December 3, 2008 | AP Press

CINCINNATI, OH -— B.J. Raymond scored a career-high 32 points against an Auburn defense that already knew better than to leave him open, and No. 14 Xavier remained undefeated Wednesday night with an 81-74 victory, Sean Miller’s 100th as coach.

The Musketeers (7-0) matched the third-best start in their history and their best since 1996-97, when they won their first 10 for the school record. Raymond and the rest of the Musketeers kept it going by firing away from outside against the Tigers (3-4), who had trouble with that before.

In Xavier’s 80-57 win at Auburn last Jan. 6, the Musketeers tied their school record by making 16 3-pointers. Raymond led the way in that one, going 6-of-8 from behind the arc with 18 points overall—a performance that the Tigers surely remembered.

Stunningly, they left him open enough times to top it, letting Miller improve his record to 100-39 in his fifth season at Xavier.

Frankie Sullivan scored a career-high 23 points and helped Auburn cut a 22-point deficit to 60-51 with 6:55 left in the game. Raymond—who else— blunted the comeback by making back-to-back 3-pointers, giving him a career-high seven in nine attempts.

Xavier went 13-of-23 from behind the arc and shot 53.5 percent from the field, but its 22 turnovers and 22-of-36 shooting on free throws allowed Auburn to keep it close.

The Musketeers wore their special gray home jerseys for the first time since last Dec. 22, when they lost to Tennessee, their only loss in their last 29 games at the Cintas Center. The Musketeers never trailed in this one.

Raymond had 16 points in a sloppy first half that featured a dozen turnovers by each team. He hit back-to-back 3s, the second one when he was unguarded on the left wing, in an eight-point run that closed the half and left Xavier in control 37-26.

Against Miami of Ohio last Saturday, Raymond had one of those rare games when he struggles with his shot, missing all but the last of his eight 3-point attempts. It didn’t carry over against an Auburn defense more worried about taking away Xavier’s inside game.

Even 7-foot freshman center Kenny Frease made the first 3-pointer of his career, connecting when he was left unguarded at the top of the key.

A few hours before the game, the NCAA rejected sophomore point guard Jordan Crawford’s request to play for Xavier this season. Crawford transferred last summer from Indiana, and was hoping not to have to sit out a season.

Freshman point guard Terrell Holloway, the team’s best free-throw shooter and quickest ball handler, missed his second game with a stress fracture in his left foot that will sideline him for at least one more week. Xavier is down to one point guard—Dante Jackson, who is more of a shooting guard.

November 23, 2008 | AP Press

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Terrell Holloway made 10 free throws without a miss and finished with 13 points to help Xavier beat Memphis (No. 12 ESPN/USA Today, No. 13 AP) 63-58 on Sunday night in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off championship game.

B.J. Raymond and Jamel McLean added 11 points each for the Musketeers (5-0), and C.J. Anderson finished with 10.

“I’m really proud of our team,” Xavier coach Sean Miller said. “We really showed a lot of toughness and resiliency in all three games in the tournament.”

Tyreke Evans led Memphis (4-1) with 12 points, but was 4-for-16 from the field. Robert Dozier and Antonio Anderson each scored 10 points.

Both teams struggled from the field, with Xavier shooting 36 percent and Memphis finishing at 32.7 percent. Xavier was 25-for-37 at the line, and Memphis was 15-of-30.

“We’re disappointed with the outcome, but November games are about learning about your team. We did tonight,” Memphis coach John Calipari said.

Holloway made two free throws with 27 seconds to go to give Xavier a 61-58 lead. After Dozier missed two three throws with 17 seconds left, Dante’ Jackson and C.J. Anderson hit free throws in the final seconds to seal the victory.

“C.J. has great toughness,” Miller said. “He’s an incredible leader. Our team follows his lead, especially in toughness.”

Memphis was 38-2 last season, losing the national title game to Kansas in overtime.

“This year’s team is so different from last year’s team and the year before. What disappointed me were our seniors down the stretch,” Calipari said. “Hopefully, we get better as the season goes on. We had chances to win the game, but didn’t make the plays we needed to make to win. We had some guys that played tentative and not to lose tonight. I want guys to make plays and play to win. I wanted this game to be close.”

Xavier opened the tournament with a 75-71 victory over Missouri, then beat Virginia Tech 63-62 in overtime.

“These were three great tests for us,” Miller said. “All three teams attacked us and we responded.”

Sunday, November 2, 2008 by WH | A10collegehoops Contributor

I am not an expert on the coaching of basketball and make no such claims. But here is one layman’s assessment of the 14 league coaches and generally the order in which I would hire them – with one change. (If I were hiring a coach, I would put Mooney and Everhart ahead of Baron.)

Sean Miller, Xavier Musketeers

Miller has improved dramatically after some shaky moments in his first two seasons. He is not the A-10’s best game-day coach, but he’s not far off. And now he’s recruiting at a higher level than anyone else. Is No. 1 too high? It’s hard to argue with Xavier’s success under Miller (70.5% winning percentage).

Phil Martelli, St. Joseph’s

Martelli does more with less than any of his A-10 counterparts. His teams are mentally tough and fundamentally sound and seem to peak every year come A-10 tournament time. The challenge for Martelli is to do more with more – the Hawks are often short of quality depth. Perhaps a renovated FieldHouse will allow Martelli to recruit more good players.

Fran Dunphy Temple Owls

Perhaps no other coach in the league except Martelli could have turned Temple around as fast as Dunphy. The Owls are much more efficient offensively compared to the late Chaney years and now the defense is coming around. Dunphy has a great eye for talent and excels at developing players.

Rick Majerus, St. Louis Billikens

Majerus gets a high ranking based on past performance, not on results of his first season in the A-10. The Billikens were competitive despite a thin roster, but it remains to be seen whether Majerus still has the coaching magic. A very good sign is the incoming recruiting class, one of the best in the league on paper.

Karl Hobbs, George Washington Colonials

Hobbs gets high marks for three straight NCAA appearances before last season’s meltdown. Clearly the bad publicity about GW’s admissions policy a few years ago constrained Hobbs’ recruiting – the loss of Jeremy Wise still stings – and the talent level has dropped off.

Yet Hobbs still does a good job of getting long, lean kids and molding them into A-10 caliber players. GW rebounded down the stretch last season and was playing very good ball in the last month (just ask Xavier and UMass) using a 5-8 walk-on as point guard. That’s coaching. Hobbs also kicked three talented players off the team, including Mo Rice, for being disruptive. That’s showing the players he’s still the boss and won’t let things get out of hand.

Brian Gregory, Dayton Flyers

The Flyers would have earned their second NCAA under Gregory if Chris Wright did not get hurt. Gregory has steadily upgraded the talent level and his teams are fundamentally sound. The Flyers play solid defense and crash the boards. The offense has not been especially creative, but higher talent should alleviate that problem. Gregory has had particular difficulty recruiting good point guards.

Bobby Lutz. Charlotte 49ers

Lutz turned the program around last season by reintroducing defense and effort to the players’ vocabulary. Charlotte had been shaky fundamentally since joining the A-10 and the offense was undisciplined. Big improvements occurred in almost every phase last year. Lutz, a good recruiter, also upgraded the talent base. When he’s motivated, Lutz can match wits with any coach in the league.

John Giannini, LaSalle Explorers

Giannini has already shown he can win in the A-10 with just a handful of good players. Now he’s showing he can recruit lots of quality players to LaSalle. Last year, he admitted to a big mistake – no easy thing for a coach – by scrapping a patterned offense after it failed early in the season. LaSalle began to play well once the coach revved up the offense. Knock on wood, but it looks like the Explorers might make a breakthrough in the next few years.

Jim Baron, Rhode Island Rams

Baron gets this ranking based on past achievement, but last year’s late-season collapse has opened him up to deserved criticism – not for the first time, either. Reaching 20 wins was a big accomplishment, but ceding an all-but-guaranteed NCAA bid was a big disaster.

Like Giannini, Baron changed his offense a few years ago when his old ways weren’t working. He gets credit for that. Problem is, the new-look Rams have been mediocre defensively, an area in which Baron’s teams once excelled, and shot selection has been iffy. Add a few demerits. Baron has had a good career at some difficult places to win, but not too many people in Kingston are in his corner these days.

Chris Mooney, Richmond Spiders

If Richmond builds on last year’s success even without the services of injured center Dan Geriot, Mooney would move up the list. He’s quickly restored Richmond to competitiveness with excellent recruiting and coaching. Like Fran Dunphy, he seems to have a great eye for not-so-obvious talent and his players get better under his coaching. There’s no reason to believe the Spiders won’t continue to improve.

Ron Everhart, Duquesne Dukes

Master rebuilder delivered a winning season at Duquesne for the first time since 1994, but his second season wasn’t entirely successful. Everhart substituted players too liberally and he mishandled the point position. It was a good year that could have been better. Now the Dukes are starting over again with almost an entirely new roster. Fortunately Everhart seems to be a demon of a recruiter. The team is very young, but there’s a lot of talent.

Dereck Whittenburg, Fordham Rams

Whit did a good job of stabilizing a shaky program and making it respectable, but he failed in the ultimate task of producing a winner. Last year’s senior-laden team was a huge disappointment. Much of the problem stems from the coach’s inability to recruit a good point guard as well as quality depth – problems exacerbated by the school’s poor facilities. Whit didn’t help matters with a pouty performance on the bench. Body language does matter, Dereck.

Whittenburg is never going to outcoach anyone, so he better get better players and get the Rams back to playing hard every game.

Mark Schmidt, St. Bonaventure Bonnies

Schmidt’s coaching ability looks somewhat better after his old school, Robert Morris, surged to 26 wins. It says Schmidt recruited talented players and did some good coaching. On the other hand, one wonders if a veteran RMU team would have won as many games if Schmidt were coach. Whatever the case, the Bonnies actually overachieved in Schmidt’s first year even though the roster was one of the least talented in A-10 history. And now Schmidt appears to have done a fantastic job of upgrading the talent base in just one year. Only time will tell if the players are any good, though. If they are, then we’ll get a better idea of Schmidt’s coaching ability.

Derek Kellogg, Massachusetts Minutemen

Incomplete. Rookie Minutemen boss is viewed as a great recruiter and he’s learned under one of the best college coaches in the nation. He was given a good roster to start. Let’s see what he makes of it.

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.