2012 senior class photos
2012 West Carrollton graduation
Home of the Week
Home > Blogs > Flyer Connection: University of Dayton sports > Archives > 2009 > June > 15 > Entry
Xavier’s Brown passes up senior year
Derrick Brown is NBA-bound.
The Chaminade-Julienne product won’t be returning for his senior season at Xavier, the Cincinnati Enquirer just announced, leaving a substantial hole in the Musketeers’ lineup.
Could this be the season Dayton finally ends a nearly three decade drought of beating Xavier in Cincinnati? Although the Musketeers have won or shared the last three Atlantic 10 titles, Brown’s departure just might have made UD a lock to be the preseason league favorite.
The Flyers return 10 of their top 11 scorers from a team that finished tied for second in the A-10 last year and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament, and they should get a bump with the additions of promising front-court players Josh Benson and Matt Kavanaugh.
What’s more, Xavier was bound to go through some growing pains with the coaching transition from Sean Miller to Chris Mack, who no doubt was counting on Brown’s experience (and 14-point average) to be a solidifying force.
The Musketeers still have the formidable Jason Love and Kenny Frease in the post and some talented guards, but they lose forwards B.J. Raymond and C.J. Anderson in addition to Brown.
With their championship pedigree, it would be foolish to count them out of the title hunt this season, but those heavy losses — and some recruiting defections — have certainly made the Musketeers look as vulnerable as they’ve been in years.
Permalink | Comments (17) | Post your comment |
Comments
By Jim
June 15, 2009 2:09 PM | Link to this
ESPN reported this story two weeks ago quoting Derrick and Sean Miller at the NBA camp. Flyer fans want to beat Xavier without excuses and under any conditions. We’ll see if the X fans “man up.” withoutBy Joe
June 15, 2009 2:20 PM | Link to this
This is a non-story. The same thing could be said almost every year with any rivalry where a player graduates. Why is this news? And why is Doug Harris so obsessed with with this rivalry? Oh yeah, he played for UD. Wouldn’t that be a conflict of interest for him to cover UD hioops?By Jeff
June 15, 2009 3:16 PM | Link to this
Although previously reported by ESPN and other local sources, this is still news today. Although Derrick made his announcement several weeks ago, if he did not hire an agent, he still had until today to withdraw his name from the draft. Good Luck Derrick.By x-fan
June 15, 2009 3:23 PM | Link to this
It’s funny that Doug fails to mention Jordan Crawford will be eligible next year as well Mark Lyons. Losing Brown will hurt but X won’t be any worse off than we were in past years.By Since 1981 and counting...
June 15, 2009 3:31 PM | Link to this
Congratulations to Derrick Brown for earning his college degree before leaving for the NBA. We’ll miss you, D Brown. Good luck in the NBA!By SPOON
June 15, 2009 4:02 PM | Link to this
This is one we [UD]let slip away as no one saw this kind of potential in high school so Iam very proud that the city will have two Daytonians in the nba next year and if Chris Wright ever develops a midrange jumper he will be there also. By the way most experts have Brown going top 20 in all the mock drafts,too bad cause he would fit well with the Cavs but they draft last in round one.By Stanley B.
June 15, 2009 4:42 PM | Link to this
Congrats Derrick You made the right choice going to Xavier. Now you’ll be joining former Muskies David West and James Posey in the NBA Best of luckBy Who Cares
June 15, 2009 4:54 PM | Link to this
Who cares? Why do we always care about what Xavier’s doing? It doesn’t matter. They are always a good team no matter who’s on their roster. We will never become the program we strive to be if we’re always talking about Xavier.By Pecking order
June 15, 2009 8:51 PM | Link to this
Xavier’ coach (Thad Matta) jumped up to the big time when he left X to join OSU. Brian Gregory would give his left nut to coach at OSU. Hell, Gregory would give up his wife to coach at X.By Harry the Horse
June 15, 2009 9:22 PM | Link to this
Dayton should have been the favorites whether Derrick Brown stayed at Xavier or not. The Flyers are loaded!! The Flyers have so many good and talented players!!By Kenneth
June 15, 2009 9:27 PM | Link to this
Nobody cares about Dayton. The place is dying, just ask NCR. If Wright Patt leaves, it will be a total ghost town.By T
June 15, 2009 9:36 PM | Link to this
Shouldn’t you be talking about what UD has and not what Xavier has. Another reason everyone is annoyed with UD. Even if Xavier isn’t as good someone else will step up and put the flyers in their placeBy A-10 Flagship
June 16, 2009 10:41 AM | Link to this
I’ve got news for you Dougie…X will be just fine next year. As a previous poster said, you made a small omission in mentioning Xavier: JORDAN CRAWFORD. I don’t think Flyer fans realize what is going to hit them when Mr. Crawford sets foot on the court next season. He will easily be the best player on either team. I would also venture to say that Mark Lyons will be as good as any of your point guards. Our backcourt will be deep and every bit as good as yours next year, and I will take Love and Frease and McClean in the post over two freshman and Huelsman any day. Dayton will be very, very good and I would definitley favor them to win the league next year. But if you people are hoping Xavier is suddently going to fall off the table, you’re in for a rude awakening. Oh, and by the way, if we finish with the same record as you (or even slightly worse), we’ll still get a much higher seed in the NCAA because once again, Xavier plays a Big 6 nonconference schedule whereas UD plays home games against….ummm….ummm….By Jim
June 16, 2009 1:43 PM | Link to this
Nice rant Mr. A-10 Flagship, but you don’t know your basketball and obviously haven’t been paying attention: The non-conference schedule has the Flyers playing in the Puerto Rico Shootout. ummm…ummmBy A-10 Flagship
June 16, 2009 6:21 PM | Link to this
Congratulations. Xavier plays in the Old Spice in Orlando, which looks equal to the P.R. Shootout to me. We also play Florida, Wake Forest, LSU, Butler, UC, and Kansas State.You cannot possibly tell me UD’s schedule comes anywhere close to this. And by the way, I grew up a UD fan and have watched college hoops closely for 25 years, so yes, I’m pretty sure I know my basketball.By Hot Carl
June 17, 2009 10:29 AM | Link to this
A-10 Flagship is correct….Let’s see who UD plays outside of the Puerto Rico tournament. I’m sure you will see all the usual suspects, i.e. Woffard, Delaware State etc, etc, etc. I’ll even go so far to predict UD won’t advance past the second round in Puerto Rico. The competition will be too stiff for the Flyers that early in the season.By Melvin Jordan
June 24, 2009 1:17 PM | Link to this
Flagship is right.The Flyers play a very weak schedule..If you don’t see it then you are not looking very close.Xavier has a great team.Xavier plays harder than Dayton and they are out coached. I Love the Flyers, but it is what it is.