Saturday, December 18, 1999Xavier Notebook
Turner likely out; XU will suffer inside
BY MICHAEL PERRY
The Cincinnati EnquirerAlready undersized inside, Xavier also may be undermanned tonight in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout.
Aaron Turner, who started the first six Xavier games at power forward, may not play against No.1 Cincinnati because of academic reasons. The 6-foot-7 sophomore, suspended for last week's game at Central Michigan for violating an undisclosed team rule, did not practice Thursday or Friday.
Coach Skip Prosser would say only that Turner probably won't play against the Bearcats, but players who don't practice usually don't play.
Sophomore Kevin Frey, who started at Central Michigan and scored a career-high 29 points, will start again at power forward.
“I'm excited, but you have to approach it as another game,” Frey said. “I'm not going to go crazy in warmups. Dunking in warmups doesn't do anything; dunking in the game does. Last year, with all the hype, guys kind of got caught up; guys were all excited.”
Frey was 11-of-15 from the field against the Chippewas and also added nine rebounds.
“All you take from it is confidence,” he said. “The game's over. It doesn't mean anything now.”
In last year's Crosstown Shootout, Frey was 2-of-4 from the field with four points, two rebounds and three turnovers.
PEP TALK: After Thursday's practice, former Xavier guard Lenny Brown — you may have heard of him; he hit the game-winning shot in November 1996 — addressed the Musketeers in their locker room to talk about tonight's game.
His message: Don't blink.
“Moving,” senior Darnell Williams said. “My boy L.B. gave us a good speech. (He said), "Don't be afraid.' I couldn't believe Lenny Brown gave a speech.”
Prosser said he thought the players were “tuned in.”
“I just thought he could provide some insight,” Prosser said.
Brown won't be at tonight's game; he's on the road with the Cincinnati Stuff.
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