKy struggles to find his role in an offensive system. I'm guessing he didn't rely on much of a system in high school because of his rare athleticism. You can tell he still wants to play that way. It's a matter of him being able to be him, but also learning how to be a better player vs. just a scorer. No way I'd give up on him just yet.

[Xavier]

It's nice to have a player like Tandy who can be instant offense off the bench. Also, with COVID, always helps to have another PG who can score in case we lose a starter for a few weeks.

And Kunkel moves the ball when he's in, and can shoot, whereas almost ALL of Tandy's offense just feels like a one-man show, him v the world, rather than coming in the flow of the offense.

I think Tandy is somewhat misused. Like you said- he is instant offense. He really should be used in that capacity, and in games when the offense is struggling you give him the reigns for a little bit to try to get us back on track. Not sure why it is a Kunkel vs Tandy thing, I like what Kunkel brings. We saw what he is capable of (23?) against Marquette.

As for the thread- I think one of the biggest issues has been Freemantle. The offense flows a lot better when he can be effective but he seems to struggle against bigger bigs. The team really feeds off of him though and he has been a shell of himself the last few games. He is what he is on defense- partly because he gets in foul trouble all the time so it limits his aggressiveness maybe but also our bigs can look bad on D when opposing guards get to the lane at ease forcing help D constantly.

[nuts4xu]

I think Tandy is somewhat misused. Like you said- he is instant offense. He really should be used in that capacity, and in games when the offense is struggling you give him the reigns for a little bit to try to get us back on track.

Xavier used to have a guy that fits this exact role, his name was Brad Redford. I see Tandy as a more athletic version of Brad Redford.

[drudy23]

Xavier used to have a guy that fits this exact role, his name was Brad Redford. I see Tandy as a more athletic version of Brad Redford.

With all due respect, there is no comparison between the two.

Brad was an amazing shooter, maybe the best I've ever seen, but that was it. He struggled to get his shot off against top caliber competition. KyKy isn't as good of a shooter, but he's (much) better in every other category. If a set couldn't get Brad open, he wasn't open.

[Xavier]

I'd say calling him an athletic Brad Redford is underselling kyky quite a bit. I am talking about giving KyKy the ball and letting him run things while offense is struggling. He has a high ceiling but for whatever reason he isn't performing and seems to be pretty unhappy about it.

[Mrs. Garrett]

Tandy's style of play always makes me a bit nervous. Just kind of wait for him to take an ill advised shot. Like someone mentioned above, he probably didn't have to follow much of a system coming up.

As far as the big are concerned, I've always felt that Griffin is our best true BE style post player. Earlier I felt he should be getting more of Carter's minutes, but watching Carter play this year, I have really started to respect everything he does on the court. Given the opportunity, I think Griffin could put up Tyrique like double double numbers.

Last, and this goes to the whole damn team. Practice free throws. If they shoot a respectable percentage from the line, we are not even sweating this one out. In the years that Travis has been coach, I have never seen worse free throw shooting teams. I'm just a 46 year old white guy who played in high school, but JFC I hit 85% back then. And when I play now (or hopefully someday soon), I always make my free throw when we are shooting for teams.
There's no reason from what I have seen, that anyone playing significant minutes isn't capable of shooting at least 75% from the line. It's all mental and as a fan infuriating.

[XU 87]

Tandy is talented. Before the season started, I thought he would be a starter this year. One problem is that when he gets in the game, he starts chucking up bad shots. His defense isn't so good either.

[boozehound]

Tandy is talented. Before the season started, I thought he would be a starter this year. One problem is that when he gets in the game, he starts chucking up bad shots. His defense isn't so good either.

Immediately. He isn't letting the game come to him - he is just immediately shooting a 3 as soon as he gets in the game. He can shoot, but he needs to play within the system and take good shots. When you couple that with inconsistent defense, you get limited minutes. It sounds like he is also frustrated.

Instead of immediately trying to hit a 3 he should focus on ball movement and defense, and never taking bad shots.

[paulxu]

It would be really good if Jones could develop a good 3 pt shot.

[XU 87]

Immediately. He isn't letting the game come to him - he is just immediately shooting a 3 as soon as he gets in the game. He can shoot, but he needs to play within the system and take good shots. When you couple that with inconsistent defense, you get limited minutes. It sounds like he is also frustrated.

Instead of immediately trying to hit a 3 he should focus on ball movement and defense, and never taking bad shots.

Your politics may be completely wrong, but this post is spot on. So you got that going for you!

[RetireFiftyTu]

Immediately. He isn't letting the game come to him - he is just immediately shooting a 3 as soon as he gets in the game. He can shoot, but he needs to play within the system and take good shots. When you couple that with inconsistent defense, you get limited minutes. It sounds like he is also frustrated.

Instead of immediately trying to hit a 3 he should focus on ball movement and defense, and never taking bad shots.

Agree with your assessment. I wonder if the reason, or one of the reasons, he is just chucking up shots as soon as he comes in is because he feels he will only play 2-3 minutes then get taken out of the game. If he got a little bit more extended and consistent run then perhaps he would play more within the offense and do what the game tells him to do. It's almost like he is subbed in to see if he is hitting and if not he just comes right back out. I think the reason he isn't getting many minutes is fairly obvious. He isn't a good defender and he probably doesn't practice very well (although Steele has mentioned he is practicing better and giving more effort recently). Just doesn't have Steele's trust. Kunkel has stolen some of his minutes, he's not a good defender either but Steele obviously trusts him more. It would be tough for Steele to preach that playing time goes to the best guys in practice and and the guys he can trust the most then play Tandy a lot of minutes. But I would almost like to see Tandy be guaranteed 20-25 minutes one game and see how he looks.

[drudy23]

We've seen Tandy in games where he's involved in the offensive flow - he's light's out.

The problem is, not all games work that way. Have to find a way to be effective without just catching and shooting. It's an IQ learning curve. He will get there, but he has to play more to get the experience. I hope he fights the urge to get immediate satisfaction somewhere else.

[nuts4xu]

One problem is that when he gets in the game, he starts chucking up bad shots. His defense isn't so good either.

Sounds like Brad Redford

[nuts4xu]

Immediately. He isn't letting the game come to him - he is just immediately shooting a 3 as soon as he gets in the game. He can shoot, but he needs to play within the system and take good shots. When you couple that with inconsistent defense, you get limited minutes.


Sounds like Brad Redford.

[nuts4xu]

I am confident Tandy will continue to work, and what we've seen lately isn't the average performance to expect from Kyky. He is young, on a roster that has a lot of dudes, and is struggling to find his place in the rotation. It is not a role he is used to, and I am sure it presents a mental challenge to a kid who has always been THE dude on every team he has ever played.

Kyky is electric when he is making shots and can be a game changer. Unfortunately, right now, when he isn't shooting well...he often becomes a liability on both ends of the floor. Tough to find minutes to let him work out the issues in the middle of BE play. Just has to keep working.

[noteggs]

You kinda wonder where he is mentally tho. Finishes last year as all Freshman BE team and averaged 15 points a game over the first 4. Since Colby came back, he has only averaged about 10 minutes a game. Know they play different positions, but since him coming back moved Johnson off the 3.

[bleedXblue]

KyKy has to want it and has to force Coach to play him more. I just sense this kid doesn't have the motor needed to play at this level. Talent is there but IM not sure the rest of what is needed is.

[XUBison]

Well, I’m sure the past three games have been especially frustrating for him, riding the pine while watching everyone around him chuck bricks.

[whopper]

With Nate J and Paul S graduating there will be plenty of room for Tandy a known quantity. I do hope there are no issue as he seems like a great kid and a good potentially very good player. His day may come this year in ways we dont even anticipate yet. I do think KyKy has to want it..Nate and Kunkel are a surprise to him (and us) and i love them both and i were Kyky i would think (maybe incorrectly) what have they done that i have not done. Time to shake it off and do the hard work, earn your time and see what happens

[XUBison]

Sounds like Brad Redford

I get the Redford comparison… Give Kyky the ball, and let him do what he does. Nobody even dreamed Redford was in there to set screens, rebound, or play D. he came into the game to provide an instant scoring spark, and I don’t recall any conjecture that he didn‘t have the trust of the coaches... seems like Kyky could at least serve in a similar capacity. that said, stylistically he reminds me so much of Jordan Crawford.

[XUGRAD80]

The difference I see between KyKy and Redford is the formers ability and willingness to drive, and to shoot something besides just from beyond the arc. I think that makes Tandy a far bigger threat and much more valuable than Redford was. He is much more of a basketball “player” than just being a “shooter”. I think that Kunkel at this point is much more like Redford than KyKy is.

[AviatorX]

I'm not really sure how anyone could watch Kunkel and Tandy play and compare either to Redford. KyKy played 3 minutes last night and took as many dribbles as Redford took in his entire career. He also attempted more two pointers last season (in 25 games) than Redford did in his entire career. Kunkel is also a big time scorer off the bounce - he took more 2's in non-conference play last season than Redford did in his entire career. Neither of their games are similar to Redford at all apart from being good three point shooters.

Both of those guys have way way way higher ceilings than Redford. Kunkel has already proven that for a good D1 team.

[XUGRAD80]

I'm not really sure how anyone could watch Kunkel and Tandy play and compare either to Redford. KyKy played 3 minutes last night and took as many dribbles as Redford took in his entire career. He also attempted more two pointers last season (in 25 games) than Redford did in his entire career. Kunkel is also a big time scorer off the bounce - he took more 2's in non-conference play last season than Redford did in his entire career. Neither of their games are similar to Redford at all apart from being good three point shooters.

Both of those guys have way way way higher ceilings than Redford. Kunkel has already proven that for a good D1 team.

Will agree that Kunkel has a much better all round game than Redford did. However, the way he is being USED by X right now is very similar to the way Redford was used. Primarily he is being used as a spot up shooter, right now. However, he has shown an ability to get his own shot, and to drive, that Brad never showed, so it’s not an exact match by any means.

[Xavier]

With Nate J graduating

I keep seeing people say Nate will be gone. I think Scruggs will be for sure, 100%. I could see Nate staying another year. Guess it depends on what he wants to do post college. If indeed he wants to go overseas and try to make a living he may bolt.

[GIMMFD]

KyKy has to want it and has to force Coach to play him more. I just sense this kid doesn't have the motor needed to play at this level. Talent is there but IM not sure the rest of what is needed is.

Didn't someone saw that it was reported he was spending extra time in the gym putting up shots, etc.? I know that's not all of it obviously, because his scoring is his biggest weapon, but I like that attitude. It just sucks that he's in a slump and not there defensively, especially being young and not having much experience, it can compound those issues, lead to staying in your head, and the slump continues. Kyky definitely has the talent, I love when he attacks the rim, and his shot is pretty damn good as well, once his slump breaks, I think he'll see more time. I kind of like the role he has on the team this year, basically being the Lou Williams type to come in, and add some quick scoring, but if he's not scoring, then it severely limits his game.

[XUBison]

I'm not really sure how anyone could watch Kunkel and Tandy play and compare either to Redford. KyKy played 3 minutes last night and took as many dribbles as Redford took in his entire career. He also attempted more two pointers last season (in 25 games) than Redford did in his entire career. Kunkel is also a big time scorer off the bounce - he took more 2's in non-conference play last season than Redford did in his entire career. Neither of their games are similar to Redford at all apart from being good three point shooters.

Both of those guys have way way way higher ceilings than Redford. Kunkel has already proven that for a good D1 team.

“What is a non sequitur, Alex?”

[IM4X]

I wonder if the reason, or one of the reasons, he is just chucking up shots as soon as he comes in is because he feels he will only play 2-3 minutes then get taken out of the game. If he got a little bit more extended and consistent run then perhaps he would play more within the offense and do what the game tells him to do. It's almost like he is subbed in to see if he is hitting and if not he just comes right back out... But I would almost like to see Tandy be guaranteed 20-25 minutes one game and see how he looks.

I was wondering the same thing. So many players having to share minutes that they feel pressure... like an internal clock starts counting down in their head and they begin thinking that if they don't do something significant in a positive way then they will get pulled out in a few minutes... So they start jacking up quick threes... hoping they fall.

I like the idea of Steel offering Kyky 20+ plus minutes in a game as long as he is looking to pass first instead of taking quick threes and as long as he does not making egregious mistakes (several bad turnovers, constantly out of position or unable to guard on defense).

[IM4X]

2.) KyKy.... Very limited playing time, no points. Then posts quotes on instagram... "Keep grinding boy ya life can change in one year" and a text message from God saying "Something you prayed about is about to arrive". I immediately assume he may have played his last minutes in an X uni :(

Maybe everyone has this wrong.

"Keep grinding boy ya life can change in one year"

If he works hard he could be a starter next year when Scruggs and Johnson graduate.


a text message from God saying "Something you prayed about is about to arrive".

Maybe he was told he will be starting next game... or maybe it's a late Xmas gift from Santa.

[AviatorX]

“What is a non sequitur, Alex?”

I mean that's the simplest example if you want to root it in stats. You could also just use your eyes if you've watched 10 minutes of basketball in your life to realize Redford is not a good comparison at all for either of those guys. You even said stylistically KyKy reminds you of Jordan Crawford! Not sure how you square that with a Redford comp.

[GIMMFD]

Maybe everyone has this wrong.

"Keep grinding boy ya life can change in one year"

If he works hard he could be a starter next year when Scruggs and Johnson graduate.


a text message from God saying "Something you prayed about is about to arrive".

Maybe he was told he will be starting next game... or maybe it's a late Xmas gift from Santa.

I personally just think it's kinda silly to read into 18-22 year old's tweets/Instagram post, because Twitter is a diary for most people that age, and those things could literally be related to basketball, or just life in general.

[xuwin]

I think Tandy is somewhat misused. Like you said- he is instant offense. He really should be used in that capacity, and in games when the offense is struggling you give him the reigns for a little bit to try to get us back on track. Not sure why it is a Kunkel vs Tandy thing, I like what Kunkel brings. We saw what he is capable of (23?) against Marquette.

As for the thread- I think one of the biggest issues has been Freemantle. The offense flows a lot better when he can be effective but he seems to struggle against bigger bigs. The team really feeds off of him though and he has been a shell of himself the last few games. He is what he is on defense- partly because he gets in foul trouble all the time so it limits his aggressiveness maybe but also our bigs can look bad on D when opposing guards get to the lane at ease forcing help D constantly.

I think Freemantle only struggles when the outside shooting is not there and teams can collapse on him.

[xuwin]

I get the Redford comparison… Give Kyky the ball, and let him do what he does. Nobody even dreamed Redford was in there to set screens, rebound, or play D. he came into the game to provide an instant scoring spark, and I don’t recall any conjecture that he didn‘t have the trust of the coaches... seems like Kyky could at least serve in a similar capacity. that said, stylistically he reminds me so much of Jordan Crawford.

There is a big difference between KyKy and Redford. KyKy can drive and get his own shots where Redford could only score off of screens set up for him.

[xudash]

I agree with the thoughts here that hone in on KyKy always having been "the guy" and the present need for him now to put playing at the D1 level in context - everyone at the better programs are "the guy" that had come from their high schools. KyKy needs to take a deep breath, slow down a little, and let the game slow down and come to him.

The Cincy Enquirer article about Colby Jones is insightful: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/college/xavier/xaviersports/2021/01/08/xavier-freshman-colby-jones-has-emerged-major-x-factor/6578662002/

Steele said one of Jones' greatest attributes is his ability to never get sped up. He plays the game under control at his own pace, an exceedingly rare characteristic for a freshman.

"He never becomes frazzled," said Steele. "He's got a calming influence about him. He's wise beyond his years."


We're also talking about a Xavier recruit that had strong academics as one of his key school selection criteria:

"It became very apparent that Colby wanted to find the best of both worlds, academically and athletically," said Steele. "He really liked our academic background here at Xavier and he loved the basketball piece as well, and it fit what he was looking for ... because he could have went to Harvard, he could have went to Yale, Stanford offered him late.


Perhaps Colby should pull his sophomore teammate aside and have this discussion with him.

Tandy must get past his expectation for playing - whatever - 30 minutes a game, regear himself to put the team first, finding a logical and effective fit for himself within this version of Xavier basketball, and allow himself the chance to succeed by taking pressure off himself and playing within himself when he does take the court.

Frankly, he would be a fool to leave Xavier in my opinion. He should calibrate now and end the year knowing that he contributed to the team's success, knowing from there that he hits the floor next year as a Junior and key cog in the wheel.

[atljar]

Well now that Stanley's injury is official, lets all hope thats the only thing I/this post was right about.

[xudash]

Well now that Stanley's injury is official, lets all hope thats the only thing I/this post was right about.

Naturally, it's your fault for bringing it up in the first place.

[Smails]

Well now that Stanley's injury is official, lets all hope thats the only thing I/this post was right about.

Please ban yourself for 30 days

[xukeith]

For a tough break like this, Ben. He deserved a lot more. Sucks but he will be the first to cheer on this team without him.

We need all the help we can get now from Zach, Jason, and Griffin.

[XUBison]

I mean that's the simplest example if you want to root it in stats. You could also just use your eyes if you've watched 10 minutes of basketball in your life to realize Redford is not a good comparison at all for either of those guys. You even said stylistically KyKy reminds you of Jordan Crawford! Not sure how you square that with a Redford comp.

Ummm, right? I don’t think anyone is claiming that Redford was a similar player to Kyky. The comparison was simply a hypothetical one, that Kaikai could potentially be used in a similar capacity. The expectation being that he just use his God-given skills in spurts to go get some points, Rather than worrying whether he’s doing all the little things right yet. But perhaps the premise is too abstract for some, so feel free to continue on your irrelevant tangent.

[AviatorX]

Ummm, right? I don’t think anyone is claiming that Redford was a similar player to Kyky. The comparison was simply a hypothetical one, that Kaikai could potentially be used in a similar capacity. The expectation being that he just use his God-given skills in spurts to go get some points, Rather than worrying whether he’s doing all the little things right yet. But perhaps the premise is too abstract for some, so feel free to continue on your irrelevant tangent.

Ah, yes, I do struggle with abstract language like "I see Tandy as a more athletic version of Brad Redford" and "I think that Kunkel at this point is much more like Redford than KyKy is." Thankfully I have you around to clear things up. Thank you for your service.

[XUBison]

Ah, yes, I do struggle with abstract language like "I see Tandy as a more athletic version of Brad Redford" and "I think that Kunkel at this point is much more like Redford than KyKy is." Thankfully I have you around to clear things up. Thank you for your service.

Hey, no problem at all... always happy to help.

[noteggs]

After today’s, hopefully we can put the Redford Kunkel comparison to bed.

[UCGRAD4X]

After today’s, hopefully we can put the Redford Kunkel comparison to bed.

I do think Redford might have had a move or two in him...but not in the same game...or even the same season.

Nighty-night! :dead:

[whopper]

I think I know what happened to kyky and there is an element of unfairness to it..but life is unfair. With Nate as a senior producing similar stats to Kyky with better D and rebounding Kyky was the 3rd option at guard. The unexpected immediate eligibility of Kunkel put another proven player at the same position and all of the sudden kyky had zero margin of error. That coupled with the Marquette heroics got into Kykys head. I think he was situated with Nate and Paul Graduating to go from 3rd guard to starter but to go to 4th or 5th(with Odom, Colby, Wilcher) all of the sudden and with no real warning there is a logjam. It is similar to what happened in 1977 my senior year in college. Many good college players NEVER made the NBA as the merger dumped 100+ skilled players in tryout camp and so many players ended up in Europe(back when that was easy). I hope it can be worked out. He really won the Eastern Kentucky game playing 41 min in an OT win and has been productive quite a bit.

[atljar]

0 minutes today, and terrible body language on the bench all game. Even after the winning Colby shot, he reaction was extremely subdued

[xuphan]

0 minutes today, and terrible body language on the bench all game. Even after the winning Colby shot, he reaction was extremely subdued

If this is how Steele is going to treat him he might as well transfer. I can’t think for the life of me why he isn’t getting any minute at all. He is a scoring machine and there were times today where we needed his offense. The only thing I can think of is his defense but our perimeter defense by most of our players has been atrocious. Providence made 60% of their threes today. They are not a very good 3 point shooting team. Did he have a dustup with Steele at practice? Steele needs to get him into the rotation.

[xavierj]

0 minutes today, and terrible body language on the bench all game. Even after the winning Colby shot, he reaction was extremely subdued

I saw different body language, at least when I noticed him. Was actually clapping and standing up at one point, which he never does. His time will come.

[xavierj]

If this is how Steele is going to treat him he might as well transfer. I can’t think for the life of me why he isn’t getting any minute at all. He is a scoring machine and there were times today where we needed his offense. The only thing I can think of is his defense but our perimeter defense by most of our players has been atrocious. Providence made 60% of their threes today. They are not a very good 3 point shooting team. Did he have a dustup with Steele at practice? Steele needs to get him into the rotation.

Him and Steele are fine. Steele has addressed this just about after every game. Says his effort is great in practice and his opportunities will get there at some point but it’s up to KyKy. Needs to play within the system and let the game come to him. Can’t turn it over and then go back and not play defense.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I was hoping we could finally put this why is Kunkel playing over Kyky debate to bed after today. If you cant see why after today I don't know what to tell you. Can you imagine Kyky making that pass to Scruggs at the end of the game that set up the pass to Jones?? Heck no.

Now Wilcher vs Kyky I can see. Wilcher knocked down those two threes but outside of that I didn't think he contributed much. I think he had 2 turnovers.

[AviatorX]

I was hoping we could finally put this why is Kunkel playing over Kyky debate to bed after today. If you cant see why after today I don't know what to tell you. Can you imagine Kyky making that pass to Scruggs at the end of the game that set up the pass to Jones?? Heck no.

Now Wilcher vs Kyky I can see. Wilcher knocked down those two threes but outside of that I didn't think he contributed much. I think he had 2 turnovers.

I don't think Wilcher and KyKy are competing for the same minutes though. Seems like Steele likes Wilcher as a wing/small ball 4 (to eat up some of Stanley's minutes), and KyKy has to fit into the Odom/Scruggs/Kunkel rotation. Pretty clear Steele is sending a message to Tandy, though. Whether that makes any sense or not is another debate.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I don't think Wilcher and KyKy are competing for the same minutes though. Seems like Steele likes Wilcher as a wing/small ball 4 (to eat up some of Stanley's minutes), and KyKy has to fit into the Odom/Scruggs/Kunkel rotation. Pretty clear Steele is sending a message to Tandy, though. Whether that makes any sense or not is another debate.

Yeah good point.

And yeah does seem like Steele is sending a message of some sort. I don't know about all that but I know Kyky has deserved the least mins out of Scruggs, Jones, Odom, Kunkel.

[xuphan]

Him and Steele are fine. Steele has addressed this just about after every game. Says his effort is great in practice and his opportunities will get there at some point but it’s up to KyKy. Needs to play within the system and let the game come to him. Can’t turn it over and then go back and not play defense.

Disagree with this. KyKy actions of late doesn’t make it appear he is fine with Steele. Time will tell I guess.

[xavierj]

Disagree with this. KyKy actions of late doesn’t make it appear he is fine with Steele. Time will tell I guess.

What actions? He is a laid back guy that doesn’t show much emotion and didn’t show much last year either. So if you are taking the fact that he isn’t a cheerleader as a sign that he and the head coach are not ok than you are just looking for something. He may leave eventually but I think he knows that next year he will have a chance to start and also believes in his ability to still contribute this year. I hope he sees it through because I believe he will he happy he did when it’s all said and done.

[Xavier]

If this is how Steele is going to treat him he might as well transfer. I can’t think for the life of me why he isn’t getting any minute at all. He is a scoring machine and there were times today where we needed his offense. The only thing I can think of is his defense but our perimeter defense by most of our players has been atrocious. Providence made 60% of their threes today. They are not a very good 3 point shooting team. Did he have a dustup with Steele at practice? Steele needs to get him into the rotation.

Keep in mind a lot of people have been mad at Steele the past two years for not sending a message to players that need it (IE Naji). Now he is sending a message and challenging someone and people have a problem with it. Can't have it both ways and frankly I agree with D West- he really hasn't separated himself over the players in front of him.

[IM4X]

I personally just think it's kinda silly to read into 18-22 year old's tweets/Instagram post, because Twitter is a diary for most people that age, and those things could literally be related to basketball, or just life in general.

Agreed... but when when I see unsubstantiated, negative sounding speculation (like a player possibly not being happy or even leaving because they are not likely to get to play much), I like to balance it out with equally positive speculation, in case the player being discussed happens to read these boards.

To your point, what if his remarks have everything to do with his personal life and nothing to do with basketball or the team. I certainly don’t want any player to feel they not being supported by me or feel fans believe they are not capable of being a valuable and significant contributor to this team.

In the specific case of Kyky, I see a kid who could easily start if he keeps working at a few things. In some ways he reminds me of Myles Davis, who was a very good shooter and who proved he was an important contributor m, but also struggled a bit on defense at times. The difference is that Kyky has a higher ceiling with his defense, as he is a much quicker guard.

[markchal]

A big part of his limited minutes is because the guys ahead of him, especially Kunkel, Jones and Odom, are playing great. That's a good problem to have. If one of them starts slumping, you'll see more Kyky. And probably a better Kyky.

Also, this season, with COVID and contact tracing and all that, we're probably going to need that depth at some point, like we did at the beginning of the season. I think a time will come where we need him to play big minutes.

[IM4X]

I was hoping we could finally put this why is Kunkel playing over Kyky debate to bed after today. If you cant see why after today I don't know what to tell you. Can you imagine Kyky making that pass to Scruggs at the end of the game

First, props to Kunkel for how hard he played and for that amazing pass at the end of the game. Honestly though, I can see Kyky making a pass like Kunkel made. We have seen Kyky make some nice passes like that before. Though, I will agree that right now Kunkel looks like he is playing with a little more confidence and a sense of team.

I think part of that is how differently the two seem to be approaching there minutes lately. It’s like Kyky is playing with the “I had better show I can score when I get my minutes” and sometimes that has backfired. It feels like Kunkel is playing with a mindset of “If I just stick to playing my game (with 100% confidence and effort and I make the smart pass to an open teammate instead of taking the quick shot) when I get my minutes, everything will work out.

[xuwin]

Yeah good point.

And yeah does seem like Steele is sending a message of some sort. I don't know about all that but I know Kyky has deserved the least mins out of Scruggs, Jones, Odom, Kunkel.

Don't forget Johnson.

[xuphan]

A big part of his limited minutes is because the guys ahead of him, especially Kunkel, Jones and Odom, are playing great. That's a good problem to have. If one of them starts slumping, you'll see more Kyky. And probably a better Kyky.

Also, this season, with COVID and contact tracing and all that, we're probably going to need that depth at some point, like we did at the beginning of the season. I think a time will come where we need him to play big minutes.

Yet Jason Carter is getting a boat load of minutes and not really contributing very much. I know I’ll hear that they play different positions but Steele needs to adapt to the squad he has. We have a lot of talent guards and not many forwards. We should be playing with 4 guards and Fremantle with Griffin and Carter coming in against bigger lineups or to give Fremantle a rest. Scruggs, Kunkle, Johnson, Jones, Freemantle should be the starting 5.

[Xville]

Yet Jason Carter is getting a boat load of minutes and not really contributing very much. I know I’ll hear that they play different positions but Steele needs to adapt to the squad he has. We have a lot of talent guards and not many forwards. We should be playing with 4 guards and Fremantle with Griffin and Carter coming in against bigger lineups or to give Fremantle a rest. Scruggs, Kunkle, Johnson, Jones, Freemantle should be the starting 5.

If kunkel ever starts this year barring some kind of covid/injury etc, im gonna throw my shoe at the tv. Odom is by far our best ballhandler and should be starting every single game if the team goes to a 4 out, 1 in type of scenario.

[AviatorX]

Yet Jason Carter is getting a boat load of minutes and not really contributing very much. I know I’ll hear that they play different positions but Steele needs to adapt to the squad he has. We have a lot of talent guards and not many forwards. We should be playing with 4 guards and Fremantle with Griffin and Carter coming in against bigger lineups or to give Fremantle a rest. Scruggs, Kunkle, Johnson, Jones, Freemantle should be the starting 5.

Carter is the only guy on the roster who can guard opposing 5's with any level of success. I guess maybe Griffin could (and hasn't been given the chance), but it's not hard to see how that could become a foul fest pretty quickly.

[markchal]

Carter gets vilified for his shooting (rightly so, he's slumping bigtime from 3) but he brings a TON to this team overall. Our best interior defender (maybe an indictment of our team overall), good rebounder, knows the offense and does his job well (outside of jump shots). We have enough guys who can score, he's a great versatile glue guy who has been solid. I liked seeing Wilcher get some time at the 4 (more a small lineup than him actually learning the 4), but Carter has one of the safest roles on the team IMO.

[xuwin]

Yet Jason Carter is getting a boat load of minutes and not really contributing very much. I know I’ll hear that they play different positions but Steele needs to adapt to the squad he has. We have a lot of talent guards and not many forwards. We should be playing with 4 guards and Fremantle with Griffin and Carter coming in against bigger lineups or to give Fremantle a rest. Scruggs, Kunkle, Johnson, Jones, Freemantle should be the starting 5.

Carter is the best defender and 2nd best rebounder on the team right now. He has to play a lot of minutes. Griffin is very good offensively and on the boards but struggles with the switching defenses. Right now the Xavier guards don't rebound well enough to use a primarily small lineup.

[GIMMFD]

Agreed... but when when I see unsubstantiated, negative sounding speculation (like a player possibly not being happy or even leaving because they are not likely to get to play much), I like to balance it out with equally positive speculation, in case the player being discussed happens to read these boards.

To your point, what if his remarks have everything to do with his personal life and nothing to do with basketball or the team. I certainly don’t want any player to feel they not being supported by me or feel fans believe they are not capable of being a valuable and significant contributor to this team.

In the specific case of Kyky, I see a kid who could easily start if he keeps working at a few things. In some ways he reminds me of Myles Davis, who was a very good shooter and who proved he was an important contributor m, but also struggled a bit on defense at times. The difference is that Kyky has a higher ceiling with his defense, as he is a much quicker guard.

Good point, I didn't think of it like that where it could be a personal thing and that showing support could help. Obviously these guys at the end of the day are young adults, going through college. We all are human and have all kinds of different thoughts, emotions, etc. Definitely hope Kyky feels supported by the Xavier family, I do agree with your assessment though. Kyky has some amazing athleticism and the ability to really be a solid contributor to this team. I'd love to see a fire get lit under him, and it all start clicking again for him. I loved his game last year, and it's gotta be incredibly frustrating to have that role reduced this season, but if it can motivate him to grind it out and get better, it'll benefit everybody in the long run.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Yet Jason Carter is getting a boat load of minutes and not really contributing very much. I know I’ll hear that they play different positions but Steele needs to adapt to the squad he has. We have a lot of talent guards and not many forwards. We should be playing with 4 guards and Fremantle with Griffin and Carter coming in against bigger lineups or to give Fremantle a rest. Scruggs, Kunkle, Johnson, Jones, Freemantle should be the starting 5.

This can't be serious? I get it Carter sucks at shooting three's and really should stop shooting them, but he is our BEST rebounder, our BEST low post defender, and a legitimate glue guy type player. KyKy taking any of Jason Carter's mins (unless we just needed all shooters on the court for a specific moment) would be a travesty. All of the little things Carter does, Kyky does none of them.

[BandDad]

If their is a loose ball on the court, there is one guy that will get it - Jason Carter. There is the official stat sheet and then the unofficial stat sheet!

[MHettel]

Put me in the camp of being concerned about KyKy.

Kid scored what, like 3300 points in HS! I don't know what "level" he was at, but that is insane to score that much. I must assume he was playing against some mid-level talent.

I kind of fear that he's one of those kids that has SOOOOO much success that they take it for granted. It came so easy for him at that level that he's never ever struggled to find his role on a team. Last year might have been challenging for him, but his role coming off the bench made sense. I would fully expect that this year he was envisioning himself as a starter.

If I recall correctly, his dream school was Kentucky and they never offered. I also recall a comment by his dad to the effect that he wouldn't accept a "coming off the bench role" at Kentucky, which basically ASSURED that he wasn't going to get an offer. That's a bit delusional to just assume your kid will just stroll into a starting spot at UK.

I'm seeing glimpses of "entitlement." The (not so) cryptic tweets are meant to communicate his displeasure and maintain some plausible deniability that they were misinterpreted. The body language yesterday was HORRIBLE. if I was Steele, I would have sent his ass back to the locker room. He was sucking the energy out of the bench yesterday.

He needs to look in the mirror and own his situation. Get on the floor because you EARN it.

But...………to be fair also, at a recent press conference I saw that Steele mentioned that Griffin was the "hot hand" in a recent game, and so they left him in there and he played more minutes than planned. With that in mind, I can't disagree with the mindset of KyKy coming in a getting quick shots as soon as he touches the ball. That's the way he will contribute, and using the coaches own philosophy, he's gotta make an impact if he wants to expand his minutes.

tough spot for the kid. lets see what he's made of. Maybe time for BJ Raymond to make a phone call....

[boozehound]

Pretty reasonable take on KyKy from MHettel. That's kind of the vibe that I'm getting as well.

[JTG]

Carter gets villified for no offense but good defense, Kyky no defense, but can score. You can't have it both ways. Each has his own specialty. And has everyone forgot that Bluiett who was a great scorer would have trouble guarding a lamppost ?

[xuphan]

Carter gets villified for no offense but good defense, Kyky no defense, but can score. You can't have it both ways. Each has his own specialty. And has everyone forgot that Bluiett who was a great scorer would have trouble guarding a lamppost ?

In all fairness, none of our perimeter guys have played much defense this season. Providence shot 60% from 3 against us. Providence!

[Drew]

Agreed... but when when I see unsubstantiated, negative sounding speculation (like a player possibly not being happy or even leaving because they are not likely to get to play much), I like to balance it out with equally positive speculation, in case the player being discussed happens to read these boards.

To your point, what if his remarks have everything to do with his personal life and nothing to do with basketball or the team. I certainly don’t want any player to feel they not being supported by me or feel fans believe they are not capable of being a valuable and significant contributor to this team.

In the specific case of Kyky, I see a kid who could easily start if he keeps working at a few things. In some ways he reminds me of Myles Davis, who was a very good shooter and who proved he was an important contributor m, but also struggled a bit on defense at times. The difference is that Kyky has a higher ceiling with his defense, as he is a much quicker guard.

Total aside, but where does Myles Davis rank in the all-time Xavier 3 pt shooters? I can't remember being more confident that the ball was going in than when he shot it (though Bluiett is right there as well).

[drudy23]

Total aside, but where does Myles Davis rank in the all-time Xavier 3 pt shooters? I can't remember being more confident that the ball was going in than when he shot it (though Bluiett is right there as well).

Um....really?

He was a decent shooter, but right there with Tre? I don't care what that stats say, Tre gets the ball 10 out of 10 between those two.

[xudash]

Put me in the camp of being concerned about KyKy.

Kid scored what, like 3300 points in HS! I don't know what "level" he was at, but that is insane to score that much. I must assume he was playing against some mid-level talent.

I kind of fear that he's one of those kids that has SOOOOO much success that they take it for granted. It came so easy for him at that level that he's never ever struggled to find his role on a team. Last year might have been challenging for him, but his role coming off the bench made sense. I would fully expect that this year he was envisioning himself as a starter.

If I recall correctly, his dream school was Kentucky and they never offered. I also recall a comment by his dad to the effect that he wouldn't accept a "coming off the bench role" at Kentucky, which basically ASSURED that he wasn't going to get an offer. That's a bit delusional to just assume your kid will just stroll into a starting spot at UK.

I'm seeing glimpses of "entitlement." The (not so) cryptic tweets are meant to communicate his displeasure and maintain some plausible deniability that they were misinterpreted. The body language yesterday was HORRIBLE. if I was Steele, I would have sent his ass back to the locker room. He was sucking the energy out of the bench yesterday.

He needs to look in the mirror and own his situation. Get on the floor because you EARN it.

But...………to be fair also, at a recent press conference I saw that Steele mentioned that Griffin was the "hot hand" in a recent game, and so they left him in there and he played more minutes than planned. With that in mind, I can't disagree with the mindset of KyKy coming in a getting quick shots as soon as he touches the ball. That's the way he will contribute, and using the coaches own philosophy, he's gotta make an impact if he wants to expand his minutes.

tough spot for the kid. lets see what he's made of. Maybe time for BJ Raymond to make a phone call....

Frankly, if there is a "villian" in all this, it's KyKy's father. An alternative definition of DELUSIONAL is believing that your son should be guaranteed starting minutes at UK as a freshman. The son has been told these things by his father. His father may be throwing fits with him - not directly at him, but with him - over the phone about Xavier right now. Who knows.

I would think that a more reasoned father would sit his son down and tell him that you are transitioning from being the guy against limited competition where your superior athleticism and skill could go off producing great results, to that same talented guy who will now be going up against nothing but other talented guys, and that you would reinforce that his "cycle" is starting all over again, from being a senior in high school to back to being a freshman, this time in college. Oh, also let him know that the prize is about being a student-athlete - build your collegiate basketball chops while receiving a great education at X.

His father appears to be problematic, and it may be spilling over into the son.

[IM4X]

Total aside, but where does Myles Davis rank in the all-time Xavier 3 pt shooters? I can't remember being more confident that the ball was going in than when he shot it (though Bluiett is right there as well).

Tre shot about 41% his senior year from 3 which is better than any year by Myles but in fairness Myles didn’t have a senior year. Both shot pretty similar (37-39%) in their sophomore and Junior years. The thing about Myles - and this may be what you are thinking- he was very streaky. He would shoot like a ridiculous 70% for a couple of games and then go very cold for a long stretch of games whereas Tre was a little more consistent.

[MHettel]

Tre shot about 41% his senior year from 3 which is better than any year by Myles but in fairness Myles didn’t have a senior year. Both shot pretty similar (37-39%) in their sophomore and Junior years. The thing about Myles - and this may be what you are thinking- he was very streaky. He would shoot like a ridiculous 70% for a couple of cloaked and then go cold for a few games where as Tre was a little more consistent.

no, in fairness Myles blew it. (hey a pun!)

that knucklehead got into off court problems and let it spill onto the court. Self inflicted. nothing "unfair" about that.

[MHettel]

You know what I remember about Myles Davis? This stretch of shooting from Jan 25-March 18th his freshman year.

11 for 52 from 3. Including 1 for 23 over the final 8 games.

Lets dispense with the "great shooter" talk

The team was 15-4 at the beginning of his "streak." Finished 6-9....

[GIMMFD]

Tre shot about 41% his senior year from 3 which is better than any year by Myles but in fairness Myles didn’t have a senior year. Both shot pretty similar (37-39%) in their sophomore and Junior years. The thing about Myles - and this may be what you are thinking- he was very streaky. He would shoot like a ridiculous 70% for a couple of cloaked and then go cold for a few games where as Tre was a little more consistent.

I think it was also the fact that Tre was a cold blooded killer, silent assassin. Georgetown and ridiculous 4 point play to force OT, big games against Butler, etc. It just felt like Tre was going to make it because of his massive balls IMO. Dude is definitely a gamer.


You know what I remember about Myles Davis? This stretch of shooting from Jan 25-March 18th his freshman year.

11 for 52 from 3. Including 1 for 23 over the final 8 games.

Lets dispense with the "great shooter" talk

The team was 15-4 at the beginning of his "streak." Finished 6-9....

Good god, that's one nightmare I hated re-living, I couldn't believe how cold he was. I thought he was a pretty good shooter, definitely streaky, but man that cold stretch was such a blow for us.

[Mrs. Garrett]

Frankly, if there is a "villian" in all this, it's KyKy's father. An alternative definition of DELUSIONAL is believing that your son should be guaranteed starting minutes at UK as a freshman. The son has been told these things by his father. His father may be throwing fits with him - not directly at him, but with him - over the phone about Xavier right now. Who knows.

I would think that a more reasoned father would sit his son down and tell him that you are transitioning from being the guy against limited competition where your superior athleticism and skill could go off producing great results, to that same talented guy who will now be going up against nothing but other talented guys, and that you would reinforce that his "cycle" is starting all over again, from being a senior in high school to back to being a freshman, this time in college. Oh, also let him know that the prize is about being a student-athlete - build your collegiate basketball chops while receiving a great education at X.

His father appears to be problematic, and it may be spilling over into the son.

There's 2 ways KyKy can deal with this:

1. He can take the coaches criticism and work hard to improve

or

2. he can sit around and pout, act entitled to minutes and become a distraction

Personally, I'm not going to lose any sleep over whether he stays or goes. From what I have seen so far, Travis is giving the minutes to the players who are most deserving.

[waggy]

Kyky needs to transform his game to an elite defender, and on the offensive end focus on assists. Doing these things the offense will come naturally.

There is always room at the top.

[xu82]

Frankly, if there is a "villian" in all this, it's KyKy's father. An alternative definition of DELUSIONAL is believing that your son should be guaranteed starting minutes at UK as a freshman. The son has been told these things by his father. His father may be throwing fits with him - not directly at him, but with him - over the phone about Xavier right now. Who knows.

I would think that a more reasoned father would sit his son down and tell him that you are transitioning from being the guy against limited competition where your superior athleticism and skill could go off producing great results, to that same talented guy who will now be going up against nothing but other talented guys, and that you would reinforce that his "cycle" is starting all over again, from being a senior in high school to back to being a freshman, this time in college. Oh, also let him know that the prize is about being a student-athlete - build your collegiate basketball chops while receiving a great education at X.

His father appears to be problematic, and it may be spilling over into the son.


I didn’t know anything about that, but I do know the mentality. A kid on my son’s AAU team was a cut above the rest. As 8th graders playing middle school ball the kid went up to my son pre-game and said “I don’t even know you!” I was disappointed with the kid, but then the dad came up to me “this gym is full because they came to see HIM. He’s like Lebron!” I was far more disappointed at that point. Whoa, slow down fella!

The kid did end up getting an offer from Florida as a HS freshman or sophomore when Billy Donovan was there and they were on top. A couple years later they “rethought” and he ended up having a nice little career at Wake Forest. Now? I think he’s a teacher like his dad, I KNOW he’s not making money playing basketball.

On a side note, this kid had a steal and thought he was going to dunk over my son on a fast break to set the middle school crowd WILD! My son was having NONE of that! They give you five fouls for a reason! He was a tough kid (who went on to bench 400+ without warming up and was able to dunk himself a year later) and the tall skinny kid didn’t stand a chance! It was glorious! Haha

Hoops dads can be just plain batshit crazy, and it’s not always in a good way.

[Xville]

His dad is an issue, at least he was during his recruitment....I dunno about now. Kyky is extremely talented but he plays like Jordan Crawford and I just don’t know if there is much changing that. I think he can be a star, but I don’t think it is going to be at x. Frankly, I think the way Steele is handling him isn’t going to garner a positive response, but hopefully I’m wrong.

And for those who say well kyky just needs to do this or that and accept his role or whatever other bs, I think it’s pretty dirty what happened to him as soon as kunkel got eligible. Thru the first five games, he had some pretty darn good stats (admittedly against mediocre comp) and was getting a ton of time. As soon as kunkel gets eligible, his time is cut by more than half, and now it is his fault because of the lame practice excuse. If you are really being honest with yourself, how do you think you would react, especially when you are 19, have that kind of talent, and was putting up those kinds of stats? As you can tell, I don’t agree with the way he has been handled.

[bleedXblue]

His dad is an issue, at least he was during his recruitment....I dunno about now. Kyky is extremely talented but he plays like Jordan Crawford and I just don’t know if there is much changing that. I think he can be a star, but I don’t think it is going to be at x. Frankly, I think the way Steele is handling him isn’t going to garner a positive response, but hopefully I’m wrong.

And for those who say well kyky just needs to do this or that and accept his role or whatever other bs, I think it’s pretty dirty what happened to him as soon as kunkel got eligible. Thru the first five games, he had some pretty darn good stats (admittedly against mediocre comp) and was getting a ton of time. As soon as kunkel gets eligible, his time is cut by more than half, and now it is his fault because of the lame practice excuse. If you are really being honest with yourself, how do you think you would react, especially when you are 19, have that kind of talent, and was putting up those kinds of stats? As you can tell, I don’t agree with the way he has been handled.

How about getting pissed off, playing your ass off and proving you deserve the minutes? I'm not sure how else you handle it?

[Xville]

How about getting pissed off, playing your ass off and proving you deserve the minutes? I'm not sure how else you handle it?

He probably is pissed off, really pissed off, and is probably a reason why when his time suddenly got cut, he played the way he did, and now it is just a downward spiral.

[XUGRAD80]

His dad is an issue, at least he was during his recruitment....I dunno about now. Kyky is extremely talented but he plays like Jordan Crawford and I just don’t know if there is much changing that. I think he can be a star, but I don’t think it is going to be at x. Frankly, I think the way Steele is handling him isn’t going to garner a positive response, but hopefully I’m wrong.

And for those who say well kyky just needs to do this or that and accept his role or whatever other bs, I think it’s pretty dirty what happened to him as soon as kunkel got eligible. Thru the first five games, he had some pretty darn good stats (admittedly against mediocre comp) and was getting a ton of time. As soon as kunkel gets eligible, his time is cut by more than half, and now it is his fault because of the lame practice excuse. If you are really being honest with yourself, how do you think you would react, especially when you are 19, have that kind of talent, and was putting up those kinds of stats? As you can tell, I don’t agree with the way he has been handled.

Can’t rest on your laurels or past accomplishments. If Kunkel is playing better in practice he will get the first opportunity to show what he can do in the game. In the SJU game Kunkel didn’t do much and KyKy got a few minutes to show what he could do. He missed some shots, scored on a drive, and lost his man on defense a couple of times. In the Providence game, Kunkel played well and Steele stuck with him. This ain’t CYO ball where everyone gets to play just because you’re on the team. Coaches have always said that you show in practice you deserve to play. You produce in a game and you get more minutes. Nobody is GIVEN minutes, they earn them. You aren’t at practice. I’m not at practice. None of us are at practice. So nobody here really knows what goes on in practice. Don’t know how any of us can have an opinion on if he is earning his minutes by the way he practices. What we can see is that he isn’t playing well in the last few games he has played.

[Xville]

Can’t rest on your laurels or past accomplishments. If Kunkel is playing better in practice he will get the first opportunity to show what he can do in the game. In the SJU game Kunkel didn’t do much and KyKy got a few minutes to show what he could do. He missed some shots, scored on a drive, and lost his man on defense a couple of times. In the Providence game, Kunkel played well and Steele stuck with him. This ain’t CYO ball where everyone gets to play just because you’re on the team. Coaches have always said that you show in practice you deserve to play. You produce in a game and you get more minutes. Nobody is GIVEN minutes, they earn them. You aren’t at practice. I’m not at practice. None of us are at practice. So nobody here really knows what goes on in practice. Don’t know how any of us can have an opinion on if he is earning his minutes by the way he practices. What we can see is that he isn’t playing well in the last few games he has played.

I get what you are saying, but I think kyky earned time by his play in the first 5 games, then all of a sudden kunkel gets minutes in the uc game once he is eligible because of practice and kyky’s minutes get cut by about two-thirds? I think that’s crap.

[XU 87]

If Kunkel is playing better than KyKy, shouldn’t he get most if not all of his minutes?

[xavierj]

I have no idea why Travis just refuses to let Kyky get a long period of run to let him get in a rhythm. He is a feel type of player and playing 5 minutes a half or not at all just won’t work for him. They were not winning the seton hall game and Travis made a mistake not letting him play a ton the 2nd half to try to build his confidence. I know the competition was different but when Tandy has played more than 20 minutes in the game, 4 times, he is averaging 17.5 points a game and shot 48% from three in those games. Maybe when they couldn’t throw it in the ocean against Creighton, St. John’s and Seton Hall, Travis should have just let him go and see if he could shoot the team out of a slump. I love Kunkel’s energy and basketball IQ, but he can’t throw it in the ocean from three right now. This team has to be good from three to be a consistent winner because they are not built to pound it inside. They have to move the ball and drive and dish to get good looks and hit open threes. I would like to see Kyky get some extended run against Seton Hall and see what he can give them. Maybe it’s nothing or maybe he goes off. No one will know unless he gets a chance to stay on the floor longer.

[xavierj]

If Kunkel is playing better than KyKy, shouldn’t he get most if not all of his minutes?

Kunkel has to shoot better than 20% on almost 4 threes shot per game for him to really show his worth. Games wouldn’t be as close if he was knocking down the wide open looks he is missing.

[Drew]

You know what I remember about Myles Davis? This stretch of shooting from Jan 25-March 18th his freshman year.

11 for 52 from 3. Including 1 for 23 over the final 8 games.

Lets dispense with the "great shooter" talk

The team was 15-4 at the beginning of his "streak." Finished 6-9....

Yeesh, I legit don't remember that, must have my nostalgia glasses on.

[xudash]

His dad is an issue, at least he was during his recruitment....I dunno about now. Kyky is extremely talented but he plays like Jordan Crawford and I just don’t know if there is much changing that. I think he can be a star, but I don’t think it is going to be at x. Frankly, I think the way Steele is handling him isn’t going to garner a positive response, but hopefully I’m wrong.

And for those who say well kyky just needs to do this or that and accept his role or whatever other bs, I think it’s pretty dirty what happened to him as soon as kunkel got eligible. Thru the first five games, he had some pretty darn good stats (admittedly against mediocre comp) and was getting a ton of time. As soon as kunkel gets eligible, his time is cut by more than half, and now it is his fault because of the lame practice excuse. If you are really being honest with yourself, how do you think you would react, especially when you are 19, have that kind of talent, and was putting up those kinds of stats? As you can tell, I don’t agree with the way he has been handled.

I think it’s reasonable to suggest here that Travis cares about his career, so treating his players fairly is a good idea. If you accept that, then I don’t believe Travis is being a sadist when it comes to KyKy. Maybe KyKy received all the opportunities that were available to him. Perhaps maybe the entitlement thing is real, and that so far he is unable to overcome that in order to become a good teammate.

We don’t have all the facts.

[XUGRAD80]

I get what you are saying, but I think kyky earned time by his play in the first 5 games, then all of a sudden kunkel gets minutes in the uc game once he is eligible because of practice and kyky’s minutes get cut by about two-thirds? I think that’s crap.

Kunkel was practicing the whole time, he didn’t just start practicing when he became eligible. He may have been out playing KyKy in practice the whole time. He’s certainly outplayed him in the last few games.

One of the things I really like about sports like wrestling, track and field, swimming, etc. is that the teammates compete against each other in practicei in actual matches and races for the opportunity to compete against the opposition in meets. There’s no subjectivity to it. I beat you and therefore I’ll start for the team. You beat me, you’ll start. It’s that simple. Basketball, football, baseball, soccer, etc. lineups are made up by the coaches. The same people that watch practice live, have the practices taped and scored, and then watch those tapes and look at those statistics afterwards. They really study their players and how they perform in practice and games. We only see the games.

If KyKy thinks he’s being treated unfairly than I suggest he perform at a level where there is no doubt about him being the better player. Make the coach play you.

[N67ER]

I have no idea why Travis just refuses to let Kyky get a long period of run to let him get in a rhythm. He is a feel type of player and playing 5 minutes a half or not at all just won’t work for him. They were not winning the seton hall game and Travis made a mistake not letting him play a ton the 2nd half to try to build his confidence. I know the competition was different but when Tandy has played more than 20 minutes in the game, 4 times, he is averaging 17.5 points a game and shot 48% from three in those games. Maybe when they couldn’t throw it in the ocean against Creighton, St. John’s and Seton Hall, Travis should have just let him go and see if he could shoot the team out of a slump. I love Kunkel’s energy and basketball IQ, but he can’t throw it in the ocean from three right now. This team has to be good from three to be a consistent winner because they are not built to pound it inside. They have to move the ball and drive and dish to get good looks and hit open threes. I would like to see Kyky get some extended run against Seton Hall and see what he can give them. Maybe it’s nothing or maybe he goes off. No one will know unless he gets a chance to stay on the floor longer.

I assume lack of time relates to three issues in games: 1. Defense is not good against Big East guards; 2. Pretty loose handle for a guard and telegraps too many passes; and 3., doesn’t seem to get into any kind of flow on offense, hence the relatively poor shooting percentage inside the three line and not exactly lighting world on fire on threes either. Love to watch him when he’s on, but . . . .

[N67ER]

Why is Kunkel play with two fingers on shooting hand taped. Injured? Could explain misses from deep or maybe not..

[D-West & PO-Z]

His dad is an issue, at least he was during his recruitment....I dunno about now. Kyky is extremely talented but he plays like Jordan Crawford and I just don’t know if there is much changing that. I think he can be a star, but I don’t think it is going to be at x. Frankly, I think the way Steele is handling him isn’t going to garner a positive response, but hopefully I’m wrong.

And for those who say well kyky just needs to do this or that and accept his role or whatever other bs, I think it’s pretty dirty what happened to him as soon as kunkel got eligible. Thru the first five games, he had some pretty darn good stats (admittedly against mediocre comp) and was getting a ton of time. As soon as kunkel gets eligible, his time is cut by more than half, and now it is his fault because of the lame practice excuse. If you are really being honest with yourself, how do you think you would react, especially when you are 19, have that kind of talent, and was putting up those kinds of stats? As you can tell, I don’t agree with the way he has been handled.

The problem with that is Kunkel has played well when playing and most importantly Kunkel doenst have to have his 3's going down to have an impact on the game. When Kyky plays if he isnt hitting 3's there is no sense in having him in. He always seems to have an atrocious turnover and doesnt contribute much elsewhere.

[IM4X]

no, in fairness Myles blew it. (hey a pun!)

that knucklehead got into off court problems and let it spill onto the court. Self inflicted. nothing "unfair" about that.

A shame too. What a nice senior year he could have had and what a help he could have been to the team if he didn’t get caught up in some of those off court issues.

[AviatorX]

The problem with that is Kunkel has played well when playing and most importantly Kunkel doenst have to have his 3's going down to have an impact on the game. When Kyky plays if he isnt hitting 3's there is no sense in having him in. He always seems to have an atrocious turnover and doesnt contribute much elsewhere.

Exactly. Adam Kunkel is a better overall player than KyKy Tandy. They both have very high ceilings, but as of January 2021 there's no question Kunkel is the better and more college-proven player.

I hope Steele continues to play the players who give X the best chance at winnings as opposed to considering who needs minutes to stay happy. Sure, I hope that plan involves Tandy, but if it doesn't it doesn't.

[XUGRAD80]

I hope Steele continues to play the players who give X the best chance at winnings as opposed to considering who needs minutes to stay happy. Sure, I hope that plan involves Tandy, but if it doesn't it doesn't.

That’s pretty much been the M O in college ball for awhile now. Probably one of the factors that has led to so many transfers from X, to X, and between all the other schools too. Some kids adjust to the harsh reality and thrive, accomplishing more than they ever expected, some don’t. Welcome to real life kids.

There is no disgrace in not becoming an NBA player and having to actually “work” for a living. If Tandy (or any other kid) doesn’t become a star at X during their first couple of years, or doesn’t get a lot of play right away, all they need to do is look at some of the past players at X that bided their time, worked hard, and came into their own as upperclassman. Like I said before, even after this year he still has THREE MORE YEARS of eligibility. Still plenty of time to get where he wants to be. Trouble is, the kids are so coddled and feted during their HS years that they all expect to be immediate stars in college, and if they aren’t they too easily grow frustrated and quit on themselves. He needs to not worry so much about what playing time he is getting right now and concentrate on turning his weaknesses into strengths. If that happens, the playing time and success will come and he’ll be a better player and a better person because of all the work he has put into getting there. If he decides to go someplace else, X will deal with it. It just means an opportunity for someone else.

[AviatorX]

That’s pretty much been the M O in college ball for awhile now. Probably one of the factors that has led to so many transfers from X, to X, and between all the other schools too. Some kids adjust to the harsh reality and thrive, accomplishing more than they ever expected, some don’t. Welcome to real life kids.

There is no disgrace in not becoming an NBA player and having to actually “work” for a living. If Tandy (or any other kid) doesn’t become a star at X during their first couple of years, or doesn’t get a lot of play right away, all they need to do is look at some of the past players at X that bided their time, worked hard, and came into their own as upperclassman. Like I said before, even after this year he still has THREE MORE YEARS of eligibility. Still plenty of time to get where he wants to be. Trouble is, the kids are so coddled and feted during their HS years that they all expect to be immediate stars in college, and if they aren’t they too easily grow frustrated and quit on themselves. He needs to not worry so much about what playing time he is getting right now and concentrate on turning his weaknesses into strengths. If that happens, the playing time and success will come and he’ll be a better player and a better person because of all the work he has put into getting there. If he decides to go someplace else, X will deal with it. It just means an opportunity for someone else.

I agree with the general thrust here, but I also totally understand why guys want to play right away and don't blame them at all when they make a move to increase the chances of that happening. It's a short window to prove yourself and a short window to monetize your game. Everyone has to do what's best for them.

[XUGRAD80]

I agree with the general thrust here, but I also totally understand why guys want to play right away and don't blame them at all when they make a move to increase the chances of that happening. It's a short window to prove yourself and a short window to monetize your game. Everyone has to do what's best for them.

Absolutely agree. I’ve no problem with players transferring, or wanting more playing time. The key thing (to me) is do they take the path of least resistance by transferring to a program where they are going to be GIVEN playing time, or do they stay and EARN playing time? I want tough guys out on the court. The kind of players that won’t back down from a challenge. The transfers X has brought in are players looking to challenge themselves against better competition. They were all getting plenty of playing time and seeing a lot of success on the level they were playing against. They didn’t transfer looking for playing time, they transferred looking for competition. I’ll take my chances with that type of person.

[Xuperman]

Absolutely agree. I’ve no problem with players transferring, or wanting more playing time. The key thing (to me) is do they take the path of least resistance by transferring to a program where they are going to be GIVEN playing time, or do they stay and EARN playing time? I want tough guys out on the court. The kind of players that won’t back down from a challenge. The transfers X has brought in are players looking to challenge themselves against better competition. They were all getting plenty of playing time and seeing a lot of success on the level they were playing against. They didn’t transfer looking for playing time, they transferred looking for competition. I’ll take my chances with that type of person.

Well, you're going to get your wish. More veteran transfers will definitely be needed to strengthen our young roster....big time in the frontcourt.

[XUGRAD80]

Well, you're going to get your wish. More veteran transfers will definitely be needed to strengthen our young roster....big time in the frontcourt.

Actually my wish is that the players would stay and take the time to develop, and that fans would not be so expecting of them to be all-stars from day one but would be more patient.

But your expectation in regards to needing an interior player sooner rather than later, is probably correct.

[XU 87]

You know what I remember about Myles Davis? This stretch of shooting from Jan 25-March 18th his freshman year.

11 for 52 from 3. Including 1 for 23 over the final 8 games.

Lets dispense with the "great shooter" talk

The team was 15-4 at the beginning of his "streak." Finished 6-9....

He was a good shooter who had a cold spell (to say the least) towards the end of his freshman year.

[Mrs. Garrett]

I have no idea why Travis just refuses to let Kyky get a long period of run to let him get in a rhythm. He is a feel type of player and playing 5 minutes a half or not at all just won’t work for him. They were not winning the seton hall game and Travis made a mistake not letting him play a ton the 2nd half to try to build his confidence. I know the competition was different but when Tandy has played more than 20 minutes in the game, 4 times, he is averaging 17.5 points a game and shot 48% from three in those games. Maybe when they couldn’t throw it in the ocean against Creighton, St. John’s and Seton Hall, Travis should have just let him go and see if he could shoot the team out of a slump. I love Kunkel’s energy and basketball IQ, but he can’t throw it in the ocean from three right now. This team has to be good from three to be a consistent winner because they are not built to pound it inside. They have to move the ball and drive and dish to get good looks and hit open threes. I would like to see Kyky get some extended run against Seton Hall and see what he can give them. Maybe it’s nothing or maybe he goes off. No one will know unless he gets a chance to stay on the floor longer.

Because he has huge mental lapses on both ends of the floor. I guy who gives up easy buckets on defense, coupled with bad passes and poor shot selection doesn't warrant extra pt to see what happens. In the close games we've had recently, every possession counts and it's hard to have faith in someone who is giving it up on both ends of the court.

[drudy23]

Exactly. Adam Kunkel is a better overall player than KyKy Tandy. They both have very high ceilings, but as of January 2021 there's no question Kunkel is the better and more college-proven player.

I hope Steele continues to play the players who give X the best chance at winnings as opposed to considering who needs minutes to stay happy. Sure, I hope that plan involves Tandy, but if it doesn't it doesn't.

KyKy has a higher ceiling than Kunkel. Kunkel is a better player RIGHT NOW. Kunkel is simply more experienced. He was a key contributor for an NCAA tournament caliber team.

But potential means nothing if it's not fulfilled.

I think most want to see KyKy because he's more dynamic to watch, but I'm not so sure he's deserving of more time....yet.

There's absolutely going to be a game where he comes off the bench for 15-20.

[D-West & PO-Z]

KyKy has a higher ceiling than Kunkel. Kunkel is a better player RIGHT NOW. Kunkel is simply more experienced. He was a key contributor for an NCAA tournament caliber team.

But potential means nothing if it's not fulfilled.

I think most want to see KyKy because he's more dynamic to watch, but I'm not so sure he's deserving of more time....yet.

There's absolutely going to be a game where he comes off the bench for 15-20.

I also think Kyky will have a future moment for us this season as long as he hangs in there and does what is required.

I would disagree that Kyky is more dynamic right now. I think he does have a higher ceiling though.

But when Kyky is in I wouldnt call anything about him dynamic right now. Kunkel makes plays, I think he is much more dynamic right now than Kyky. I ahve been pleasantly surprised by Kunkel's ability to get to the rim and his playmaking ability.

[Xavier]

Yeah, I don't know that KyKy has shown much outside of the ability to shoot and pull up. I.E. I have not seen too much playmaking skills, rebounding, etc.

[drudy23]

KyKy needs his first dunk - after that, watch out.

[whopper]

Transferring is so easy and I hope he goes back to the drawing board and makes some adjustments to his defense and hustle..just push yourself as if you were trying out. If he gets through this year with Paul and Nate graduating there will be plenty of minutes for his skill to show itself. In a sense he was hurt by the pandemic which made Kunkel immediately eligible- we all loved it as fans and Kunkel has been very good at times (although he was not good against Seton Hall and Creighton). It hurts me as a fan to see an X player unhappy. Ironically Stanley may have been hurt by the pandemic like Kunkel was helped..I know as hard as practice is it is about 85% of a game (like against St Johns) where sadly they are shooting real bullets as far as defense effort and physicality goes. I thought he showed well but did not look like in "game shape" as far as flexibility and balance goes.

[boozehound]

I also think Kyky will have a future moment for us this season as long as he hangs in there and does what is required.

I would disagree that Kyky is more dynamic right now. I think he does have a higher ceiling though.

But when Kyky is in I wouldnt call anything about him dynamic right now. Kunkel makes plays, I think he is much more dynamic right now than Kyky. I ahve been pleasantly surprised by Kunkel's ability to get to the rim and his playmaking ability.

Well put. Kunkel plays hard all the time. That's not to say he doesn't make some mistakes, and hasn't had some bad games, but he brings the hustle for every minute he is in the game. I can't say that I've seen the same from KyKy. He just seems to immediately try to make a shot the first time he touches the ball.

KyKy definitely has the talent to be a star, but I don't think he has the level of talent where he doesn't have to fully buy-in to the scheme, defense, etc. Very, very few players do.

[drudy23]

More dynamic in that he's ultra athletic, and can do more exciting things that fans like (like dunk on 7 footers). That's why most fans want him in there, because he can potentially be more entertaining and explosive.

At this time, Kunkel's presence, experience, and team play gets him minutes. But if KyKy figures that stuff out, he has a much higher ceiling than Kunkel.

[XU 87]

More dynamic in that he's ultra athletic, and can do more exciting things that fans like (like dunk on 7 footers). That's why most fans want him in there, because he can potentially be more entertaining and explosive.

At this time, Kunkel's presence, experience, and team play gets him minutes. But if KyKy figures that stuff out, he has a much higher ceiling than Kunkel.

In a game of one on one, I bet Tandy beats Kunkel 9 times out of 10. When there's 5 players on the floor, I think Kunkel is clearly the better player than Tandy, at least right now. Kunkel seems to have MUCH better feel for the game and what he needs to do out there, particularly offensively.

[drudy23]

In a game of one on one, I bet Tandy beats Kunkel 9 times out of 10. When there's 5 players on the floor, I think Kunkel is clearly the better player than Tandy, at least right now. Kunkel seems to have MUCH better feel for the game and what he needs to do out there, particularly offensively.

Agreed.