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2009-2010 Xavier Preview Picks, & Odds.
Xavier 2008-2009 Record: 27-8, 12-4
Xavier 2008-2009 Post Season: NCAA
Xavier Coach: Chris Mack (First year at Xavier, 0-0 overall)
Xavier Projected Starters:
- Terrell Holloway, Sophomore, Guard, 5.5 points per game
- Dante Jackson, Junior, Guard, 6.6 points per game
- Jordan Crawford, Sophomore, Guard, DNP last season
- Jason Love, Senior, Forward, 6.7 points per game
- Kenny Frease, Sophomore, Center, 5.4 points per game
Xavier Player to Watch: Dante Jackson
Xavier Key Losses: G C.J. Anderson, F Derrick Brown, G B.J. Raymond
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2009-2010 Xavier Season Preview
When Arizona tossed lots of loot at Sean Miller to run the program that Lute Olson built, Musketeer fans were feeling a strong case of deja vu.
They had seen this plot line unfold before as Miller left Xavier for the literally greener pastures just like Pete Gillen (Virginia), the late Skip Prosser (Wake Forest) and Thad Matta (Ohio State) had done before him. It’s both a curse and a blessing for a team that has the success of Xavier. Make a good hire … other teams follow.
This time, though, the school’s powers-thatbe believe they have a coach with staying power.
Chris Mack is a Cincinnati kid who grew up a Xavier fan, attending Bob Staak’s basketball camps as a boy and later buying tickets from a scalper to watch his beloved Xavier – led by Byron Larkin – lose to Duke in the second round of the 1987 NCAA Tourney.
Mack’s lifelong love of the school grew when, after starting his college hoops career at Evansville, he transferred back home to Xavier for his final two injury-riddled seasons. While sidelined, he drew close to then-Xavier assistant coach Prosser, who later hired Mack as Xavier’s director of basketball operations in 1999 and then offered Mack an assistant coaching gig at Wake Forest in 2001.
Mack surprised many when he left Wake Forest to return to his alma mater to serve on Miller’s Staff. Mack played a key role both as a recruiter and as an on-court teacher for the Musketeers. The school interviewed a handful of current head coaches when Miller left before choosing Mack, a Xavier guy to his core.
He doesn’t have the kind of team Miller led the past couple of years, but he’s not on a rebuilding project, either.
| 2009 Xavier Basketball Schedule | Xavier Sportsbooks Atlantic 10 Basketball Betting |
Xavier Backcourt
The backcourt welcomes back last year’s primary ball handlers, Dante Jackson and Terrell Holloway. Both are capable of scoring, as Jackson hit for double digits eight times in 2008- 09 and will be asked to do so more often now.
Mark Lyons, a 6-1 New York native who spent one season at Brewster (N.H.) Academy, might actually win the starring point guard Spot after sitting out last year as a partial qualifier.
There are options aplenry on the wings even with B.J. Raymond and C.J. Anderson gone. If Lyons or Holloway win the point guard job, Jackson will slide over to the twoguard slot. Combo guard Brad Redford is Xavier’s designated zone-buster. He’ll likely serve in a sub role again as Xavier welcomes touted Jordan Crawford into the fold.
Crawford started his career at Indiana but transferred after the Kelvin Sampson scandal decimated the program. Crawford created quite a buzz over the summer with his dunk on LeBron James at the NBA star’s camp. Crawford averaged 9.7 points and 2.3 assists for the Hoosiers as a frosh and is expected to start right away. Swingman Brian Walsh, who redshirted last year, is another viable scorer.
Xavier Frontcourt
The frontcourt – even without the oneman highlight reel Derrick Brown – is well stocked as 6-9 senior Jason Love (6.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg), 7-0 sophomore Kenny Frease (5.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg in just 14.6 minutes per game) and 6-8 junior Jamel Mclean (4.4 ppg) all return.
If that weren’t enough for opposing coaches to worry about, 6-9 freshman Jeff Robinson was denied admission into Purdue and committed to Xavier instead – continuing a recent trend of one-time Big Ten players coming to Xavier.
2009-2010 Xavier Predictions
Rather than the fixer-uppers most first-time head coaches get, Mack is quite fortunate to get his first D-1 head job at Xavier, a program coming off consecutive trips to the Sweet 16. Sure, Mack must replace three starters from last year’s 27-8 team, but the late addition of Robinson makes losing Brown to NBA riches a little more palatable and Crawford is expected to average in double figures right away, easing the loss of Raymond. If those two new laces produce right away, the race for the A-10′s top Spot in 2009-10 could be an all-Ohio one between Xavier and Dayton.
Xavier Finish in the A-10: 2nd
Xavier Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA
Xavier Betting Odds
Xavier Odds to Win 2010 Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament: +20000
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Xavier Basketball Handicapping Picks
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