RE: Xavier Game

[MURPHY, T. JASON]

I agree with Steve's sentiments. I would add that Chalmers can really hurt a team too. It is not just the West and Sato show. Last night, XU got production out other guys (Myles, Chalmers) When those guys start scoring then things really open up for XU. Muscling West is not enough. Denying West the ball as well as the UC perimeter defenders really creating havoc when X tries to pass the ball is key. I don't see UC winning this convincingly if at all. When I look at who X has to guard each of our guys (West on Max, Sato on Stokes, Chalmers or Finn on Barker and Field) I see UC being really challenged to score. Hopefully we get a few of their regulars in foul trouble and cause them to go with less experienced guys. Will we see any zone out of UC if UC struggles early on D(ala Stanford)? Stanford used it well against X, but UC's zone looked bad against UD.
Oh well, it is the shootout which means uou can usually throw logic out of the window. 
-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Ray [mailto:address@hidden
Sent: Wednesday, December 04, 2002 12:04 AM
To: address@hidden
Subject: RE: [UC Basketball] Xavier Game


> -----Original Message-----
> From: ALACOMBE [mailto:address@hidden
> Subject: [UC Basketball] Xavier Game
>
> Xavier is perimeter oriented
> team and if they are guarded they will not be able to
> make as many as they normally do.

I couldn't disagree more.  In the halfcourt, Xavier is a throw it inside
team all the way.  Sato's open looks almost all come off of West passing out
of double teams or Chalmers drawing defenders with dribble penetration.
Given UC's dearth of interior defenders, Xavier will be looking to pound it
inside all night long, with Sato and Chalmers picking up easy looks off the
two-man game.

> West looks like he is going to cry several
> times a game and I would like to see UC get in his head.

Have you guys only seen West play one time?  I've seen West dismantle MUCH
more physical interior defenders than UC can offer, starting with the UD
interior guys that had their way with the Bearcats and ending with the old
Temple 600# frontcourt (Rolison, Lyde).  Jamal Davis & company frustrated
West by denying him the ball, not by beating him up.   I just don't see this
Bearcats team being anywhere near as effective against West.  Look for a
dominating performance out of West in his final shootout.  Like him or not,
crybaby or not, West is MILES better than any interior player on the
Bearcats.

IMO, the biggest key to this game is ball security.  The Bearcats are going
to need every possession they can get against the a more skilled/experienced
Xavier squad.  They cannot thow the ball around and expect to win this game.
In the halfcourt, the defensives keys are going to be whether Barker can
shut down Chalmers penetration and whether Stokes can keep Sato from getting
open looks and of the boards.  Play West straight up with Max or versus
Kareem with Max coming from the help side.  Either way, let West get his,
just don't let the other guys feed off of his dominance.



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