The Atlantic 10 Thread

[SlimKibbles]

Re: The Atlantic 10 Thread

Yeah there are some big games this week. X is feeling it right now though. They looked a little rusty last night against Richmond after a week off (still won 71-50) but I wouldn't be surprised if they continue this run with a full head of steam through the A-10 tournament. They are starting to play with the same kind of fire that the 2003-04 team had. I'll be in attendance for their games against URI and in Dayton. They should beat URI but the real test will be against UD. If they beat them up there pretty soundly, they'll be in good shape the rest of the way and should do well in the conference tournament. Anyway, as far as the conference as a whole, this week should sort things out. Big, big week.

[Mxracer23x]

Re: The Atlantic 10 Thread

i havent been in this thread in such a long time. UMass with a great win over St bona, not saying much but at least they are killing teams there suppose to. Oh yea Lasme= A10 POY and National Defensive POY

[elicoleman]

Re: The Atlantic 10 Thread

Xavier with a huge win on the road vs Dayton.

Also, Fordham upset Rhode Island today. UMass only up 2 at half, and St Joes is losing to Richmond by 9.

Xavier is putting themselves in great shape for the #1 seed in the A-10 tourney.

[SlimKibbles]

Re: The Atlantic 10 Thread

I just got home from the game in Dayton. Always much better coming home from there with a W. This was a huge win for XU. They should roll over St. Joe's and LaSalle next week. A conference championship and a #1 seed in the tournament are in their grasp.

Yeah, they were showing scores at the UD Arena during the game. I was shocked St. Bona was up on Duquesne by 19 at one point. Looks like the Dukes came all the way back but lost by 3. UMass scraped by SLU, St. Joe's was upset by the Spiders - Richmond is still a tough place to play whether they suck this year or not, Rhody lost again. Lots of noise in the standings below XU and UMass. I'll be really disappointed if Xavier doesn't roll through the tournament to face UMass in the title game. They're playing too well right now.

[MassNole]

Re: The Atlantic 10 Thread

The UMass-St. Louis game was painful to watch. Both teams played like total crap and the refs were so pro-St. Louis it wasn't even funny. SLU's 2 big men could throw elbows all they wanted, hack, claw, whatever, no call. One play Lasme makes no contact and gets a call.

I think both Rashaun Freeman and James Life were sick though, neither came with much energy.

[ghm125]

Re: The Atlantic 10 Thread

I've read it started with that game and some have said it started with the Dayton game a few days later. Statistic-wise, it had to have started that game against UMass. The turnovers UMass committed, the amount of points scored by both teams, etc. all mirror what Duquesne has done since then. They probably were just getting a feel for the system. I tell ya, Ron Everhart should be considered for coach of the year, if not given the award. What he's done with that team this year is incredible. They've beaten the best teams in the conference (with the exception of the Minutemen) and beaten Boston College on the road. Everhart left Northeastern, bringing a stud player (Shawn James) with him, and is looking like he will have DU competitive on a regular basis. It's good for the conference. Some schools will schedule them thinking they'll be a pushover and Duquesne could really suprise them.

By the way, I've loved reading the comments from Cincinnati Bearcat fans on some of the local sports blogs about how Xavier sucks because they lost to Duquesne and how UC would win the A-10 if they were playing in it. Sorry, but they'd be down where Charlotte and Temple are in the standings and Duquesne would beat them by at least 20. I really like Mick Cronin and the players but their fans can be a little ignorant at times, present OS members excluded of course.

yeah cincinnati bearcat fans self excluded,are still bitter over huggs getting the boot,it will take mick cronin a few more years to build program back up,and he will, he is a better overall coach than huggins(X'S O'S) Better recruiter,now huggins gets more from less but never made adjustments in game,so as far as cincinnati being good in A-10,maybe middle of pack,they lack a big man and a few consistant scorers,these big east beat downs will only help for the next seasons team, all come back except one(mcgowen) hey slim kibbles we need to play a college hoops game on the 360 u are on my friend list a little X @ UC....CROSSTOWN SHOOTOUT REMATCH..

[SlimKibbles]

Re: The Atlantic 10 Thread

Figure any A-10 fans can post offseason stuff in here. I'll go first, and it isn't good news for Xavier.

Wolf receives release from XU
St. X grad expected to transfer
BY DUSTIN DOW | CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

Backup point guard Johnny Wolf asked for and received a release from Xavier University, beginning the process that is expected to end with him transferring to another university.

For the immediate future, Wolf’s decision leaves Xavier without a proven backup point guard for Drew Lavender, who will be a senior in 2007-08.

Xavier could sign a point guard out of high school during the spring signing period, which begins April 11, or XU could recruit a junior college player, which it has done in the past to plug a gap in the backup point guard role.

In a prepared statement, Xavier coach Sean Miller said: “Johnny did an outstanding job as a member of two Xavier basketball teams that won conference championships and participated in consecutive NCAA Tournaments. I wish him continued success as he pursues other opportunities to continue as a student-athlete.”

Wolf started the final eight games of the 2005-06 season as a freshman after Miller dismissed then-starting point guard Dedrick Finn from the team. With Wolf running the offense, Xavier won four games in four days to win the Atlantic 10 Tournament and qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

With Lavender’s emergence this season as one of the premier point guards in the Atlantic 10, Wolf returned to a backup role, but still averaged a 3.2 assist-to-turnover ratio.

His playing time, however, decreased by an average of almost five minutes per game to 9.3 minutes this season. He did not play more than seven minutes in Xavier’s last eight games or more than three minutes in the last three games.

A St. Xavier High School graduate, Wolf averaged 2.8 points and 1.9 assists in two seasons at Xavier, to whom he committed in 2005 after being named Ohio’s Division I Co-Player of the Year.

I'm disappointed Wolf is leaving. I guess he saw the writing on the wall with two stud PG's orally committing to XU for the 2008-09 season. Still, why leave now? He's going to play next year behind Lavender. Why not leave when those freshmen show up his senior year? Be interesting to see where he goes. I can see him transferring to Miami (OH) since they recruited him while at St. X.

[FlyerFanatic08]

Re: The Atlantic 10 Thread

Figure any A-10 fans can post offseason stuff in here. I'll go first, and it isn't good news for Xavier.



I'm disappointed Wolf is leaving. I guess he saw the writing on the wall with two stud PG's orally committing to XU for the 2008-09 season. Still, why leave now? He's going to play next year behind Lavender. Why not leave when those freshmen show up his senior year? Be interesting to see where he goes. I can see him transferring to Miami (OH) since they recruited him while at St. X.

Maybe UD?

Speaking of transfers...Desmond Adedeji is transferring from UD as well....

http://daytonflyers.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/032707aaa.html

University of Dayton men's basketball coach Brian Gregory has announced that sophomore forward/center Desmond Adedeji has requested and received his release from the University of Dayton so he can transfer to another school to play basketball.
"Desmond has decided to pursue other opportunities to further his basketball and educational experience," Gregory said, "We will do everything we can to help him. We wish him nothing but the best in the future."
Adedeji, a native of Landover Hills, Maryland, saw nine minutes of playing time over four games this season. He averaged 0.5 points and 0.8 rebounds. He will have two years of eligibility remaining. Dayton returns four starters (including two-time All-Atlantic 10 selectionBrian Roberts) and its top two scorers (Roberts and Charles Little). UD finished the 2006-07 season with a 19-12 record, and ranked #75 nationally in the RPI

[SlimKibbles]

Re: The Atlantic 10 Thread

Maybe UD?

God I hope not. I was just reading the boards on MusketeerMadness and rumors are Butler, Gonzaga, and Pepperdine, to name a few. I really can't see him going to any of those places but who knows.

[FlyerFanatic08]

Re: The Atlantic 10 Thread

God I hope not. I was just reading the boards on MusketeerMadness and rumors are Butler, Gonzaga, and Pepperdine, to name a few. I really can't see him going to any of those places but who knows.

nm you just edited your post

[SlimKibbles]

Re: The Atlantic 10 Thread

Xavier got a big oral commitment late last night. It's been a while since they had someone this tall and they may never have had as highly a sought after recruit. They bagged 2 excellent PG's and a C this week for the 2008-09 team. I'm excited about that team already completely forgetting about the fact they'll have a darn good team for 2007-08. Sean Miller staying with the school is so huge.

Frease commits to Musketeers
Third recruit from class of 2008
BY DUSTIN DOW | CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

Kenny Frease, a 6-foot-11 center regarded among the top 10 big men in the country in the class of 2008, called Xavier coach Sean Miller Tuesday night.

"I told him, I want to be Xavier's Greg Oden," Frease said.

And with that, the Massillon (Ohio) Perry junior orally committed to Xavier, giving the Musketeers their third - and biggest - 2008 commitment the past week.

Recruiting Web site Rivals.com lists Frease as the sixth-best center in the class of 2008, which would make him perhaps the most sought-after recruit ever to commit to Xavier.

Frease and Miller spoke by telephone for about 40 minutes Tuesday afternoon.

"Coach Miller was telling me how important I was to the program," Frease said. "And he was saying how nervous he's been lately because of all the other schools that have been coming into my recruiting picture."

Xavier and Notre Dame were the final two schools in play for Frease after former Kentucky coach Tubby Smith left for Minnesota, removing UK from the player's list of possible schools.

After talking to Miller in the afternoon, Frease went home, thought about it talked it over with his parents.

At 10:57 p.m., he called Miller on his cell phone.

The coach didn't answer.

"I thought, 'Forget about it, I won't commit tonight,' " Frease said.

But his mother sent a text message to Xavier assistant Chris Mack, who sent a message back to call Miller on his home phone because his cell phone doesn't get good reception at his Loveland house.

So on that call, Frease told Miller the Oden line, referring to Ohio State's 7-foot freshman center who has made the Buckeyes national title contenders.

"Honestly, with a different coaching staff at Xavier, I don't know that I'd be committing there," Frease said. "But from the first time I talked to Coach Miller and Coach Mack, I was just in love with them as coaches. And it just seemed like the right thing to do."

[FlyerFanatic08]

Re: The Atlantic 10 Thread

Xavier got a big oral commitment late last night. It's been a while since they had someone this tall and they may never have had as highly a sought after recruit. They bagged 2 excellent PG's and a C this week for the 2008-09 team. I'm excited about that team already completely forgetting about the fact they'll have a darn good team for 2007-08. Sean Miller staying with the school is so huge.

No question. I think at this point Xavier as a program is leaps and bounds ahead of UD. UD is getting solid recruits, BG just cant seem to get it to come together though. I dont know, I dont wanna be negative but it doesnt seem to bright imo. I dont know, I thought BG would bring some athletes in, and he is, but he doesnt run as much as he talks about. He doesnt get out and run at all and the weave he runs does nothing, it just wastes time off the shot clock forcing someone to jack a shot. On top of it we have been having transfers out the wazoo...dont know, I hope BG can right the ship soon.

[SlimKibbles]

Re: The Atlantic 10 Thread

No question. I think at this point Xavier as a program is leaps and bounds ahead of UD. UD is getting solid recruits, BG just cant seem to get it to come together though. I dont know, I dont wanna be negative but it doesnt seem to bright imo. I dont know, I thought BG would bring some athletes in, and he is, but he doesnt run as much as he talks about. He doesnt get out and run at all and the weave he runs does nothing, it just wastes time off the shot clock forcing someone to jack a shot. On top of it we have been having transfers out the wazoo...dont know, I hope BG can right the ship soon.

I like Gregory and the guys he brings in, but like you, I'm a little puzzled as to why he hasn't had more success. It's like they are right on the cusp of being a contender for the conference title year-after-year. He still might be putting his team together, but he's had plenty of time. Waleskowski and company when they won the A-10 championship in 2003 and lost to XU in the 2004 title game were all Purnell's players. I want all the teams in the conference to be good because it helps everyone. Maybe the kid they have coming in next season that is supposed to be pretty good will improve things. Hell, someone said to me today that they could see Johnny Wolf transferring there. You might have been right when you were joking about it yesterday.

[FlyerFanatic08]

Re: The Atlantic 10 Thread

I like Gregory and the guys he brings in, but like you, I'm a little puzzled as to why he hasn't had more success. It's like they are right on the cusp of being a contender for the conference title year-after-year. He still might be putting his team together, but he's had plenty of time. Waleskowski and company when they won the A-10 championship in 2003 and lost to XU in the 2004 title game were all Purnell's players. I want all the teams in the conference to be good because it helps everyone. Maybe the kid they have coming in next season that is supposed to be pretty good will improve things. Hell, someone said to me today that they could see Johnny Wolf transferring there. You might have been right when you were joking about it yesterday.

Exactly, and thats why I said it seems like he cant just put it together.

You mean Chris Wright from Trotwood Madison? Yea, I think he will do some great things at UD, but I dont see him making a huge impact next season. I dont think Wolf would come to UD...London Warren looked really good towards the end of the season, couldnt see Wolf coming in and getting that much more time.

[SlimKibbles]

Re: The Atlantic 10 Thread

So Rick Majerus is taking over at SLU. Gotta like having a coach like him in the league. Soderberg getting fired in the first place still caught me a little off guard.