Landers and Williams?
 

Any news on status of Xeyrius and Trey for Auburn tomorrow?
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Here you go.

https://twitter.com/DavidPJablonski/...51381077839873

I'm okay with playing the same 7 as Saturday, but dress XW and TL in case they are needed.

I don't agree. If they can dress, then they are ready to go. Coach cannot selectively guess who is hurt before he puts them in. If the docs and trainers say they won't hurt themselves and possibly be out for another month, fine. Suit up.

If they dress they should be able to play more than "in case they are needed." If they are not healthy then hold them out.

I just don't understand why Trey is even a game time decision. I've never had back spasms, but I've sprained my ankle many times. Are they waiting for him to be 100% before returning? Put some tape on it, he'll be fine.

I have had back spasms that put me in bed for three days. 10x worse than sprained ankle
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Ankle should be more predictable than lower back.
If tentative now, he's a no go. I'd say give Landers limited minutes cause it sounds like he's close to ready.

Keep X man out a little. IMHO

Think X may have tirerd out a disc bricking 3's.
 

17%!!!!! Gunning for the London Warren sharpshooter award.

That may be truer than even you thought.

London Warren 50% 3 pt shooter his first 2 years, 0% as a jr and sr.

Freeplays showing Williams as out and Landers as ?

Yes, but Williams has taken as many 3 pts in any 2 games put together this year, than London Warren did in his entire career.

If you all expect X to all of a sudden stop taking 3's, you are going to be disappointed.

I don't know if you remember the Hofstra game, but they basically ran a play to get X a look at three... which he missed. And also missed a second chance with under 5 seconds. If AG is running plays to get XW an open three with the game on the line, they have confidence in his shot.

I remember how ticked I was that we ran a play to get a 3 with over 20 seconds left instead of just trying to get a quick 2 and prolonging the game.

I would assume the play CAG designed had multiple options depending on Hofstra defended. Notice that they got the shot off with 20 seconds left, which tells me that the open look was the perimeter 3, rather than an open lane attacking the basket.

Hofstra was before Williams went 2-15 from three in the last two Charleston games. That may change the tune.

I doubt he is told not to take threes, just to get to the basket more and shoot less threes. You can bet they will not be running a play for him to shoot a three in his next game.

Does it look to anyone else like X isn't putting as much arch on his outside shots as he did last season? Seems to me they've looked flatter.

Nope. I saw all three tourney games, and watched him a bunch in warmup. He has changed his delivery and release some, and his body angle is inconsistent and at times falling back or sideways. In warmups he hit almost nothing. So first and foremost, his confidence is gone.

Seriously? I get that X isn't shooting great to start the season, (about the same as last year actually), but this is a guy who has shown to be a good ball player, and literally won games for us last year that we don't go to the NCAA Tourney if we don't win, (URI being the obvious example). Please don't forget that the older guys have to learn to play with the new guys too, especially if they play on the wing/perimeter. I am just at a loss for the "I have seen enough in 5 games to abandon the junior returning starter for the freshman...but keep him ready just in case" take. Wow, it is like a high school dance strategy for a teenager girl.

We need as many bodies as possible. We were not that far from Gruden playing meaningful minutes vs Akron.

David Jablonski‏@DavidPJablonski
25s25 seconds ago

Trey Landers will play vs. Auburn. Xeyrius Williams will miss second straight game for Dayton.

X is taking too many contested and shots off the dribble. He's only proven effective when he's set and uncontested. All of a sudden he thinks he's Kobe Bryant. He needs to play within his skill set.
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So seriously you would rather not dress Williams and Landers if they are less than 100%? I think we did with Cunningham last year exactly what I am proposing.

If that was your intent then I misunderstood. I thought you were continuing the should X start when he is healthy conversation.

Does Anyone Know
 

if X has returned to practice yet?

I"m curious how good people think Landers is. I saw the Auburn game and one other, so I don't have enough to base my judgment on. Saw some good flashes in Auburn game, but also some errors.

Is he big enough? Can he shoot well enough?

What do you see his role and place as this year? Next?

I'm impressed so far with him. He's got the size & physicality to be a big 3rd Guard or small forward. Turnovers were a problem in the Auburn game but he's still a young guy. Definitely got room to impove on shooting. I'm not sure he'll ever become an elite shooter but I think he can develop enough to where the D will have to respect him. Good rebounder for a guy his size & I think he's got the athletic ability to be a good defender

He's got a good motor like his brother at Ohio State
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I've been impressed with TL even since the minimal minutes he got last year. He seems like a leader type to me and will probably be one of our most important players for the remainder of his eligibility. I predict by his senior season he makes one of the all A10 teams. He really does have an all around game that with the improvement that comes with experience and maturity, I see a great basketball player. I actually mean this as a compliment when I say he's probably a poor man's version of Roosevelt Chapman.

Trey needs to shoot about 100,000 treys April 2018-October 2018. Not that I want him to become a strict 3 point shooter, but he needs to work on that shot to become good enough so that teams need to respect him from behind the arc. He can already drive the lane, and shooting is something that can be improved with reps. If can add that dimension, it lets him play out on the wing and be the all everything kind of player the team needs him to be.

I'm not sure he's not already a good 3 point shooter. I think time has taught us that unless you're a 3 point specialist like Luke Fabrizius, you're not going to have a very good percentage until you get the minutes to get into a game flow. He's only started 3 or 4 games now so I think you'll see that aspect to his game improve directly with the amount of playing time he receives.

Trey is not a good three point shooter or outside shooter, and in fact in warmups he rarely shoots from there. He is a good enough athlete with a good release, and can get there if he practices and practices.

Smitty10, I see Trey as more of a bigger, poor-man’s version of Kyle Davis than Roosevelt Chapman. Shooting skills need work. Hustle guy. Vocal leader. Sounds more like KD than Velvet to me.
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Maybe a hybrid. Chapman didn't play ferocious outside defense and Kyle didn't attack the rim against the trees. But offensively, both Chapman was and Landers should be a headache for defenses because they can beat you from many places on the floor.

But as far as his fire and hustle, yes, a bigger Kyle.

Agree. I think he will be above average, not sure about great. He was an all state high school player. That has to indicate some skills. Told my kid he would average 8 a game this year, so far, excluding the game where he was done in two minutes....he's there. Not too bad for a kid that averaged a 5-6 minutes a game last year.

Yep, considering how few of minutes he played last season(5-6 minutes a game seems pretty generous lol) what' he's shown in his first real minutes of playing time is pretty amazing. Lot of posters here wrote him off as a bust but that was just impatience that people never seem to learn from.

i think his size will make him one of our strongest guards in the last 15 years.


whether he can translate to drives to the hole andshort jumpers (and outside shots) needs to be seen.

Landers could have done last year what he is doing this year if he wasn't camped behind all those talented Seniors. He just had to be patient. He's the kind of guy that may get better every year.

I'd say his comp so far is the bizarre love child of Kyle Davis and Charles Little.

Is he a guard that identifies as forward or a forward that identifies as a guard?

i think this is the BEST comparison I have heard. He's a better passer imo. But otherwise right on.

Energy guy, Defender, around the ball. Occasional scorer.

Played a lot of bball with sprained ankles cracked ribs and back spasms. Sprained ankle is easy because it is a throbbing pain ribs and back spasms are different because it is a sharp sudden pain which stops your smooth movement such as when shooting

The X Man is Needed
 

Why is there no update on his condition? "Day to Day" is becoming "Week to Week". Is he at practice? Can't play until you practice. Sup?

This is what I think, this is my own opinion, even if he is ready or like 75%, I'd sit him out this week... If we can't beat Tennessee Tech and Penn without him we have MAJOR issues... Then we have a whole week off before Georgia State comes to the Arena on the 16th, where I would have him return... I would rest him right now

I Believe
 

Dayton will lose two of those games without X.

Think there is no better season than this one to treat all injuries conservatively and cautiously. Would think that there is little to no reason to rush anyone back. Best time for the "next man up" philosophy is now. Unless of course we run into an Alabama situation where there are not enough players to fill the floor.

The scholarship players can all benefit from extended court time and pay dividends in the future. Yes, including JP.

I'd play X 5 to 10 minutes later in first half. Second half if it's a close game.

Just to keep him playing and moving with the current crop of rotations.

How do you know he is physically able to play even one minute!

And which bathroom does he use? The one for guards, or the one for forwards? :D
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If he's got a uniform on, he is cleared to play in my small world.

2 cents

Trey was a stud last night. You can tell he loves the fast break and knows how to use that tough body to finish. He also is a leader on the court. I'm thinking Marcus Johnson with less hops and more muscle. Great hustle and court vision.

As i was just posting about the team on another thread, just had this same thought. Trey killed it last night. Playin g heady and within himself. Great hustle and savvy!

Just saw a FB Live video from earlier today with X. When asked if this is the first back problem he has had, he says he has played through"it" for the past six years. This is the first time he has had to sit out. Also says he worked out a little with the team.
Starts around the 1 minute mark... https://www.facebook.com/FlyerNation...8375991778367/

If you watched his demeanor, he is a tough guy and doesn't back off from anything. He doesn't have the physique of Nate Green or Charles Little, but the he's definitely got the same "tude".

Back Back Back Back
 

How is Z doing? Is he practicing? Dearth of information is concerning.

How is 'Z' doing? Don't know but here's an update on 'X'.

"Dayton coach Anthony Grant said Williams did some non-contact drills Tuesday and worked out Wednesday. The coaches and trainers want to see how he reacts to those workouts. “We’re always going to look out for the best interest of our guys,” Grant said. “We’re never going to put he or anybody else in a situation where their health could be in danger. When he’s ready, he’ll be ready. Until then, we’ll be patient.”

http://www.mydaytondailynews.com/spo...RAb04zAABVtiK/

Starting to wonder if Williams poor perimeter shooting was due to his back.

Bricks are heavy
 

Or is his poor back due to his perimeter shooting? ;)

Z
 

Zydrunas Ilgauskas is enjoying retirement, and he thanks you for inquiring.

David Jablonski‏Verified account @DavidPJablonski
25m25 minutes ago

Anthony Grant said, barring any setbacks, Xeyrius Williams will play Saturday vs. Georgia State. He has missed last five games with back injury.

Welcome Back!

super good news!!!