The Overlords are Coming...

Head Overlord Returns, Championship Forthcoming

Xavier's Tu Holloway has announced his intentions via Twitter tonight:

And with that...

The A-10? She's a finicky cat

The University of Dayton: even the hugs are segregatedJust when they think we are dead, they pull us back in. The Flyer built up a 17-point lead in the second half and had to rely on a Luke Fabrizius offensive rebound (his only rebound of the game) to escape Boardwalk Hall with a victory against Our Overlords to the South, 68-67. Fabrizius grabbed Chris Johnson’s missed runner with 6 seconds left and was fouled by X’s Mark Lyons. The junior, who is statistically one of UD's poorer foul-shooters, calmly hit both freebies to put the Flyers up 68-67. After some interference from Juwan Staten, Tu Holloway hoisted a 35-footer that banked out. Game, set, match and Dayton breaks a thirty year drought against their rivals away from UD Arena.

I didn’t think Dayton could shoot as well as they did against UMass on Tuesday night, and that hypothesis was rudely refuted today as the Flyers continued their hot-shooting against the Muskies. The Flyers shot a mouth-watering 52% from the floor and a pants-tightening 62% from behind the arc. We should probably be concerned that Dayton shot lights-out and had to hang on for a one-point victory, but at this point in the season you stop caring about subtle details. Only results matter. The next loss ends the year, and we remain beggars not choosers.

On one hand, it is a terrific win for the program, especially in a season that has tested our nerves and patience. One the other, it’s the type of victory that aids the simple among us in seeing something that isn’t there. So, let’s be clear. The win today changes nothing about the trajectory of this season. Today’s win does not mean this season has been a success or that Brian Gregory has maximized the talent on his roster. Unless the Flyers cut down the nets on Sunday afternoon, Dayton is nothing more than the ninth place team in the Atlantic Ten, headed to a postseason tournament that no one cares about.  However, we are two more wins from changing all of that, which is something none of us could have imagined a few weeks ago.

The Flyers now turn their attention to the St. Joseph’s Hawks, winners in overtime against Duquesne this afternoon. This means that either Dayton or St. Joe’s will play for the Atlantic Ten championship – with an outside shot at earning an at-large bid. Might as well be UD, right?

Last thing, everyone is very excited about the victory today (and rightly so), but I know what’s really on everyone’s minds: what was the handshake situation? Did Xavier shake hands before the game? After? Obviously, that’s what we really care about, if those thugs (read: scary young, black men) from Xavier shook hands with our golden angels from Dayton.

Seriously, a large segment of our fan base is composed of rural, mouth-breathing, frightened, old white men. It’s unfortunate, but it’s just the cross we progressive fans will have to deal with for the time being. These Neanderthals will die off eventually.

(Last, last thing: I know we deride the cretins over at UDPride mercilessly here, but apparently Muskie fans can exercise questionable intellgence as well. Check out this thread from Musketeer Madness.)

Dayton vs. Xavier

Dayton vs. Xavier

The A-10 Awards and the Prestigious Bloggies

No real surprises today, as the Atlantic Ten announced its Player and Coach of the Year. Both winners are Overlords to the South. The awards are listed below for your perusal:

First Team
Tu Holloway, Xavier (POY)
Justin Harper, Richmond
Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure
Kevin Anderson, Richmond
Lavoy Allen, Temple

Second Team
Bill Clark, Duquesne
Tony Taylor, George Washington
Ramone Moore, Temple
Damian Saunders, Duquesne
Delroy James, Rhode Island

Third Team
Mark Lyons, Xavier
Jamel McLean, Xavier
Juan Fernandez, Temple
Anthony Gurley, Massachusetts
Chris Wright, Dayton

Honorable Mention
Kenny Frease, Xavier
Chris Johnson, Dayton
Scootie Randall, Temple
Chris Gaston, Fordham

All Defensive Team:
Damian Saunders, Duquesne (DPOY)
Lavoy Allen, Temple – Received 2 of 11 DPOY Votes
Tu Holloway, Xavier
Kevin Smith, Richmond
Marquis Jones, Rhode Island

All-Rookie Team:
TJ McConnell, Duquesne (RPOY)
Juwan Staten, Dayton
Langston Galloway, St. Joe’s
Dwayne Evans, Saint Louis
Tyreek Duren, LaSalle

Coach of the Year:
Chris Mack, Xavier

Most Improved Player
Scootie Randall, Temple

Sixth Man of the Year
Khalif Wyatt, Temple

All-Academic Team
Steve Weingarten, La Salle (Student-Athlete of the Year)
Brian Conklin, Saint Louis
Paul Eckerle, Saint Louis
Will Martell, Rhode Island
Juan Fernandez, Temple

In a related note, most of the conference bloggers and some other luminaries have voted on the awards as well.

The A-10 Bloggies:

First Team:
Tu Holloway, Xavier(POY) – Received 11 of 12 POY Votes
Justin Harper, Richmond
Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure – Received 1 of 12 POY Votes
Kevin Anderson, Richmond
Delroy James, Rhode Island

Second Team:
Bill Clark, Duquesne
Anthony Gurley, Umass
Ramone Moore, Temple
Damian Saunders, Duquesne
Chris Gaston, Fordham

Third Team:
Lavoy Allen, Temple
Carl Jones, St. Joe’s
Tony Taylor, George Washington
Jamel McLean, Xavier
Aaric Murray, LaSalle

All Defensive Team:
Damian Saunders, Duquesne(DPOY) – Received 8 of 11 DPOY Votes
Lavoy Allen, Temple – Received 2 of 11 DPOY Votes
CJ Aiken, St. Joe’s
Jamel McLean, Xavier – Received 1 of 11 DPOY Votes
TJ McConnell, Duquesne

All-Rookie Team:
TJ McConnell, Duquesne(RPOY) – Received 6 of 12 RPOY Votes
Juwan Staten, Dayton – Received 1 of 12 RPOY Votes
Langston Galloway, St. Joe’s – Received 4 of 12 RPOY Votes
Mike McCall, Saint Louis
Tyreek Duren, LaSalle
* Dwayne Evans Received 1 First Place Vote, but didn’t receive enough votes otherwise*

Coach of the Year:
Chris Mack, Xavier – Received 11 of 12 COY Votes
* Mark Schmidt received other vote*

Most Improved Player:
Nikola Malesevic, Rhode Island - Received 3 of 11 POY Votes
*Kenny Frease and Scootie Randall each received 2 Votes*
*Carl Jones, Justin Harper, Anthony Gurley, Javarris Barnett each received 1 vote*

Underperforming Team:
Shamari Spears, Charlotte(UPOY) – Received 6 of 10 UPOY Votes
Chris Wright, Dayton
Lavoy Allen, Temple – Received 2 of 12 UPOY Votes
Francis Martel, Richmond
Idris Hilliard, St. Joe’s
*Idris Hilliard and Chris Johnson each received 1 vote, but didn’t receive enough votes otherwise*

Xavier Recap: Business as Usual, Part II

This was a statement game in more ways than one. It was a referendum on the current state of the Dayton program, the light years of separation between the Flyers and their Overlords to the South, and yet another telling chapter in the tailspun legacy of Chris Wright.

With the despondent among us debating whether or not a seventh place team in the Atlantic Ten could muster the strength to make a late-season run at an at-large bid, the Musketeers seemed to do us all a favor and quash that train of thought before it got down the tracks. Xavier dominated the first-half, took all of UD’s punches in the second and held on for a 66-62 win at UD Arena. It was a resounding win for the Muskies (a season sweep for X) and a season-deflating loss for the Gem City Cagers.

Dayton’s three-point shooting kept the game within reach for most of the game. Chris Johnson, who finished with a team-high 22 points, was particularly effective, hitting 4-of-7 from deep. UD shot an uncharacteristically high 45% from behind the arc, while Xavier could only muster a paltry 20% from three-point range. However as easily as tight games can flip on a three-point bucket, they usually come down to late-game execution and the leadership of its better players.

If anything can succinctly sum up the state of the programs, and the outcome of this afternoon’s ballgame, it’s this: Xavier has Tu Holloway, Dayton has Chris Wright. No other context needs to be provided.

Careers are defined by games like today’s matchup at UD Arena.  Simply put, big players live to play in big games. In a game Dayton desperately needed to extend their season, Wright was absolutely abysmal. Scoring just nine points (his first bucket coming nearly thirty minutes into the contest) on 4-of-14 shooting, Wright showed up to the party late and almost uninvited. When Wright wasn’t busy getting beat backdoor by Jeff Robinson or conceding putback slams to Jamel McLean, he was a human turnover machine. The senior captain spun and stumbled into a game-high six turnovers. In a career chock full of meaningful games where he failed to show up, this might have been Wright’s masterpiece.

For the Chris Wright pumpers out there, if there are any left, today was the type of game that must leave you feeling sheepish for defending him so intently. Once you dig past the YouTube clips and the come-from-behind blocks, you are left with a rather light resume. A career thirteen point scorer who went just 2-6 against his chief rival. We will have some final thoughts about CW’s legacy in the coming weeks, but store today’s performance in your memory banks. The next time someone mentions Wright’s name in the same sentence as Stanley, Waleskowski or Roberts – refer them to February 27, 2011.

On the flip side, Tu Holloway was extraordinary as always, putting his team on his back when they needed it most. The likely A-10 Player of the Year served up yet another dagger against Dayton, connecting on a three-pointer with 42 seconds on the clock. That extended the lead to five for the Musketeers and gave Xavier the breathing room they needed to close the game out. Xavier reflected their leader down the stretch: cool, calm and collected. They never wavered or panicked. The Muskeeteers, with all the chips stacked against them the entire year, are headed to another NCAA tournament. The Flyers are left with unfounded excuses and the thought that tomorrow might not even bring a brighter day.     

So, where does this loss leave us in the immediate future? Well, no longer searching for answers, that’s for sure. Our suspicions have been justified. This is a mediocre basketball program, led by a mediocre coach, enjoying yet another mediocre season. But don’t you fret Flyer fans, that magical twentieth win is still out there for the taking. A hollow achievement in an unquestionably fruitless season.

Xavier @ Dayton

A Candlelit Conversation with Dana and Victory

Two men of leisure, from different universities and parts of the world, sit down to discuss this Sunday's Jimmy Carter Classic. Here is the result:

D&V: Here's an initial thought. Much is made about how Xavier and Dayton are historic rivals. But has this rivalry ever really been competitive?  UD leads the all-time series 82-71. Yet since 1984, Xavier is 40-16 against the Flyers. So, between the first meeting (a scintillating 20-16 encounter between Bo Ryan's Flyers and Dick Bennett's Musketeers) in 1920 and 1984, Dayton won 66 of the 97 meetings.  Why is this such a big deal?

TB: Those numbers are jarring. It seems like this matchup has never fit the mold of a "true" competitive rivalry. I've never really understood why this is a big deal. It just seems like the two schools have been linked together, in some capacity, since I can remember.

The key, and this can't be overlooked, is that the fans/alumni buy into it. That's all you really need to manufacture a rivalry. Speaking from UD's point of view, I think it's important for Flyers fans to see themselves in the same class or category as the Muskies. It's surely a point of comparison for the program, although how realistic a comparison is up for debate.

In my mind, this is why there is so much apprehension from Dayton to firm up an annual game with Wright State. UD is fearful of being linked to WSU, even though the program certainly has more in common with the Raiders than Xavier.

Again, I'm with you. I came to UD without a lot of historical perspective on the X/UD "rivalry." I knew they were rivals in the demographical-geographical sense of the word, but had no clue that people would play it up to the level they did.

I'd be interested in your thoughts on the matter.

D&V: It's interesting -- I recently got an e-mail from a guy who, like me, grew up with the mid- to late-80s Musketeers and stayed a huge fan. His question was: what are we missing? Both of us view the UC rivalry as Armageddon and the UD clashes as slightly more important than a garden-variety league game. My only hypothesis is that the older XU fans hate Dayton because Dayton used to kick the shit out of Xavier on a regular basis and was by far the more successful program. Meanwhile, the younger folks have bought into the rivalry as UD has made it more and more of a focus and it's got more and more heated. But those in the late 20s/30s age bracket (at least among XU fans) grew up expecting Xavier to pummel UD and viewing the yearly game with Huggins and his goons as the hinge point of the season. It's a little bewildering. But I do credit the UD fanbase for juicing up these games. During Purnell's tenure especially, the atmosphere at UD Arena for the games was ridiculously intense and it took a few years but the Cintas crowds have caught up a bit. For whatever reason the game strikes a chord now and that can't be bad for either program.

The first game between these teams was probably played at a higher level than any regular season game I can recall in the Atlantic 10 over the last six or seven years, maybe since the Nelson-West teams at St. Joseph's.  Xavier's offensive efficiency for the game was 1.29 points per possession; Dayton's was 1.21 points per possession. Dayton's offensive efficiency was the highest Xavier has given up all season (including a 20-point loss to UC and a 15-point loss to Gonzaga) and was their third-best showing of the year.  Xavier's offensive efficiency was the highest Dayton has given up all season (including a 32-point loss to UC) and Xavier's fifth best of the year. The game really came down to foul shooting, and some unreliable Muskies historically came up huge.

Given all this, it's inevitable that the final score on Sunday will be 47-44, right?

TB: I certainly think that's true, older UD fans view the matchup through a completely different spectrum than the younger generation does. It's hard for them to conceive of the direction the two programs have taken over the past decade or so. While UD was trying to polish a shit-sandwich last season, X fans were relishing yet another Sweet 16 appearance. That's gotta burn.

As far as this weekend goes, nothing would surprise me. UD will certainly struggle to stop Holloway and Frease again, and I'm not sure we can bank on a 17-point performance from Staten. It's not a comforting thought to think UD played its best game of the season and still came up short.

This game has to offer X fans some added intrigue, as a win could slaughterer whatever at-large hopes UD fans have been holding onto.

D&V: It adds a little spice, but the desperate team seems to have an advantage in college basketball, especially at home.

So Dayton went on kind of a shitty run there for a while -- home loss to Richmond in a decent performance, complete surrender away to Duquesne, and then never really were in the game against Temple. Yet they got a really nice comeback victory last Saturday. Is this a team that is turning a corner or is just impossible to say what they'll do on a night to night basis?

Also, does this game have bigger implications for the UD program than simply a rivalry game and a final lifeline for the tournament? If UD should lose (or win and then miss the NCAA after further losses), is Gregory's job in jeopardy? Is Staten more inclined to shop around? In other words, are we looking at a season-defining game for the Flyers?

TB: There is nothing more certain in life than this: Brian Gregory ain't going anywhere. The only way he is leaving Dayton is if he gets rounded up in a child prostitution ring. And given the Catholic church's lax stance on child molestation, he might just get a slap on the wrist. UD signed Gregory to a high-risk, high-reward contract extension. The deal made complete sense philosophically, it was simply too long of an extension. To extend a mid-major coach to 2018 makes less than no sense. Financially, UD is stuck in its current situation; discussing Gregory's future isn't even an option.

Haven't had much feedback about the Staten situation in a few weeks. Received some info on some of the schools that have been in contact with him recently, but nothing that would indicate his motivation either way. It's hard to dig through all the rumors and get at the truth of the Staten matter. All you can really do is put yourself in his shoes and assume he makes the best decision for his future. Personally, I would hate to see the kid leave, but would totally understand if he did. So that is that.

How jealous would you be if UD was able to hang back-to-back NIT championship banners next November?

D&V: Yeah, playing in the NIT is a disaster. But, on the other hand, UD took that disaster and made disasterade. During my single days, one night I got completely hammered drunk at a bar and, being an "articulate and well-spoken" young man, managed to acquire the telephone number of a young lady. She called me later that week and we set up a dinner. It was at this point I realized I had no earthly clue what she looked like. So I got there early and this mildly unpleasant-looking, slightly robust young lady approaches me. I had hoped for an at-large bid, instead I got Illinois State at home in front of 6,000 angry people. But, like the 2009-10 Dayton Flyers, did I turtle up and die? No I did not. I reached Madison Square Garden and lifted that trophy.

Let's discuss Sunday's game quickly so we can get to more interesting matters.

According to the La Salle Ministry of Information, the infidel Musketeers won a hard-fought, close victory on Tuesday over the Explorers. According to the Dayton Daily News, the Flyers slaughtered Duquesne on Saturday in a glorious and epochal triumph. Who has the momentum headed into Sunday? Which members of Brian Gregory's 14-man rotation are critical to scoring an upset victory?

TB: Set up a dinner? Who are you, Truman Capote? I can appreciate giving Illinois State a rather soft touch, but let's be honest -- that game was a overweight woman with alopecia and a lazy eye that leaks. The real move there would have been to drink yourself into a good soused condition before texting said lady at closing time. In and out, none of this formal dining rubbish. Amateur hour.

As far as Sunday goes, both teams seem to be coming into the game with a bit of momentum. Dayton has strung together two consecutive conference wins and Xavier just continues to cruise through their league slate with ease. I'd have to say the pressure is all on UD. The game is at home and the Flyers obviously need the win to keep their flame aflutter. Xavier has no such worries. 

If we are going to isolate one player that is key to a Flyer victory, it has to be Juwan Staten. Staten was offensively masterful in the last matchup and UD will need a similar performance if it hopes to nose out a win this weekend. 

Any chance UD can catch Xavier looking ahead to the postseason? 

D&V: Oh, I admit I fucked up. Next time I won't leave my good monocle at home before a night on the booze. This is why Baby Jesus invented camera phones.

I do not imagine that Xavier will be looking past this game. Last year's defeat at UD was humiliating, and the team completely self-destructed after early foul trouble put them in a hole. Still, the last two trips for X up to UD have resulted in double-digit losses, and in both X was outhustled and outworked early, leading to big deficits. I think the first five minutes of this game are critical. If Xavier can weather what promises to be a manic Dayton team and crowd early (the same way they managed to keep Richmond close in the first few minutes), then the Muskies have a good chance to win.

The big matchup for me is Dante Jackson on Chris Johnson. According to Ken Pomeroy, this season Xavier's rebounding performance from the small forward position has been among the worst in basketball. Musketeer threes have an offensive rebounding percentage of just 18.6 (310th in D-I) and a defensive rebounding percentage of 13.9 (334th in D-I). Jackson plays 90% of the Muskies' small forward minutes. What this means is that Johnson could be a huge factor on the offensive glass, where his athleticism and positioning could allow easy putbacks of shots missed against Xavier's tough interior defenders.

From a defensive perspective, X will almost certainly start in man-to-man but I wouldn't be surprised to see some 3-2 and 2-3 zone looks if the Flyers come out cold from the perimeter. I also expect Xavier to try to shorten the game -- use the shot clock, force UD into half-court offense as much as possible.

Any tactical wrinkles to look for from the Flyers? Perhaps a shirtless boxing session beforehand?

TB: Tactical wrinkles? From BG? Surely you jest. Considering this is Chris Wright's last home game against Xavier we can assume a prayer circle will be involved. Brian Gregory will miraculously turn timeouts into stalled offensive possessions.

UD fans' expectations change by the hour, how about Our Overlords to the South? What's the big picture this March?

D&V: Expectations have already been exceeded for this bunch. Certainly would prefer to put a scare into someone in the tournament, but when you beat Wofford in triple overtime after a tip in off an intentionally missed foul shot and a disallowed basket that left the shooter's hand .0000000001 sections too late, you don't get to bitch too much. The pundits have X somewhere between 6 and 8 and that seems about right.

Let's move on to more important issues. What the fuck happened to Duquesne? What the fuck happened to Richmond?

Finally, I think we should preview our Rogue A-10 Awards by naming the interim all-A-10 white guy team. As I indicated a while back, I have Fernandez, McConnell, Malesavic, Geriot, and Frease.

TB: No clue what happened to either team, but there were indications in the early going that these clubs weren't ON DEAM. The Dukes played a hobo's row, which included a loss to Bobby Morris, and Richmond is holding onto that Purdue win like Mucaulay Culkin must grasp onto stories about fucking Mila Kunis. I had Richmond second and Duquesne finishing fifth back in January. I regret nothing. 

I'm uber-excited for the Rogue A-10 Awards. Since you've established that gentlemen of Latin descent count as white (I guess we are going with the "one drop" theory), my team is as follows: Kenneth Frease, Daniel Geriot, Timmy John McConnell, Nikola Malesvic and (I'm going to break form) Brian Conklin.

How about most disappointing player of the year?

D&V: Hmmm...I guess I have two. First, Shamari Spears was supposed to be a human double-double for Charlotte this year. The fat tub of goo -- who looks a bit like Cookie Monster's Abyssinian cousin -- should have been the anchor for a talented 49er front line. Instead, he smarts off to Alan Major (perhaps criticizing the latter's hairline) and gets himself run off. Meanwhile, Charlotte has only the Tennessee and Xavier upsets -- signs, perhaps, of how good they might have been with Spears and Jones -- to neutralize the rot of an forgettable season.

Second, and this is really harsh on a guy who isn't that bad, but Lavoy Allen was supposed to be an all-league player, right? His numbers aren't bad (10.9 ppg, 7.5 rpg) I suppose, but I think most expected more of a talented senior post man in Dunphy's offense.

TB: Allen has to be the pick. Like you said, it's not that he necessarily underachieved this season, it's just that he didn't have the type of year most would have expected. I was thinking he was a possible 18 and 10 guy in a very weak A-10 this season.

As far as tomorrow’s game goes, I'm going to take UD in a tight one simply because it's at UD Arena. You play this game anywhere else and I bet the farm on X. Still, wouldn't be surprised if Xavier comes out and blows the Flyers' doors off.

D&V: I've got X in a very tight, low-scoring affair but I've been second-guessing myself all day. I really think the situation at the second TV time out determines this one. If UD runs out 10 points up the way they did the last two years, it's a laugher. The longer X keeps it close the more likely that Mack and Holloway conjure up a way to win.

The A-10 Rodeo

Welcome back to another thrilling rendition of The A-10 Rodeo, where we recap the week that was around the underperforming, mid-major conference. I had emailed Eamonn Brennan of ESPN's College Basketball Nation Blog a month ago to ask, among other things, how he could possibly have predicted Chris Wright to be the A-10 POY. I figured it was a shot in the dark to get a response seeing as how the guy writes about college basketball for a living and we are in the heart of conference play, but alas, my iPhone beeped as I was meandering through the women's section of Macy's with my girlfriend.  

Low and behold, Eamonn wrote me a pretty length response that I have to give him props for. When I questioned his choice for CW I had asked how he could make that prediction when the reigning (official) A-10 POY was in fact, still playing in the A-10. Little did I know when I sent the email that I would soon be changing my own view of the POY race as Justin Harper was about to embark on a run that would catapult him into a two man race with Tu Holloway. Eamonn's response sounded all too familiar to the sentiments found on this site about Chris Wright:

First, I'll address the A-10 player of the year pick: I'm dumb. I went out on a limb. I should have known better. Kevin Anderson is awesome; Chris Wright is, well, Chris Wright. Oh well. 

It is unfortunate when someone who doesn't follow UD directly can be dead on with assessing CW's season by stating "Chris Wright is, well, Chris Wright." Much like Jordan Crawford last year, Justin Harper has won over the love and affection of The Rodeo and I anticipate that he will continue to be featured in the Top Performers section each and every week. Strap up your boots and let's get this rodeo started:

News

Much to the dismay of our readers, Xavier has solidified themselves as the frontrunner of the A-10 with an eleven point victory against Temple. Led by a near triple-double by Holloway, the Musketeers shot a ridiculous 52% from the field and 61% from beyond the arc. Going into the season, the Owls were everyone's favorite to win the conference, and some even hoped that they would run the tables in the A-10 with a perfect 16-0 record. Not only are their dreams of a perfect conference season shattered, but they now have an uphill battle the rest of the way as they are 3-2 in conference and 3-3 on the road this season. Taking a look at their remaining schedule, the Owls have six away games left. Those games are at St. Joe's, LaSalle, UD, Duke, GW, and UMass. I am saying it now, the Temple Owls will finish the year 6-6 on the road with victories over St. Joe's, LaSalle, and GW and dropping their contests at UD, Duke, and UMass. Granted this is not a time to panic for the Owls, but they cannot expect to get a bid come March if they continue to flirt with .500 in conference.

Duquesne continues on the hot streak that they are on, having won their last eight including their first five A-10 contests. Even though the Dukes have not seen too many challenging opponents in conference play, they have won every contest by double digits, including an impressive twelve point victory over the aforementioned Temple Owls. Duquesne is getting some love on the national scene as they received one vote in the AP Top 25 poll this week. The Dukes should improve to 6-0 as they travel to the Big Apple to take on Fordham before hosting UD this weekend.

The Blackburn Review A10 Power Poll

Top Performers

Anthony Gurley -- UMass vs. Richmond

• Gurley showed exactly what he's known for, as he scored 30 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the three-point line in the Minutemen's loss against Richmond. Despite his sharpshooting night from outside, Gurley shot an ice cold 3-of-10 from inside the arc. The senior guard was also able to snatch down 6 rebounds. Look for this kid to continue to pour it in from outside as he can score in bunches.

Justin Harper -- Richmond vs. George Washington

• This stat line, although ridiculous, does not even do justice to the performance that Harper had against GW. As Blackburn posted on Twitter, "Justin Harper is godly."  The kid can flat out shoot. He posted 30 points on 11-of-15 from the field and 4-of-5 from three-point. Mind you, he is a 6'10" forward who is making it rain from downtown, sounds like an extremely rich man's Luke Fabrizius. Not only did Harper post an impressive scoring game, but he also grabbed 10 rebounds and threw in some defense with 2 steals and 2 blocks. Harper is neck and neck right now with Holloway for my vote for A-10 POY and I expect him to be in The Rodeo every week.

Scootie Randall -- Temple @ Xavier

• First off, Scootie is probably one of the top names in the A-10. Randall did all that he could, but it just wasn't enough as the Owls fell to Xavier despite his 28 point performance. Randall had an efficient shooting night as he finished 11-of-16 from the field and 5-of-9 from deep. I hope that he can continue to shine for Temple based on the sole fact that he has a sweet name.

Josh Parker -- Dayton vs. Fordham

• I almost left Parker off this list for the sole fact that he continued to hoist up threes in a blow out just to try to reach a meaningless record. Regardless, the kid had a very good shooting night as he went 8-of-14 from downtown in route to a career-high 27 points. The funny part of Parker's stat line is that he was 8-of-15 from the field, meaning he only took one shot that was not a three and missed it. To go along with his hot shooting night, Parker secured three rebounds and dished out three dimes.

Tu Holloway -- Xavier vs. Temple

• You know how Dayton doesn't really have that "go-to" player in big games? Well, Xavier does and his name is Tu. Xavier welcomed Temple to the Cintas for a clash of the A-10 titans and Tu Holloway's launching off point for conference POY. Holloway posted a near triple double with 21 points, 9 rebounds (yes, you read that correctly, the 6'0" at best, guard grabbed 9 boards) and 7 assists. As I mentioned before and I will say it again, as far as I am concerned, it is a two man race for A-10 POY and Holloway is ahead by a nose.

Jerrell Williams -- LaSalle vs. Duquesne

• I might need to change the name of this section from Top Performers to Notable Performances after including Williams this week. While his 17 points and 10 rebounds were impressive, he did one better by posting a triple-double by coughing up the ball a remarkable 10 times. I bet he went back to campus and picked up a girl later that night by saying, "Hey baby, I put up 17, 10, and 10 tonight, yeah that's a triple-double....let's go back to my room."

Dan Geriot -- Richmond @ UMass

• Besides the fact that he actually looks like an old man, I am starting to believe Geriot is actually 45 years old seeing as how he has been at Richmond FOREVER. Danny stole the spot light from KA and Harper for one game as he posted 24 points on 8-of-12 from the field and 4-of-7 from deep. He rounded out his great shooting night with 4 rebounds and 4 assists. If you were going to tell me that a Richmond Spider had 24, 4, and 4 in a game, Geriot probably would have been my 4th or 5th guess.

This Week's Matchups

Richmond @ Dayton- Tuesday 25th

• The Flyers look to pull into a tie with the Spiders at 4-2 as they welcome them to UD Arena tonight. As stated previously, this Richmond squad is very talented and very experienced as they're led by their senior trio of Anderson, Harper, and Geriot. This contest is a much needed win for the Flyers as they need to get away from the win one, lose one groove that they are in. I think the Flyers will be well rested and riding high after their first blow out victory in a long while and will squeeze out a close victory.

Xavier @ Richmond- Saturday 29th

• Not an easy week for Richmond as they return home to face conference leader Xavier, after their trip to Dayton. Look for a great matchup between Holloway and Anderson as they are both tiny guards who can score at will. Although that will be fun to watch, the key matchup to this game will be Geriot and Frease. The Xavier bigman has been known to get himself in foul trouble and with a short bench, this could be a major factor. Bet on the experienced and scrappy Geriot to take it at Frease early and often to try to get him on the bench. I think Richmond hands X their first conference loss in this matchup.

Dayton @ Duquesne- Sunday 30th

• This will be an interesting game to watch as the Flyers love to get out in transition, as does Duquesne. The difference between the two being that Duquesne gets out and scores a whole lot more than the Flyers as they average 81 points per game. Two matchups to watch will be the two Chrises vs. Bill Clark and Damian Saunders. I would assume that Clark will be guarded by CJ, but that could change as Johnson has been known to be a little bit of a liability on defense. Don't be surprised to see Paul Williams attempt to contain Clark as well. Unfortunately, the combination of a team playing well and the Flyers on the road in conference, forces me to go with Duquesne in this matchup.

Thanks for stopping by for another running of The A-10 Rodeo, and be sure to check out some of the games this week as this upcoming stretch will really start to separate the pretenders from the contenders.

Xavier Recap: Business as Usual (but it's alright)

Well sirs, another game, another opportunity to excise the demons has come and gone. The good news?  The Flyers shot the ball well and took just about every punch the Musketeers swung at them. The bad? Well, the loss obviously – but let’s get serious, that was to be expected. The worse part of #26 was that this was a Xavier team that was ripe for the picking. X is hobbled by injuries and beset by a lack of depth that would make a lesser program throw in the towel.

UD showed the type of focus and poise that it has lacked on the road since BG took over (especially at Xavier).  The Muskies were never able to make a run to close out the game; they had to fight until the final possessions of the ballgame. This was like a heavyweight fight between two guys in their prime, just an absolute even-handed match until the final bell. Ultimately, X had just a little bit more and won a split-decision.

And now, somber bullets:

• Apparently UD was supposed to come out in black unis? Turns out to be total bullshit. I’m glad, that’s the kiss of death (and as Uncreative Commuter might say, “Not part of the school’s colors!!”).
• Chris Wright just keeps rewriting his legacy, and not in a good way. Silly fouls, poor decision making, Kountry Chris is on a path of regression that conquers images of aging starlets. Wright had a few chances to make the game close with some foul shots but squandered his opportunities away. CW shot just 2-for-7 from the line and had five costly turnovers. Give KC credit, he always gets his – finishing with yet another double-double, 10 and 10. I’m going to start calling him Smoke & Mirrors.
• Tu Holloway was foaming at the mouth with Juwan Staten d’ing him up.  Tu scored seven points in the first four minutes before cooling off for the rest of the half. I think BG threw everyone under 6’7” at Tu and Holloway simply shrugged and laughed them off.
• The lineup at one point early in the first half: Spearman, Parker, Luke, Kav and Paul Willie. This lineup actually outscored X 5-0 (all five points by Josh Lowery) – that had to mean something, right? Like this game was going to go UD’s way?
• Josh Benson was channeling his inner-Kavanaugh – being in the right place at the right time. JB scored nine points in the first frame on 4-of-5 shooting. He even did a little flex after an and-one which ex-Xavier great CJ Anderson deemed, “the gayest flex ever.” I’m not in a position to disagree (CJ also tweeted that Chris Wright “wasn’t shit!” Again, not going to comment).
• Had a turkey burger during the first half, way underrated entrée.
• Hafltime: UD shooting 55% from the floor, 40% from three and 67% from the stripe. Can’t ask for much better than that. Would like to think that these numbers would have translated into a bigger lead, but Xavier shot the ball pretty well in the first half too. (50%, 33% and 86%).
• Staten is starting to get more confidence in his perimeter game. Juwan hit a three early in the first half and hit a few pull-up jumpers from the elbow as well.
• “Chris Wright from seventeen…” always sounds terrible to my ears.
• X came out on fire after the half and took the game right to UD.
• There was some foul discrepancy in the second half – because UD settled for threes and jumpers.
• Gillen said it, “if UD loses it will be because of the free throws.”  Uh…not quite coach. UD ended up shooting 70% from the charity stripe. I will take that every day of the week, twice on Sunday. 
• Dayton failed to adjust to the way the game was being officiated. While X was driving to the hole, drawing contact and fouls, the Flyers were continuing to bomb away from outside. You aren’t going to draw fouls twenty feet from the basket (unless Chris Wright is guarding you). Dayton finally made the correction and started going to the rim, Staten in particular, getting easy buckets and drawing fouls on the Muskies. Too little, too late.
• Tu Holloway is just one of the more clutch players you are going to see in college basketball this season. You know how BG draws up a play for Staten “to go out there and do something?” Well, Chris Mack can actually draw up such a play for Tu Holloway and not get laughed out of the gym. Holloway finds a way to get a clean look, no matter what the opposition throws at him. You couldn’t have asked Juwan Staten to play better D on Holloway’s banker with around thirty seconds remaining in the game. You make shots like that, you win games.
• X had two transparent advantages coming into Saturday night’s game: at point-guard and up front. Holloway obviously did his thing, and Kenny Frease and Jamel McLean did theirs. Frease finished the game with 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting (75% from the line) and McLean dropped 15. UD simply had no answers for the two Xavier bigs. Even Andrew Taylor got in on the action, scoring six points in his limited action on the floor.
• Let’s end on a high note (although honestly I’m not walking away from that game disappointed in the Flyers), Juwan Staten is going to be a ridiculously good college basketball player. Not only is he going to live up to the hype, he is going to surpass it. Staten was the one guy on UD who will not back down from anyone and always seems to make the right play at the right time – always under control.  Staten finished with a game-high 17 points, scoring in a variety of ways. His perimeter game is starting to come around as well. He popped a three in the first half, hit a few pull-up jumpers from the elbow and drove to the rim at will. Outside of a few exceptions, freshmen do not play like this.
• 51% shooting from the floor, 40% from three and 70% from the stripe -- nine times out of ten those numbers equal victory in the Atlantic Ten. Xavier simply matched UD bucket-for-bucket and put the ball in its closer to win this one. They had Tu Holloway and UD didn't, case closed. X has once again become a serious candidate for NCAA tournament play. Chris Mack is pushing around a cart with two fucked up wheels and still is able to the Musketeers where they need to go. As a Flyer fan, I have to respect that. Xavier reached Cadillac status years ago, now they are cruising around with a flat tire and still running people off the road. Ok, enough hackneyed analogies for one night.

The fallout from this loss is pretty severe, Dayton moves to 2-2 on the season and missed out on the chance to get a statement win against one of the few impressive teams (by committee standards) on its schedule. We predicted a 10-6 conference record (believe Secaur went with 9-7) and that would be welcome at this point. The Flyers still have plenty of pitfalls between now and Atlantic City, we have officially entered full-scale survival mode.

Dayton @ Xavier

Recon: Xavier Blue Blobs

One thing I've started to believe about UD's annual trip to the Cintas Center, for better or for worse, is that the script seems to be written out ahead of time. For that reason I've had trouble, especially in recent years, getting all that fired up for this half of the Flyers-Muskies rivalry. Back in my younger days (oh, I was so naive), this game was an absolute can't-miss for me. I ended up going to six or seven straight UD games at Xavier dreaming dreams of how great it would feel to be present when the Flyers finally snapped the streak, crushed the curse, mauled the Musketeers and other alliterative things. Alas, it was not to be as the Cagers fell short each and every time.

Fast forward to present day. Here I sit, likely no more mature or intelligent, but exponentially more apathetic. I am so resigned to the Flyers' fate that even though I live right here in Cincinnati, I will not be attending this evening's contest. In fact I plan to be in a bar well on my way to getting sloshed, checking the score of the game at around 9:00 and, if it's close, subjecting myself to the misery that will surely ensue in the second half. Call me a pessimist -- and many have before -- but I just don't see a way that Dayton, particularly this Dayton squad, comes away with a win.

I thought Blackburn and the boys from Dana & Victory did an excellent job breaking down the rivalry that is Dayton-Xavier. I was especially intrigued by their analysis (and the comments that followed) of Flyers fans hating Xavier and, if so, why? Personally, I harbor no hatred of Xavier or its program and I have very little animosity at all toward the X-Men. Please don't confuse this with liking Xavier basketball or cheering for its teams to win. I can assure you I do no such thing.

My guess is that it really comes down to your definition of hate and the fact that some people use the term much more loosely than others. For me, I simply don't have the time, energy and investment to hate Xavier. Hating something is a lot of work. I hate my boss, one of my ex-girlfriends and the people at my office who can't figure out the fucking difference between "Reply" and "Reply All." My hate-plate is pretty full right now; I just don't think I have room to add a college basketball program which is, or at least should be, the very model of what I want my alma mater's program to become.

Mr. Blackburn and I discussed this very topic on g-chat (jealous, aren't you?), and he had an even better rationale for not hating X; simply put, losing to Xavier cannot and never will ruin UD's season. Think about it. A loss at X does no damage whatsoever to the Flyers, other than perhaps pissing you off. If you yearn to hate, turn your eye toward Duquesne, La Salle, Charlotte or George Washington. It's losses (on the road inevitably) to piece of shit teams like those which seem to throw UD's season off the rails each year. So if you hate the Musketeers, I say have at it. But don't fault me for not joining you. I'm spending (wasting) my time and energy elsewhere.

Now, that certainly doesn't mean there aren't things to hate about Xavier University. The first that comes to my mind is the Blue Blob. I'm not the first to touch on this, but what the hell is that thing? And what purpose does it serve? If UD ever gets a secondary mascot for no discernable reason, I'll give up. Rudy is bad enough as is.

Let's get down and dirty.

Overview. The Musketeers come into tonight's action at 10-5 and 2-0 in the Atlantic 14. It seems much longer than just nine days ago that XU suffered a crosstown beatdown at the hands of intracity rival Cincinnati. Many are speculating, to the chagrin of Flyers fans, that the rout X suffered was just the wake-up call the Muskies needed. Xavier responded in a big way by destroying Rhode Island by 27 and absolutely embarrassing UMass by 29. Needless to say, the Muskies' 2-0 record is a little more impressive than what our Flyers have done since the start of league play.

What I like about Xavier is that it's been tested. The Musketeers don't have a win that really jumps off the page (maybe Butler), but X has at least played some decent competition, scheduling games against the likes of Florida, Gonzaga, Butler and Cincy. To say that the A14 conference slate would be the less difficult half of X's schedule would be a mighty understatement. Not that the Muskies will run over the league -- this year's squad certainly won't -- but suffice it to say XU will not be overwhelmed by any of its conference foes.

Have you guys heard anything about injuries/eligibility/depth when it comes to Xavier? Me either, so let's just move on.

Meet and Greet. Tu Holloway drives the bus, folks. As Tu goes, so go the X-Men. It's as simple as that. Holloway scores 20 a night, almost 8 more points a game than his highest-scoring teammate. If Tu puts up a clunker like he did against the Bearcats last week, UD has a shot. If he gets going, XU is gonna be tough to beat.

Senior forward Jamel McLean has really hit his stride of late. McLean is on the brink of a double-double per, scoring 11 and grabbing 9.5 rebounds on average. Mark Lyons and Blackburn's boyfriend Kenny Frease round out the Xavier players averaging double figures. Lyons is Tu Holloway's backcourt mate and second leading scorer at 12.3 a game. Frease's 11.5 and 7.5 averages are nothing to sneeze it, and the big man is also leading the nation in running like a hunchback.

Dante Jackson rounds out the starting five and I know I gave a big long rant about why I don't hate Xavier, but if you don't hate Dante Jackson there is probably something wrong with you. That dude grabbed the torch from Stanley Burrell and is sprinting with it as every UD's fan favorite Muskie to hate. What I hate most about Dante is not that he talks shit. A lot of basketball players talk during games. I hate that he talks so much shit and does almost nothing to back it up. If you're Jordan Crawford or Tu then OK, talk trash, I can handle that. But if you've never been better than the fourth best player on your own team, shut up and play. Good Lord do I hate Dan-tay.

After the starting five, there's not a whole to see here. Jeff Robinson is decent, I guess. Jordan Latham plays only out of a necessity for fresh bodies. D2 transfer Andrew Taylor and walk-on Kevin Feeney also see some court time ... and not just in blowouts.

The Numbers Game. "Definition of a Statistician: A man who believes figures don't lie, but admits than under analysis some of them won't stand up either."

		PPG	FG%	FT%	3P%	RPG	ORPG	DRPG	APG	TPG	SPG	BPG	FPG
	UD	66.9	39.4	69.6	32.9	39.9	13.7	26.3	15.2	12.4	4.9	3.1	18.9
	XU	69.5	44.3	70.8	31.0	35.4	10.5	24.9	12.7	12.5	5.8	3.3	18.8
	UD Opponents	62.8	39.4	67.4	30.4	34.4	10.4	24.0	12.8	12.4	4.3	3.6	19.1
	XU Opponents	64.8	39.6	74.9	30.4	33.5	10.7	22.7	12.4	13.1	5.9	2.6	20.9

The numbers are up there to be seen, nothing too remarkable. The key number going into tonight's game is 1981. Until UD gets a mental edge on this series, Xavier is going to continue to roll.

Prediction. Look, I know about the streak, you know about the streak, we all know about the streak, so I see no need to dwell on it. The problem is that XU is still a very good home team and UD is, and always will be under Brian Gregory, a fucking awful road team. If these guys can't beat UMass on the road, they sure as hell ain't gonna win at Cintas tonight. I'll go 71-64 with Jamel McLean's double-double leading the way. Another year of agony ensues.

An Interrogatory with: Xavier University

The Carter Curse is on the line Saturday night. The last time the Flyers won in Cincinnati, the country’s economy was in shambles, unemployment was skyrocketing, gas prices were at all-time highs and an inexperienced, unqualified President was leading the nation into further decline. Well, things are a lot different now, and it’s time for UD to get that elusive W down in Porkopolis.

Joining us for some friendly banter is Patrick, one of the writer’s over at the effervescent Xavier site, Musketeer Blogosphere. Patrick discusses his favorite Flyers, his take on this year’s matchup, former Muskie CJ Anderson racist tweets and whether or not this biannual (and often triannual) game is a definitive rivalry. We’ve officially called a truce between the universities, a moratorium on the violence that plaques this heated series. This year, just this once, let not the bodies hit the floor. The world is watching.

* * * * *

TB: After an impressive and thorough thrashing of Rhode Island up in Kingston, followed by a gruesome homicide in Cincinnati against UMass, the Musketeers have seemed to have found their groove. After a somewhat inconsistent non-conference performance, are you confident that Xavier has righted the ship and is once again an A-10 front-runner?

MB: I am cautiously optimistic.  After losing to UC in that manner it was hard to fathom two blowouts to begin A-10 play.  I don't know if Rhody and UMass are that bad or if the team has really improved that much.  I still think Temple are the favorites with Richmond a somewhat close second.  Hard to say though.  It's definitely imperative that Xavier keep this conference home court winning streak up if they want to challenge for the league this year.

TB: What does X’s dismantling of Rhody and UMass say about the overall strength of the league this year?  Rhode Island was poised to make some headway in the conference this season and UMass was thought to be a sleeper by many.

MB: Oof, methinks the league is not real good this year. If we're able to compete for a league title with this year's team, then that's a strong indication of its overall worth.  Seems like three bids MAX this year. Sadly, it would not be surprising if only one team makes into the tournament this year. One thing that really irks me are some of the attendance figures. Now I know a lot schools in this conference have glorified high school gyms, but even those can't get filled. Hell, watching the Rhody game this past Sunday it looked to be only half full. It's only an 8,000 seat gym. What the hell else is there to do in Rhode Island on a Sunday? Seems like our schools' fan bases are the only ones that give a shit.  

TB: Finish this sentence: If Tu Holloway has an off night, Xavier will _________________.

MB: ...probably lose. Just don't have the horses or shooters this year to make up for it.

Last year, after the big win at home against Xavier, Brian Gregory promised the crowd that if UD won in Cincinnati the following year he would "come to center court and make unspeakable love to this beautiful, voluptuous watermelon."TB: For those of us who have not seen Xavier play this season, briefly discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this year’s Musketeer squad.

MB: Our starting five is definitely decent enough. Can hang with just about anyone in the country. The only problem is we have almost zero depth. Especially when it comes to anything that resembles offensive production. Zero back court depth with Redford out for the year and Jay Canty being out for a month with a stress fracture at the moment, which was a real bummer because he was just starting to find the pace of the college game.  At least we can bring in big bodies down low to give Kenny and Jamel a break.  Jamel McLean has really been turning it on lately. Been a force down low and can usually just muscle his way to the basket. Our other senior who gets a lot of minutes, the always loved by the opposing fan base, Dante Jackson, is not having such a good year.  He's been mostly abysmal from the three point line and even his biggest defenders (that'd be me) are having a hard time justifying his play this year. Actually, three-point shooting in general has been terrible throughout the season. But we have no other options; there are only nine scholarship players available at this point in the season.

In the two games since the Shootout the offense has been noticeably better with much crisper passing. The defense has also been turned up a notch, because there is no other choice.  Our size is usually going to be good enough out muscle every A-10 team.  So far, that has proven true.

TB: Outside of Big Dog Searcy, there is no one I cheer harder for than Kenneth Frease. The big man seemed like a lost puppy on offense for X during his first two years. He wasn’t really an option in the low-post and seemed relieved when he was subbed out in games. This year, he obviously had to take a more active role to offset the Musketeers depth issues. The Freaser is currently averaging 11.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg and shooting 54% from the floor. He is clearly doing his part offensively. 

Now let’s pretend you are sitting across from former X player C.J. Anderson, a committed Frease antagonist. Explain to C.J. how valuable Kenny has been this season. Make sure you tell him it’s okay for a velvety brother like himself to love a goofy white guy like Frease.

MB: First off, if you aren't checking CJ's twitter feed every day, then you really are missing out.  The man is a force on twitter. My personal favorite was the simple and to the point tweet of, "if ur dumb, kill urself."  Was completely apropos of nothing. I laughed my ass off.

Anyways, CJ is not afraid to speak his mind.  Kenny has been very polarizing to Xavier fans since his first game in a Xavier uniform onwards. But as you wrote, he has definitely stepped up his game this season.  I would only say to CJ that Kenny is clearly a huge part of this year's team and his size is a great advantage in A-10 play.  However, I think CJ knows this.  Surely, some it is an act.  At least it better be....

***(ed. note: I do follow CJ Anderson and it’s always a treat. I’m not sure I’ve understood a single thing he has ever said.)***

TB: Trade offer – Kenneth Frease for Luke Fabrizius, Josh Parker and a fully paid one-year lease on your choice of any car on the lot at White-Allen Chevrolet (ask for the “UD player” rate, they’ll get your meaning). Sound good?

MB: Only if it's a white Aveo.

TB: Rivalries are all about hate. So go ahead, give us your list of the top five Flyers you have had hated the most.

MB: Not to sound like a dick but part of the charm of rooting against Dayton is the fact that I don't think I've ever hated a UD player. Between Huelsman, Finn, Waleskowski and Binnie I'm not sure which one amused me more. Huelsman was always fascinating for me. He appeared to bring nothing to the table, yet started his entire career. I don't know how you all put up with four years of that.

Brian Gregory seems hate-able, but his crazy substitution patterns and refusal to be a good coach make him great for us Xavier fans. I know this isn't the answer you want, but I honestly don't think I truly have ever hated a Dayton player. It's the fans I hate. And isn't that what really creates and keeps the rivalry going in the end?

TB: Let’s flip it around, spread some love, who are previous/current Flyers you would have like to have seen in a Xavier (Absolutely none is an acceptable answer).

MB: Well, saying none seems like a copout, especially since I did that in the previous question. It's hard not be in awe of Chris Wright's athleticism. Just gottta keep him from shooting the ball though. Certainly wouldn't mind having Chris Johnson on the roster as well. Oh, and obviously the Jacksonville Jet.  

TB: One of my favorite all-time Flyers is Charles Little. Full disclosure, Charles and I have an equitable, professional relationship – so my affection is well founded. Here is a tweet he sent out last night during the Duke/Florida State tilt:

The image most Dayton fans hope to see after a victory at Xavier this Saturday night. Thoughts, comments?

MB: While I admire the extreme homer in Mr. Little, it's hard to take that very seriously. Clearly, Duke, Ohio State (ugh), and Kansas are a step above every other team in college basketball this season so far. Is he the CJ of former Dayton players? Should I start following him ASA and P?

TB: Earlier I referred to the X/UD matchup as a “rivalry.” Obviously, the game has all the makings of a rivalry – proximity to each other, similar fan bases, a lengthy history, etc – but is it a rivalry in the truest sense? Is it competitive enough to be considered a genuine rivalry?

MB: Of course it's a rivalry. I really need to attend the @UD Arena game in the near future. I went to the Shootout at UC a couple years ago and loved the venom there. Supposedly, it's even worse for Xavier fans up I-75.  I would welcome the vitriol. The fans are what make this game a rivalry. It drives me insane how many Dayton fans infiltrate the Cintas Center every year. I'm sure I'll be equally as pissed off this coming Saturday night.

TB: Let’s nail down a prediction from you. Does the Carter streak continue, or does this UD team finally find a way to win down in Cincinnati?

MB: Well, I say it every year, but surely this streak will come to an end at some point. Law of averages would seem to dictate that and this, seemingly, is the best chance for Dayton to do that in some time. We aren't a deep team and I fully expect UD to attack the basket from the get-go to try and get Xavier into foul trouble. However, shockingly, I'll be picking Xavier to win 64-58.