NEWSLETTER #186 - 2015-2016

XAVIER’S 4 MINUTE WAR

At Xavier, we want our players to play with great passion. We are
constantly looking for ways to motivate our players to commit to our
system and reach their maximum potential. One way in which we
have challenged them is with the concept of the 4-minute war.

We want our players to play with energy and intensity for the entire
game. We motivate our players to put forth maximum effort for a
focused period of time. With the 4-minute war, we divide the game
into ten four-minute segments. After each segment, there is a
media timeout (approximately every four minutes) in which the team has an opportunity to rest for a minute
and refocus on the next segment. Each segment is a "mini-game" within the game, and it is referred to as a
"war" to characterize the type of effort that is required to excel at the highest level. Our goal is to win each
4-minute war. We chart the results on the bench, and we communicate them with our team at every timeout.
The 4-minute wars allow us to provide some measurable feedback about our execution and effort over each
segment of the game. Throughout the course of the season, we can evaluate the tendencies of which
segments our team plays well and which segments we have lapses.

We use the 4-minute war concept as a way to focus our team on playing the "Xavier Way." We want to
improve the execution of our system in every game. We want our players to play with the mentality that
every possession counts, and that every possession needs to be played with a high level of intensity.
Furthermore, we want to play our way regardless of the score at any particular time in a game. If we are
winning by several points, we do not want to let down and allow our opponent back into the game. We want
to dominate by continuing to develop proper habits. If we are struggling in a game, our disposition is not to
change what we do. Rather, we believe in trusting the system, and our challenge is to get our players to
play harder with what we do. By breaking the game into 4-minute wars, we focus on the process of playing
our system throughout the entire game.

There are a number of ways that we incorporate the 4-minute war concept into our practices. First,
scrimmage segments are played as 4-minute wars. We want our players to compete every second at a high
intensity, and we want them to be conditioned in a way where they play in game-like conditions (i.e., play for
four minutes, rest for a minute, and play again). These scrimmage segments also enable us to cover a
variety of situations in our practices. A second practice idea is that we play "One Possession Games" in
practice. We will have a jump ball to begin the game, and the first team to score wins (losers run). The
purpose of this drill is to emphasize the importance of each possession and the value of the ball. We might
spread a few of these games in throughout a given practice.

CHRIS MACK TRAVIS STEELE MIKE PEGUES LUKE MURRAY MARIO MERCURIO JEREMY GROWE
HEAD COACH ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH ASSISTANT COACH ASSISTANT COACH DIR. OF ADMINISTRATION DIR. OF OPERATIONS
7th YEAR 7th YEAR 4th YEAR 1st YEAR 12th YEAR 7th YEAR
XAVIER ‘92 BUTLER ‘04 DELAWARE ‘00 FAIRFIELD ‘02 XAVIER ‘03 INDIANA ‘09
 CHARACTERISTICS OF A XAVIER PLAYER
Below are the 14 Characteristics we have identified as a staff that make up a "Xavier Player". At our opening
team meeting this fall, we shared these qualities with our team, mentioning specific examples of each. We
stress these characteristics on and off the court throughout the year, constantly reminding them of their
importance. Although all are equally important, we find ourselves spending a considerable amount of time
on #6. With #6, "Keeping Life Simple", it has never been harder for a college basketball player to do just
that. As we have previously discussed with issues such as Myspace and Facebook, access to and influence
on college (and high school) basketball players has become nearly unlimited. Everyday, we strive to
strengthen the values of our players in order to combat the influx of these outside influences.

1. Embraces high standards

2. Focuses on team goals
3. Unselfish on and off of the court
4. Accepts role, takes pride in it, executes
5. Uses strengths and recognizes weaknesses
6. Keeps life simple
7. Hates to lose everyday
8. Coachable
9. Does things that people don't see
10. Believes that defense is key to championships
11. Focuses on improvement
12. Competes in all that we do
13. Tells the truth
14. Makes no excuses

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PLAYS OF THE WEEK

XAVIER NEWSLETTER #186

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.1 MAN OFFENSE - 1-4 ELEVATOR 4

1.2 MAN OFFENSE - 1-4 HIGH 7 5

1.3 MAN OFFENSE - 1-4 HIGH DHO FLARE 6

1.4 MAN OFFENSE - 1-4 HIGH FIRE 7

1.5 MAN OFFENSE - 1-4 HIGH PIN DOWN 8

1.6 MAN OFFENSE - 1-4 HIGH STAGGER 9

1.7 MAN OFFENSE - 1-4 HIGH STAGGER 2 10

1.8 MAN OFFENSE - 1-4 HIGH UCLA 11

1.9 MAN OFFENSE - 1-4 HIGH UCLA POP 12

1.10 MAN OFFENSE - 1-4 IVERSON REFUSE 13

All Contents Proprietary

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MAN OFFENSE - 1-4 ELEVATOR

3 4 5 2 2
1 4 5

1 Enters the ball to 5 at the elbow. 4 & 5 set elevator screen for 3.
3 Cuts under the rim.
4 Sets flare screen for 1.
5 passes to 1.

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MAN OFFENSE - 1-4 HIGH 7

3 4 5 2 4 5 3
2

2 Iverson cuts. 5 Slips ballscreen.

3 Cuts underneath opposite. 4 Follows with SBS and pops to corner.
1 Passes to 3.
1 Cuts to opposite corner.

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MAN OFFENSE - 1-4 HIGH DHO FLARE

2 4 5 3 2 5

4 3
1

1 DHO's with 3. 5 Sets flare screen for 3.

1 Cuts to opposite corner.
3 Passes to 4 at the elbow.

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MAN OFFENSE - 1-4 HIGH FIRE

2 4 5 3 1 4 5

1 2

1 Dribbles to wing. 1 Iverson cuts to opposite wing.

2 Shallow cuts to top of the key. 2 passes to 1.
3 Cuts to opposite corner.

4 5 1
2

1 Drives the ball hard baseline.

4 & 5 Set stagger screen for 2 to come behind 1 for shot.

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MAN OFFENSE - 1-4 HIGH PIN DOWN

2 1 2
3 5 4 3 4

1 Passes to 2. 4 Lips out to fake SBS, then slips to corner.

1 Sets diagonal screen in middle of lane for 5. 1 Raises to Nail.
3 Sets cross screen for 5.

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MAN OFFENSE - 1-4 HIGH STAGGER

3
3 4 5 2 2 4 5

2 Iverson cuts. 4 Sets ballscreen for 2.

3 Cuts under to opposite wing. 3 & 5 set stagger screen for 1.
1 Passes to 2.
4 Sets UCLA screen for 1.

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MAN OFFENSE - 1-4 HIGH STAGGER 2

2 4 5 3 1 4 5

1 2

1 Dribble Entries. 1 Iverson Cuts.

2 Shallow Cuts to top of key. 2 Passes to 1.
3 Cuts to opposite corner.

2 4 5 1

5 & 4 Set staggered ballscreen for 1.

5 Rolls.
4 Pops.

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MAN OFFENSE - 1-4 HIGH UCLA

2 4 5 3 2 4 3
5

1 Passes to 3. 5 Sets SBS for 3.

5 Sets backscreen for 1. 4 Raises to top of the key.
2 Brush cuts to opposite corner.
1 Raises to the wing.

5 2
1

3
4

4 Passes to 1.
4 Follows pass to SBS for 1.
5 Raises to top of the key.

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MAN OFFENSE - 1-4 HIGH UCLA POP

2 4 5 3 2 4 3
5

1 Passes ball to 3. 1 Sets Backscreen for 5.

5 Sets Backscreen for 1. 1 Pops to catch.

2
5

4 3

4 Sets MBS for 1.

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MAN OFFENSE - 1-4 IVERSON REFUSE

3 4 5 2 2 4 3

1
1

2 Iverson cuts over the top. 4 Lips out to ballscreen.

3 Cuts underneath. 2 Rejects ballscreen.
5 Dives to block. 5 Flares backside for 3.

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T.J. McConnell defies odds,
lands on 76ers roster
T.J. McConnell accomplished on
Monday what few thought he could.

He made an NBA roster.

When the former standout Arizona

Wildcats point guard learned he
survived the Philadelphia 76ers' final
cuts, he "almost teared up in the
coach's office. I had to sit down,” he
told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s
Mike White.

McConnell was widely regarded as a

standout college player who wasn’t
built for the NBA game. He wasn’t
drafted and many thought he would
extend his career by playing over-
seas.

"It's OK," he said. "There are haters

everywhere. Still haters today."

Philadelphia is in need of a reserve as Tony Wroten and Kendall Marshall rehabilitate anterior-cruciate
ligament tears in their right knees.

Of point guards initially expected to make the team, only Isaiah Canaan is healthy. The 76ers need a
backup and have been impressed by McConnell’s leadership and basketball smarts.

He averaged 6.2 points on 50 percent shooting, 4.8 assists and 4 rebounds in the preseason.

Philadelphia's cuts Monday included guards Pierre Jackson, Scottie Wilbekin, Jordan McRae and J.P.
Tokoto and forward/center Furkan Aldemir.

“He’s proven he deserves to make this team,” said Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “His first
game he had 10 points and 10 assists. You can’t let someone like that walk out the door.”

Sixers coach Brett Brown has talked about wanting more grit in his lineup. Few fit that definition as well
as McConnell.
Texans release backup QB Ryan Mallett after
missed flight
The Houston Texans have released
backup quarterback Ryan Mallett and
are planning to bring back quarter-
back T.J. Yates, who is currently a
free agent, sources told ESPN on
Tuesday.

Mallett was late for meetings Satur-

day, blaming his tardiness on traffic.
He then missed the team's charter
flight to South Florida. He had to fly
commercial to join the team for Sun-
day's game against the Dolphins and
did not play.

Sources told ESPN on Monday that coach Bill O'Brien was upset over Saturday's incident and
initially wanted to release him right away, but a consensus was reached that the team should
wait rather than go into a game with only one active quarterback.

It was the second known time Mallett was late for a team activity. He had missed a practice just
two days after Brian Hoyer was named the team's starting quarterback for the season opener. In
a scene shown on HBO's "Hard Knocks," Mallett told Texans general manager Rick Smith he
was late because he overslept, that he bought an alarm clock and that nothing like that would
ever happen again.
Sixers coach Brett Brown has talked about wanting more grit in his lineup. Few fit that definition
as well as McConnell.

Mallett left the Colts game with the Texans trailing 13-0 after taking a hard hit, but he was ready
to return a few plays later. He tried to re-enter the game, but O'Brien stayed with Hoyer. Mallett
looked visibly upset on the sideline and said after the game he felt healthy enough to return.

Hoyer regained his starting job in Week 6. After the Texans beat the Jaguars in Hoyer's return,
O'Brien said the team would stick with Hoyer.

Mallett's contract guaranteed him $1.75 million this season but had no guaranteed money for
2016.