March 19, 2010 | AP Press

MILWAUKEE – Jordan Crawford finally mustered a smile.

After a sour experience in the NCAA tournament two years ago, he’s back on March’s biggest stage.

Now he wants to stay as long as possible.

“I’m taking every second in. I’m taking it all in,” Crawford said. “I want to be here as long as I can.”

Crawford scored 17 of his 28 points in the second half and Xavier kept its run of tournament success with a 65-54 victory over Minnesota in the first round of the West Regional on Friday.

Xavier (25-8) will be in the second round for the fourth straight year, this time under first-year coach Chris Mack.

“There are different ways to motivate kids and we’re really tired of being The Little Engine that Could,” Mack said. “We’re a really good program and our kids aren’t scared to play anybody. We don’t always win, but we’re not afraid to compete.”

Crawford has embodied that, playing in his first NCAA tournament game in two years after transferring from Indiana, where the program was rocked by Kelvin Sampson’s departure. Crawford has had five coaches in two years and endured another switch from Sean Miller to Mack before the season.

“I give him a lot of credit for getting ready and being hungry over the offseason,” Mack said. “I give our school and Jordan a lot of credit for maturing as a person in the past year and a half.”

“I can smile now because we’re happy to win, but I want to win again,” he said. “Whoever we play, Pittsburgh or Oakland, I want to go out and win that game. There’s going to be no smiles again.”

Maybe not, but Crawford has found his place as one of the Atlantic 10’s top talents.

After a 4-of-11 first half, he came alive with a driving, off-balance scoop with just over 17 minutes left, and kept making layup after layup before finding his range from beyond the arc.

“It’s like watching somebody playing a video game,” teammate Kenny Frease said. “It’s so fun to watch him play, because you don’t ever want to get used to seeing somebody do the things he does. He went through the lane and made that scooping layup, and he starts hitting 3s.

“It’s like you can’t stop him. Ever. Nobody can stop him.”

The Musketeers seemingly had every answer down the stretch against Minnesota, which had played its way into the tournament by winning seven of its previous 10 under Tubby Smith.

Smith was looking for his 30th NCAA tournament win and first with his fourth program after stops at Tulsa, Georgia and Kentucky, but Minnesota lost for the fourth straight time in the first round to join early exits in 1999, 2005 and 2009.

The Gophers haven’t won an NCAA tournament game since 1997’s Final Four run, and those wins since have been vacated. Now there’s questions of whether Smith will stay, but he said no other school has made him an offer.

“I’m looking forward to coming back to Minnesota,” Smith said.

Mack, an assistant, took over when Miller left for Arizona. In some ways, his season has been one of the Musketeers’ most impressive because they didn’t return a single player who averaged double figures last year.

Xavier certainly has few worries with Crawford, who grabbed brief fame for his dunk on LeBron James at a summer camp in the offseason and is making a lasting impression on college’s biggest stage.

“I can relish this right now,” Crawford said. “But we’re trying to win another one.”

April 14, 2009 | AP Press

CINCINNATI – Top assistant Chris Mack will succeed Sean Miller as Xavier’s head basketball coach, a university spokesman said Tuesday.

The formal announcement will be made at a news conference on Wednesday, Xavier spokesman Tom Eiser said. Eiser declined any additional comment.

Miller left last week to take the head coaching job at Arizona. Xavier athletic director Mike Bobinski had interviewed several candidates.

Mack has no head coaching experience but close ties to the program. He played for Xavier and was a two-time captain before graduating in 1992.

He was director of basketball operations at the Jesuit school from 1999-2001, and spent three seasons as an assistant to Skip Prosser at Wake Forest before returning to Xavier as an assistant coach in 2004. He was an assistant for all of Miller’s five seasons as head coach.

Xavier finished 27-8 last season and reached the round of 16 in the NCAA tournament before losing to Pittsburgh. The Musketeers will lose only two players from that team to graduation.

The Musketeers have advanced to the round of eight twice in the past six years. They have won three straight Atlantic-10 regular season titles, growing in national prominence while replacing coaches who leave for bigger schools.

Xavier has enjoyed a stretch of consistent growth under coaches Pete Gillen, Prosser, Thad Matta and Miller, who was promoted when Matta moved on to Ohio State.

Location: Cincinnati, Ohio

Enrollment: 6,700

Founded: 1831

President: Rev. Michael J. Graham

Athletic Director: Mike Bobinski

Athletic Web Site: goxavier.cstv.com, musketeermadness.com, xavierhoops.com

Nickname: Musketeers

Colors: Navy Blue, Gray, and White

Arena: Cintas Center

Capacity: 10,250

Average Attendance: 10,250

Head Coach: Sean Miller

Overall Record: 93-39

Record at Xavier: 93-39 (70.4% Winning Percentage)

2007-2008 Record: 30-7 (14-2) NCAA Tournament Elite 8

Assistants: Chris Mack, James Whitford, Emanuel Richardson

ROSTER

The 2008-09 season is no different. For the second year in a row Xavier loses three key upperclassmen, including the best pair of starting guards in the league. Yet the team returns the A-10’s best frontcourt and arguably the top recruiting class.

The strength of the team is clearly upfront. Explosive 6-8 junior Derrick Brown is a candidate for Player of the Year. Widebody center Jason Love is the league’s most improved post player. And forward CJ Anderson gets a lot of tough buckets inside, all within 15 feet. Joining them is a talented transfer from Tulsa and 7-foot giant Kenny Frease, the A-10’s highest rated recruit.

The problem for fifth-year coach Sean Miller, a rising star in the profession, is to figure out how to get the ball to his big guys. Guards Drew Lavender and Stanley Burrell graduated, so Miller has to resort to one or two freshmen to help lead the offense. The best bet is Terrell Holloway, a pass-first point guard who originally signed with Indiana.

“There’s no doubt that the magic question is our point guard play,” Miller told the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Whoever runs the show can lean on the upperclassmen, but Xavier has to get solid guard play from its youngsters to win another A-10 title.

DEPARTED PLAYERS

Stanley Burrell – A man transformed, Burrell began his career as a 3-point gunslinger and ended it as Xavier’s sheriff. Named the A-10’s Defensive Player of the Year, Burrell locked up many a rival scorer and made the lives of teammates easier. All the attention he gave to defense, however, cut into his scoring (9.7 ppg, lowest of his career). At times Xavier could have used the long-range barrages he delivered as an underclassman.

Drew Lavender (10.8 ppg, 4.5 apg). Oklahoma transfer sparkled during his two years in Cincinnati, turning a good Xavier team into an Elite 8 one. Except when he was hobbled by an ankle injury in February, Lavender orchestrated the offense like a great conductor. He ran a deadly two-man game with Josh Duncan and devastated opponents with virtuoso 3-point shooting (41%). Lavender was impossible to press, rarely made a bad turnover and bothered opposing ball-handlers with his quickness (37 steals). The A-10’s best point guard, his loss will be felt by Xavier the deepest.

Josh Duncan (12.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 49.6% FG). Gifted 6-9 power forward finally learned to put his size to good use, becoming a potent threat inside the paint as well as beyond the arc. That wasn’t the case in his first three seasons, when Duncan often drifted outside to shoot long jumpers. He still did major damage from outside (41.7% 3PG), but it was his newly effective back-to-the-basket game that took Xavier’s offense to new heights. Opposing coaches found it hard to match a defender up to Duncan inside and out. One way or the other, the Second Team All-Conference selection made them pay.

Adrion Graves (1.9 ppg, 36% FG, 24% 3PG). The league’s most highly rated recruit three years ago, Graves never found a spot in the regular rotation. His first two years were marred by injury and inconsistent play. The 6-4 guard didn’t always know when to shoot or pass and his defense was spotty. He left school during the summer.

Charles Bronson (2.1 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 16 games). Much-traveled 6-9 juco decided to move to yet another school in search of regular minutes.

RETURNING PLAYERS

Derrick Brown (11 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 61% FG, 70.6% FT, 63 assists, 33 steals, 30 blocks). Incredibly gifted fourth-year junior appears primed to become Xavier’s next great forward after a two-year apprenticeship. As a sophomore, Brown dramatically improved his production in every area and finished second on the team in scoring even though he took fewer shots than five other players.

A highly efficient scorer, the left-hander does most of his damage near the basket. Brown uses his amazing leaping ability to slam home spectacular dunks or drop in short shots after a quick dribble or an offensive carom. He has tremendous body control in the air and a baby-soft touch in close. Brown has also developed an accurate midrange jumper and he can knock down the triple (11-32) if defenders lay back to cut off penetration.

His improvement continued at the defensive end. Now 6-8 and a muscular 225 pounds, Brown is not overpowered like he was as a freshman. With long arms and great timing, Brown picks off passes other players can’t reach and seemingly comes out of nowhere to swat shots. Clearly he has All-Defensive team potential.

Brown still has plenty room for growth. His ball-handling, though much improved, is sometimes shaky and he turns the ball over too much (70). Nor has Brown shot well from outside when hurried by defenders, though he says his jumper is much improved. Just as important, he has to show he can lead the team. Brown is not as fiery as former Musketeers such as Stanley Burrell and he’s been too deferential to teammates.

Minor quibbles aside, Brown poses a mismatch for almost every team in the league and few defenders will be able to contain him if Brown exerts himself every game. There is simply no one in the A-10 with his package of skills, athleticism and experience. “What makes him great?” Miller said. “The fact that he’s the jack-of-all-trades.” If he plays to his potential, Brown would likely be the favorite for A-10 Player of the Year and a near certain NBA draft pick next spring if he chooses to leave early.

C.J. Anderson (10.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 51.8% FG, 54 assists, 84 turnovers). The Musketeers’ other bookend forward is not in Brown’s league as an athlete, but Anderson is a reliable scorer and rebounder. Listed at 6-6, he does all his scoring within 15 feet (Anderson has hit one 3-pointer in his career). He’s a good ball-handler with quick moves and surprising strength, helping him to get to the basket and finish against bigger defenders. While Anderson gets some shots blocked, he can score with either hand and is fast to go back up if he misses his first shot. His toughness carries over on defense. Anderson never backs down and plays a very physical game. He might be overmatched from time to time, but he usually gives as good as he gets.

B.J. Raymond (9.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 41.2% 3PG, 81.6 FT). Raymond emerged in his third year as a more rounded scorer and defender (16 blocks, 18 steals). For all his newfound versatility, though, he is most deadly spotting up for treys. One of the league’s best 3-point shooters, he has a smooth, quick release and is hard to block. Raymond hit at least four 3-pointers in six games and topped the 20-point mark thrice. He’s also careful with the ball and doesn’t overdribble. In 16 games, he committed nary a turnover.

With the loss of the starting backcourt, the question is whether the 6-6 senior can produce just as efficiently with defenses focused on stopping him. Raymond would seem to be up to the task. A confident and mature player, he has shown he can perform well under pressure in big games. He’s got the size to pass over defenders or back them down in the post and he’ll still get good looks when Love, Brown and Anderson attract double teams. Expect Raymond to see more time at off-guard, especially late in games, when his decision-making and outside shooting will be needed on the floor.

Jason Love (6 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 56% FG, 30 blocks). The 6-9 center was one of the most improved players in the league as a sophomore, giving the Musketeers a physical presence in the paint. Improved conditioning enabled Love to stay on the floor longer and he showed a keener understanding of his role. He has a surprisingly soft touch and is hard to keep off the offensive glass, especially when defenses focus on his teammates. If he gets enough minutes, Love might even lead the league in rebounding. He’ll need to move his feet better on defense, however, and cut down on fouls to achieve that goal. He committed 94 fouls – the most on the team – even while playing just 18 minutes a game.

In his third year, Love will be expected to produce more offense. Few players in the A-10 have the size to fend him off inside and he’s an alert passer when attacked by double teams. By becoming more of a focal point, Love could help ease the pressure on Xavier’s young guards and allow Miller to bring stud center Kenny Frease along slowly. “There’s no question that whatever points per game he scored a year ago, he’s capable of scoring more this year,” Miller told the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Dante Jackson (2.4 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 35% FG, 37% 3PG, 20 assists, 22 steals). The 6-5 guard became a rotation regular by early February and rose to the occasion when Xavier made its deep postseason run. He played 18 valuable minutes in the overtime win over West Virginia in the Sweet 16. He also hit a few big shots in pressure-packed situations. A rangy athlete, Jackson has the length and footwork to become a topnotch defender who can guard three positions. The Musketeers don’t need much scoring from Jackson, but he’s decent 3-point shooter and excels on the break. He’s less dangerous off the dribble and needs to develop a mid-range game.

As a sophomore, his most important contribution could come at point guard. He might see plenty of time at that position until the younger players mature. Jackson doesn’t need to be a David Copperfield. He just needs to take care of the ball, get the team into its offense and hit open shots.

“I’m not saying he’s going to be a point guard for 34 minutes a game like Drew Lavender, but he can do an excellent job at point guard,” Miller told the Enquirer. “I have no doubt about that.”

NEWCOMERS

Jamel McLean – High-rising 6-8 transfer from Tulsa (6 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 56% FG) is a tenacious rebounder and good shotblocker (35). His offense is less advanced but reportedly improved after a year of practicing with the team. McLean mostly scores on putbacks and dump-downs, sometimes in spectacular fashion. His jumper is spotty, though, and he’s not the niftiest passer. If he improves in those areas, he could become a topflight A-10 player. That probably won’t happen this year, though. In a reserve role, McLean is expected to help with interior defense and get an occasional bucket inside. Miller would be happy if McLean produced as much this year as he did as a freshman at Tulsa.

Kenny Frease – Heavily recruited behemoth (No. 41, Rivals) is unlike typical Xavier players. He’s not very quick and doesn’t have great lift, although he is fairly mobile and does have good footwork. If left to his own devices, Frease sometimes drifts 15 feet from the basket to shoot faceup jumpers. He even has 3-point capability. Yet Miller is certain to park his prized freshman near the basket, where he can continue to work on a fast-developing post game.

Frease uses his size to set up on the low blocks, back his way into the paint and score over smaller opponents with either hand. Long, athletic defenders can give him trouble, as do opponents with quick hands. It’s hard to get around Frease, however, and he’s a rhino in the paint when he gets his dander up. It will take time for Miller to figure out how to use Frease. And Frease himself needs to get in better condition to thrive in the college game. The good news is that preseason reports suggest he’s already made rapid progress. In a league such as the A-10, Frease could become a power in the paint with just a little hard work. With a lot of effort, he could eventually dominate like few centers in the league ever have.

Brad Redford – The 6-0 gym rat (No. 217, HoopMasters) from Michigan has the passing and ball-handling ability to play point but is best suited off the ball because of his marksmanship. Arguably the best shooter in the entire NCAA freshman class, Redford has legitimate 25-foot range. He knows how to use picks and screens and launches shots with a blink-of-an-eye release. If he’s fouled, Redford is near automatic. He made 201 of 207 free throws (97%) as a senior, the second best performance ever by a U.S. high school player. Yet Redford is not a superior athlete and bigger defenders can give him trouble. Redford won’t win any awards for his own defense, either.

Brian Walsh – Maybe the best player in Western Pennsylvania, Walsh (No. 82, PrepStars) chose Xavier over Maryland and other BCS schools. He is an fine all-round athlete, fundamentally sound and savvy on the basketball court. His best asset is 3-point shooting. The 6-4 Walsh shoots quickly and has a high release point. If defenders play him tight, he’s handles the ball well enough to drive to the basket or make sharp passes to open teammates. Walsh is also said to be an intent defender, a characteristic not always applied to shooters.

Terrell Holloway – Former Indiana recruit, a spring pickup, chose Xavier after Kelvin Sampson was fired. Holloway (No. 100, Rivals) seems to be exactly what the Musketeers need, a pure point guard who gets the ball to teammates in the right spots and plays solid on-the-ball defense. What he needs to work on is an unreliable outside shot. He’s more dangerous taking the ball to the hole, when he can use his quickness and change of pace to surprise defenders. Since Xavier has no established point guard, a starting position is there for the taking. Holloway is the newcomer best suited to fill that role. He’s not a spectacular athlete or a deadeye shooter, but he’s viewed as a solid and dependable floor general.

Andrew Taylor – The 6-8 forward, a former high school teammate of BJ Raymond, transferred to Xavier from Division 2 school Hillsdale College. He has good size and is athletic enough, but it’s hard to expect Taylor to see the court regularly except in practice.

SCOUTING REPORT

The current Xavier team is the most top-heavy since the school joined the A-10, with a good mix of power and athleticism. It might just be the best frontcourt the league has seen since the Marcus Camby-led Final Four team at Massachusetts.

Few teams in the nation sport a pair of bookend forwards as talented as Brown and Anderson, each of whom has a different but complementary set of skills. Miller can also throw a shotblocker, McClean, and a shooter, Raymond into the mix, especially when foul trouble becomes an issue.

Love is a traditional center who does all his damage near the basket. He’ll get a lot more touches in the post and has the tools to become a double-digit scorer – if he stays out of foul trouble. Love is too strong for most A-10 defenders to guard one on one. Even when Love has to sit, Xavier can stay big with Frease, who looks like a future star.

Size, of course, isn’t everything. Although the team is still very athletic, it’s not quite as quick or mobile as prior editions. Smaller opponents are sure to try to exploit their advantage.

Another concern is outside shooting. Lavender and Duncan both shot more than 40% behind the arc and Burrell was barely under that mark. Raymond is the only certified deep threat left on the team, though Jackson shows promise and Redford and Walsh have great credentials.

With so much talent in the frontcourt, Xavier doesn’t have to rely on 3-pointers as much as it has in the past. The perimeter players just have to prevent defenses from clogging the middle.

The young guards also have to take care of the ball and avoid the fancy stuff. Xavier’s bigmen are capable of creating scoring opportunities so long as they receive good entry passes or get the ball in position to dribble drive, especially Brown and Anderson. BJ Raymond can also create his own shot.

“They don’t have college experience, but we’re not asking them to come in and lead us to the promised land,” Brown told the Enquirer.

Defense is likely to be an irritant earlier in the season until Miller can teach the finer points of his “packline” defense to his new players, who’ll need time to mesh with their older teammates.

Sorting out late-game situations will also take work. Xavier relies less on a “go-to” player than most teams, but Lavender or Burrell usually initiated the play when the team needed a big bucket.

There’s also the issue of free-throw shooting. Xavier lost three 80%-plus free-throw shooters and only Raymond meets that gaudy level. Great shooting from the charity stripe saved the Musketeers from a few losses.

PREDICTION

Xavier is unquestionably loaded with talent, but there’s a big age gap between the players while the backcourt is young and largely untested.

A similar frontcourt-heavy UMass team, however, tied for first in the A-10 regular season two years ago with a pair of young point guards running the offense. This Xavier team is even better upfront and has more battle-tested veterans on which to rely. A very tough nonconference schedule should also prepare the players well for conference play.

Even with a significant drop-off, 20 wins and an NIT bid seems the bare minimum for the latest edition of the Musketeers. If Brown delivers a POY-like performance and a few young guards mature quickly, the Musketeers have the goods to capture the A-10 title and head back to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight year.

Xavier gets off to a good start with wins over IPFW and Toledo before heading to Puerto Rico. Missouri has struggled the past few years, but the Tigers have a pair of very good bigmen (the backcourt is so-so). They could take down the Musketeers if Xavier is overconfident. The next matchup likely would be a fast-rising Va Tech team with very good wing play. A tossup. I call it a loss and say Xavier goes 2-1 on the trip.

Back at Cintas, Miami Ohio and Auburn arrive next. Both are solid teams that can beat X. Neither is as talented and home cooking prevails. Xavier won’t lose two years in a row to Miami and Auburn doesn’t have good enough guards to hurt the Muskies where they are weakest.

The best team, it seems, rarely wins the Shootout, so I go with the home team Bearcats. Xavier gets a chance for a huge win vs. Duke and I am tempted. The Muskies could and should put a hurting on the Blue Devils inside. Although I predict losses to Cincy and Duke, X really should get one of these. Duke would be the better win owing to its national profile.