CHANDLER (AZ) — Nearly two thirds of the season has been completed and I have restrained myself for too long. I have put together 10 thoughts about the 2009-2010 men’s basketball team at the University of Dayton that I think need to be said. Feel free to disagree.

A. One thing that can be said about the team is that they are good, but not good enough. They have won 14 games but lost four very winnable games against very good opposition. Because of that, it is very difficult to get a grasp on just how good they are. The inability to win even one of those four games leads one to believe that this team will not achieve the greatness that many expected. I wonder if the heart is there. Beating Xavier and temple might change my mind.

B. Anything short of a Sweet Sixteen run will cause a great deal of questioning of the program’s movement forward. Last year’s win against West Virginia certainly opened a few eyes, but the failure to produce when they needed to this year has closed those same eyes. All you have to do is look at how many votes the team is receiving in each of the polls to see how the team is perceived.

C. There is no doubt that the point guard situation is not as good as last year. London Warren made a huge step forward in his ball handling and decision making after Rob Lowery was injured last year. He seems to have lost that edge. His asset to turnover ratio is 1.79 which is OK, but not the numbers that we saw last year (2.33), especially in the second half. Rob Lowery is the same player that we saw last year statistically. Once he got hurt, everyone forgot that he was a poor shooter with an assist to turnover ratio worse than Warren’s. Next year’s point guard combo will be far superior.

D. I am not going to say something here that has not been said 1,000 times on this board. Chris Wright is not NBA ready. His numbers have improved, but his ability to shoot from anywhere but above the rim has not. Still one of the best players ever to put on a uniform at UD, but still not ready. When he gains confidence in his 10 foot jumper, he can play in the NBA, not before. Chris, please stay another year for both you and us.

E. Chris Johnson is the poor man’s Ryan Perryman. Certainly came with less acclaim but is making his mark on the court. He is the best player on the team despite not having the God given abilities that Chris Wright has. That isn’t a slam on Chris Wright, it just speaks volumes about Johnson. He has a nose for the ball reminiscent of Perryman, but better shooting and ball handling skills. Next year will be a huge year for him.

F. Luke Fabrizius is better than I ever thought he would be. He has improved his defense to the point of not being a liability, but he is not yet up to Gregory standards or he would be getting more playing time. Without him, this team likely cannot make a run in the tournament. I just wish he took one 21 foot shot . It doesn’t give us any more points to shoot from 24 feet.

G. Although Paul Williams has shown spurts of very good ability, I doubt that he will every be the player that we had anticipated. He just seems stung by the injury bug and can’t seem to continue the momentum from one game to the other. Certainly a hard worker and a valuable asset, but my guess is that he will struggle to beat out some of next year’s class for playing time. I love his ability to step to the line with the game on the line and drop free throws. I wish the rest of the team could do that.

H. Kurt Huelsman will never be appreciated for what he does. We can all talk till we are blue in the face and most fans will not recognize his value. He will never be considered for the Hall of Fame, he just makes the players around him better.

I. I would like to be Josh Benson’s agent when he graduates. I would just need one client. Next year will see him come into his own. With another year of adding weight, he will be one of the best big men in the league.

J. Marcus Johnson is the key to the rest of the season. He has shown signs of returning to his previous abilities, but this team needs him at full strength. He has been spotty with his defense this year and that has to cease. The offense is returning, but the team needs the complete player.

The year isn’t over and there is a lot to prove. Let’s just see how good they are.