Blogger So Dear - Deacs set to face Xavier in Skip Prosser ClassicThe Wake Forest Demon Deacon sports blog where Charlie Brown is still trying to kick that football...https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47639/blogger-fave.png2013-12-28T16:45:02-05:00http://www.bloggersodear.com/rss/stream/50129932013-12-28T16:45:02-05:002013-12-28T16:45:02-05:00Game Thread: Wake Forest at Xavier
<figure>
<img alt="Wake Forest guard Codi Miller-McIntyre" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/x9nnTGk5SXgK9rlIYzk8j7DAh6c=/0x1107:2680x2894/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/25859495/20121218_pjc_bb4_029.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Wake Forest guard Codi Miller-McIntyre | Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Wake Forest travels to Cincinnati to meet Xavier in the Skip Prosser Classic.</p> <p>What: Xavier vs. Wake Forest</p>
<p>Where: Cintas Center, Cincinnati OH</p>
<p>When: 5:00 p.m. ET</p>
<p>TV: Fox Sports 1</p>
<p>Radio: Wake Forest IMG College affiliates</p>
https://www.bloggersodear.com/2013/12/28/5251560/game-thread-wake-forest-at-xavierJ.P. Mundy2013-12-27T16:02:02-05:002013-12-27T16:02:02-05:00Q & A with Banners on the Parkway
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/LaFdv3lTO8-Ir0C4sXbH7aKfztw=/0x22:2718x1834/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/25808167/20131128_krj_aj6_218.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Wake Forest plays Xavier on December 28th in the fourth installment of the Skip Prosser Classic. Joel Dobney of Banners on the Parkway was kind enough to answer some of our questions to help preview the game.</p> <p>The guys over at Xaiver's SB Nation site, Banners on the Parkway, know their basketball. Check out some strong analysis on Xavier's basketball team.</p>
<p><span><b>BSD: Your team appears to be an enigma about one-third of a way into the season. On one hand you are beating Tennessee, Cincinnati and Alabama, yet on the other you are losing to teams like USC and barely beating Evansville. What would you attribute this to?</b></span></p>
<p>Over the offseason, Xavier added finally-eligible freshmen <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/174699/myles-davis">Myles Davis</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/174691/jalen-reynolds">Jalen Reynolds</a> incoming freshmen <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/229487/kamall-richards">Kamall Richards</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/229483/brandon-randolph">Brandon Randolph</a>, and newly-eligible transfer <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/124667/matt-stainbrook">Matt Stainbrook</a>. In addition, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/174693/james-farr">James Farr</a> morphed from a dude who got 42 minutes all year as a freshman to an unstoppable machine. After waltzing through the cupcake portion of the schedule, X had it all come apart in the Bahamas and almost lost to two pretty poor teams after coming home.</p>
<p>More than anything, I think the Muskies were learning how to respond to adversity. Last year, Christon was options A-C on offense, with departed senior <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/53359/travis-taylor">Travis Taylor</a> next in line. This year, the team has a depth and breadth of talent, and it took them a bit to realize how much they could trust each other. You could see it fall into place in the UC game and the rubber met the road against Alabama. In foul trouble and down 12 in the second half on the road against an SEC opponent, the team stayed patient, stayed active, and stayed unselfish, ultimately climbing back to take a huge three-point win.</p>
<p><span><b>BSD: Xavier is led by guard <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/174689/semaj-christon">Semaj Christon</a> and center Matt Stainbrook. In your opinion, which of those two has been the more critical piece for the Musketeers so far this season?</b></span></p>
<p><span>As much as I believe in my heart that Semaj has a great future ahead of him as a pro, this one goes to Matt Stainbrook. Last season, the team lacked for a nuanced approach on offense, but Stainbrook's basketball IQ on the post has opened a whole new game for X. He is so smart with the ball that you can run the offense through him and count on his making the right decision; the team's willingness to throw it into the post and let Matt get a shot for himself or someone else is fun to watch. Add in his dominant efforts on the glass at both ends, his shot-blocking and surprising penchant for coming up with steals, and his unfettered enthusiasm for the game and the man they call the Stain Train is the acknowledged leader of the team.</span></p>
<p><span><b>BSD: Discuss Xavier's packline defense and how it has led Xavier to being one of the better defensive teams in the country (36th in adjusted defensive efficiency according to KenPom).</b></span></p>
<p>Xavier deviates from a true packline in that they usually have the bigs hedge over screens, but the principles of having one man on the ball and four offering a hand's worth of help in driving lanes are intact. Myles Davis is no great shakes as an on-ball defender, but guards Semaj Christon, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/146538/dee-davis">Dee Davis</a>, and Brandon Randolph are all quick and insanely persistent defenders.</p>
<p>In addition, Matt Stainbrook (discussed above), James Farr (6'9" forward with serious length), Jalen Reynolds (like Farr, but passionate about fouling as often as possible), and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/146540/erik-stenger">Erik Stenger</a> (all-effort guy currently sidelined with an unidentified illness) all offer shot-blocking protection in the back line should someone slip through. The most impressive thing about Xavier's defense, though, may be their ability to force teams into one-and-done on the offensive end, which has been a huge momentum-changer in a couple of games where X really needed stops and scores to make a comeback.</p>
<p><b><span>BSD: </span><span>What frightens you most about this Wake Forest team?</span></b></p>
<p><span>Their ability to force teams into one-and-done on the offensive end. While Xavier's offense can sputter at times, one constant in their stable of guys willing to go and get it on the offensive glass. Second-chance points are key to this team, and they're something that Wake has excelled in preventing. When the going gets tough and the breaks are beating the boys, X depends on offensive boards and the ensuing chances to score. If the Demon Deacons are holding Xavier to one shot per possession, that will not bode well for X.</span></p>
<p><b>BSD: <span>Finally, give me a prediction for how this one plays out.</span></b></p>
<p><span>Xavier is riding high right now, while Wake is coming off an eight-point win over UNC Greensboro. I think Xavier's defense is successful enough in keeping the middle clogged up, and the Muskies are able to continue their recent run of good offensive results. Game stays tight for a while, but I see Xavier pulling away down the stretch for something on the order of a 71-60 win. What do I know, though?</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Check out our preview of the game <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bloggersodear.com/2013/12/26/5245696/preview-wake-forest-vs-xavier-basketball-matt-stainbrook">here.</a></p>
<p>Thanks again to Joel of <a href="http://www.bannersontheparkway.com/" target="_blank">Banners on the Parkway</a> for helping us preview the game. Be sure to check out their website for all things Xavier and follow them on <a href="https://twitter.com/BannersParkway" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</p>
https://www.bloggersodear.com/2013/12/27/5248796/xavier-wake-forest-basketball-skip-prosser-classic-preview-banners-parkway-semaj-christonRobert Reinhard2013-12-26T15:28:06-05:002013-12-26T15:28:06-05:00Preview: Wake Forest vs. Xavier
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/PUKv1YKz7uA0zf57aUf5hh8IvKI=/0x305:2800x2172/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/25755597/20131207_gav_sv4_259.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Wake Forest Demon Deacons will look to finish their non-conference schedule at 11-2 when they travel to Cincinnati to face Xavier in their first true road game of the season. It will be the fourth installation of the Skip Prosser Classic.</p> <p>I broke down each of the four factors of basketball in <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bloggersodear.com/2013/12/23/5225144/wake-forest-basketball-statistics-trends-tempo-free-four-factors-acc-schedule">this article</a>, now let's see how Wake Forest and Xavier compare in each of the four.</p>
<p><b>Effective Field Goal %</b></p>
<p>Xavier is better than Wake Forest when it comes to effective field goal%. A big reason behind this is that the Musketeers shoot nearly 40% from beyond the arc, which is 33rd nationally. Fortunately for Wake, just over 25% of Xavier's field goal attempts are three's, so they do not utilize the three point shot as well as they should.</p>
<p>Wake Forest is superior in terms of effective field goal % defense. The Deacs only allow opponents to have an eFG% of 44%, which is 24th nationally. A main contributor to this is that opponents have shot less than 29% from beyond the arc so far this season. Being able to limit how many three point attempts Xavier has will be a critical piece in this game.</p>
<p><b>Turnover %</b></p>
<p>Xavier is one of the least experiences teams in the country and it shows with their high turnover percentage. Xavier turns it over 1 out of every 5 offensive possessions, which places them 250th nationally. Wake Forest has only forced turnovers on 16.4% of their opponents. If Wake cannot force turnovers against this team, that is not a good sign moving forward to ACC play. It's troubling enough that Wake has only managed to force such a limited amount of turnovers given their schedule.</p>
<p>Xavier's packline defense does not force many turnovers, and Wake does not turn the ball over much, but Wake's patience will be tested. Xavier also has shot blockers on the interior, so pump fakes will be necessary.</p>
<p><b>Rebounding %</b></p>
<p>Both teams are very good rebounding teams, but Wake Forest has had the better numbers so far this season. Again, those numbers are unadjusted, so this test against Xavier could be very telling for ACC play. Both teams have similar effective height in addition to rebounding numbers, so this Xavier team is not just some small team. They have five rotation players who are 6' 8" or taller, including 6' 10" <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/124667/matt-stainbrook">Matt Stainbrook</a>, who is an excellent player. He has <a href="http://www.hoopsvibe.com/images/stories/KR.jpg" target="_blank">rec specs</a>, but don't let his look fool you, the man can ball. Stainbrook has an offensive rating of 115.2 and is one of the best rebounders in the country.</p>
<p>We know that <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/178425/devin-thomas">Devin Thomas</a> will get his rebounding numbers, but it will be imperative that Arnaud Williams Adala Moto and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/178441/andre-washington">Andre Washington</a> continue their high rebounding rates. Xavier's point guard <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/174689/semaj-christon">Semaj Christon</a> is excellent at drawing contact and getting to the foul line, so a variety of players are going to have to be ready to contribute on the glass.</p>
<p><b>Free Throw Rate</b></p>
<p>Wake Forest is better than Xavier at getting to the foul line and they are much better at preventing opponents from getting to the foul line. With regards to shooting free throws, both are simply woeful. In a road game, Wake is going to have to get to the line and manufacture points that way.</p>
<p><b>Conclusion</b></p>
<p>It's quite possible I could have skipped that entire analysis and just pointed out that Wake Forest is playing a road game and Jeff Bzdelik is the coach. Wake Forest has won just three road games under Jeff Bzdelik, and one of those was against High Point.</p>
<p>Patience on offense against this <a href="http://tlorc.wordpress.com/2011/11/30/a-breakdown-of-the-pack-line-defense-featuring-the-virginia-cavaliers/" target="_blank">packline defense</a> is going to be essential, especially considering it will be a difficult road environment. As much as I'd love to pick Wake to win this game, I just cannot pick them a road game.</p>
<p>Wake Forest 70</p>
<p>Xavier 72</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You can catch the action on Fox Sports 1 beginning at 5 p.m. on Saturday, December 28th. Some of the BSD crew will be at Red Hot & Blue in Winston-Salem, so come on out to the viewing party. As always, go Deacs!</p>
https://www.bloggersodear.com/2013/12/26/5245696/preview-wake-forest-vs-xavier-basketball-matt-stainbrookRobert Reinhard