Scouting Xavier

[Hey Adrien!]

It'll be a tough game at Cintas, but excited for the matchup!

Schedule (11-2)

• Best wins: Ohio State, Virginia Tech, Cincinnati, Oklahoma State, Marquette
• Losses to Iowa State (82-70) and Nova (71-58)

Roster Report:

• Balanced roster with a nine-man rotation, eight players averaging between 20-30 mpg
• 28th tallest team in the nation. With Scruggs at the point, their lineup can go 6’5, 6’4, 6’6, 6’9, 7’0
• We still haven’t seen the best out of Freemantle. He’s finally playing more with 27-28 mpg in the last two games, but only averaged 7 points and took just a total of 13 shots in those games.

Offense (27th efficiency on KenPom)

• Four players average between 10-13 mpg (Johnson, Nunge, Jones, Scruggs)
• They push the tempo (41st fastest offensive tempo)
• 35th nationally in FTA/FGA rate with Nunge, Jones and Scruggs leading the team in FTAs.
• Good offensive rebounding team (63rd best rate nationally)
• OK three-point shooting team (34%, 143rd in nation) and they take a medium/high proportion of three point shots (132nd in nation). Nate Johnson is their 3P stud (2.9 3s/game, 45.8%) followed by Adam Kunkel (1.8 3s/game, 36.2%). If you remove those two players, the rest of the team is only 44-163 from deep (27%). Dwon Odom has only six 3PAs this season.

Defense (34th in efficiency on KenPom)

• 9th in nation in preventing teams from getting to the line
• 18th ranked opponent 2p% (43.2%)
• 27th in defensive rebounding rate
• 44th in block rate (Nunge 1.5b/game, Miles 1.3b/game)
• 63rd in steal rate (Scruggs, Jones, Odom all average 1.5 steals/game)
• 85th in opponent 3p% (30.8%)

 

[dennismenace]

So we are in for a track meet game. We'll see how deep in the rotation DH wants to go. This should be a very interesting game in terms of if we can run with them; especially in the last 10 minutes we'll see about our conditioning in this kind of game.

 

[Palatine]

Does their size mean we have a quickness advantage?

 

[Huskyforlife]

We have to agree an away loss here isn't the end of the world

 

[Hankster]

This seems the kind of game (all games actually) that Polley needs to be uncorked. He really needs this game.

 

[8893]

We have to agree an away loss here isn't the end of the world

Are you new here?

 

[willie99]

Good team, big test, we can easily win this game

And we can lose it just as easily

 

[willie99]

We have to agree an away loss here isn't the end of the world

It's too late for that, the world has ended, we're already on to the 22 -23 season

 

[Son of Robert]

It'll be a tough game at Cintas, but excited for the matchup!

Schedule (11-2)

• Best wins: Ohio State, Virginia Tech, Cincinnati, Oklahoma State, Marquette
• Losses to Iowa State (82-70) and Nova (71-58)

Roster Report:

• Balanced roster with a nine-man rotation, eight players averaging between 20-30 mpg
• 28th tallest team in the nation. With Scruggs at the point, their lineup can go 6’5, 6’4, 6’6, 6’9, 7’0
• We still haven’t seen the best out of Freemantle. He’s finally playing more with 27-28 mpg in the last two games, but only averaged 7 points and took just a total of 13 shots in those games.

View attachment 72060

Offense (27th efficiency on KenPom)

• Four players average between 10-13 mpg (Johnson, Nunge, Jones, Scruggs)
• They push the tempo (41st fastest offensive tempo)
• 35th nationally in FTA/FGA rate with Nunge, Jones and Scruggs leading the team in FTAs.
• Good offensive rebounding team (63rd best rate nationally)
• OK three-point shooting team (34%, 143rd in nation) and they take a medium/high proportion of three point shots (132nd in nation). Nate Johnson is their 3P stud (2.9 3s/game, 45.8%) followed by Adam Kunkel (1.8 3s/game, 36.2%). If you remove those two players, the rest of the team is only 44-163 from deep (27%). Dwon Odom has only six 3PAs this season.

Defense (34th in efficiency on KenPom)

• 9th in nation in preventing teams from getting to the line
• 18th ranked opponent 2p% (43.2%)
• 27th in defensive rebounding rate
• 44th in block rate (Nunge 1.5b/game, Miles 1.3b/game)
• 63rd in steal rate (Scruggs, Jones, Odom all average 1.5 steals/game)
• 85th in opponent 3p% (30.8%)

Hey man, @Hey Adrien! , this is great stuff, solid analytics, and it is a treat to bone up on what our next opponent looks like. Thank you!

 

[HuskyAlum012]

 

[CL82]

Are you new here?

It’s like he doesn’t know us at all anymore.

 

[CL82]

W.t.f.?

 

[8893]

W.t.f.?

Ugh. “Tough” could mean a whole range of things.

 

[nashusky109]

Damn he said Xavier and Butler may be tough… thinking RJ tested positive

 

[Jbirdp5]

Ugh. “Tough” could mean a whole range of things.

My initial though is injury or Covid problems popping up….Jesus

 

[CL82]

Damn he said Xavier and Butler may be tough… thinking RJ tested positive

Yeah I didn’t even want to say that outloud.

 

[HooperScooper]

This seems the kind of game (all games actually) that Polley needs to be uncorked. He really needs this game.

Polley is shooting 30% from three so far this season. For his career, including this season, he's a 37% 3 point shooter. This season he hasn't really had a good game since Auburn. He doesn't seem to be still getting over his injury from 2 years ago. I'm a believer in things trending back to the norm. So........he's due for some big games. Would be nice if he started Tuesday. At least this is what I'm hoping for!

 

[HooperScooper]

Damn he said Xavier and Butler may be tough… thinking RJ tested positive

I was worried about that when I saw the players were going home for Christmas. Covid is running rampant. I've heard about more cases from people I know in the last 2 weeks than I did in the last 2 years before this. Crossing my fingers!

 

[nashusky109]

Polley is shooting 30% from three so far this season. For his career, including this season, he's a 37% 3 point shooter. This season he hasn't really had a good game since Auburn. He doesn't seem to be still getting over his injury from 2 years ago. I'm a believer in things trending back to the norm. So........he's due for some big games. Would be nice if he started tomorrow. At least this is what I'm hoping for!

I would prefer if he started Tuesday but tomorrow would be good too in practice

 

[HooperScooper]

I would prefer if he started Tuesday but tomorrow would be good too in practice

Considering how bad he's been lately I'd take that as a start too! Lol. Today felt like a Monday. I'll go get my first cup of coffee!

 

[HuskyHawk]

So is this game on or what? I never saw any official UConn news about cancellations.

 

[uconnfan68]

Does their size mean we have a quickness advantage?

Even the current Charles Barkley would be quicker.

 

[awfuldan]

So is this game on or what? I never saw any official UConn news about cancellations.

Nothing has been announced, just an unsubstantiated rumor on Twitter.

Guessing we will have more info later today either way. Team probably flying into Cinci today and Hurley is usually available to the media the day before a game.

Really would love to win this game but it's gonna be tough, regardless of health. Xavier is a great team coming off a tough loss. We did win there short-handed last year though...

 

[husky429]

Crossing my fingers if we play.

Not expecting a win on the road vs a team as good as X. I just want to see tough defense, good decisions from the coach, and improvement on offense.