Matt Stainbrook joins Xavier

Matt Stainbrook is probably not the name you expected to hear when Xavier jumped into basketballs transfer market this year. A back to the basket big from Cleveland suburb Bay Village, Stainbrook was a consistent starter for the Broncos of Western Michigan. The red haired, Rec Spec donning center scored 11.4 points per game and raked in a little over six rebounds in 27 minutes per game for WMU in the 2011-12 season.

Stainbrook is not leaving an institution in trouble, like Alex Oriakhi was, and so will have to sit out this season. That means that Coach Mack no longer has a scholarship left for this season, and has not plugged the no truly big man hole. Xavier will forge into 2012-2013 with only the bigs currently on the roster. Read on for the scouting report on the newest Xavier Musketeer.

Strengths:
Stainbrook is a space eater. According to ESPN, Stainbrook weighs 15 more pounds than Kenny Frease, despite being three inches shorter. That size translates into the ability to do some serious damage on the glass (and at a buffet). Over a third of Stainbrook's rebounds were of the offensive variety this year, and his 11.6% offensive rebound rate placed him 171st in the nation.

Stainbrook can also score a bit when the mood catches him. Last year he poured in 32 against tournament bound South Dakota and also dropped decent numbers on Colorado (20) and Duke (18). His 11.4 average speaks to an ability to get his when the need arises. Stainbrook did all of that while posting an effective field goal percentage of 58.6, good for 92nd in the nation.

Not content to be just another not terribly pretty face, Stainbrook also sets himself apart with his passing ability. His season high in assists was six and he averaged two per game. For a team like Xavier that allows guards to create most of the offense, a passing big man can be vital. Matt's assist numbers would have placed him third on the Musketeers last year.

Weaknesses:
Conditioning and consistency. Stainbrook managed to not score in three games last year, and scored five or fewer five other times. For a good shooter with a knack for scoring, that's almost unfathomable. According to the Hustle Belt, the SBN blog covering the MAC, a good portion of that is because Stainbrook simply cannot keep pace with the game for long stretches of time. It's not hard to see how a 6-9, 290 man could wear down quickly. For Stainbrook to be truly effective, he'll have to get in better shape.

Outlook:
Stainbrook will probably not be asked to match the 27 minutes he played per game for Western Michigan. If he can get himself in better shape, his ability to score effectively and rebound tenaciously will greatly aid a Musketeers team that looks to be bereft of bulk. While Stainbrook may not be a starter, he's far from being just another name on the roster.