Monday
08Feb2010

The Bloody Struggle in the Hexagon

DateFebruary 8, 2010 | AuthorMr. Blackburn

Handsome Joe Lunardi disclosed, via his Twitter account, that he will more than likely have six A-10 teams when his bracket projection comes out later today. This is a direct result of the PAC-10’s continual abortion of a season and the A-10 splitting into two distinct factions, a suitable six and whatever else lies at the bottom of the Atlantic Ten barrel. Conceivably, the A-10 is going to finish with several teams in the 12-4/11-5 range, so the latter half of the league schedule will clearly determine who will play their way into, and out of, a bid.

At this stage of the season two things should be crystal clear: first, you cannot afford to lose to a team outside of the top six of the league. Out of the current top six, only Dayton (@ St. Joe’s) and Richmond (@ Saint Louis) have lost to bottom feeders. A loss to the bottom half of the league could serve as a nail in the coffin from here on out, as the top six of the league takes turns beating each other up. Second, the chances of the league receiving six (even five) bids are spurious at best. So many variables would have to fall into place for that scenario to occur that it’s not even worth talking about at this point. Considering this website once spent a week discussing women’s leggings that is saying a mouthful.

If we are operating under the assumption that the league is presently worthy of six bids, and for our purposes here, we are, it may be beneficial (just nod yes) to take a peek at what lies ahead for the league’s hexagon of power. Who has the easiest road ahead? Which team faces an uphill battle? It’s quite possible that a week or two from now one of these teams will have played its way out of the discussion. The schedules may provide a clue, or at the very least allow us to pretend that the picture is somewhat clearer.

Teams are presented in order of scheduling ease. The analysis gives each team an overtly favorable benefit of doubt.

1) Dunphy is sitting prettyTemple: The Owls appear to have the easiest slate of games left on the docket. With only two games against teams in the hexagon (Dayton and Rhode Island), both at home, Temple would realistically only need to split them to have the inside track on first place. After this weekend’s game against Rhode Island, Dunphy’s squad has a pair of very winnable games against St. Bonaventure and St. Joseph’s before UD comes calling later this month. After the Dayton tilt, Temple’s closes the season out with three games against squads that are currently a combined 10-16 in the league. Lastly, Temple does not have to deal with the pressure of playing crucial games back-to-back; they have an advantageously arranged path ahead of them.

2) Xavier: After traveling to Gainesville for an out-of-conference clash with the Florida Gators (which I’m not quite sure will have a major effect on the Muskies’ hopes win or lose), Xavier returns to take on St. Joseph’s. A win against the Hawks puts the Musketeers at nine wins on the season. Even if X only wins one game out of their next three (@Charlotte, @Saint Louis and vs. Richmond), they would have registered ten wins with just two conference games remaining. Those two opponents? The resigned Rams of Fordham and the dormant Bonnies of Saint Bonaventure. Sweep those two teams under the rug and Xavier reaches 12 wins without breaking a sweat. X fans are right to be satisfied with their remaining table.  Only two games in the hexagon and a pair of gimmies to close out the campaign. That’s fairly smooth sailing for our overlords.

3) Rhode Island: If Rhody can take out Richmond this week, their path to an at-large bid seems like it could be all but locked up. On the other hand, if the Rams lose two games this week – very possible considering they face Richmond and Temple – they will get booted from the hexagon (which I guess becomes a pentagon?). If the Rams can go 1-1, a trio of very winnable games awaits them (@Saint Louis, Fordham and @St. Bonaventure). Under this scenario, Rhody would have 11 wins going into games against Charlotte and UMass. Another split at the end of the season brings their win total to a beatific 12. So, Rhody’s formula for success looks something like this: split-three-split. Not exactly catchy, but neither was Bob Dylan and he uses a diamond fork to eat his tabouleh.

4) Dan and Luke need you to believe in themDayton: The Flyers were able to stave off their execution with an impressive win over Xavier this weekend, maybe you heard about it. Out of all six teams, Dayton has the most ground to make up as they are currently 1.5 games out of fifth place.  UD is the outlier in the hexagon, as they cannot afford a single slip-up outside the top six. A loss to Saint Louis, Duquesne or La Salle could signal their dismissal from the conference elite (by the way, elite is in no way an operative word in this case). As previously stated, only Dayton and Richmond have losses outside the top six, and the Spiders are unlikely to lose another game outside the hexagon.

A huge opportunity awaits the Flyers this Wednesday, as Charlotte comes to town (the 10th is going to be a busy day in the six-sided circle, as UD faces off against the Niners, and Richmond grapples with Rhode Island). A loss wouldn’t necessarily be catastrophic, given the opponent, but a 5-4 record on its face does not inspire confidence for the future. Even with a loss this Wednesday, UD has a three-pack of games that are winnable by reasonable standards: @Saint Louis, La Salle and @Duquesne. A clean sweep, however improbable, would place the Flyers at 8-4 with four games to go. Unfortunately, the Flyers have a tough close to the season, including two hexagonal contests on the road (Temple & Richmond). Winning 3-of-4 could be enough to keep the Flyers in the tournament conversation, as UD would have an 11-5 conference record with decent indicators (RPI, SOS, etc.).

Although I wouldn’t feel as comfortable labeling the Charlotte game a “must-win” as I was with Xavier, a loss to the 49ers would certainly inch UD closer to the edge of the ledge. As senseless as it may sound, 6-3 is a world away from 5-4. Even the most hopeful among us would have a hard time believing Dayton could pick itself up after a loss on Wednesday and run close to perfect over the last seven conference games.

5) Charlotte: The Niners have their work cut out for them, as half of their remaining games take place in the homoerotic frenzy of the hexagon. Nevertheless, the 49ers have put themselves in a very enviable position. At 8-1, Charlotte has the most room for error. Discounting games against the top six, Jim Utter’s team faces squads that have a combined record of 8-19. Assuming Shamari Spears and Co. take care of business against its lesser foes, Charlotte would only need to win one-of- four against the top six to end up with 12 wins in the league. Splitting the four games in the hexagon would likely mean a 13-3 mark for Charlotte. So even though Bobby Lutz’s club faces one of the toughest roads from here on out, they are probably sitting the prettiest at this point. A win against Dayton all but sews up an at-large bid for Charlotte.

6) Richmond: As much as it pains me to say it, Richie appears to have the rockiest road ahead.  The Spiders face four games in the ring, three of which are on the road. Outside of Dayton, no team can afford a loss to a bottom-feeder less than the Spiders. Wednesday’s tilt with Rhode Island will either provide Richmond with some breathing room or paint them into a corner. A victory over the Rams could see Richmond roll off four straight victories in route to an 11-2 record (after URI, Richmond faces the Bonnies, Fordham and GW). Richie’s schedule is difficult simply because of the way it is laid out. If they do not care take of business over the next two weeks, they face a murder’s row to close out the season. The prospect of taking two out of three from Xavier, Dayton and Charlotte is a daunting task for any club in the league – even more so when a potential bid is on the line.   

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Sunday
07Feb2010

The Cheat Sheet

DateFebruary 7, 2010 | AuthorMr. Blackburn

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Saturday
06Feb2010

Bring Your Furniture to the Road, and Let's Light it on Fire.

DateFebruary 6, 2010 | AuthorOliver

Before Dan Curran poured his first glass of warm milk and began molding the campus into his private little day camp for rich kids, the University of Dayton was ever so slightly more blue collar.  And in those days of hedonism, it wasn't uncommon to celebrate by igniting the nearest available armchair and tossing it into the middle of the street.  And for those of you asking, "Why?" It's clear to me that you'veGood, clean fun. never set cheap acrylics afire.

As high schoolers, we'd regularly make the trip to UD for the weekend.  Did we look out of place?  Like a minority at a Glenn Beck rally.  Did we drink enough Jagermeister to bring a full grown heifer to its knees? Youbetcha.  But, goddamnit, we cherished the opportunity to carry one corner of a couch to a street and witness the ensuing bonfire.  Because one good burning coffee table deserves a love seat, and so on.

That, my friends, was a shellacking. We led by 13 at the half, and then proceeded to make 18 of our 25 shots in the second half. The numbers tell the story.  We shot 56% from the field, 54% from 3 and hit on 21 or 29 from the free throw line. When we shoot like we did yesterday afternoon, we're capable of beating damn near any team in the country.

Chris Wright's mom is sitting on her living room floor with a stack of 30 VHS tapes and making copies of the game film as quickly as possible. That was Chris Wright the NBA prospect on Saturday.  He was all over the court; scoring, blocking shots, and rebounding. But what makes him so baffling as a player is how easy he made it look. You watch and think he's got a gear that most others don't.  But as easy as it looked for Christ on Saturday, he could look equally as frustrated on Wednesday.  And that's the difference between good and great, consistency.

We dominated the game at the PG position. Rob and London were at their peak of effectiveness. They stymied Holloway all afternoon (no assists and 4 TOs) and were the catalyst for our efficient offense. Between the 2 they put up 23 points, 8 boards, 8 assists, and 4 steals.

As an avowed London fan, I'm getting ready to miss him already. I realize his absence will likely be overshadowed quickly by the arrival of Juwan Staten, but once he's gone we're unlikely to witness The Shamari Stopperanything of his ilk again. All heart and hustle and absolutely nothing resembling a jump shot (6 3 point attempts in the past 3 years), he's been setting the tone for the Flyer's the past two seasons.

As expected, Jordan Crawford got his.  24 points on 14 shots.  He's hands down the best player in the A-10.  I'd say he's probably the best player the conference has seen since Jameer Nelson's stocky ass was dominating on Hawk Hill. Here's to hoping he goes pro this offseason. Something about his demeanor makes me think he may be the type to bolt for the cash.

Huge game against A-10 leader(!) Charlotte on Wednesday. Fortunately, they're coming to the Arena.  I propose someone bring an emergency bucket of fried chicken and if Shamari Spears begins to dominate, lure him off the court with some deep fried goodness.

 


Effective Field Goal Percentage (eFG%): adjusts for the fact that a 3-point field goal is worth one more point than a 2-point field goal.
Turnover Percentage (TO%): is an estimate of turnovers per 100 plays.
Offensive Rebouning Percentage (OR%): measures a team's ability to get offensive rebounds.
Free Throw Rate (FT Rate): is a measure of both how often a team gets to the line and how often they make them.



SMINPTSFGMFGAFG%2PA2PA2P%3PM3PA3P%FTMFTAFT%ORDRREBASTSTLBLKTOPF
T. Holloway * 35 12 3 8 37 2 4 50 1 4 25 5 5 100 0 0 0 0 1 0 4 2
D. Jackson * 32 9 3 8 37 0 0 0 3 8 37 0 0 0 1 1 2 2 2 0 2 3
J. Crawford * 32 24 8 14 57 5 8 62 3 6 50 5 7 71 2 2 4 5 2 0 4 4
J. Love * 27 7 2 8 25 2 8 25 0 0 0 3 5 60 0 6 6 0 1 1 1 2
J. McLean * 26 7 3 5 60 3 5 60 0 0 0 1 1 100 3 4 7 1 0 0 2 4
M. Lyons
16 3 1 5 20 1 3 33 0 2 0 1 2 50 0 1 1 1 0 0 2 1
A. Taylor
14 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 3
K. Frease
10 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 0 0 1 2
B. Redford
8 3 1 3 33 0 0 0 1 3 33 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1


S MIN PTS FGM FGA FG% 2PA 2PA 2P% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
C. Wright * 31 17 6 13 46 5 11 45 1 2 50 4 7 57 4 5 9 1 0 3 2 2
P. Williams * 23 7 3 6 50 3 5 60 0 1 0 1 1 100 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5
C. Johnson * 22 18 6 8 75 4 5 80 2 3 66 4 4 100 3 3 6 3 1 1 2 1
K. Huelsman * 18 4 2 3 66 2 3 66 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 0 1 1 0 4
L. Warren * 18 7 3 5 60 3 5 60 0 0 0 1 2 50 0 4 4 3 2 0 4 3
M. Johnson
21 10 3 4 75 3 4 75 0 0 0 4 6 66 0 4 4 0 0 0 3 2
R. Lowery
21 16 4 7 57 1 2 50 3 5 60 5 6 83 1 3 4 5 2 0 1 2
D. Searcy
20 4 1 5 20 1 5 20 0 0 0 2 2 100 3 5 8 0 0 1 0 1
M. Perry
13 7 3 4 75 2 2 100 1 2 50 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 0 0 2 0
J. Benson
10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0
D. Fox
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
M. Kavanaugh
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
L. Hendrick
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
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Saturday
06Feb2010

Live Blog: Xavier @ Dayton

DateFebruary 6, 2010 | AuthorOliver

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Friday
05Feb2010

Recon: Xavier University 

DateFebruary 5, 2010 | AuthorMr. Blackburn

WHAMMY!!There are circumstances out of your control which dictate your lot in life. You are born to a single mother in Roxbury, Mass.? Well, you are pretty much fucked. It's not your fault, but you are still completely and hopelessly fucked. Likewise, being born on the Upper West Side to Jewish doctors likely guarantees that you and pocket squares will not be complete strangers. You did nothing to earn a life of 500 thread-count sheets, but there you are anyway. In a way, life is basically a colossal, mostly untelevised, game of Press Your Luck.  

For those of you who were not allowed to watch TV at a young age because your parents were afraid of exposing you to Jim J. Bullock and minority culture, Press Your Luck was the game show that featured “whammies” (little red creatures that looked like aborted fetuses which would appear on the TV screen whenever a player’s spin landed on a predetermined “whammie” space). Quoting the infallible Wikipedia, “contestants collected "spins" by answering trivia questions and then used the spins on an 18-space game board full of cash and prizes. The person who amassed the most in cash and prizes at the end of the game won.” It was a basically a mindless game show that helped housewives pass time while they wondered why they couldn't have married a guy like Harry Hamlin.

Dunphy's got all the spinsAlthough there was little to no strategy involved in Press Your Luck, perhaps serving as a precursor to game shows that were based on people picking random suitcases or monitoring people’s heart rates, there were some maneuvers to be made during the latter portion of the show. Players could pass their spins onto their opponents, thereby forcing their competition to spin and risk landing on a whammie. To put it simply, the more spins a contestant earned during the trivia portion of the show, the more pressure they could put on their opponents during the wheel-spinning section of the program.

This is what the upper-tier of the conference (X, Temple, Richie, Rhody, and Charlotte) have done to the rest of the league. (Xavier would be notorious contestant/”cheater” Michael Larson, as the Musketeers seem to have everything figured out before they even step on the stage. Larson was an idiot savant who figured out the board patterns and was able to bilk the show out of over $100,000. An under appreciated genius if there ever was one). The top teams in the league have been able to avoid whammies. The U of D? Not so much. After having already suffered three losses, the Flyers have built themselves quite a hole. The Xavier game? Excusable. Defeats at the hands of Rhode Island and St. Joey's? Complete and utter whammies. For those of you that don't think tomorrow's game is a "must-win," think again. How you could fool yourself into thinking that a 4-4 Dayton squad could close out the year going 8-0 or 7-1 is beyond me. If UD loses to Xavier on Saturday, the attention immediately shifts to Atlantic City, where the Flyers can be reborn (theoretically, of course).

Beating a dead horse, burying it, digging up its corpse and beating it again. Received this email from Donald Donoher the day after the UD/Rhody tilt. As with everything he writes on this site, it is unedited and in its original form:

So my parents sit next to a scout for an NBA team every now and then at the UDgames.  I can't tell you the name of the team because I don't want to get this guy in trouble.  However, he works for a Western Conference team and covers the Midwest college teams (he lives in Louisville).  He talks to my dad about random shit.  My dad is obsessed with Shaq and asks him every game if the Cavs will win it all and the answer is always, "No, he is too old."  Anyway, this scout says that Chris Wright is no longer on his radar, but instead is now focusing on Chris Johnson.  In what should make Swampy Meadows drool, the scout says that Chris Wright DOES have the skills to be an NBA player, but does not put them together and therefore, couldn't cut it right now.  The scout says that Chris Johnson is very high on his list, and if he has the same type of year next year as he is having this year, he could find himself on a lot of draft boards.

You can tell it's a Donoher email because he begins with the word "so." Anyway, here’s what you should take away from this passage: Not that Kountry Chris is ill-prepared for an early jump to the league, that’s been affirmed repeatedly.  Instead, try wrapping your head around what unspeakable sins this scout must have committed in a previous life to wind up scouting a Dayton/Rhode Island game for pro prospects. Here is what every e-mail from this scout to his superiors must look like:

Dear Sir: As I have been telling you for close to two decades now, there are no professional prospects at the University of Dayton. If you send me to Dayton one more time I will drive to your fucking house and light myself on fire as your children look on in horror. Also, you will soon be hearing details about some illicit activities involving myself and highway restrooms. Just wanted to give you a heads up.  Yours in Christ, Scouty McScoutsalot.

Meet and Greet. Jordan Crawford needs a name change. Jordan Crawford is either the name of a hot girl who sneaks diet pills, or a closeted lacrosse player that goes to prep school like St. Mark's or Andover. It is not a name befitting the A10's best player. Because I am a sucker for alliteration (and due to the fact that I was watching a Knicks game while I wrote this), I would propose "Clyde." Clyde Crawford. Or maybe Cookie. Cookie Crawford.

Crawford’s dubious reputation has been discussed at length on this site, and our verdict is… not guilty. The numbers tell the tale: 20 points, five boards and three assists per game. His percentages are equally impressive: 45%-41%-78%. Although there is certainly some credence to the criticism over his shot selection, Clyde puts it all on the line when it matters most. His shots down the stretch against Dayton sealed the deal and proved a point, which is, Crawford is a psychotic basketball player. That’s not to say that he will eat his opponents’ face while battling for a rebound, he is just not wired like most players. Crawford is one of those rare talents that will actually raise his game when the pressure is highest. And yes, he is only a sophomore. I rarely give a verbal taint-job as blatant as this, but Crawford’s play has more than matched the hype.

Terrell Holloway continues to struggle with his outside shot, but his foul-shooting and protection of the ball make him an invaluable asset for the Muskies. Holloway comes into Saturday’s game shooting 86% from the line and with a 2.4:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. If Crawford’s shots pushed Xavier past UD three weeks ago, Holloway’s 13-of-14 from the stripe kept X in the game when the offensive was lacking. Holloway’s controlled attack set the stage for Xavier’s half-court offense.

The unsung hero of the last matchup between these two programs was Dante’ Jackson. Dayton threw everything but the kitchen sink at Crawford back in January, begging someone else to beat them on the offensive end. Jackson essentially said, “If you insist.” The Catholic Church would have been proud of the way Xavier played against UD in Cincinnati, as the Musketeers repeatedly penetrated deep into UD’s defense only to pull it out at the last second. Jackson was the benefactor of many kick outs to the perimeter, finishing the contest with 19 points (including five three-pointers). Obviously, BG and Co. will emphasize closing down on the perimeter, as they were repeatedly burned during the first contest. You can throw Brad Redford into the discussion too, as his game is stationed around the arc as well. We already know the deal with Redford, he will hit a three or two during the game and nod at Paul Williams after doing so. He will not cause opposing coaches to have sleepless nights.  

Asian barber: "You want the one on the left or right?"Everyone knows that I have a soft spot for X’s Kenny Frease, and the big man is starting to produce, albeit sparingly. Frease had a 13/12 night against Duquesne, and registered a 14/8 against the hapless Fordham Rams. The real man to watch down low is Jason Love. Love is as predictable as an Asian man’s haircut (you got either the “Moe Howard” or the “Spike”), mark him down for 10 points and 9 rebounds and don’t tell your mother we had this talk. Although Jamel McLean had a rather quiet game against UD the first time around (2 points, 3 rebounds), I’d expect we hear his name more frequently on Saturday. McLean is averaging 14 and 7 over the past four games and is looking forward to being matched up with Luke Fabrizius again.

Mark Lyons was banged up and played sparingly against the Flyers in Round One. He has a decent outside stoke but focuses his attention on getting people the ball (specifically guys named Crawford) and playing defense. Andrew Taylor will play, make no mistake about it. He reminds me of ex-UDer Teddy Fitz. If I had to put money on it, and because of my gambling addiction I do, I’d wager that Taylor ends up in local government and cheats on his fat wife with a Hispanic woman. You can just see it in his eyes, he looks like the type.

The Numbers Game. "Torture numbers, and they'll confess to anything." 



PPGFG%FT%3P%RPGORPGDRPGAPGTPGSPGBPGFPG
Xavier XU 80.1 47.0 70.5 39.7 39.1 11.6 27.5 14.7 12.8 6.6 4.3 19.2
Dayton UD 69.5 43.9 67.2 32.5 38.5 12.4 25.6 14.8 14.5 6.0 3.5 19.8
Xavier XU Opponents 68.2 40.4 64.7 27.8 35.9 12.1 23.3 12.9 13.3 6.6 4.8 20.9
Dayton UD Opponents 62.0 40.4 64.9 33.3 32.3 9.9 22.4 11.2 14.9 5.9 3.4 19.1

 Next Level Johnson is on boardThe numbers seem to jump off the screen and slap you in the face, the Xavier Musketeers are a very efficient offensive unit. They have scored under 75 points just twice during conference play, 68 against La Salle (a win), and 72 against Tempe (a loss). Xavier leads the conference in scoring and three-point percentage, second in field goal percentage and rebounding. Xavier has its problems defensively, allowing almost seventy points a game. As in Cincinnati three weeks ago, UD must be able to keep up with Xavier offensively to win this one. Dayton's defense will not slow down the Xavier attack as evidenced by the 78 points in allowed in Round One (and that was with Jordan Crawford only logging 24 minutes due to foul trouble).

Prediction: Vegas likes the Flyers by a point, which essentially makes it a pick-em  (On a non-basketball note, I'm completely offput by the planned "whiteout." It's got that Notre Dame green jersey vibe written all over it -- which almost always results in a L. Why set yourself up for failure like this? I'm just picturing a lot of white shirts thrown on the court after Crawford nails a 20-footer to win the game. The Administration is creating a recipe for disaster).

Marcus Johnson plays his best game of the season, scoring 17 points to lead the way for the Flyers. Chris Wright has a solid game, let's put him down for 13 and 11. Jordan Crawford stays out of foul trouble and goes for 22 points, but it's not enough. UD lives to fight another day, pulling out a 73-70 victory in the Gem City. This will all be rendered moot after back-to-back losses to Charlotte and St. Louis, so let's all enjoy it while we can. Regardless, if there isn't a giant bonfire in the Ghetto, filled with white t-shirts, we will all be very disappointed.

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Friday
05Feb2010

An Interrogation with: Xavier University 

DateFebruary 5, 2010 | AuthorMr. O'Brien

I remember my first Xavier game like it was 7 years ago, and it was. It was January 31st, 2004 (fuck you, Adam) and I was awoken in my 5th Floor Sheehy cell at around 8 am. Alone, of course. I got laid once freshman year because I was a pretty awkward kid, hard to believe I know. Anyway, the Beast was flowing and my fellow 5th Floor Mafia members had a large amount of tequila for one reason or another. Not a woman in sight, you can tell we were really cool. Once again, I digress. I remember the bus ride over to the Fieldhouse, even remember accidentally drunk calling my friend's parents. The game is a bit of a blur, but according to the box score, Ramod Marshall went off for 21 points and Dayton actually won! Why do you care? You don't. If you don't want to read this, go start your own blog.

The point of this, if there is one, is that I remember it being the first moment I really embraced Dayton basketball. After that game, watching the Flyers became appointment TV and I started forming opinions on the players beyond what I was told by the Flyer News. I'll always be thankful to Xavier for that, but the nostalgia for X stops there.I'd do horrible, horrible things to go back to 2003 with the knowledge of women I have today.

As we head into Round Two of the yearly rivalry against Xavier, it should be clear to all of you that no matter what Blackburn and Donoher say, this game isn't "MUST WIN." Must win would mean that if we don't win this game, we're done, and this isn't true. Though, it does make every game in Atlantic City a must win, and in our history there (checks history there), oh fuck -- this Xavier game is a must win.

Well, as Sun Tzu said, "To defeat thy enemy, you must know thy enemy." I just made that up, but it's still something I think we should all live by. Joining us today to discuss our sexually repressed, homophobic brothers to the south is a man whom, I assure you, is about to become a Blackburn Review favorite. For the second time, I present to you the Masked Musky Blogger, X.U. Today we'll discuss how a ball hog isn't a ball hog if he doesn't miss, whether he would trade Brian Gregory for Chris Mack, and how to be an alcoholic and avoid the wrath of loved ones.

O'Brien: On the last podcast, Donoher brought up the fact that he heard grumblings from some that Jordan Crawford was a ball hog who shoots too much. According to KenPom.com he's currently 10th in the nation, taking 35% of Xavier shots. I'm curious as to your thoughts on this, especially considering he's hitting 45% from the field and 40% from three point range. Isn't this exactly the kind of guy you want hogging the ball?

X.U.: Yes.  Despite his relative inexperience, Crawford is the best shooting guard I've seen in the 20 years I've been following XU basketball. He's had a couple of stinkers, but has also single-handedly kept XU in a few games this season.  I think it's worth noting that he did have a year off, so he's just now rounding into form and his stats in A-10 play (2nd in scoring, 7th in FG%, 5th in FT%, 7th in 3PG%) reflect that. 

He's also gained more confidence in his teammates--he carved up URI's press a couple weeks ago for 24, 12, and 6 assists.  The biggest dimension he adds to this year's team over the last few is that he's absolutely fearless in the end game.  He's hit huge shots in the last minute of at least three games this year (Dayton, Wake, and Butler) that either put XU ahead or iced the game.  And shortly before I typed this, he hit two onionballs to beat UMass and avoid a really embarrassing debacle.

O'Brien: Whats worse, a 19 year old kid stealing a cell phone from a mall, or a group of adults conspiring to give a 17 year old kid $30,000?

X.U.: So I guess this is how the story went:  at some point during the academic year he was sitting out after transferring from Indiana, Jordan Crawford was caught trying to shoplift a cell phone at Kenwood Towne Center.  As a first time offender, he ended up in some sort of diversion/community service program.  I consider myself a pretty close observer of the Xavier basketball program -- I subscribe to Rivals for the recruiting info in the summer, I read all the reports in the paper on offseason progress, etc.  Yet the first I (or apparently anyone outside the athletic department) heard about this incident was a passing mention in an article by Shannon Russell of the Cincinnati Enquirer earlier this season.  In a day and age where you hear "Greg Oden's dong is on the Internet" and don't even think twice, that's incredible.

Was going to show the picture of Oden's dong, went with this instead. Putting aside how insanely stupid it is for the brother of an NBA player to filch a $100 phone, my biggest complaint is the complete banality of the crime.  Where's the former Soviet Republic BAC? Where's the hijacked elephant?  Where's the jar of peanut butter and blanket (he kidnapped himself, man)?  Couldn't he at least have reacted like Drew Lavender and given us an iconic catchphrase ("Fuck this white club")?  Just proof positive XU will always lag behind UC in certain areas.

Given that the incident occurred at least a year ago and appears to have been handled to everyone's satisfaction, I'm not inclined to give a shit.   I'm sure the UD fans will give him just a little grief on Saturday.

O'Brien: At this point in the season, I'm sure most X fans are feeling very comfortable (read: smug) about their NCAA Tournament chances, and rightfully so. Looking back to your expectations for the season, are you surprised by success of this team? Is there a specific weakness you'd like to see the team improve on in the coming weeks?

X.U.: XU is right where I thought they'd be. I probably underestimated the settling in process and the difficulty of the non-conference schedule, but I think I also underestimated the team's talent level and potential ceiling. I need to see more toughness on the glass and at least one road win against quality opposition before I pronounce them dangerous in the post-season.  They get three chances this month to do just that.

O'Brien: As for Saturday, how scared are you to come to the Flyer Fieldhouse? I don't know if you've heard, but until a few weeks ago, Dayton had won 30 games (all basketball) in a row at home. Is "mortified" a strong enough word? Do you think Chris Mack will have to drink during the game in order to keep his composure? As for the physical safety of the Musketeers, has the school added security measures, such as fire-proofing the bus, or maybe putting protective covering over the bench area?

X.U.: I've been to a few XU-UD games at the Arena, the 2003 A-10 Tournament, and the NCAA Tournament subregional up there last March.  No question the place can get loud and hostile.  This is theoretically where the experience of playing at Bramlage Coliseum, Hinkle Fieldhouse, and Lawrence Joel Coliseum earlier in the season helps a team.  We'll see.

I think it's the UD facilities people that ought to be worried -- didn't you get the memo after the Butler game that the XU team are a rampaging horde of Visigoths demolishing all they survey? Why, the Butler players were so dehydrated after the Muskies demolished their beloved water fountain that they immediately took a shit down their leg at UAB.

O'Brien: If you could have traded Chris Mack for Brian Gregory at the beginning of the season would you have done it? What about now?

X.U.: I would have preferred a more experienced candidate than Mack when Miller bolted for Arizona.  In retrospect that was short-sighted. Mack is only a couple years younger than Miller, Gregory, and Matta. He's had eight years of apprenticeship, not only at XU but also on Skip Prosser's staff at Wake Forest.  He definitely can recruit, the only question was his game coaching ability.  It wasn't until the end of Miller's second year that XU started playing with confidence down the stretch.  It's taken Mack 20 games (of course having Jordan Crawford helps).

Brian Gregory is an enigma to me.  He seems to be a strong recruiter with good connections.  He's good enough to take a BCS scalp or two every year.  He wins 20-25 games regularly.  Still, it's puzzling that so many highly touted players stagnate, it's also puzzling that he chooses to persist with 10- and 11-man rotations that include guys with limited skill sets.  He's a good enough coach to keep Dayton at the level they are on, but I don't know if he's the guy to take the next step.  And if he was, he probably wouldn't still be at UD.  So I don't know.

Even though I'm sure Chris Mack's wife (a former UD basketball star) probably wouldn't mind a swap, your red sweaters would have a collective infarction if "that bastard from Evansville" was patrolling the sidelines.  I think Mack's inbounds pass off the UD player's face back in the early 90s is a lasting memory for them, along with that god-damned hippie Bill Walton and the sinking of the Maine by the perfidious Spaniards.

O'Brien: Will weather be a factor in the game on Saturday?

X.U.: I'm actually hearing we're going to get four inches of snow on Friday.  If you've spent any time in Cincinnati that translates to PANIC WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE.  I've already bought huge quantities of plywood for no apparent reason.

O'Brien: Finish this sentence: If Dayton wants to beat X on Saturday they need to ________.

X.U.: Follow the blueprint from last year when they housed a slightly better XU team.  Feed off the intensity of the crowd early, play physical, and crash the boards incessantly.  XU won't shoot as well at UD Arena as they did at home, nor are they likely to get to the line as frequently, so I suspect UD wins if they can repeat the massive rebounding advantage they had in the first game.

OBrien: How excited are you to think that you might be able to slam the door on UD's tournament chances on Saturday? Its gotta be a wet dream come true, right? How do you plan on celebrating if you defeat our Gem City Cage Fighters?

X.U.: Probably going to a 30th birthday party, for what seems like the 36th straight weekend.  I get it, assholes.  You're old.  It's hilarious and zany.Artists Rendering of X.U.

O'Brien: Are you insulted when Dayton fans tell you they have just as good of a program as Xavier, or that Chris Wright is the best player in the state of Ohio?

X.U.: There was a dude on the A-10 message board who used to constantly assert that UD had passed Xavier as a program.  He had charts and graphs and recruiting rankings and all this other stuff.  And since then X has won like 9 NCAA Tournament games.  Maybe the gap isn't as big as XU fans would like to think, but it's a little silly to argue UD is on the same level right now.

There are actually people who think Chris Wright is the best player in Ohio?  Are they aware that (the) Ohio State University is located in Ohio or do they think it's a Kansas City, Missouri thing?

O'Brien: If your life depended on designing a game plan to beat the Musketeers, what would you do?

X.U.: If I was Brian Gregory, and I had a bunch of freakish athletes, I'd employ the K-State plan.  Aggressive, fronting defense all over the court.  Try to hurry XU up.  Force Holloway and Lyons into drive-and-dish situations, force some turnovers.  On offense run like crazy and get to the rim before they can set up the packline.  Contest every offensive rebound.  Shoot Crawford with a tranquilizer gun.

One thing I would not do is try to turn this into a walk-it-up Big Ten game and let said freakish athletes attempt 25 three point goals.

O'Brien: Would you rather win the Dayton game on Saturday or the Florida game next weekend?

X.U.: Dayton.  UD has a better RPI than the Gators, it's a rivalry game, the league title is still in play, and I don't want Tim Tebow to travel back in time and order my mom to abort me.

O'Brien: Prediction time. How does Saturday's contest turn out, what will it take for one of us to triumph? More importantly, what kind of beer are you drinking for the Super Bowl and what's your favorite game time snack?

X.U.: I'm channeling my inner Swampy and taking XU to win in a one-possession affair.  66-63 or something.  I haven't determined my Super Bowl strategy, but it will probably include a lot of random beers chugged on the sly in the garage or bathroom so I don't get the "Why did you drink 13 beers?" speech from my girlfriend on the way home.

You the man X.U.

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Thursday
04Feb2010

A Peak Behind the Curtain: Part II

DateFebruary 4, 2010 | AuthorMr. O'Brien

Zesty gets nervous around girlsBlackburn: Let's get a few more things in, okay? We are going into the hypothetical world, where no answer is too absurd or outlandish.

O'Brien: Shoot, brah.

Blackburn: Which walkon is most likely to go into your wallet and steal cash off of you?

O'Brien: My first thought was Zesterman. Not only does he look like a dick, but from what I hear on the blogs, he actually is a dick. More importantly I'm sure he'd do anything for the affections of the star players, leading Rob Lowery to put him through a week long initiation process into a fake gang for the amusement of the rest of the team.
 
Then as I really started letting the idea of a Flyer stealing my wallet set in, the true culprit became more clear. Just like any TV cop show will tell you, its not the guy who is the most obvious suspect, its the guy who is most likely to offer his help in finding the wallet. Which brings me to Luke Hendrick. You remember seeing him at the Garden? We got the wave or the head nod from a few of the guys (London, call me back), but Luke...Luke winked at us. That sly, smooth bastard is suspect number one. 
 
The recent Gilbert Arenas situation has shined a spotlight on the prevalence of gambling among basketball players. Assuming our Flyers gamble, what kind of game do they play and who is most likely to win or lose the most?

Blackburn: Whatever it is, I bet Chris Wright gambles the most money and tells everyone that he will pay his debts back once he signs his first NBA contract. The room goes silent as people awkwardly rush to change the subject.
 
Getting back to this weekend's game, thoughts on the "whiteout"?

O'Brien: Originally thought it was a joke. Are we trying to scare our players? Just stick with Red. Don't try to get fancy on us. 
 
Wanna play a game?

Blackburn: Last time we played a game three kids at Duke got charged with raping a stripper.

O'Brien: This is different. Lets do a fantasy draft of Atlantic Ten players. I'll go first because I'm awesome.

.....(scans room)......Jordan Crawford.

/Pats self on back.

Blackburn: Crawford was the obvious choice, nicely played. I want to build this team around a point guard, so clearly Richmond's Kevin Anderson is my pick. I considered Juan Fernandez for a millisecond, but KA is my PG.

O'Brien: I already have my team mapped out in my head. I know you're going to build your team around "smart players." Not me.
 
Give me Rodney Green and as many points as possible. I'm going to overwhelm you with sheer talent.

Blackburn: Christ, I'm already picturing Green and Crawford pulling Glocs on each other at halftime. Good luck with that. Next selection is easy, Damian Saunders of Duquesne. How does 15 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks, 3 steals and 3 assists per game sound?
 
You are making this too easy.

O'Brien: Hold your horses right there buddy. Just when you thought it was safe to hit the boards, I'm going to take the guy with the best vert in the league. You guessed it. Chris Wright. I'll let Green and Crawford rain from deep and you can face Wright on the boards.
 
/immediately regrets decision.

Blackburn: Wow, I am shocked and slightly appalled you took Kountry Chris. Although, with Crawford and Green, he assumes the garbage man role he was always born to play. This actually might work.
 
However, how you leave Shamari Spears on the board is beyond me. I'm gonna put Spears on Wright and watched the domination unfold. I don't even care that he is allergic to rebounding, Shamari's sheer strength will be too much for anyone to handle.
 
Spears: will somehow eat his way INTO the leagueSo, I have the best point-guard in the league in Anderson, the A10's best all-around player in Saunders and an enforcer who can score in Spears. I'm already smelling a rout.

O'Brien: Oh hold your horses, son. It ain't over. There are still some BIG BOYS on the board and while Spears may be one of the scariest, I got the tallest and most talented. I'm taking Aaric Murray and telling him he is not to stray more than 10 feet from the basket. At LaSalle he's forced to score to keep his team in the game and with my back court that won't be a problem.
 
So you're facing a high scoring team that can jump or reach over you.
 
I'm only missing one piece from my puzzle. I'll let you fuck up this next pick, then I'll be ready to ride through Atlantic City like whoa.

Blackburn: I'll be honest, Murray was going to be my next pick. He is the only viable option at the center slot. Nevertheless, Rhody's Ketih Cothran will fit in nicely next to Kevin Anderson in the backcourt. Cothran can score, can grab some boards and will make Crawford work on both ends of the floor.
 
You're up. I think you need someone that will, you know, pass the ball?

O'Brien: Ok, for my last pick I'm taking another big man. I'm going to take toughness and desire over raw talent. With Murray and Wright already under the hoop I need someone who isn't afraid to hit the floor for a loose ball or elbow Spears in the kidneys.
 
Ladies and gentlemen, New Jersey's finest, Chris Gaston.

Blackburn: As much as I want to put Dan Geriot on the team, he isn't physically where many expected him to be. So, I'm going to go with St. Bona's Andrew Nicholson in the post. Anderson, Cothran, Saunders, Spears and Nicholson. A good balance of basketball intellegence and talent, I have really outdone myself this time.
 
By the way, congrats on getting nominated for your work in The Hurt Locker. 

O'Brien: I just want to thank my parents and God. I really like my line up, a back court of Crawford and Green. Then have fun trying to get in over Murray and Wright. Oh, by the way if you do try to get over them, Gaston gets $50 on every rib he breaks and $30 for every tooth.

-- FIN --

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Thursday
04Feb2010

A Peak Behind The Curtain: Part I

DateFebruary 4, 2010 | AuthorMr. O'Brien

This is the RAW DATA my friends. This is a rare look behind the scenes, which none of you ever asked for, depicting how the Blackburn Review boys try to take a random tangent and form it into a blog post that will be seen by tens, tens, of you. Also, this is a crutch used by weak writers to formulate structure, when it would take actual talent to do properly.

Blackburn and I sat down around a hand carved table, split a six pack of Becks, munched on his girlfriend's famous tofu queso and discussed the state of our Flyers. We had to break this into two parts, because being drunk Irishmen, we tend to ramble a bit. In this first part, please stop reading unless you'd like to hear our hayseed impressions, a brief discussion as to why white males feel threatened by charity, and our thoughts on Jordan Crawford.  

Just letting you guys know I think Amanda Seyfried is really hot. Blackburn: Pretend for a second that you are a UD fan, one that eats ham & eggs for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Please make an articulable argument as to how the Xavier game is not a must-win. You know how we do it around here, we swim in a sea of truth and greasy Greek boys. However, just this once, I'm letting you channel your inner hayseed -- all bets are off. Explain to me how a 4-4 UD team could reasonably be expected to make the tournament.

O'Brien: Don't listen to those punk blog kids and their silly UNINFORMED options, they all live in fancy NEW YORK CITY, what could they possibly know about Dayton basketball when they are 900 miles away? A loss to Xavier, a team with a top 25 RPI rating, is a QUALITY LOSS. You can't possibly have too many quality losses to top teams. More importantly we'll gain momentum in the loss, we'll have our backs against the wall, and that's just what he need to do what my granddaddy used to say was so important when talking about the war, we'll SEIZE THE INITIATIVE.

After that, getting to the tourney will be easy. Since we never lose at home, we'll take those Charlotte boys and put them back on their fancy flying machine and send him home with a whooping.Then a simple upset those Book of David lovers in Philly, wait till Kurt has a huge day against the pretty boy Geriot in Richmond, and we'll be in prime seating for an A10 AT LARGE BID! If we don't, well I don't know if you heard, but BG is saving something special for Atlantic City. I'll be there, you can find me by the 5 Dollar Buffet!

I'd go on more, but America's Funniest Home Videos is on, and I just love Bob Saget and his wholesome humor. Why can't my girl find a guy like that?

Ok, your turn, city boy. Again, doing your best Ham and Egger impression, tell me why Chris Wright is better than Jordan Crawford.

Blackburn: It's pretty simple really, just compare the YouTube catalogs of both players and it's clear that Chris Wright is the better player. So what if Crawford scores 20 points a game, averages 3.4 assists, shoots 43% from the field and is the best rebounding guard in the conference? You can have em, I likes me some slam-jams. 

Fill in the blank. UD wins on Saturday because ___________. I pretend to care about the situation in Haiti, but really I think ____________.

O'Brien: UD wins Saturday because Luke Fabrizius plays 15 minutes. Xavier isn't stupid, and without Luke, we don't have the shooters to stretch the Xavier defense. They are going to sag, clog the lane, and laugh every time we shoot. While Luke isn't my favorite player, with our horrific shooting this season his one skill becomes essential to the success of the team as a whole. If they respect Luke, we find lanes. To draw a comparison to WWII, the trick to defeating the Maginot Line is to find a way around it, not to head directly into it.

As for Haiti. I get it. Privileged white males, who were never handed anything, don't understand Don't be an insufferable prick. Text 'Haiti' to 90999.why they should be giving hand out to others. I didn't run to give my pay check to Haiti for the sake of making myself feel smug because I already have a charity of my choice that I give what I believe is a good amount to (though I did do the cell phone thing). The reason why people give is because they want to feel connected to something bigger than themselves, while for others, they only feel motivated to act when they are overcome for the sorrow other face in comparison to their own. Listen, give/don't give. I'm not going to pat your back for giving, or shake my finger at you not. Let me tell you one thing though, if you don't find a way, some how, to help others when you know you aren't getting anything in return, you'll find yourself alone. Filthy, filthy rich, but alone.

Can we go back to basketball? Lets put the spotlight on BG. Two questions, who can we blame the lack of offense on BG's coaching, or a dearth of talent. Second question, if you're a mid-major program's AD, and your coach goes to the Dance every single year and loses in the first round, how many years do you let him pull the one and done before you get frustrated and fire him?

Blackburn: The buck always stops with the players. Marcus Johnson's struggles cannot be understated. Coming into this season, MJ seemed like one of the guys this team could rely on for consistent offense. His performance this year has been nothing short of catastrophic. From there, it all rolls downhill. Chris Wright hasn't developed anything that doesn't involve jumping at an uncontested rim, the big men are mere afterthoughts, Luke Fab has been too banged up (something I think we might deal with for the next two seasons as well) to consistently help the squad, and Rob Lowery hasn't provided the type of spark we all expected upon his return. In short, it's been a perfect storm of offensive ineptitude that predictably led to Dayton sitting on the outside looking in.

As far as the none-and-done situation, I think it depends on the program. For a place like Xavier, that would certainly be a disappointment considering the legacy they have established for their program. For UD, the expectations aren't quite at that level, so I think it would take three or four years of losing in the first round before intelligible rumblings began to echo throughout the Gem City.

What scares you more, Jordan Crawford with the ball in his hands at the end of a close game or your girlfriend checking your internet history?

O'Brien: Well Blackburn, I know you're old and still use Internet Explorer, but us young bucks use Firefox and they can delete your history from just the past hour. So you can keep your entire history, except the past hour. So as long as you remember to erase at the ending of your viewing session, you can watch all you want, without the suspicious "erase all history" choice which is as good as an admission of guilt.

Which brings me to Crawford. Reading his numbers alone, and coupling that with his talent, I'd rather play Russian roulette with a semi-automatic than have him square up for the last shot in a one point game. I'm actually planning on watching this game sober (well, hungover), so hopefully I'll remember what happens in the second half this time.

How do you think we're going to defend Crawford on Saturday, and what kind of game do you think we need to limit him to for the W?

Dante Jackson is what happens when you're busy guarding Jordan Crawford. Blackburn: Crawford is like any other scorer out there, he is going to get his no matter what kind of schemes you create to stop him. Looking back a few weeks ago, it wasn't so much JC but Dante Jackson that hurt UD. Jackson was able to hang out on the perimeter and wait for kickouts created by Holloway and Crawford. To his credit, he knocked them down.

I don't think UD does anything different this weekend. The Flyers did everything they could to win that game, Crawford just hit the type of shots no one else on the floor could hit. I will say this, if Rob Lowery goes 3-for-17 from the field again, it could be a long afternoon for Dayton.

O'Brien: Nah, I agree, I also don't think Crawford gets into foul trouble again. Wanna hear something funny though? Lowery has almost identical stats to what he had last year when we were celebrating his offensive prowess. Sadly, if you had to point at one person and blame them for the offense, you are correct, it's Marcus, whose numbers are so bad, I'd take his freshman season over this.

Blackburn: So if Crawford stays out of foul trouble where does that leave us?

O'Brien: In a fight for our season. I asked the X blogger this, and I'll ask you this too....If you could trade Chris Mack for BG would you do it?

Blackburn: I have an unspoken and unrecognized kinship with BG, so I will say no. It just feels dirty to me. Although even the harshest Xavier critic would have to admit that Mack has done a remarkable job with this club. After losing a head coach and three major contributors, X hasn't lost a step. Once again, the Muskies are atop the A10 standings.

X is a runaway train at this point. This tells me one thing, that Xavier is a program that stands on its own. Regardless of who is leading the team, X will continue to be a player in the conference and nationally. This gets back to something we covered on the last podcast. This season was an excellent opportunity for UD to gain some ground on Xavier, but thus far it appears that they might actually fall another step or two behind. That's the subplot of this year's debacle.

Big picture, if the conference gets 4-5 bids this March, and UD is not among the selections, what's the state of the program?

O'Brien: Probably the most massive disappointment since Brooks Hall. As much as we'll complain though, Juwan Staten is coming to town and he steal the "Chris Wright Era." If we miss the tournament, no big deal if we make it in 2011. If we miss it two years in a row, with this much talent on the roster, well, you might have to follow your kinship with Brian Gregory to Manhattan City College. I've always lived in the season, especially with Dayton basketball, but it's hard to not take comfort in the thought that when we say "we'll get them next year," we might actually mean it for a change.

How close are we to living out your worst case scenario for this season? This is getting pretty close to it for me and even with that in my mind, it's good to know that we may be down, but at least we're not out....well, not yet.

Blackburn: Here is a simple way of looking at things, and it's certainly the only shred of hope I have remaining. To realistically be considered for an at-large bid, UD is going to have to go 8-1, 7-2 to close out the season. At least that's what my instincts tell me.

Now, what's more realistic, UD running roughshod over the next nine games and cementing their at-large status, or the Flyers winning three in a row in Atlantic City and receiving an auto-bid? I'd have to go with the latter. I have more faith that UD could catch some breaks against conference foes that have already wrapped up bids in the A10 tourney than closing out the regular season in dominating fashion.

Agree, disagree, no longer care?

O'Brien: If we win on Saturday, I'll take that win and say we're about to make a run. Win or lose, I couldn't agree more about AC. It makes sense to think that our frenetic style of defense can wear teams down, especially when they are playing 3 games in 4 days. Wait, has that worked yet?

Ok well the phone sex commercials are coming on, so I'm going to be busy for the rest of the night.

GO UD

-- END PART ONE --

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Tuesday
02Feb2010

The last one before the final one

DateFebruary 2, 2010 | AuthorMr. Blackburn

Yup, it's that time again. Time to feel better about yourself and your pursuits. We break out the old reel-to-reel and discuss UD's upcoming tussle with the Xavier Musketeers. Donoher tries to make O'Brien cry. A classic story of redemption unfolds before your eyes.

Head over to the podcast section if you dare.

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Monday
01Feb2010

The Atlantic 10 Rodeo

DateFebruary 1, 2010 | AuthorHarry Baujan

Welcome back to another enthralling installment of The A-10 Rodeo.  As always we will discuss some news worthy items from last week as well as highlight the top performers, and take a look at this upcoming week.  Let’s get it started:

News

URI topped UD 65-64 at UD Arena snapping the Flyers 30 game home win streak and the 2nd longest streak in the NCAA.  Delroy James posted 22 points in only 23 minutes of play due to foul trouble.  Marquis Jones had only 5 points in the game but 3 of those came in the bomb that he dropped with 3 seconds left.  The UD star performer was Kaptain Kurt who did not miss a shot going 4-4 from the field and 2-2 from the line to finish with 10 points and 9 boards.  The question moving forward will be, is UD Arena still one of the toughest places to play?

Temple traveled to Charlotte to witness the Derrio Green show.  Green put up 26 points on 9-15 shooting to lead the 49ers to a 74-64 win over the conference leader.  Ryan Brooks once again carried Temple with a 20 point performance but Juan Fernandez was limited due to foul trouble.  The sophomore guard, who averages 12.6 PPG on 43% 3pt shooting, was limited to 24 minutes of play and scored only 3 points on 1-5 shooting before fouling out.  The 49er victory left both teams at 6-1 in conference and ½ game behind Xavier for the #1 spot.

Highs and Lows

Xavier welcomed the Fordham Rams to the Cintas Center for a good ol’ fashioned ass kicking.  Paced by Jordan Crawford’s 23 points (7-11 shooting) in just 26 minutes of play, the Muskies won 108-60.  Xavier scored more points (63) in the second half than 7 A-10 teams scored in their respective games this passed week.  One of those 7 teams being the SLU Billikens, who traveled to Richmond and left their scoring back in Missouri.  Despite an 18 point performance by Kwamain Mitchell, the Billikens put up a dismal 36 points in the game, dropping the contest 62-36.

Top Performers

Derrio Green, Charlotte vs. Temple

  • As I predicted last week, this was going to be a game to watch and Derrio Green made sure of that.  The sophomore guard, who averages a solid 13.8 PPG, nearly doubled that average with his 26 point performance against the Owls.  As if that was not good enough, UMass was subjected to the Green Show as well, as Derrio dropped 34 points on 8-16 shooting from behind the arc.  Shamari Spears must be thanking Green for overshadowing the fact that Spears had 15 points between the two games on 7 of 22 shooting.

Jason Love, Xavier vs. Duquesne

  • I know, I am as shocked to write it as you are to read it, that a Xavier player not named Crawford is among the top performers.  I just could not over look Love’s performance in this game, as he posted up 17 points and 9 rebounds in only 19 minutes of play.  The most impressive part of this performance is Love’s 8 of 9 shooting from the field.  Granted he’s a big man, but it is impressive anytime someone shoots 89% from the field.

Jordan Crawford, Xavier vs. Temple

  • Don’t worry, you all will get your Crawford fix.  Jordan led the way in the Xavier drubbing of Fordham with 23 points on 7 of 11 shooting and 9 of 9 from the line.  As he continues to be my favorite for A-10 POY, there are 2 games that he needs to have big performances in, in order to remain on top: @UD this Saturday and @Charlotte 2/20.  He better not slow down because there are 3 players who are waiting in the wings: Ryan Brooks, Andrew Nicholson, and Shamari Spears.

Delroy James, URI vs. UD

  • I was shocked that the ball was not in James’ hands for the game winner, after he had made it rain all night.  James finished the game with 22 points on 7 of 11 shooting including 6 of 8 from beyond the arc.  While battling foul trouble for most of the game, James proved to be effective in his limited, 23 minutes of play.

Ricky Harris, UMass vs. SJU

  • While there have not been too many shining lights on this year’s UMass squad, Ricky Harris is definitely one.  The senior guard is averaging nearly 18 PPG and improved on that average against the Hawks.  Harris led the Minutemen to victory through his 23 point and 8 rebound performance.  Not known for his effective shooting (41% FG, 28% 3pt on the year), Harris connected on 7 of his 14 FG attempts in the game.  Keep watching for high point totals from Harris as he has nothing to lose as he lets the shots fly.

Looking Forward to This Week

2/6- XU @ UD

  • This is the game that many of us are looking forward to.  Now that the nation’s second longest home win streak has been snapped, is UD Arena as intimidating of a place to play as it used to be?  This game will be a good indicator of that.  In this “rivalry” you can throw statistics out the window and it will come down to who will lead their team to victory: Chris Wright or Jordan Crawford.  This is a must win game for the Flyers while the Muskies love nothing more than to travel up 75 to break some hearts.

2/6- Temple @ Richmond

  • Richmond comes into this game boasting a 10-1 home record and look to improve that to 11-1 with a win over the visiting Owls.  As with most of the Temple games, this will be a matchup centered around guard play.  Juan Fernandez and Ryan Brooks combine for roughly 48% of the Owls total PPG.  On the other side of the ball, the 2 guard attack of Kevin Anderson and David Gonzalvez account for 45% of the Spiders PPG.  Look for a showdown between these 4 players and a tough defensive battle as both teams allow only 60 PPG. 
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