By Bill Koch and Dustin Dow
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Q, from Jay in Florence: Anthony Myles seems to have trouble catching the ball and finishing layups at times. Is he working on this?

A: Myles certainly does not have hands like David West's, but few players do. Myles knows what he wants to do with the ball, but sometimes he just goes too fast and loses control, or doesn't get his body in the right position. For the most part, he has been a solid contributor in the paint, and I expect him to improve his footwork.

Q, from Mike in Anderson: It seems like Will Caudle draws a lot of fouls and can't get in rhythm because he's constantly getting yanked for foul trouble. Is he a bad defender or is he getting a bad rap?

A: Caudle is more like an overzealous defender who happens to be so strong that some of his fouls look worse than they really are. While Caudle has good offensive moves, he needs to develop defensive finesse.

Q, from Bill in Oxford: How many years is the A-10 tourney in Dayton, and has Xavier made an attempt to lure it to Cintas Center?

A: The tournament has a two-year stint in Dayton that probably will be extended if it's a success. There have been no serious discussions about bringing the event to Xavier, because league officials want to see how things go in Dayton.

Q, from Harry: When was the last time Xavier and Dayton played each other while both were in the Top 25?

A: Never. Today is a first.

Q, from Steve in Denver: When was the last time a tall junior-college player made a difference in a Cincinnati team early? With losses to Charlotte, DePaul and Saint Louis, they are one-and-done in the NCAA Tournament if they get there as the No. 4 team from Conference USA. Predict next year's starting five.

A: How about Art Long as a junior-college big man who made a difference in a Cincinnati team early? Assuming that UC does make the tournament, I don't look for a long stay, either. It all depends on how they match up physically with their opponents. If it's a team with an imposing front line, you're probably right. As for next year's starting five, here's one guess: Jason Maxiell, James White, Robert Whaley, Nick Williams and Field Williams.

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E-mail basketball@enquirer.com with UC questions for Koch and XU questions for Dow.

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