With the recent additions X has

[muskieman]

one more scholarship left, barring a dumb move of one of our NBA testers. Should they use it? What should they look for? Or should they leave it open? Why?

[Anti-Homer]

one more scholarship left, barring a dumb move of one of our NBA testers. Should they use it? What should they look for? Or should they leave it open? Why?

Need a true post backup center. Jones is the only one and is foul prone. Carter can play the 5 if necessary, but he is really a four. Steele once again finding the pieces needed to take it up a notch. Reason number sixty two as to why Brannen didn't get a serious look, though was interviewed, probably as courtesy. He is imo a very solid coach, and did well in a low mid-major. I think he'll do fine now the head of a mid-major program. He will have 3 or 4 more difficult games this year though, as the caliber of competition in both the Horizon and AAC leagues are 80% identical, as the likes of Tulsa, E Carolina, S Fla, and SMU would be middle of the road teams in NKU's league. Good luck to him.

[kyzrex]

It certainly wouldn’t surprise me if X left that scholarship open for next year, but it also wouldn’t surprise me if they used it on an experienced backup center. I don’t have a good read on just how much Freemantle, Ramsey, and Miles are going to be able to help in that area.

The good thing.....compared to the last couple of years...is that X is now in a situation where the biggest questions are who is going to be the BACKUP center and how are they going to find enough minutes for all of the players they have? It’s not too bad of a situation to be in.

[muskieman]

our lineup of players next year
Q Senior
Jones Senior
Moore Grad Transfer
Naji Jr
Paul Jr
Carter Jr-Transfer
James Soph
Ramsey Fr
Freemantle FR
Myles Fr
Bishop Fr
Tandy Fr
EMPTY

I agree a Center would be ideal Jones needs a good solid backup and while Freemantle and Carter might work I'd like a solid player
immediate help
Kerry Blackshear Jr. 6'10" monster more a PF from Vtech and as one poster said a 1% chance but at 250 pounds we would have some muscle inide
Jayce Johnson, 7-0, C
Derrik Smits, 7-1, C
Keith Stone, 6-8, PF
Dominik Olejniczak, 7-0, C
have to sit a year
Cheikh Mbacke Diong, 6-11, C would have 1 year
Jaedon Ledee, 6-9, PF, Fr., from Ohio State and was a FR with 3 years to play
Connor Vanover, 7-3, C FR with three years to play

[longliveskip]

our lineup of players next year
Q Senior
Jones Senior
Moore Grad Transfer
Naji Jr
Paul Jr
Carter Jr-Transfer
James Soph
Ramsey Fr
Freemantle FR
Myles Fr
Bishop Fr
Tandy Fr
EMPTY

I agree a Center would be ideal Jones needs a good solid backup and while Freemantle and Carter might work I'd like a solid player
immediate help
Kerry Blackshear Jr. 6'10" monster more a PF from Vtech and as one poster said a 1% chance but at 250 pounds we would have some muscle inide
Jayce Johnson, 7-0, C
Derrik Smits, 7-1, C
Keith Stone, 6-8, PF
Dominik Olejniczak, 7-0, C
have to sit a year
Cheikh Mbacke Diong, 6-11, C would have 1 year
Jaedon Ledee, 6-9, PF, Fr., from Ohio State and was a FR with 3 years to play
Connor Vanover, 7-3, C FR with three years to play

wait, these are all transfers who still haven't found a "home" yet?

wow.

[skyhops]

As long as our players that have entered the draft will not hire an agent, which would be really hurt besides Q leaving. Getting a backup big will be the next priority.

[muskieman]

As long as our players that have entered the draft will not hire an agent, which would be really hurt besides Q leaving. Getting a backup big will be the next priority.

actually, there are certain approved agents they could sign with and still return according to the new rules

https://campussports.net/2018/08/08/nca ... ter-draft/

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/201 ... nal-sports

[titansbaseball01]

Agree that a big man of some sort is needed. A true center would be preferred. Even if its just a guy to play 15ish minutes a game who can rebound well and can score a bit. But I would take any guy who adds depth to the front-court.

[Biggernlife]

muskieman, whatever happened to Hanson,the kid from Columbia who walked on but was supposed to be pretty good? Is he eligible this year and will he make the team????? Just wondering. ..... Bigger

[kyzrex]

He was a redshirt last year, and will be eligible next year. However, how good is he? We just don’t know. I’ve been told that he is a good practice player but can’t compete at the BE elite level. Guess we will have to wait and see how he does. Maybe he earns himself another year of scholarship, maybe he doesn’t.

Very very few teams fill the full 13 scholarships on a regular basis with players that can actually compete for a starting position, or even a lot of playing time. Most teams seem to have an 8-9 man rotation. Xavier would seem to have at least 10 players that will compete for lots of playing time, and possibly even as many as 12. I’m not really worried about X filling that 13th spot, and don’t think they will, .unless they can add a real difference maker of a grad transfer.