Lloyd Price was handed The Sporting News' college basketball preview, opened to the page naming him the Atlantic 10's Most Overrated Player.

        “I don't want it,” the Xavier forward said.

        Price wasn't angry. The same magazine named him an A-10 first-teamer, as had Street & Smith's, Athlon, Blue Ribbon, Basketball News, and the league's coaches and media.

        “I try not to read those magazines,” Price said. “Stuff like that motivates you, but you can't control people's opinions, so it's not worth worrying about.”

        Price said his only goal was to play hard consistently. Ironically, it's consistency which TSN attacked, pointing out his up-and-down scoring efforts last season.

        Teammate Maurice McAfee had reason to question the A-10 poll, which didn't list him on the first, second or third teams. This, despite leading the league last year in free-throw shooting (.824), ranking fourth in 3-point shooting (.394), sixth in assists (4.2) and 13th in scoring (15.1).

        “I took notice of that (omission), and I can use it as motivation,” McAfee said. “But my main motivation is to get to the NCAA Tournament and win the A-10. It'd be a great honor to get on there (in postseason voting), but I definitely put the team before that.”

        Lindy's named McAfee second-team A-10, and Basketball News rated him the nation's sixth-best playmaker.

        Price got national notice from Lindy's, being named the 10th-best small forward in the U.S.

        YOUNG IMPROVING: Dave Young's confidence is coming back. So is his shot.

        The sophomore guard, who couldn't play or practice with the team last year because of academics struggled mightily the first few weeks of practice. In the team's first four intrasquad scrimmages, Young averaged 2.5 points and was 4-of-30 shooting — including 0-of-13 on 3-pointers — with team highs of 17 turnovers and 14 fouls.

        But in the final scrimmage 11 days ago, he scored 15 points, making four of six 3-pointers. He followed that with a pair of 3-pointers in the team's first exhibition game.

        “I'm coming out of the slump,” he said. “I'm just trying to contribute. I'm caught up with the mental side (learning the plays), so lately I've been playing hard and trying to contribute.”

        TICKET UPDATE: Nine of XU's 14 games have sold out. There are a limited number of tickets for games against Louisiana-Monroe (Nov. 30), San Francisco (Dec. 5), La Salle (Jan. 7), George Washington (Feb. 3) and Temple (Feb. 10).

        XU still has a limited number of “six-pack” ticket packages; call (513) 745-3411 for those. Single-game tickets are available through TicketMaster or weekdays at Cintas Center.

        CINTAS UPDATE: XU officials have used the two preseason games to fine-tune traffic patterns, parking, security, and concessions operations.

        “The general reaction to the building from fans has been extremely positive,” athletic director Mike Bobinski said. “On our end, we improved a lot from Game 1 to Game 2, but we'll still be learning as the season goes on.”

        Bobinski said concessions rated the biggest improvement from the first exhibition, resulting in significantly shorter lines. Parking lots have cleared quickly after the games.

        A-10 CHAMP: XU coach Skip Prosser had to take part in a coaches free-throw shooting contest for charity at the A-10's media day Thursday in Philadelphia. He went 5-for-5 to win.

Xavier Stories

DAUGHERTY: Will Xavier lose appeal without rodeo smell? Xavier players don't care about preseason polls

Smith's rookie problems are norm
Who's got the edge?
Bengals-Cowboys by the numbers
Players to watch
UC 13, Memphis 10
UC 119, Budapest 53
Huggins mixing it up with Bearcats' lineup
Big Red Machine still big with fans
Reitsma has future in rotation
Medical reports encouraging
MND makes state volleyball three-peat
Roger Bacon second again
Bad first half costs Badin soccer title
Mercy loses state soccer final
Complete prep football coverage at Enquirer.com/prepfootball
Elder 21, Fairfield 14
Portsmouth 37, Purcell Marian 6
Reading 50, Milford Center Fairbanks 8
Vandalia Butler 31, Edgewood 14
Marshall 51, Miami 31
Ohio State 24, Illinois 21
Vanderbilt 24, Kentucky 20
SULLIVAN: IU professor aims to fix the system
Let college basketball madness begin
NKU 70, Bentley 61
NFL Insider
Trumpy happy, burning up airwaves
Auto Racing Insider
Milwaukee 4, Cyclones 2

• Return to Xavier front page...