Frontcourt

        XU had one of the best young big men in the country last year in David West, whose 9.1 rebounding average led the Atlantic 10 and ranked second nationally among freshmen. Because coach Skip Prosser wants to direct the offense “inside-out,” looking first at West before outside shots, West could become the team's leading scorer.

        “If I need a bucket, I know I can go to Dave,” junior Lloyd Price said. “He's special. He has matured from last year to this year tremendously. He doesn't play like a sophomore.”

        Price and fellow junior Kevin Frey are XU's X-factors. Each has been productive, but inconsistency has kept them from greatness.

        “They have to make the transformation from being kids to being young men,” Prosser said.

        Even with a smallish front line, XU managed to finish tied for first in the A-10 last season in rebounding margin (plus-4.9). It's because of its quickness. Price, for instance, averaged 6.0 rebounds from the small forward spot and got much of his scoring (13.0) from putbacks and drives inside.

        Blue Ribbon ranks Xavier's the best frontcourt in the A-10. But there's no doubt XU's coaches are concerned about depth. With Aaron Turner (4.7 points, 5.4 rebounds) gone, seniors Reggie Butler and Marcus Mason and junior-college transfer Khalil Nixon will need to combine for steady minutes in relief of West and Frey.

Backcourt

        Xavier now has options, which is critical. Last year, with Maurice McAfee the only true point guard, Prosser had to use him 35.2 minutes a game and ask him to slow his pace.

        “We had to keep him as fresh as possible and out of foul trouble,” Prosser said. “That limited him.”

        Sophomore Lionel Chalmers is now here to help, and he may be good enough right away to enable McAfee to slide over to shooting guard.

        Chalmers had a better assist-to-turnover ratio than McAfee in intrasquad scrimmages — one game, Chalmers had 15 points, 12 assists and just one turnover — but McAfee had seven assists and no turnovers in the first exhibition game. McAfee's 3-point shooting last year (.394, fourth in the A-10) makes him the one more able to shift to shooting guard.

        Fellow freshman Romain Sato probably will begin the season as the starter at the “two.” But he struggled in the team's final exhibition and last intrasquad scrimmage, so Prosser soon may opt to bring him off the bench instead.

        Junior Alvin Brown, long a capable reserve, also could be a candidate to start at shooting guard. He has been valuable enough as the team's sparkplug, though, that Prosser may elect to have him sub in 10 to 20 minutes a game.

        Blue Ribbon rates XU's backcourt No.2 in the A-10, behind Massachusetts.

Bench

        Prosser long has relied on a short bench, preferring to use about seven players for the bulk of the minutes. With a talent infusion, he's happily mulling a larger rotation.

        “There should be genuine competition,” he said. “People are going to have to guard their minutes carefully.”

        The starting five plus Chalmers are certain to play extensively, and Butler will be the next player off the bench. Beyond that, it's an open audition.

        Mason, who totaled only 29 minutes last year, should get more time. Nixon is versatile and athletic but has struggled picking up XU's schemes. Sophomore guard Dave Young, who missed his freshman year because of academics, begins down the depth chart because of an inconsistent preseason. Junior forward Brandon McIntosh hopes to get minutes in relief of Price.

Coaching

        Prosser must be doing something right when even his rebuilding efforts are 20-win seasons. But he doesn't want to settle for that. After making the NCAA Tournament three of his first four years as XU's coach, his teams have missed out in back-to-back seasons.

        “The last couple years, when we haven't gone to the tournament, we've realized how tenuous, how difficult it is,” he said. “People just assume you get up, turn off the alarm and go to the NCAA Tournament. It doesn't necessarily happen like that.”

        Prosser got a sideline boost when best friend Dino Gaudio — who spent seven seasons as a head coach, four at Army and three at Loyola (Md.) — returned to XU as an assistant. Gaudio has the players' respect. He joins Jeff Battle and Mark Schmidt, who are each in their eighth year with Prosser.

        Prosser, who turned 50 two weeks ago, said, “The older I get, the faster I like to play.” He fully intends for XU to exercise its full-court press and push the pace more than ever before.

Intangibles

        XU will have only one senior starter, and it's hard to forecast how productive the rookies will be.

        “I like the makeup,” Prosser said. “It's a team that will be very athletic, that has a good blend of talent and experience. It's probably more talented than experienced right now, but if I had to choose between talent and experience, I'd rather have talent. If we can get that experience early, I think we can develop into a real good team.”

        XU's press looked porous in its second exhibition; that must improve. It's hard to forecast how much of a boost Cintas Center and its sellout crowds could bring. And XU must hope the A-10 doesn't get bogged down again with some low RPI numbers that could drag down XU.

Games to watch

        • Saturday vs. Miami. A strong rivalry for the Cintas Center's christening.

        • Dec.2 at Wisconsin. XU could steal a big win early — helped in part by Maurice Linton and Travon Davis being suspended — and then hope Wisconsin rights itself later to help XU's RPI standing.

        • Dec.14 at Cincinnati. No explanation necessary.

        • Feb.10 vs. Temple. XU's only meeting with the A-10's hallmark program is on ESPN.

        • March 4 at Dayton. The regular-season finale, with perhaps an A-10 title on the line, is in XU's house of horrors. It has lost five straight in UD Arena.
       

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