College Basketball Countdown

[Amase2]

Maybe I am out to lunch. Im not gonna pretend like I saw xavier play more than 5 times last year but was Christon not their best player? Did they not lose their top two scorers? Maybe he didnt help the team as much as outsiders would perceive (similar to my thoughts on Jakarr) but what about Xavier makes them a shoe in to improve? Not discounting them and understand that Reynolds has the potential to be a top 5 big in the conference but maybe I am missing what makes it so obvious that they'll be better this season.

Yes, Christon was the best player on Xavier's roster last year.
Yes, X lost its top two scorers, but Justin Martin, as #2, could be a headcase at times.

Core returners include Matt Stainbrook, Dee Davis and Jalen Reynolds. Remy Able comes over from Indiana and plays this year. Trevon Bluiett apparently is ready to go now. James Farr and Brandon Randolph now have a solid year under their belts. And then there is the rest of the heralded recruiting class that, even as freshmen, may contribute nicely in spots.

Semaj was great and all Xavier fans will miss him, but there were times where he was depended upon too much last season. We lost to Iowa in the Islands early because he was cramped up on the sidelines, and we lost late because teams figured out how to shut him down or limit him.

This edition of Xavier basketball will be very much about team execution, and that hasn't been around for a while. The scoring options are exciting. I think they'll jell together this year, even with the amount of youth that is on the roster. Bottom-line: Xavier has real, impressive depth this year, and will have that for the foreseeable future if this freshmen group holds together.

Thanks to you and x-man, points well taken. To me though neither of you explained why they should be obviously better, just my opinion. College basketball is a guards game and you guys lost a real good one in Semaj.

[bmorex]

Thanks to you and x-man, points well taken. To me though neither of you explained why they should be obviously better, just my opinion. College basketball is a guards game and you guys lost a real good one in Semaj.

It was in one of your earlier posts, but I think your ceiling for Reynolds as a top 5 post man in the league is a little low. Honestly, he has the potential to be the best pf in the Big East.

It all comes down to the mental aspect for him. If he can avoid dumb fouls, he will be a menace in the paint.

[Xudash]

Maybe I am out to lunch. Im not gonna pretend like I saw xavier play more than 5 times last year but was Christon not their best player? Did they not lose their top two scorers? Maybe he didnt help the team as much as outsiders would perceive (similar to my thoughts on Jakarr) but what about Xavier makes them a shoe in to improve? Not discounting them and understand that Reynolds has the potential to be a top 5 big in the conference but maybe I am missing what makes it so obvious that they'll be better this season.

Yes, Christon was the best player on Xavier's roster last year.
Yes, X lost its top two scorers, but Justin Martin, as #2, could be a headcase at times.

Core returners include Matt Stainbrook, Dee Davis and Jalen Reynolds. Remy Able comes over from Indiana and plays this year. Trevon Bluiett apparently is ready to go now. James Farr and Brandon Randolph now have a solid year under their belts. And then there is the rest of the heralded recruiting class that, even as freshmen, may contribute nicely in spots.

Semaj was great and all Xavier fans will miss him, but there were times where he was depended upon too much last season. We lost to Iowa in the Islands early because he was cramped up on the sidelines, and we lost late because teams figured out how to shut him down or limit him.

This edition of Xavier basketball will be very much about team execution, and that hasn't been around for a while. The scoring options are exciting. I think they'll jell together this year, even with the amount of youth that is on the roster. Bottom-line: Xavier has real, impressive depth this year, and will have that for the foreseeable future if this freshmen group holds together.

Thanks to you and x-man, points well taken. To me though neither of you explained why they should be obviously better, just my opinion. College basketball is a guards game and you guys lost a real good one in Semaj.

Allow me this then: depth and the fact that they'll play more as a team where that hasn't been the case recently. We had no depth last year and we were very much one-dimensional. Xavier has a ton of talent across the board, albeit young talent. This should be a very balanced, deep team by the end of the OOC. We did lose a real good guard in Semaj, but we have Dee Davis as a senior leading the point. The rest of the pieces have to fall into place as we go, and Chris Mack has the coaching talent to make that happen.

[stever20]

I think a point on Xavier- if Stainbrook doesn't get hurt- they maybe win that Seton Hall game, and have a better chance to beat Nova in the season finale/Creighton in the BE tournament. Any 1 of those 3 and they're not in the PIG, and even if they don't do any of the 3, they have a better shot to beat NC State- and then SLU in the 2nd rd.

And as was- they were still the #3 seed in the BET. And if you look at the standings
1 Villanova- lots back
2 Creighton- loses a ton
3 Xavier- loses some, great recruiting class
4 Providence- loses Cotton, good recruiting class, Dunn back
5 St John's- loses some, a few new pieces
6 Marquette- new coach
7 Georgetown- big enigma last year, good recruiting class
8 Seton Hall- great recruiting class

I think the big wild card quite frankly is Georgetown and then Seton Hall. How good they are will tell a lot.

[hoyahooligan]

I think a point on Xavier- if Stainbrook doesn't get hurt- they maybe win that Seton Hall game, and have a better chance to beat Nova in the season finale/Creighton in the BE tournament. Any 1 of those 3 and they're not in the PIG, and even if they don't do any of the 3, they have a better shot to beat NC State- and then SLU in the 2nd rd.

And as was- they were still the #3 seed in the BET. And if you look at the standings
1 Villanova- lots back
2 Creighton- loses a ton
3 Xavier- loses some, great recruiting class
4 Providence- loses Cotton, good recruiting class, Dunn back
5 St John's- loses some, a few new pieces
6 Marquette- new coach
7 Georgetown- big enigma last year, good recruiting class
8 Seton Hall- great recruiting class

I think the big wild card quite frankly is Georgetown and then Seton Hall. How good they are will tell a lot.

should add loses a lot to Marquette: Gardner, Otule, Wilson(the good one), and Mayo.
Also Seton Hall lost a lot too: Edwin, Auda, Oliver and Teague.
also Providence lost 3 starters not just Cotton. Batts and Fortune are big losses too.

Also not sure how you rank Xavier and Seton Hall recruiting classes great, but Georgetown's only good when Georgetown's is ranked higher by every major service.
Rivals (GU 9, SH 13, X 14) 247 (GU 11, SH 12, X 20) ESPN (GU 7, SH 12, X 22), Scout (GU 13, X 14, SH 15)

[Amase2]

Maybe I am out to lunch. Im not gonna pretend like I saw xavier play more than 5 times last year but was Christon not their best player? Did they not lose their top two scorers? Maybe he didnt help the team as much as outsiders would perceive (similar to my thoughts on Jakarr) but what about Xavier makes them a shoe in to improve? Not discounting them and understand that Reynolds has the potential to be a top 5 big in the conference but maybe I am missing what makes it so obvious that they'll be better this season.

Yes, Christon was the best player on Xavier's roster last year.
Yes, X lost its top two scorers, but Justin Martin, as #2, could be a headcase at times.

Core returners include Matt Stainbrook, Dee Davis and Jalen Reynolds. Remy Able comes over from Indiana and plays this year. Trevon Bluiett apparently is ready to go now. James Farr and Brandon Randolph now have a solid year under their belts. And then there is the rest of the heralded recruiting class that, even as freshmen, may contribute nicely in spots.

Semaj was great and all Xavier fans will miss him, but there were times where he was depended upon too much last season. We lost to Iowa in the Islands early because he was cramped up on the sidelines, and we lost late because teams figured out how to shut him down or limit him.

This edition of Xavier basketball will be very much about team execution, and that hasn't been around for a while. The scoring options are exciting. I think they'll jell together this year, even with the amount of youth that is on the roster. Bottom-line: Xavier has real, impressive depth this year, and will have that for the foreseeable future if this freshmen group holds together.

Thanks to you and x-man, points well taken. To me though neither of you explained why they should be obviously better, just my opinion. College basketball is a guards game and you guys lost a real good one in Semaj.

Allow me this then: depth and the fact that they'll play more as a team where that hasn't been the case recently. We had no depth last year and we were very much one-dimensional. Xavier has a ton of talent across the board, albeit young talent. This should be a very balanced, deep team by the end of the OOC. We did lose a real good guard in Semaj, but we have Dee Davis as a senior leading the point. The rest of the pieces have to fall into place as we go, and Chris Mack has the coaching talent to make that happen.[/quote]

I understand that and can see how it could make for a better team. I just think the quote, and I'm not sure if it was you who said it, that "anyone who think's xavier will be weaker this year it out to lunch" is a little unfounded. There is plenty of reason to point towards the opposite.

[Xudash]

I understand that and can see how it could make for a better team. I just think the quote, and I'm not sure if it was you who said it, that "anyone who think's xavier will be weaker this year is out to lunch" is a little unfounded. There is plenty of reason to point towards the opposite.

My apologies for using the phrase "out to lunch" if that was me; it reads like something I would have posted. Though, assuming you were out for lunch today, I hope you had a nice one.

[GumbyDamnit!]

I think your ceiling for Reynolds as a top 5 post man in the league is a little low. Honestly, he has the potential to be the best pf in the Big East.

THIS GUY DISAGREES WITH YOU...

[Amase2]

Thanks to you and x-man, points well taken. To me though neither of you explained why they should be obviously better, just my opinion. College basketball is a guards game and you guys lost a real good one in Semaj.

It was in one of your earlier posts, but I think your ceiling for Reynolds as a top 5 post man in the league is a little low. Honestly, he has the potential to be the best pf in the Big East.

It all comes down to the mental aspect for him. If he can avoid dumb fouls, he will be a menace in the paint.

Awful lot to ask. Of course if he did become the best 4 in the league then that would make me correct

[SJHooper]

How is it bringing down other teams to speak facts? Xavier's best player is gone…fact (Christon). PC's best player is gone…fact (Cotton…plus Fortune). Creighton's entire team essentially is gone…fact (Wragge, Gibbs, McDermott). This is indisputable.

So when people keep those teams high even after losing their best player and in some cases (CU/PC) multiple great players, it doesn't make sense. I can understand SJ being that low if Harrison or Jordan were gone. We have both. Sampson was definitely not our best player. Very talented, yes but definitely not the best player on our team. So while everyone else seems to be losing their best, we keep ours. Not saying Sampson leaving won't hurt a little, but it's definitely not the end of the world. Losing any of the players above is a much bigger deal than us losing Sampson.

So I'm not saying how great SJ is, I'm simply saying be consistent. If PC can lose 2 studs, CU can lose 3 studs, and Xavier lost a stud, then why are many people putting them ahead of SJ when we didn't even lose our best player? We lost our 3rd best. Harrison and Jordan are clearly better basketball players.

It's a bit odd to have someone act like a 1st round NBA pick leaving won't set Xavier back a bit. Don't get me wrong, Xavier will still be a solid team but I'm not sure they finish 3rd again…we shall see. PC relied on Cotton so much…did you see all their OT games? He was the only one with a crazy motor scoring 30 points for them. Without him PC just doesn't seem as intimidating especially knowing Dunn is damaged goods at best and may very well get injured again.

Now tell me where I'm "bringing teams down" again. I never said SJ was winning the conference, but I think we have a better shot than a team like PC without Cotton or Fortune.