Season Recap and NCAA Preview: Xavier

Everybody's favorite Xavier fan is here to break down the Muskies.

1. There was a point where all your teams were flirting with the bubble either in the middle or even toward the end of the season. What happened to turn things around and ultimately land in the dance? Who were the key players who stepped up?

For Xavier, this question is a one word answer: chemistry. With all the changes that took place in the offseason it was hard to know how the players would respond to a completely changed landscape. Early on they weren't responding well and X was losing games because of it. It was easy to see that Jordan Crawford was trying to take over games without involving any of his teammates and everyone on the floor was getting quickly frustrated. As the team went through more and more games though they all learned each others talents and started playing to the team's strengths. Our quick guards pushed the ball up the floor when the opportunities arose as well as pounding it inside to Jason Love in the half court set. As they started relying on each other more and more Xavier started to win big games and it was evident they were gaining momentum, which has lasted all the way through till the postseason.

From a player standpoint, the main reason for this great turnaround is Jason Love and his incredible leadership. Love became the winningest player in Xavier history this season, but early on I suspect he saw his senior season going to waste, something that almost never happened to other Xavier greats. Love brought this team together with his incredible work ethic and unselfish play inside, showing his teammates that working together was the only way they were going to accomplish anything. I hope Jason goes deep into the NCAA's once again because the man certainly deserves it.

2. Give your coach a grade for his coaching job this season.

I'm going to use a +/- grading scale just so I can give Chris Mack an A+. There has never been more uncertainty coming into a season for Xavier than there was for this season (at least since I've been alive). In the past coaches have come and gone, but there was always a clear cut candidate that most fans knew was getting the job and it was a relatively smooth transition. Sean Miller bolting for Arizona (after he said he wouldn't...TWICE) and Derrick Brown becoming Xavier's first ever early entry into the NBA draft really rocked the foundation of our developing program and left alot of questions for what was going to happen next.

In stepped Chris Mack, a former Xavier player in the early 90's and an experienced assistant under Skip Prosser and Sean Miller. Mack wasn't initially thought of as the head candidate for the job but was definitely under consideration as the players and fan community already knew him. After he was named head coach and the season started Mack certainly had his skeptics (huge understatement) as he battled through some tough losses early in the season. This is where Mack was really impressive, dealing with a team full of individuals and bringing them together through one of the toughest stretches of their schedule. Getting talent like Crawford, Holloway, Jackson and Lyons to play together while sharing time at the guard spots was truly what turned Xavier into a more cohesive unit, something Mack knew about from being a guard in college. His leadership and optimism through the brutal, early schedule carried his young team through to the hot streak it's currently on and will hopefully continue throughout the tournament.

3. Who is going to be the X-Factor for your team in the postseason?

This is a tough one for Xavier but if Jamel McLean keeps playing at the same level he has been over the past 2 months, he'll be the X-factor. Most teams don't have a 2nd big man with the incredible athleticism that McLean possesses and this makes it easy for him to get loads of rebounds, especially on the offensive end. Alot of NCAA games are won by the team that controls the paint and if Jamel steps up to anchor the middle with Jason Love there's a good chance Xavier will win that battle in any game.

4. Play bracketologist and break down your team's draw in the bracket? What are your expectations now that the path is out there for every one to see?

I was definitely happy with Xavier getting a 6 seed in the West because there was no real chance to get anything higher and the West may be the easiest region, especially with Onuaku out for Syracuse. Xavier has already played a few teams in this bracket during the season (Kansas St., Butler and Florida) so there could be some familiar matchups if X makes it past the first 2 rounds. Round 1 might not be so easy though as they drew Minnesota in Milwaukee, a team that's on a hot streak and is also playing close to home. The one thing that scares me more than any of the Gophers' players is their coach, Tubby Smith. He's been deep in the NCAA tournament many times, even winning it all with Kentucky back in 1998, and knows how to control a game. Xavier certainly has the better corps of players but this should make for an interesting showdown early on.

If they can make it past the 1st round, it's wide open in the West region and there's no reason Xavier can't make a deep run. I expect them to get past Minnesota in a tight game and then use that momentum to down Pitt in the 2nd round. After that it will be hard to expect much, but this team has come such a long way from their first game this season. They're playing like a team now more than ever and I'd be surprised if it didn't carry into the tournament.

5. Prediction Time: How far does your team go.

Xavier's on a great run right now and I don't see it ending early in this tournament, especially with their recent track record in the postseason. Look for X to make its 3rd Elite 8 in 6 years.

A Crosstown Classic

I realize not everyone has ESPNU ( and it's a shame that's what channel it was on) but you missed one of the great games of the college year if you missed Sunday's Xavier/UC showdown. I would've posted this sooner if not for the double-OT game last night or an economics final tonight (after which I told my professor I'd donate $1,000,000 to charity if I ever used economics in my life again) but I took notes at Cintas last night and want to re-live some of the experience.

Walking into the arena 5 minutes before tip, it was obvious that the atmosphere was electric and Xavier's recent losing streak was moved to the back of every fan;s mind. UC won the opening tip and began the scoring with Cashmere Wright's free throw at the 19:03 mark. Then in the ensuing three minutes, Xavier's Dante Jackson drained two 3-point field goals, Jordan Crawford dropped in a deuce, and Mark Lyons swiped the ball from Deonta Vaughn and charged up the court for a lay-in to give Xavier a quick six point lead at the under 16 timeout.

The Bearcats fought back with a 14-0 run that included two threes from Darnell Wilks and a pair of baskets by Yancy Gates. Gates didn't start this game but started out (and finished) incredibly well, I was worried about stopping him all night. Suddenly, the Muskies momentum had shifted in favor of the Bearcats as UC led 19-12.

This is right about the point when tempers flared between the two teams as the pushing and shoving escalated, players left the benches to join in the shoving match, and select players from the two teams needed to be restrained. I'll admit to thoroughly enjoying the scuffle as Xavier had come out really flat the past few contests and was finally showing signs of life.

After the melee settled down and double technical fouls were assessed to Crawford and Rashad Bishop, Terrell Holloway and Xavier responded on the court in a big way. Holloway, who was scoreless up until that point, scored six quick points as the first half wound down to lead a 10-2 Xavier streak. That put the X-Men back on top 24-21. Unlike last Tuesday at Kansas St., we showed the ability to bounce back from a deficit instead of continuously digging ourselves a hole that's impossible to get out of.

After that little Xavier spurt, Cincinnati tied the game at 26 with a few minutes left in the first half. Holloway responded again for the Musketeers though and finished off the half by converting two free throws as well as draining a three with 0:55 seconds to play to push X ahead 31-26 going into the second half.

At the half I kept thinking about what Chris Mack could possibly be saying to his team. Mack was a part of 9 Crosstown Shootouts himself, both as a player and assistant coach, so there was no need to tell him what this meant to the players or, for that matter, everyone in the building. Mack was fired up the entire first half and was hopefully passing on some controlled energy to everyone around him, it felt like it was going to be a long night.

Early on in the second, Xavier extended its lead to seven points, 35-28, and looked poised to put the Bearcats in a tailspin. Xavier and UC traded baskets over the next few minutes and the Muskies kept UC at bay for the time being. Cincinnati did climb to within four points, 39-35, on a Gates' dunk, but then X reeled off six straight points to jump out to its largest lead at 45-35.

Trying to climb back into the game, the Bearcats administered fullcourt pressure with around 13 and half minutes to play. UC was really able to disrupt Xavier's rhythm and execution as it charged back into the game and started to noticeably turn the crowd. This switch kept on as the Cats spouted off a 20-6 run that actually put them ahead at 55-51 with 5:38 to play. This was the first time I felt like we were going to lose, all early season signs on this team pointed to it.

X proved me wrong though and came back quickly to tie the game at 55 with 4:07 left. The teams then traded buckets and the let the lead shift back and forth over the next few minutes. With 0:32 second left to play in regulation, Holloway came up big again and hit a jumper to move X in front at 61-59. UC then called a timeout in which they setup a play for Lance Stephenson, their freshman phenom who had been "chatting" with the Xavier bench all game and wasn't looking to stop at this point. Stephenson, who finished the game with a career-high 22 points, drove the ball to the hoop to lay in a game-tying basket (seriously the easiest clutch basket I've ever seen, this kid is HUGE).

Xavier had one more possession to try and win it during regulation, but a Holloway jumper was errant and Dante Jackson's follow was a half-second too late (thought it was good initially) as the buzzer sounded with the score knotted at 61.

As overtime started this game had the feel of a special one: stars playing great on both sides and back and forth play the whole time down the stretch. Things began looking bleak for the Musketeers early on in overtime as they gave up the first few buckets to UC and were in an early hole. The Muskies bounced back at the free throw line a little but still found themselves in a 72-67 hole with 58 seconds remaining. Holloway again put the team on his back though by getting fouled and drilling four free throws to pull the team within one, 72-71, with 27 ticks left. UC's Dion Dixon then converted both foul shots of his own at the other end to give UC a three point advantage.

Needing a lot to happen with little time remaining, things were looking bleak for X as the shooting had not been very stellar all night. Again though, Terrell Holloway came through with his biggest play of the game. The sophomore guard drove the ball hard past a Bearcat defender on the right side to record an old-fashioned 3-point play, the foul was legitimate even though Mick Cronin tried to jump high enough that anyone not under 5'4" would notice his outrage. That tied the game at 74 and sent the contest into a second overtime for the first time in Shootout history.

Charting into new territory in the rivalry, the arena was louder than it had been the entire game at the start of the second OT. Nobody in Cintas seemed distracted by other things like Brian Kelly going to ND (which was noted by the XU student section numerous times during the game) or that the game was reaching 3 hours in length, it was all about the basketball and every single fan desperately wanted their team to pull it out.

Xavier again found itself trailing early in double overtime as UC was consistently scoring inside now and it was getting harder for X to stop as the fouls started piling up. The Muskies bounced back again though and tied the game at 79 on a Jason Love layup with 2:12 remaining. Love had been coming up huge all evening on the glass and was scoring every time we needed him to, true signs of a leader.

Then, with 0:40 seconds left in the second OT, Xavier regained the lead on two Jason Live free throws and would be in control if they could get one defensive stop. Even though I thought that was almost impossible on this night, we force UC into a bad, off balance jumper that ends in an X defensive rebound with 20 seconds left. The Bearcats fouled and Xavier had a chance to almost seal the victory with some clutch free throw shooting. Dante Jackson stepped to the stripe and calmly knocked down 2, essentially guaranteeing the W for Xavier. A few UC three point jumpers missed and the final horn finally sounded, announcing an 83-79 victory for the Muskies. The entire arena erupted, the players in white especially, and the party was on. Another year, another hard fought win over UC.

The victory really felt like a turning point as the Muskies improved to 6-3 and should carry some confidence into the rest of their tough stretch before conference play. Love carried the team on the glass as he tied a career-high with 19 rebounds, also adding seven points in 41 minutes of action to round out his final Crosstown Shootout as a Musketeer. The player of the game though was the floor general, PG Terrell Holloway. Holloway finished with 26 points and a highlight reel of assists that got a lot of easy buckets for his teammates and kept the offense flowing. He also took on fellow NYC product Lance Stephenson defensively and did his best to disrupt his timing and made it hard for him to put it on the floor most of the night. I'm hoping this is a sign of things to come with Holloway as our lack of a leader at the point has cost us some losses already and would help the rest of the offense if someone could solidify that role.

Now with a solid victory under their belts, the Muskies still have numerous chances left to gain more notable wins for their run to conference play and the postseason. The next significant matchup occurs this Saturday at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse at Butler University where X will take on the Bulldogs at 2 PM. The game will be on ESPN with the great Bobby Knight (both as an analyst and a coach) calling the action so there's no reason to miss it. The run starts now, GO X.

Who are we? The Wildcats!! Who are we gonna beat? The Wildcats!!

It's been a while since I optimistically predicted Xavier to come out and blister the rest of the Old Spice Classic field in Orlando. Needless to say that never happened, it wasn't even close. Let's look at X's results from the tourney:

Game 1- vs. Marquette, L 71-61

Game 2- vs. Creighton, W 80-67

Game 3- vs. Baylor, L 69-64

The first game against Marquette wasn't a very shocking loss to any one who saw the game. The Golden Eagles are ripe with fast, young guards and kept the pressure on the Muskies all game. Knowing X had a frontcourt that they couldn't compete with, Buzz Peterson established a game plan that kept our bigs from becoming less of a defensive factor than they would like by pressing the ball and making jumpers. It also didn't hurt that Lazar Hayward had an outstanding game offensively (27 points), showing how tough it will be for any PF to guard him on the perimeter.

Despite Marquette's superior play, Xavier still had every opportunity to win the contest because of one reason: Jason Love. In totaling 21 points and 19 rebounds in the game, Love completely shut down Marquette's chances of scoring inside while he scored with ease on the offensive end. He looked like a clear leader on the floor during all 40 minutes and was the only reason the game was close near the end.

For as good as Love was during the game, his teammates were equally as bad. Jordan Crawford couldn't make shots all day, but instead of trying to find other open players around him he continued to shoot and miss. Kenny Frease seemed to turn the ball over every time he touched the ball on the offensive end, not knowing what to do with his 7-foot frame in the paint. Our PG's Lyons and Holloway seemed frustrated by the quick pace of the Eagles' game and it caused them to turn the ball over a combined 6 times. In the end there were just too many poor performances to counter Jason Love's breakout and cost Xavier their first loss of the season.

Positives: Jason Love, that's it

Negatives: Jordan Crawford playing like Allen Iverson, Kenny 'The Turnover' Frease, coaching not knowing how to adjust to pressure in-game

Game 2 was against Creighton, one of the top mid-majors of the past decade and a team that has built a nice rivalry with Xavier recently (see David West vs. Kyle Korver in the 02-03 season). The Bluejays are a solid squad again this season and posed a threat to the Muskies as this definitely felt like a letdown game.

The Musketeers came out hungry in this battle though, showing a great deal of early energy and hustle. Creighton played tough too and the game was anybody's contest at halftime. This seemed a lot like the Marquette game at half and I was just hoping it wouldn't be another late collapse we'd have to go home with. The Muskies came out of the locker room with increased defensive intensity, and used a big run midway through the second half to finally gain control. The defense then kept the Bluejays at bay the rest of the game to bring home a victory and set up a 5th place game matchup.

Jordan Crawford really led the way offensively in this game, making a great deal more shots than in the Marquette game and totaling 22 of the team's 80 points. Lyons and Holloway also protected the ball better which helped shut down Creighton's fast break points and gave the Muskies more control of the basketball. The defensive intensity was also more visible on the court. There was a great deal more of on-the-ball pressure in this game from X and we didn't seem content with just letting Creighton shoot 3's if they wanted to. With this much better overall effort, Xavier seemed prepped to win 2 games down in Orlando while learning some important lessons from the Marquette loss.

Positives: Team defense, Crawford finding his offensive groove inside and outside, no letdown

Negatives: Not enough coaching intensity (Mack needs to focus on this area if we're going to get a fair shake from refs in bigger games)

The final game of X's tournament schedule found them taking on the Baylor Bears. The Bears are a solid team, reaching the postseason each of the past 2 seasons, but this game seemed like it was Xavier's to lose. The Creighton effort showed that this team had some heart early on and that they realized you have to bring it every game or else risk losing to anyone.

Early on, though, Baylor came out on fire from deep and jumped out to a 12-0 lead. Xavier quickly bounced back, mainly with Jamel McLean hitting the boards hard and getting to the free throw line nearly every time down the floor, and it was a tight one at half. I remember thinking to myself at halftime how there was no chance we could lose this game. We were killing Baylor inside and Tweety Carter wasn't going to hit all of his 3's again as he did in the 1st half.

Consistent with the rest of the tournament though I was dead wrong. X pounded it inside consistently but ended up going 11-21 from the free throw line, none of our open shots from our guards fell and Tweety Carter hit 2 huge 3's near the end of the game to seal the win. The perfect end to a perfect weekend.

Positives: Jamel McLean, the tournament ended

Negatives: FREE THROW SHOOTING, Crawford again looking like Iverson, a real lack of offensive flow most of the game

The tournament was obviously disappointing, but we still showed some good signs and early season losses are bound to happen on any young team. Crawford had 2 horrible shooting days in the losses to Marquette and Baylor while not sharing the ball either, our defense had some tough mismatches in the Marquette game, our PG's need more game-time to learn how to play with their teammates and Coach Mack still needs time to adjust to the head coaching role in real game situations. These aren't exactly excuses but rather rooms for improvement for X going forward. There are still a good deal of important games on the schedule and we'll need to learn from these losses if we hope to win them.

Speaking of important games, there happens to be one tonight for the Muskies as they travel to Manhattan, KS to take on the Kansas St. Wildcats. Flying a little under the radar at the beginning of this season, the Wildcats have started 7-1 and are picked to finish right behind Kansas and Texas in the Big 12, demonstrating the respect Big 12 voters have for them. Their most significant win so far has come over Dayton in the Puerto Rico Shootout where they outrebounded the Flyers 44-32 and won the game by 8.

Kansas St. has a pair of excellent guards manning their backcourt. The first is senior Denis Clemente, a transfer from Miami (FL) who can really light it up from deep. The other is junior Jacob Pullen who is more of a combo guard, doing his offensive damage from both inside and outside and getting some serious looks from NBA scouts. These two can really push the Wildcats attack on offense but also play a stifling, trapping defense that tries to cause as many turnovers as possible. X will need to handle the pressure these two guards can create and pass the ball extremely well to avoid their traps.

Inside Kansas St. starts Curtis Kelly, a 6-9 250 lb junior who transferred from UConn and can really hit the boards. Freshman Wally Judge starts alongside Kelly and is a lean 6-9 220 lbs. who comes in as a McDonald's All-American . The other starter is Dominque Sutton, a junior who works hard and does all the dirty stuff inside. The Wildcats are very talented down low and will certainly challenge X on the boards this evening.

It's going to take a total team effort if the Muskies want to pull out a win against Kansas St. Mack will have to monitor his team early and keep calm if things start to get hectic in the game. They'll have to share the ball with each other if they want to control the clock and stay out of traps from the pressing Kansas St. defense. I think Mack will have them prepared for a new style tonight and can hopefully stick to a gameplan early. If they can I think X will squeak one out on the road and post their first big win of the season and hopefully build some confidence for the tough road ahead.


Coming soon: Sunday 12/13, Xavier vs. The University of Cincinnati, The Crosstown Shootout. Look for numerous posts during the week as the game nears.

Bustin Out

Xavier has looked almost perfect in their 3-0 start thus far. Starting PG's Terrell Holloway and Mark Lyons have looked great running the show and Lyons has been a real scoring standout. Forwards Jamel McLean and Jason Love haven't let a rebound slip through their fingers yet and are looking like they can compete with any other down-low duo in the country. Jordan Crawford has officially announced his comeback with games of 14, 24 and 26 points coupled with some highlight defensive plays and a visible attitude that will hopefully reach the entire roster. New coach Chris Mack hasn't had to make many tough decisions as of yet but he's doing a great job of getting minutes for 11 players every night, something that will undoubtedly pay off in the future. If you can't tell yet, I'm pleased with the way the Musketeers performance so far, very pleased (how are we not ranked?).

This upcoming week/weekend is when the season really kicks off though. The Muskies travel to Orlando to take part in the Old Spice Classic, one of a million "preseason" tournaments and where X will finally catch some national attention. Being a fan of a smaller school like Xavier for many years has taught me one thing about tournaments like this: we need to win them more than anyone. It's hard for mid-majors to get shots at the Big 6 teams most of the time and they need to take advantage of them when they do. Xavier has done well in that respect over the past few seasons, taking down ranked teams like Memphis, Missouri, Villanova, and Indiana in preseason tournaments. These wins always help X's confidence early on as well as helping the Atlantic 10 not look so pitiful to the selection committee. Once again we have an opportunity to build a solid foundation for the rest of the schedule going forward while also helping our seed in March.

While I'm confident this is Xavier's tournament to lose, there are still some quality teams in the bracket. Let's look at some of them:

Alabama

Key Players- G Mikhail Torrance, G Anthony Brock, F JaMychal Green

The Tide are stocked with talent on their roster this year, but are under direction of 1st year head coach Anthony Grant and trying to learn to play together in his new, up-tempo system. Grant coached at VCU for 3 years before coming to Alabama and was very successful there, reaching the NCAA tournament the past 2 seasons and even winning a game in 2008 (having Eric Maynor didn't hurt). Now he must learn how to handle having numerous stars on his team. Mikhail Torrance is a senior guard who can score in bunches and is the clear-cut leader of this squad. JaMychal Green and Anthony Brock are two other studs on the roster who can run and score quickly with Torrance, Green is also a former McDonald's All-American. Alabama certainly has enough weapons to win this thing and wouldn't play Xavier until the championship game so there's no reason they couldn't be tipping off against the Muskies on Sunday night.

Baylor

Key Players- G LaceDarius Dunn, F/C Ekpe Udoh, G Tweety Carter

I've seen numerous Baylor games over the past few seasons and have always been entertained when they played. Their run-and-gun style is hectic and really puts pressure on the other team to adapt to it or be run out of the building. LaceDarius Dunn is the best player on the Bears roster and is averaging a staggering 25 points per game to start the season. PG Tweety Carter is just returning from a 4 game suspension to start the year but he's a speedster who can hit the 3 and has plenty of experience running this offense.Baylor's other key player is Ekpe Udoh, a transfer from Michigan who blocked 92 shots as a sophomore for the Wolverines and will try to continue his defensive prowess this season. The Bears can really put pressure on their opponents with their game style and, now that they're at full strength with Carter, have the ability to beat most teams in the country. Like Alabama, Baylor wouldn't have to face X until Sunday night in the title game so they have a good shot to win it if they can find some chemistry in their lineup.

Marquette

Key Players- F Lazar Hayward, G Jimmy Butler

The Golden Eagles have a tough draw in the bracket, taking on Xavier in the first round on Thursday. Coach Buzz Williams lost a ton from last year's team (Jerel McNeal and Dominic James) and will be facing a tough schedule the entire way this season. One big piece Williams returns though is Lazar Hayward, a tough 6-6 forward who can score from inside and outside and will be counted on to lead this young Eagles team. Guard Jimmy Butler is another solid scorer for Marquette, averaging 17 points per game early on. Butler will have added responsibility in the backcourt as point guard Junior Cadougan was lost for the year with an Achilles injury and won't be able to assist handling the ball. Marquette is a solid program with great success over the past decade but are more than likely in for a rebuilding year this season in the Big East. Look for them to bow out early to the Muskies on Thursday.

Michigan

Key Players- G Manny Harris, F DeShawn Sims

The Wolverines, currently ranked 15th in both polls, are poised to have a big year in the Big 10, building on last season's success where they made it to the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament. The main reasons for this excitement are guard Manny Harris and F DeShawn Sims, both top level talents who pose big matchup problems for opponents. Harris is a junior who has impressed his first 2 years at Michigan and is already averaging 21 points a game this season. Sims is a senior and one of the most versatile forwards in the country, scoring from all over the floor and making other forwards defend him away from the basket. Coach John Beilein has plenty of other pieces to compliment Harris and Sims and could easily take the Old Spice Classic trophy home to polish. A second round game with Xavier most likely looms and could be the best contest of the entire tournament, look for the winner of that to leave Orlando as the champ.


This is a solid field and the winner will definitely be tested throughout. Overall I think Xavier has the balance and gameplan to beat anyone they face and will ultimately win the tournament, but there's no reason they can't get knocked off in any round if they don't play well. I'm about to take off for Orlando to watch the action in person (and hit the links in between) so check out some of the tournament's games on ESPN and ESPN2 this weekend.Go Muskies!!

Opening Tip

Few things make me as happy as the start of college basketball, maybe Yocco's or The Simpsons, but even then its close. Since this is my first official post on the blog I will identify myself as Mikey, the original Xavier basketball fan and expert college football picker. As much as I'd like to dwell on how bad I'm beating fellow gambler Mattare on our weekly picks, this post will be dedicated to a team preview of the 2009-10 Xavier Musketeers. As a 2008 graduate of Xavier University and lifelong Xavier basketball fan I've seen a great deal of Xavier hoops, from Lenny Brown's game winner at the Shoe against UC to David West dropping 48 on Dayton. All are great memories and there will certainly be many more as the Musketeers continue to advance as a program and reach new heights of winning.

To illustrate the huge leap Xavier basketball has made over the past 2 decades let's look at some stats:

NCAA tournament appearances before 1989: 5
NCAA tournament appearances after 1989: 15

Sweet 16 appearances before 1989: 0
Sweet 16 appearances after 1989: 4

Elite 8 appearances before 1989: 0
Elite 8 appearances after 1989: 2

NBA players before 1989: 0
NBA players after 1989: 10

It's true that joining the Atlantic 10 and getting better basketball facilities have been main reasons for this immense progression, but Xavier has continued to improve nearly each year and isn't content with just making the NCAA tournament any more.

Even though the program is growing and gaining more national recognition every year, Xavier still realizes some of the setbacks that come with being a mid-major. The main setback is with our head coaches and the inability to keep one around. The past decade has seen 4 different head coaches at Xavier, the first 3 leaving X for bigger conferences and paychecks.Chris Mack was announced as Xavier's new head coach on April 15 and succeeds Sean Miller, who recently took over as Arizona's head coach. Mack spent the past five seasons as an assistant on Miller's staff at Xavier and is a former captain on the Xavier basketball team, graduating in 1992. Mack also worked on Skip Prosser's squad at Xavier for 2 years and then at Wake Forest for 3 years after Skip left X. His resume as an assistant is impressive and he was most definitely the most qualified man for the job on Xavier's coaching staff.

Mack is enthusiastic about the opportunity to coach at his alma mater and will try to build on the foundation that our recent coaches have laid. The last 2 Xavier coaches (Miller and Thad Matta) have been to the Elite 8 in each of their tenures, something that no other coach in Xavier history had done previously. Its easy to see that the bar for Mack is set high as Xavier and its fans have great expectations for this young squad and hope to get to another level in the postseason, namely the Final 4. Mack has a good deal of experience in the NCAA tournament, going there as an assistant almost every year with Prosser and Miller, and will hopefully be a quick learner throughout the regular season. If he can pull this team together early and get some crucial out-of-conference wins, it will be much easier to build confidence in his young players heading into conference play and the postseason.

A good coach is important but he can't score points. Here's a breakdown of the 2009-10 team's key players:

G- Terrell Holloway, 6-0, 185, Sophomore

Holloway came to Xavier last year as a transfer from Indiana (thank you Kelvin Sampson) and performed well given his freshman status and how much Xavier depended on him to run the point. At times he would excite fans with his slick passing and quick hands, but other times saw him turning the ball over entirely too much and costing Xavier big in some games. Setbacks are obviously part of the learning curve and overall Holloway looked like a solid starter for much of the season.

Now a staple in the starting lineup, Holloway will be counted on to lead from the PG spot more and distribute to his teammates. This added responsibility will force him to mature quickly and take care of the basketball or risk losing minutes to talented newcomer Mark Lyons, who pushed Holloway for the starting PG spot in the offseason. Either way Holloway has the opportunity to join great Xavier point guards of the recent past (Lionel Chalmers, Drew Lavender) if he can use his speed while staying under control and utilize the weapons he has around him.

G- Dante Jackson, 6-5, 195, Junior

Jackson is starting to remind me of recent Xavier star Stanley Burrell, a lock down defender who provides a great spark to his teammates and can hit jumpers. Although this might not seem very glamorous, there's no doubt that Dante's role on the Musketeers is crucial and will be a big factor in Xavier's success this season. As a sophomore last year, Jackson started at PG/SG and developed solid ball-handling skills while shutting down the other team's best guard on most nights.

Dante's defensive prowess will most likely be the focus of his game this year as Holloway and Mark Lyons will take over the main PG duties and Jordan Crawford will be the main option for X at shooting guard. There's a good opportunity for Jackson to get a lot of open looks from 3 as other guards are able to draw defenders into the lane and dish it out to him. As long as Jackson takes care of the ball on offense and finds his shot from time to time, while still providing takeaways on the defensive end, he'll help this team excel throughout the season.

G- Jordan Crawford, 6-4, 195, Sophomore

Crawford got more hype than Transformers 2 this summer after he dunked on Lebron James (biggg time) at one of Lebron's summer camps. Seeing Crawford play though makes it obvious why there is so much excitement around him and what he can bring to a team. As a freshman at Indiana, Jordan was a starter almost immediately and contributed greatly in all phases of the game. He was a solid scorer, both inside and outside, and could shut down opposing guards with his stifling defense, making him one of the most versatile, talented freshman in the country.

Now at Xavier, Crawford will be a standout in the Atlantic 10 while making everyone around him better too. He's shown the ability to draw defenders and get easy scores for his teammates in early exhibition games and his basketball I.Q. seems to be one of his greatest strengths. It's going to be exciting to watch him compete this year and see just how good he can be when playing other top level competition.

F- Jamel McLean, 6-8, 235, Junior

As a transfer from Tulsa last year McLean was a very solid, reliable bench player. Averaging around 15 minutes a game he was called on mainly in defensive situations as his leaping ability made him a dependable rebounder and an above average shot blocker. This year, though, his role will be expanded as he moves into a starting role and will be required to shoulder more of the load in the paint.

McLean's main strengths are still his rebounding and defensive abilities, but what he's done to improve his weaknesses are what's going to make him a much better all around player. Last season Jamel shot around 40% from the free throw line and didn't have anything resembling a jumpshot in his game, things that really led to him being kept on the bench during end-of-game situations. This offseason he worked hard on both those areas and is really showing it through the first 2 exhibition games and last Friday's season opener against Youngstown St. He looks much more comfortable having the ball outside the lane and has even drained a few nice jumpers, something that will make him extremely hard to defend if he can do it consistently.

P.S.- Look for Jamel to make numerous highlight reels during the season, few in the country can throw it down like him.

F- Jason Love, 6-9, 255, Senior

The only senior on the roster, Jason Love will set the tone for this young team with his strong work ethic and tough attitude. As a starter last year, Love was one of the best offensive rebounders in the conference and relied on strong fundamentals and solid free throw shooting to keep him in the starting lineup. Although not as talented as some of the opponents he went against, Love always held his own in the paint and never let his smaller size become an excuse.

Over his career Love's been to the Elite 8, the Sweet Sixteen twice and the second round of the NCAA tournament three times, making him one of the most accomplished players ever at Xavier. This level of success will only serve to motivate him more as he tries to get the Musketeers a level no Xavier team has ever been to. Love's progression has been noticeable each year he's been at Xavier and there's no way its going to stop this season, he'll come out hungry and motivate his team every night from start to finish.

Bench: Brad Redford, Kenny Frease, Mark Lyons, Jeff Robinson

The Musketeers bench is young but extremely talented this season as they will most likely go 9 deep (maybe 10 if Brian Walsh learns how to dribble). Mark Lyons has freshman eligibility as he redshirted last year and will be anxious to get on the floor and prove what he can do. Lyons' speed is probably his greatest asset as it will allow him to get steals at the defensive end and really put pressure on opposing teams as he pushes the ball from the PG spot. He will be joined by one more significant frosh on the bench in Jeff Robinson. Robinson, a Purdue transfer, is a lean 6'9" and will play more of an athletic role when he's on the floor rather than playing a typical PF role and staying down low for rebounding. His long wingspan and leaping ability give him great defensive possibilities and will help increase his minutes if he can show them off early. Between the two, Lyons will get a lot more playing time than Robinson initially as he has been with the team longer and feels more comfortable on the court while Robinson only committed to Xavier in late June and doesn't have a great familiarity with Chris Mack's system or the college game. The future is certainly bright for both of these talented newcomers, though, and hopefully we'll get to see some flashes of that talent this season.

The other 2 significant bench players for Xavier are a pair of sophomores who saw a good amount of minutes last season as freshmen. Kenny Frease came in last year as one of the most hyped recruits in Xavier history, ranked by many as one of the top 10 centers in the country coming out of high school. His 7'0" frame made him an unstoppable force in every high school game he played in and got some big attention from scouts. Frease's performance, however, didn't echo his lofty expectations last season and he struggled to find an offensive identity when he was in, turning the ball over far too often and committing costly fouls when they weren't necessary. Kenny will need to find better ways to utilize his immense size and show some serious improvement on both ends of the floor if he wants to be a factor in critical situations this year. Brad Redford is the other sophomore option off the bench and he's got one purpose: make 3's look like layups. Redford has unlimited range when he gets on the floor and is always looking for his shot, nailing 47% of the 3's he took last season as a freshman. His 6'0" height, though, is both exaggerated (he might be 5'10") and detrimental to his shot as the defense is almost always bigger than him and makes him work extremely hard to get his shot off. He's worked hard in the offseason to put on muscle and become more physical on both ends of the court because his limited physical stature hurt him greatly at times last year. He was a defensive liability at many times and must improve that aspect of his game if he hopes to gain more meaningful minutes.

Xavier's evolution into a perennial top 25 team is also thanks to the schedule they play, featuring games with power conference teams every year. Here are some key games from Xavier's 2009-10 schedule:

11/26/09- The Old Spice Classic Tournament in Orlando, FL featuring Marquette, Michigan, Alabama, Creighton, Baylor and Florida St.
12/8/09- at Kansas St.
12/13/09- Cincinnati
12/19/09- at Butler
12/29/09- LSU
1/3/10- at Wake Forest
1/16/10- Dayton
1/20/10- at Temple
2/6/10- at Dayton
2/13/10- at Florida

Cincinnati and Dayton provide huge rivalry games every year for Xavier, and may be even more significant this season as both teams are very solid and could make deep runs in the postseason. Tough road games at Kansas St., Butler, Wake Forest, Temple and Florida will test our young team but also provide much needed experience for March. As long as Xavier can handle the road pressure early on and pull out a few wins, they should be well tested and poised for a deep run in the NCAA tourney yet again.

This is the first post of the season so save up, the highs and lows of college basketball are many. Xavier's next game is tomorrow night against Bowling Green and I have to start thinking of excuses to get out of my night class early, I hope everyone else uses their time as constructively. The march to March has begun.