Insider Q&A MBB: Know Thy Foe (Xavier)

Xavier has an unusual team- all 8 players that get significant minutes are over 6-4.  Obviously, the big 3 have been Bluiett, Macura and Sumner from a scoring standpoint.  What players do you think are most likely to step up for Xavier if one of those 3 has an “off” game? 

Shannon Russell:  There hasn't been a consistent fourth scorer. It's often Sean O'Mara, and sometimes Malcolm Bernard or Quentin Goodin. Generally the scoring has come from the Bluiett/Sumner/Macura trio (as you mentioned) but last game, for example, Sumner served more as a floor general than a points producer and O'Mara had 12 points. It's still early and I don't think we've seen the best play yet from guys like RaShid Gaston or Tyrique Jones, so I would expect more from the frontcourt as time progresses. This team, though, is very unselfish. Players are willing to make an extra pass to get an optimal look, so spreading around the points below the top three will probably be the norm.

We know Macura (35% from 3 and 97% from FT) is a terrific shooter.  Bluiett shot 40% from 3 last year and is below 28% this year.   Have you noticed him taking “tougher” shots?  What do you attribute the decline in percentage to? 

Shannon Russell:  There are times this season he has looked tight, and Bluiett himself said he needed to improve his efficiency with more reps as recently as the last press conference. Bluiett tested the NBA draft waters in the offseason without hiring an agent and received lots of feedback from scouts. He immediately lost about 15 pounds and has tried to be a more versatile player, not living and dying by the 3-point line. Sometimes it seems like he's striving too hard to be more well-rounded, aka overthinking rather than reacting. In that way, his shot selection hasn't been the hurdle. Because Bluiett has a pure shot and immense talent, it would seem that the small sample size we've seen thus far will not be indicative of how he plays throughout the season.

Baylor has a very long frontcourt with Acuil (7-0 with 7-4 wingspan); Motley (6-10 with 7-4 wingspan) and Wainright (6-5 with 7-2 wingspan).  Sometimes that is a big adjustment for teams that haven’t faced that size.  Do you have any comments on how Xavier has played versus zone teams or teams that have a lot of length like Baylor?

Shannon Russell:    This will be the greatest length Xavier has faced this season. Smaller teams from other conferences aren't quite the same threat and the Musketeers largely have been able to carve up their schemes by going inside or capitalizing from long range. Baylor presents a unique opportunity, especially because Xavier's own frontcourt is still trying to establish its identity. O'Mara is logging his first meaningful minutes after playing behind other bigs his freshman and sophomore years; Jones has shown signs of explosiveness but is still a freshman, just seven games into his career; Gaston is in his lone season playing with the team after three years at Norfolk State and a sit-out year. The length of Acuil/Motley/Wainwright certainly will pose problems but it won't stop the Musketeers from attacking the zone. It kind of goes back to the first answer, in that XU has the patience to find good looks from multiple scorers.

I noticed Xavier gathers a lot of steals per game.  Do they press some or trap in the half-court?

Shannon Russell:  They're not a pressing team, but rather a sound defensive team in the half-court and in transition. It all starts with their pack-line defense and staying in their gaps. Factor in the speed of Sumner plus the scrappiness of Macura and teams have paid for lazy passes or miscommunication. Defense has long been the foundation of the program. The coaches don't necessarily worry about scoring because they know if the Musketeers are playing sound defense, the points will come.

There is a very experienced core group here so playing on the road shouldn’t be as big of a shock as it would be to a younger team.  Baylor will likely have a sell-out or near capacity crowd Saturday.  What are the keys for Xavier to get out of Waco with a big road win? 

Shannon Russell:  The Musketeers have to withstand the first punch, ie. not be deterred if Baylor jumps out to a 10-0 lead before an exuberant home crowd. The last time Xavier played Baylor, in the 2012 NCAA tournament (and obviously that was a neutral court), the Bears vaulted ahead 20-4 - but the Musketeers chipped away and made it a 3-point game down the stretch. That's a microcosm of Chris Mack's teams: They don't give up. But waging a strong start would also make the other challenges they face a little easier.