Opening tip '09-10: No. 15 St. Francis Xavier X-Men

• Top 100 returnees: G Christian "T-Bear" Upshaw (10th), G William Silver (65th), F-C Alberto Rodriguez (82nd)
  
• Other key returnees: G Dwayne Johnson, G-F Jeremy Dunn, F Terrence Taylor
  
• Newcomers: G Jordan Clarke, C Riiny Ngot, G Charlie Spurr (transfer, Algonquin, OCAA)
  
• Coach: Steve Konchalski (35th season)
  
• Offence and defence: 106, 90 (+16)
  
• Last year's results: 27-9 overall, CIS Final 8 wild card, lost to Carleton in quarter-final; 9th in RPI
  
• Looking ahead: For the past couple seasons, St. FX has been an up-tempo team (see that offensive efficiency) which sometimes doesn't coordinate all of those moving parts as well as it could. That is a concern heading into a season where just 52% of their scoring returns after the graduation of Tyler Richards. X beat UQAM in pre-season and has had some other impressive showings, but also got blown by 36 points by McMaster.
  
  Upshaw is X's unquestioned floor leader and can create in the open floor. Konchalski, about to become the winningest coach is CIS history, should be able to mix and match at the 2 and 3 spots with the 5-foot-9 Silver (who has point guard skills), the freshman Clarke, Taylor and Dunn. This is an exciting team when it's at full speed. Seven-foot-2 Riiny Ngot is a curiosity, although some suggest he lacks game.
  

Rob's explanation of Top 100 players by Player Efficiency Ratings (see last year's PER) and Net Efficiency may be found in the women's preview.