Team Capsules Part 9

Xavier-(27-6, 14-2) Most all of Sean Miller’s squad that nearly knocked off the “Thadd 5” last year in the tournament is back. The only key player gone is Justin Doelman. This years squad is led by seniors Drew Lavender, Josh Duncan and Stanley Burrell. Lavender is the lightning fast 5’7 guard who started his career at Oklahoma. Duncan is the 6’9 Power Forward that extends the floor with his range. Burrell has sacrificed his personal game for the team concept and is the true key behind this team’s success. His first three years he was a great scorer and not much else, over the offseason and this season he has become a shut down defender.

The Good: Xavier is the most balanced team in the tournament. All their players buy into the team concept over getting their own. They have an astonishing six guys that average in double figures and no one that averages more than 12 a game. With that stat they are 19-0 when four or more players score in double figures. They have four guys that see significant time that average over a 3 a game. They go 9 deep and don’t have any drop off in production. In fact their first and fifth leading scorers come off the bench. They were first in the A-10 in opponents’ field goal percentage holding opponents to 40%. The most significant thing is their experience. With the three seniors and a plethora of sophomores and juniors contributing they know how to win. Also they have been here before and know how close they were. Stanley Burrell said. “This year, we’re hungry. We’re greedy. We want to keep winning.”

The Bad: They can be shut down as Arizona St. did early in the season and St. Josephs found twice this season. All their losses have been on the road except for a loss at home to Tennessee. Other than having a little trouble on the road (if 5 losses is trouble) they don’t really have any flaws unless they go extremely cold like they were against St. Joes (1 three made).

The Verdict: I love this Xavier team straight up. They have so many weapons that can hurt you and they play team ball so they aren’t reliant on one guy. They have the necessary senior leadership and as Burrell said they are hungry. Last year they got a taste with how close they were before Ron Lewis, this year expect them to overcome that barrier. This team I have going far probably elite 8 and they could be the team I try to ride to the final 4.

University Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC)-(24-8, 13-3) UMBC is another first time tourney team. In fact it was the first time they even made the conference championship game in their 22 years on the D1 level. They are led by two seniors who have both transferred from James Madison University to UMBC. Ray Barbosa and Cavell Johnson transferred together and now as seniors are bringing UMBC to the promise land. Barbosa is their leading scorer at 17 ppg and he averages nearly 3 threes a game. Johnson averages 13 and 7 for the Retrievers. Coach Randy Monroe’s squad really gets out and runs and loves to put points up on the board. With four guys averaging over 13 a game they have many weapons that a team can’t focus in on just one.

The Good: Leadership, 3 of their top 4 guys are seniors and the other is a junior. They come in very hot losing only once since January 20^th. Junior point guard Jay Greene is possibly the most reliable mid-major point guard. He averages nine points a game but his impact is felt by making his teammates better and controlling the game. He averages 7.3 assists a game and only 2 turnovers a game. He dominated the America East tournament on his way to the tournament MVP. Also upfront they rebound pretty well, Darryl Procter grabs 8.5 boards a game to go along with his reliable 15 points and Johnson gets his 7 boards. Also they played close at Ohio St. losing only by 9 proving to themselves they can play with the big dogs.

The Bad: The America East was very weak this year making UMBC’s gaudy 24 wins look worse. Their defense also isn’t stellar evidenced giving up 85 to Hartford, 87 to Lafayette and 92 to Ohio State. If they are matched up with any fast paced team that may work to their disadvantage because they try to outscore teams and on the mid-major level that works but against the Memphis’ that’s a recipe for disaster.

The Verdict: If a 15 seed they could stick around and make a game but don’t expect anything more than that. Expect them to lose by 15 or so and if they play a 1 seed it could get ugly. They should be happy though they made the tourney for the first time in school history.

Marquette- (24-9, 11-7) Tom Crean is one of my favorite coaches but come the tourney his teams always kill me. Pick them to lose they’ll make the sweet 16, pick them to the sweet 16 rest assured they get knocked out in the first round. This year’s squad is the team you know, the three guard attack led by Dominic James and his partners in crime Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews. Up front they have sophomore Lazar Haywood who has stepped up and become a reliable scoring option within the offense and senior Ousmane Barro who can be described simply as raw.

The Good: No team in America can guard these three guards when they are clicking. We all know Dominic James can dominate a game offensively but what is lesser known is how Jerel McNeal can dominate a game defensively. He can torment a taller defender by playing physically while still using his quickness and speed to beat his man to the spot. The best example of his work was his performance on Brian Laing of Seton Hall. Laing, one of the most underrated players in the country who normally averages 20 points had to work to even make it to 6. Any one of the guards or Haywood can take over the game so they have plenty of options if someone is being held in check.

The Bad: Their shooters can’t shoot. Dan Fitzgerald (37%) was the guy they thought would fill the Steve Novak shooter role but unfortunately for the squad he has filled the Taylor King “do jumping jacks on the sideline” role. David Cubillan despite what I think (I don’t think I have ever seen him miss) is shooting a measly 34%. Also if Wesley Matthews or Jerel McNeal gets into foul trouble they are screwed like what happened against Pittsburgh last night. Also they are yet another team that plays much better at home evidenced by beating Pitt by 18 at home but losing by 7 on a “neutral” court (it was at MSG so its essentially better than a home court advantage for Pitt).

The Verdict: Are they elite? No they are not. Are they capable of making the second weekend? Will they bust brackets? Definitely. For these reasons I will likely pick them to make the round of 32 then lose just to play it “safe.”

West Virginia-(24-10, 11-7) When John Beilein and West Virginia won the postseason NIT last year I thought they had a good shot at making the tourney this year. Well Beilein went on to Michigan and in came Huggy. Well, from there I thought it would take a few years for WVU to make it back to the tourney now because these kids couldn’t play Huggy’s style of play. I thought no way would Smalligan be running up and down the court trying to play an athletic style of play. I thought it would be disaster. Well the strength and conditioning that Huggy implemented really worked. It turned Joe Alexander into a superstar a first team All Big East player and was right up players like Da’Sean Butler’s alley.

The Good: Alexander may be the best mid-range player in the country right now. He is extremely athletic and has become Huggy’s premier player. I compare him to what Demarr Johnson was on Huggy’s Cincy teams. Alex Ruoff is a lights out shooter and can really extend the floor and Smalligan despite being bald and appearing unathletic does a great job of guarding opposing post players. Darris Nichols is the gutsy senior leader for this team and if he can knock down a open shot he will bring he intensity of this team way up.

The Bad: They are inexperienced. They are overachieving. And if Smalligan gets in foul trouble down low they have no one to guard a post player (see Hibbert going buck wild when he saw 6’8 Joe Alexander on him). If they aren’t knocking down shots they really struggle, and if Alexander can’t get his game going they are in huge trouble.

The Verdict: This is a good team don’t get me wrong and they have the talent to go past the first weekend but I see them either winning the 8-9 or 7-10 game then going out to a 1 seed. This team next year will be much better with Alexander and Ruoff as seniors and Huggy’s first freshman class.