Xavier
 

They are 16-10. They have lost 3 out of 5, just like us. I'd be surprised (not sure if that's the right word anymore when talking about this team) if we lost 2 straight home games. Last time we were coming off of a rough loss, we won @SMU. I just need to see the effort. I'm willing to start there for now. I wonder if we'll shake up the starting lineup. I think we should. And I think we should play man defense in this one. Xavier is a good passing and shooting team and they're going to kill us if we are late on our rotations in zone. No matter how upsetting the game was yesterday, we still have greater things to play for. And it starts again on Wednesday. Another gut check type game. If we can't get up for this one, then I will officially launch the "The Sky is Falling" thread! No score prediction bc I've looked awfully silly on those lately.

I'll seriously start this line up against X

DeBerry
Ellis
Clark
Cobb
Caupain

I'm worried about what we do with Stainbrook. He's too powerful for Ellis and if we double him he's a really good passer.


Xavier can shoot the 3 sometimes. They are extremely hot and cold and have only shot 29.6% from 3 in conference play, but they tend to shoot really hot against us.


Reynolds is likely to try to start something and we can't react to it. He has 7 technicals on the season and does a lot of punk things after the play. We have to be above it.

What happens when Deberry and Ellis pick up quick fouls?

UC is not a good team right now... I am mot expecting much.

Guys, X isn't that good right now either. I would argue that they have some L's that are on par with ours if not worse. I think we can frustrate them with our athleticism. They suck defensively, we suck offensively. Something has to give. One thing is for sure, you never know in this game.

I promise to do my part and beat down anyone in the student section sporting XU wear, better yet I'll intercept them in the concourse and burn their ticket so they can't get in

That's what I am talking about!!!

I think Deberry is our obvious matchup with Stainbrook if Ellis can't handle him.

My two biggest concerns for this game are:
1. Larry Davis not making adjustments as needed on defense. Aka against VCU (I know it was his first game...), but still he kept playing a zone for a long long time even after they kept nailing 3's. If XU gets hot from 3 we need to leave the zone and play man or it could turn ugly if our offense is off. Hopefully if we play man though we move our feet on defense and not let them blow by us....

2. Is anybody else worried about Ellis's temper? He has done a very good job remaining composed this year but there have been a couple times he's made me nervous. The second SMU game he was getting very frustrated, and the play when he "tweaked his knee", when he fell he kinda kicked out awkwardly when he went to the ground and then held his knee (looked like his kick out was a purposeful move". Then he got up and limped away and started to fall and the ref tried to help him and he almost shoved the ref which would be an ejection..... I'm just worried X will try to nettle him. Hope he keeps his cool and his teammates are there to keep him composed.

That being said I hope we whoop them and end this slump!!

Yeah I'm hoping something really bad doesn't happen during or at the end of this game, although it is nearing the end of the season so ESPN won't be able to harp on it for very long if it does.