Season at a Glance

[xudash]

And I believe Xavier will make the NCAAT and make a run.

[Masterofreality]

And I believe Xavier will make the NCAAT and make a run.

From your lips to God’s ears. #Praying

[RetireFiftyTu]

I took the Covid circumstances into account when I considered last year's performance and results. I also took the performance nd results of the prior 2 years into account as well.

I cut last years team a considerable amount of slack due to Covid. They were still generally bad with a questionable gameplan and roster management. I'm not blaming the talent (players) for the decisions made by the coach.

You can use Covid to talk about why they may have missed some games. But when on the court, you cant blame Covid for running an offense that is designed to create 3's for bad shooters.

3PA Leaders Last Season (Career 3P% coming into last year)
Johnson: 93 (38.8%)
Scruggs: 83 (36.3%)
Freemantle: 78 (35.3%)
Kunkel: 68 (36.9%)
Tandy: 59 (35.5%)
Carter: 44 (29.7%)
Wilcher: 29 (N/A, reputation as a good shooter)
Jones: 27 (N/A, reputation as a guy who doesn't shoot outside much)
Odom: 13 (N/A, reputation as a poor shooter)

3PA/Minutes Played (essentially the above on a rate basis)
Kunkel: 0.23
Tandy: 0.23
Johnson: 0.18
Wilcher: 0.19
Scruggs: 0.12
Freemantle: 0.12
Carter: 0.08
Jones: 0.06
Odom: 0.03

What percentage of total FGAs came from 3
Johnson: 66.4%
Wilcher: 64.4%
Kunkel: 63.0%
Tandy: 57.3%
Carter: 38.6%
Scruggs: 36.6%
Jones: 32.1%
Freemantle: 29.0%
Odom: 12.0%

To me it looks like the best shooters got the most looks from 3 (although Carter took too many). I have other gripes with the offense but the wrong guys taking the 3 point shots by and large isn't the biggest concern imo.

[drudy23]

If Steele fails this year, and I don't think he will, how many different combinations of players will it take before some people lay all the blame on him? I mean no only is he charged with putting the players in positions to succeed, but he is also the one picking the players! If it is their fault, it is Steele's fault.

I have no issue tinkering with the lineup early on and with the Buy Games - that's what they are for.

But at some point, you have to settle in on your best 8-9 guys. As someone said, this team is deep enough to even weather some injuries. Coaching decisions about roster construction, playing time, and lineups in crucial moments are 100% dictated by the coaching staff. You have to put your team in the best situation to win, and honestly, that has been very questionable the last 3 years.

[Masterofreality]

I have no issue tinkering with the lineup early on and with the Buy Games - that's what they are for.

But at some point, you have to settle in on your best 8-9 guys. As someone said, this team is deep enough to even weather some injuries. Coaching decisions about roster construction, playing time, and lineups in crucial moments are 100% dictated by the coaching staff. You have to put your team in the best situation to win, and honestly, that has been very questionable the last 3 years.

How many times, last year especially, did Xavier start out a game playing very effectively, then a formulaic substitution happens and the new guys installed immediately kill that early momentum?
Answer- waaaaaay too many times.

[MHettel]

3PA Leaders Last Season (Career 3P% coming into last year)
Johnson: 93 (38.8%)
Scruggs: 83 (36.3%)
Freemantle: 78 (35.3%)
Kunkel: 68 (36.9%)
Tandy: 59 (35.5%)
Carter: 44 (29.7%)
Wilcher: 29 (N/A, reputation as a good shooter)
Jones: 27 (N/A, reputation as a guy who doesn't shoot outside much)
Odom: 13 (N/A, reputation as a poor shooter)

3PA/Minutes Played (essentially the above on a rate basis)
Kunkel: 0.23
Tandy: 0.23
Johnson: 0.18
Wilcher: 0.19
Scruggs: 0.12
Freemantle: 0.12
Carter: 0.08
Jones: 0.06
Odom: 0.03

What percentage of total FGAs came from 3
Johnson: 66.4%
Wilcher: 64.4%
Kunkel: 63.0%
Tandy: 57.3%
Carter: 38.6%
Scruggs: 36.6%
Jones: 32.1%
Freemantle: 29.0%
Odom: 12.0%

To me it looks like the best shooters got the most looks from 3 (although Carter took too many). I have other gripes with the offense but the wrong guys taking the 3 point shots by and large isn't the biggest concern imo.

I dont know if you saw the analysis I provided earlier, but there are a few basic realities that simply "exist" and cannot be explained away no matter the analysis of the details.

Simply put, we took more 3's per minute in the last 3 years that we did in any of the previous 29 years. Slice that up anyway you want. It's just a fact.

AND

Our shooting % from 3 over the last 3 years is ALSO at the bottom over the 32 year period (too lazy to check what I posted, but all three years were ranked mid 20 or higher and I think 2 were in the 30s). Again. Just a fact.

Our % of shots taken from 3 was higher than our historical rate.

Our % of points scored from 3 was actually among our highest rate ever. Think about that. We were bad at shooting 3's and still scored our highest % of points from 3. Do you know how many misses that took?

So, to be clear, I appreciate the stat breakdown. But at the end of the day, when you put it all back together, we were a poor shooting team from 3 that took alot of 3s.

Also, lets dig a little deeper into the "why" we got these results. I figure there are 2 options.

1) We weren't necessarily trying to shoot 3's, but had to settle for contested attempts that caused our actual shooting % to be lower than it should have been based on the reputation of these guys as shooters.

2) These attempts came out of a designed offense, and they weren't necessarily contented, but they didn't fall. In as sense, good shooters having an "off day", expect it lasted for 4 months.

And the more important point I was trying to make in my analysis is that it seems our surge in 3 pt attempts may be related to our noticeable reduction in Free Throw Attempts. I submit that we left more points on the line last year (last 3 years) than we could have scored if we shot 3's at remarkably high rate. Freemantle took 78 3's in what, 21 games? I like the the 35.3% he shoots, but I rather see him brining the lunchpail and work inside. An emphasis on taking 3's will result in less attempts at the rim. Thats whats been killing us....

[SM#24]

I guess Steele needs to “Sneak up on people”. No one respects him nationally yet.

Or regionally or locally.

While I like that Scruggs and Johnson came back, deep or not, Odom and Jones need to lead this team in minutes played with at least 30 mpg.

[MHettel]

Or regionally or locally.

While I like that Scruggs and Johnson came back, deep or not, Odom and Jones need to lead this team in minutes played with at least 30 mpg.

I dont want to be the first to say it, but Odom needs considerable work on his game to be a guy that we can build around and hope leads out team in minutes played. His lack of outside shot will make it very difficult for him to get into the lane and finish. Lets say you were the opposing coach and had access to his game film. Would you respect his shot and play him tight on the perimeter? I wouldnt. I dare him to shoot. And I'd give myself as much of an advantage as I could when it comes to stopping the drive.

I like pretty much everything about him and dont see many weaknesses aside from shooting the 3. he kind of reminds me of Westbrook. Freak athlete for sure, but he can be defended due to his lack of deep shooting.

I think Jones can be an all time great XU player. Josh Hart.

[SM#24]

Odom is our best defender and at a key position. As long as he stays disciplined to NOT take what the defense gives him, he should be on the court.

[xukeith]

How many times, last year especially, did Xavier start out a game playing very effectively, then a formulaic substitution happens and the new guys installed immediately kill that early momentum?
Answer- waaaaaay too many times.

It is very common across the basketball world to see a significant drop off when going to the bench. Most teams are only 6-8 deep.