Crosstown Shootout pre-game analysis

[Anti-Homer]

I know you are a basketball aficionado, but UC may be the toughest team we play all year to try and pound inside. Better play a good inside out game with us able to hit a few threes. Would love to see a hi low post game with various combinations of Carter, Tyrique, , Zach, and Dontarious . Doing all this spreading the floor. Then the inside may open up to our liking. Lastly I can see several minutes of a UC press as they know our vulnerability to T/O’s. .....just my take, Biggernlife

Bigger,

This is exactly the type of team X should pound the ball inside against. UC has a pretty immobile 7'1" center who is a decent offensive player, and though I'm no expert on UC, have seen enough to know he is no shot blocking machine, nor very physical. He averages 1.5 blocks a game, and though neither team are known as great shot blockers, Freemantle avgs. 1.1/game in 15 minutes. UC also doesn't have a lot of quality post bigs as reserves. He's susceptible to pump fakes, and isn't the strongest rebounder (averages 2 less a game than Tyrique, while avg. 4 more minutes a game). Nice offensive skillset in the paint. They have to push him out of the lane, because he is a good catch and half hook shooter due to his height.

Freemantle will provide a different look, since he has a nice 10 foot jumper, can put it on the floor, and scores with either hand. UC should not press because they lack quality depth, and actually avg more t.o.s a game than X. Also, Marshall is at his best in the open floor. I'd drop back into a soft matchup zone against X and let they shoot all the treys they want. X is the one who should press, and I suspect they will.

Lastly, with all due respect, I don't want to see any Dontarius unless we have a 20 point lead.

[Anti-Homer]

I can save you some trouble AH:
“We’z In trouble..!”

X can only lose the game with self inflicted wounds, which is very possible. UC can't win unless they play out of their minds, Or X launches 30 treys with 20 turnovers. Too great a talent disparity favoring X.

[Anti-Homer]

They can't let Vogt have his way inside. He's big enough that you almost have to double team him down low, and he passes and finishes much better than i thought. Kid's made a ton of progress from where he was a couple years ago as i saw him play in the summer and he doesn't look like the same player.

I agree. X needs to pressure the guards high so the entry pass is more difficult, and make him catch it higher in the post.

[Anti-Homer]

Not to be a negative-Ned, but Kyzrex - did you watch the Green Bay game.......? You are one of the many posters I enjoy reading so no offense meant here. I would love to be optimistic. Being rational though we are often a train wreck on offense. If Naji or Paul do not carry us, I see us struggling to score tomorrow. Sure our D should keep UC around or under 65, but can we top 65..? Usually some role player excels in this game, let's hope that player is sporting the "X".

https://deviantinvestor.com/wp-content/ ... nwreck.jpg

X just came off 2 games where they scored 87 and 84 points. I’ve watched every UC game this year and truthfully they are NOT a good defensive team. X should have no problem scoring and Vogt is to slow to control any of the X low post players. The only thing that could keep them scoring lots of points would be to have every player have a bad shooting night, even then I think that X will control the offensive boards enough to make up for that. X certainly didn’t shoot week against GB, but 18 OFFENSIVE rebounds made up for that.

Looks great on paper Kyz,

But consider this:

Libscomb: 3-6, has 1 tourney team in X. Belmont scored 80, & Tenn St 79 against them. They lost to Duquense (sp?) 58-36. XZYQ bubble team.

GB 3-5, but have played 3 tourney teams including X, and got blitzed by all. Colgate & New Mex scored 99 & 93 points respectively.

X would have scored 120 against GB, if they explored the post more than once every ten sets.

[kyzrex]

Just pointing out that despite poor outside shooting the last couple of games X has had no problem scoring points. The problem (and they WON both games comfortably by the way) has been lack of real defensive intensity for 40 minutes. I don’t expect that to be a problem tomorrow. The MOST points X has allowed is 74, and that was in a 2 OT game v UConn. UC gave up 91 to Bowling Green in a 1 OT game and has given up 77 to Valparaiso and 73 to Vermont. UC is NOT the defensive team they used to be, either in talent or in scheme. I just don’t see how UC will keep X from scoring, especially if X shots halfway decent and makes their free throws.

[Anti-Homer]

Just pointing out that despite poor outside shooting the last couple of games X has had no problem scoring points. The problem (and they WON both games comfortably by the way) has been lack of real defensive intensity for 40 minutes. I don’t expect that to be a problem tomorrow. The MOST points X has allowed is 74, and that was in a 2 OT game v UConn. UC gave up 91 to Bowling Green in a 1 OT game and has given up 77 to Valparaiso and 73 to Vermont. UC is NOT the defensive team they used to be, either in talent or in scheme. I just don’t see how UC will keep X from scoring, especially if X shots halfway decent and makes their free throws.

Great points,

And I agree with your overall premise: X will determine who wins or loses. It's not just an easy attack on UC. The talent disparity is evident, X is at home, and UC's beat player, the very talented Jarron Cumberland, is having a disastrous year.

[muskieman]

Just pointing out that despite poor outside shooting the last couple of games X has had no problem scoring points. The problem (and they WON both games comfortably by the way) has been lack of real defensive intensity for 40 minutes. I don’t expect that to be a problem tomorrow. The MOST points X has allowed is 74, and that was in a 2 OT game v UConn. UC gave up 91 to Bowling Green in a 1 OT game and has given up 77 to Valparaiso and 73 to Vermont. UC is NOT the defensive team they used to be, either in talent or in scheme. I just don’t see how UC will keep X from scoring, especially if X shots halfway decent and makes their free throws.

Great points,

And I agree with your overall premise: X will determine who wins or loses. It's not just an easy attack on UC. The talent disparity is evident, X is at home, and UC's beat player, the very talented Jarron Cumberland, is having a disastrous year.

I heard that Cumberland has been a discipline problem

[Anti-Homer]

Just pointing out that despite poor outside shooting the last couple of games X has had no problem scoring points. The problem (and they WON both games comfortably by the way) has been lack of real defensive intensity for 40 minutes. I don’t expect that to be a problem tomorrow. The MOST points X has allowed is 74, and that was in a 2 OT game v UConn. UC gave up 91 to Bowling Green in a 1 OT game and has given up 77 to Valparaiso and 73 to Vermont. UC is NOT the defensive team they used to be, either in talent or in scheme. I just don’t see how UC will keep X from scoring, especially if X shots halfway decent and makes their free throws.

Great points,

And I agree with your overall premise: X will determine who wins or loses. It's not just an easy attack on UC. The talent disparity is evident, X is at home, and UC's beat player, the very talented Jarron Cumberland, is having a disastrous year.

I heard that Cumberland has been a discipline problem

Worst kept secret in Clifton. It may have to do w/the fact that under the Cronin, offensive savant, 90% of his plays revolved around getting the ball to Cumberland in space with 15 seconds to go, and let him shoot or create. Brannen's has a better, motion, equal opportunity offense. No reason why Cumberland can't thrive in his offense, but his numbers are the worst in his career by far.

[skyhops]

Skyhops and Skyhops Jr will be in attendance. Xavier -6.5 seems like a lot. Hope to see a complete game and hopefully Steele will make the proper adjustments especially with Q and Carter.

[thecoach]

Just pointing out that despite poor outside shooting the last couple of games X has had no problem scoring points. The problem (and they WON both games comfortably by the way) has been lack of real defensive intensity for 40 minutes. I don’t expect that to be a problem tomorrow. The MOST points X has allowed is 74, and that was in a 2 OT game v UConn. UC gave up 91 to Bowling Green in a 1 OT game and has given up 77 to Valparaiso and 73 to Vermont. UC is NOT the defensive team they used to be, either in talent or in scheme. I just don’t see how UC will keep X from scoring, especially if X shots halfway decent and makes their free throws.

Great points,

And I agree with your overall premise: X will determine who wins or loses. It's not just an easy attack on UC. The talent disparity is evident, X is at home, and UC's beat player, the very talented Jarron Cumberland, is having a disastrous year.

I heard that Cumberland has been a discipline problem

I heard from an orthopedic doc buddy of mine he's got a legit hip pointer. Guess he fell hard on his hip last week, and ran into a guy in the game earlier in the week and reaggravated it. He's said he's doubtful to play. Hip pointers are very painful if you've never had one. See more in fball, but they definitely can render you to rest for a couple weeks if they are to heal. I'd be surprised if he plays, and if so, not many minutes. That said, i think his cousin is a much more accurate shooter, so how much it matters is anyone's guess.