With Dee Davis likely out due to concussion-like symptoms and Landen Amos still not 100 percent after a groin injury, Xavier?s men?s basketball team will have its hands full against No. 19 Memphis in Tuesday night?s 7 p.m., ESPN2-televised game at Cintas Center.
Then again, these Musketeers have played short-handed before. They defeated Kent State without Justin Martin (concussion) and downed George Washington and St. Bonaventure after Davis injured his left wrist in a pile-up against Temple.
?I feel like the whole season we?ve been playing guys out of position a little bit, so we kind of have a feel for how we need to play when we?re down a body,? senior Jeff Robinson said Monday.
During Davis? wrist-related absences, Xavier adjusted by giving Martin minutes at shooting guard and bumping Robinson to small forward. The difference was that walk-on guard Amos assumed a bigger role, averaging 18.5 minutes in the two contests.
How much he?ll play Tuesday night remains to be seen. Davis seems less likely to garner any minutes following his collision with VCU?s Melvin Johnson, which occurred Saturday as they chased a loose ball.
Asked Monday whether Xavier would have the point guard against Memphis, coach Chris Mack said, ?I don?t think so.?
The Musketeers (15-11, 8-5 Atlantic 10) will forge onward against a Memphis team riding an 18-game winning streak. The Tigers (24-3, 13-0 Conference USA) just clinched a regular-season C-USA title and have won all seven of their road games. They?ve won a nation-best 11 straight road contests since last season.
The team is led by Joe Jackson (13.8 points per game) and Adonis Thomas (11.8) but is known for its balance. Eight players have led it in scoring and seven enter the game averaging 3.1 to 6.8 rebounds.
?They have elite-level athleticism. They are extremely physical, they play hard, and they?ve got some skill level. (Coach) Josh (Pastner) does a really good job of allowing his guys freedom but at the same time making sure they play the way he wants them to play. And again, that?s unselfish. That?s extremely hard,? Mack said.
This non-conference game stands alone among Xavier?s A-10 contests by design and marks the fifth straight year XU has stepped out of conference in January or February. While TV plays a role in the timing, Xavier also has relied on the non-conference finale to plump up its NCAA tournament resume down the stretch in previous years.
?Obviously our at-large chances are nil,? Mack said. ?But generally, that?s the time that you want to try to maybe get a feather-in-your-cap type of game for the Selection Committee. I think we?re past that point. But we do have some really good teams that are coming in here to the Cintas Center, and arguably one of the best teams (Tuesday night).?
Xavier hosts Massachusetts and No. 18 Saint Louis before traveling to No. 20 Butler. First, it faces a Tigers team that rallied to beat it last year at FedExForum.
?The biggest thing of last year?s game was rebounding and I believe this Memphis team does that a high level, if not higher than what they did last year,? Robinson said. ?So making sure that we block out and rebound as well as guard the ball is a big key.?
Then again, these Musketeers have played short-handed before. They defeated Kent State without Justin Martin (concussion) and downed George Washington and St. Bonaventure after Davis injured his left wrist in a pile-up against Temple.
?I feel like the whole season we?ve been playing guys out of position a little bit, so we kind of have a feel for how we need to play when we?re down a body,? senior Jeff Robinson said Monday.
During Davis? wrist-related absences, Xavier adjusted by giving Martin minutes at shooting guard and bumping Robinson to small forward. The difference was that walk-on guard Amos assumed a bigger role, averaging 18.5 minutes in the two contests.
How much he?ll play Tuesday night remains to be seen. Davis seems less likely to garner any minutes following his collision with VCU?s Melvin Johnson, which occurred Saturday as they chased a loose ball.
Asked Monday whether Xavier would have the point guard against Memphis, coach Chris Mack said, ?I don?t think so.?
The Musketeers (15-11, 8-5 Atlantic 10) will forge onward against a Memphis team riding an 18-game winning streak. The Tigers (24-3, 13-0 Conference USA) just clinched a regular-season C-USA title and have won all seven of their road games. They?ve won a nation-best 11 straight road contests since last season.
The team is led by Joe Jackson (13.8 points per game) and Adonis Thomas (11.8) but is known for its balance. Eight players have led it in scoring and seven enter the game averaging 3.1 to 6.8 rebounds.
?They have elite-level athleticism. They are extremely physical, they play hard, and they?ve got some skill level. (Coach) Josh (Pastner) does a really good job of allowing his guys freedom but at the same time making sure they play the way he wants them to play. And again, that?s unselfish. That?s extremely hard,? Mack said.
This non-conference game stands alone among Xavier?s A-10 contests by design and marks the fifth straight year XU has stepped out of conference in January or February. While TV plays a role in the timing, Xavier also has relied on the non-conference finale to plump up its NCAA tournament resume down the stretch in previous years.
?Obviously our at-large chances are nil,? Mack said. ?But generally, that?s the time that you want to try to maybe get a feather-in-your-cap type of game for the Selection Committee. I think we?re past that point. But we do have some really good teams that are coming in here to the Cintas Center, and arguably one of the best teams (Tuesday night).?
Xavier hosts Massachusetts and No. 18 Saint Louis before traveling to No. 20 Butler. First, it faces a Tigers team that rallied to beat it last year at FedExForum.
?The biggest thing of last year?s game was rebounding and I believe this Memphis team does that a high level, if not higher than what they did last year,? Robinson said. ?So making sure that we block out and rebound as well as guard the ball is a big key.?
