Travis Discussion

Best case scenario, Steele figures it out, and gets this team back on track. We have seen it before with other coaches in this program, and it can happen again. But at some point you have to figure our luck runs out and one of our Head Coaches fails to figure out how to put the team on an upward trajectory again. We have been fortunate in this regard, we haven't made a bad hire since the 70's. But if Steele turns out to be in over his head at this level, the worst fear is we muddle around in mediocrity (or worse).

We are watching the last of the Mack recruits, and the current roster has been with Travis long enough to buy in to his vision. Travis has to own the shortcomings and take responsibility for correcting these issues. Coming on the post game show and blaming players will not buy any credibility from his team or Xavier Nation and won't bode well for his future.

I see signs of life, the talent we have, and the pieces are there if you use them correctly.

I really was hoping he'd have more control of the locker room once Naji and Q where gone. This doesn't seem to be the case and not sure why people think he'll improve on that by giving him one more year. Having said that I do think he'll get one more year due to covid and not because he deserves it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by drudy23

He also said in the post game presser that he's not worried about offense but the defense was unacceptable.

Does he not realize that his team's actions on offense completely put his team in a terrible spot to defend St Johns? I mean, cmon, this is the coach of a top 25 college program (at least we were) - and doesn't even realize his own offensive strategy was a detriment to his team.

It's just easier to blame "toughness" - welcome to Mick world.

---

This is true. They are shooting threes, which for the most part I am fine if the right guys take them when they are open, but someone has to get back when the shot goes up. Also you have to work the ball and make cuts to the basket to make the defense work and that did not happen last night. The reason Xavier scored as many as they did was due to the pace of the game, not great execution. The thing is I think St. John’s was like 283rd in the country in 2 pt fg % defense and instead of attacking that, Xavier launches 40 threes. Yikes.

One other thing. If Kunkel can’t knock down open shots he can’t be on the floor. Try to find someone who can. Maybe give Wilcher his minutes, but try something different. Kunkel is 28% from three on almost 4 threes shot per game. At Belmont he shot 27% and then 39% and now 28%, so maybe he is closer to 30% than what he made last year. He is shooting about the same amount of threes per game as Naji did last year, in less minutes and hitting at the same clip. Wilcher and Tandy are both making around 40% from three. Maybe they should get more opportunities.

My biggest problem the past 2 games has been defense. Specifically our guys standing flat footed and watching the other team shoot threes.

That and losing the hustle battle for 50-50 balls.

Maybe Travis doesn't command the respect of the guys. He comes off a little too nice and not intimidating.

Maybe they were tired, but the effort seemed to be lacking.

Also, when Carter is on the floor you're playing 4 on 5 on the offensive end because he has no confidence in his shot.

Put Tandy back in for his offensive if the issue is his defense because everyone has sucked on the defensive and they really aren't bringing it offensively either.

If you put Tandy in, tell him he's going to play more than a few minutes so that he won't necessarily go shot hunting the minute he gets in.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GoMuskies

If you put Tandy in, tell him he's going to play more than a few minutes so that he won't necessarily go shot hunting the minute he gets in.

---

Agree. Maybe start him and let him figure it out. Can’t be any worse than what we are going through and he showed last year he is athletic enough to also put it on the floor and get to the rim. He didn’t do horrible and really only made one mistake on one of the shots he put up, but when you have been just sitting not being comfortable it is to be expected to be out of sorts. Have to get to used to game speed.

I've said this from the beginning of the season. Planting Carter out on the 3 point line is plain stupid. I don't care if he can't score in the post - him simply being a THREAT in the post will open up more things for Free and open up the offensive flow to get better shots for the guys that should be shooting 3s.

Coaches could care less about guarding Carter when he's on the perimeter. He's ignored. He's wide open and still misses most 3s. Why he continues to stick him out there like he's some legit stretch 4 is beyond me. Why he continues to shoot 3s in beyond me. Get in the paint and do the dirty work - he's a much more productive asset getting 6 points and 10 boards than he is scoring double digit points.

He's not ignored when he's pulling down 15 boards and providing extra opportunity for the offense to execute. He's a role player, not a scorer. It's not hard to see that he could be very good in this role, and it's obviously better for the team. Put him in the best position for personal and team success.

Same for Free - fine, take the occasional 3 in a situation where you're pulling a legit big out to the perimeter. But don't fall in love with it.

Carter and Free are not Kris Jenkins, regardless of how much Steele wants them to be.

I’ve been around a long time and a season ticket holder for over 35 years. Hell I questioned the hiring of Dick Campbell I go back so far. I’m worried about the future of Xavier basketball.

In the past I was always confident that we had solid footing, a strong foundation. Mike Bobinski in my opinion was a very capable AD. In his 15 years he was responsible for the hiring of Matta, Miller and Mack. In addition, we had the benefit of two university presidents, spanning 30 years, that recognized the value of basketball to Xavier’s overall success.

Now we have Greg Christopher who I think never had to make a “high profile” hire in his professional career. I think Steele was an easy pick. A safe hire. But very possibly not a good hire. Couple that with the fact that we now have a new university president who may not share Hoff/Graham’s vision of the basketball program’s relative importance to Xavier. I’m worried.

There definitely seems to be a major issue with discipline, both on the defensive end and on offense. It almost feels like this team doesn't really have any identity on offense. I think that early in the season when multiple guys were on hot shooting streaks they thought that that our identity was going to be hitting tons of 3 pointers per game. Since that has dried up they are sticking with it vs. making adjustments. Maybe guys will find their shot from here on out and we will go on a run to end the season that will make all of us look stupid, but I kind of doubt it at this point.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by boozehound

There definitely seems to be a major issue with discipline, both on the defensive end and on offense. It almost feels like this team doesn't really have any identity on offense. I think that early in the season when multiple guys were on hot shooting streaks they thought that that our identity was going to be hitting tons of 3 pointers per game. Since that has dried up they are sticking with it vs. making adjustments. Maybe guys will find their shot from here on out and we will go on a run to end the season that will make all of us look stupid, but I kind of doubt it at this point.

---

It's not that we can't shoot 3s, it's that we're so one-dimensional, it's easy to guard. Coaches have ZERO concern for our post game. It's why Free is getting 20+ points a game but playing crappy. Massive perimeter pressure.

You cannot compete in the Big East doing what we're doing. The coaches are too good.