NCAA Preview: Xavier and Baylor

1. In terms of measurable value, Quincy Acy is the most valuable player heading into this game when looking at season statistics. He has been worth six wins with a 22.6 PER and an efficient 62.8 TS%. Acy averages over seven rebounds and nearly two blocks per game, as he blocks nearly 7% of the shots taken against him. Baylor’s star forward is easily the best defensive player on the team and allows just .94 points per play against him to go with three wins on defense. 2. Don’t let the high turnover rate become too meaningful, because Pierre Jackson is one of the best point guards in the country. He is the team’s best offensive player and orchestrates nearly everything on O for Baylor. Jackson has a 60 TS% and ends up with an assist on nearly two-fifths of his possessions. He is, unsurprisingly, the team’s most-used offensive player and chips in with 1.8 steals per game. 3. If we’re talking about pure efficiency per shot, then look no further than Brady Heslip. He averages an insane 1.41 points per play with a 65.7 TS%, which means that he is even more efficient than Oregon’s very own Garrett Sim. Although he is a liability on defense, no kidding, Heslip almost never turns the ball over and is as efficient as it gets. You want him taking that all-important shot, and he showed that his shooting can win a close game. 4. Tu Holloway is the unquestionable star of the Musketeers, and this is a guy with a 22 PER who is blessed with a tremendous amount of ability. The star guard is the third best defensive player on the team, but he is easily their best offensive player and most important player overall. Holloway averages about five assists per game, 1.5 steals per game, and he has the highest TS% on his team. 5. Xavier has two other talented players in Mark Lyons and Kenny Frease. Although Frease is not an efficient player, he is his team’s alpha dog on defense and their top rebounder with 6.2 boards per game. He also notches a block per game and is the team’s third best player behind Lyons and Holloway. Lyons, on the other hand, is efficient, drops a few dimes here and there, doesn’t turn it over often, and he is the second best defender on the Xavier Musketeers.