Saying farewell to the 2011-12 men's basketball season

Best attitude: Dez Wells

• This season has been a bit (okay, a lot) of a roller coaster ride, and you have to give a lot of credit to these guys for keeping a good attitude throughout all of that. Dez has had a great attitude all season, but more importantly, it's easy to see the passion he has for this game. He is constantly upbeat, optimistic and involved in what's going on around him. He's a player that enjoys playing so much that it's impossible not to see. Dez has a bright future ahead of him at X, and he has the attitude to match.

Favorite player: Andre Walker

• My favorite player from game one has been Andre Walker. As someone who is also a little bit of a Vanderbilt fan, I was excited that we had a Commodore transfer coming in to begin with. After watching him play there was really no question. I've always liked players that rebound (Andre was the team's leading rebounder for most of the season), and I like unselfish players. You can tell that those players are out there with the interest of making the team the best it can be, and that's a rare occurrence these days. It's refreshing to see players that are all-around good guys. For a player that has gone through as much as Andre has, it's an inspiration to see someone fight through it so valiantly. So, thank you Andre, it's been a pleasure to see you in a Xavier uniform, even if it was only for a year.

Favorite game: Purdue and Lehigh

• I'm torn on this one, so I'm going to have to pick two. I'd have to say it's a toss-up between the Purdue game and the Lehigh game, both for obvious reasons. The victory over Lehigh obviously gave us a trip to the Sweet 16, and Purdue was the perfect example of Tu Holloway. I, along with the rest of Xavier Nation, am incredibly sad to see Tu Holloway's career in a Xavier uniform end. Tu's been an absolute joy to watch, especially in games where he got to show off exactly how clutch he is. As for a non-obvious choice, it'd be the Morgan State game, only because it was the first game of the year and the marker that basketball season had officially begun.

Favorite rookie: Dee Davis

• While I would be lying if I said I wasn't constantly impressed with Dez Wells, Dee Davis would have to be my favorite rookie on this season's Xavier team. I love Dee's defense. The boy has one heck of a defensive stance, and he hustles after the ball. You can tell that while he doesn't usually see a ton of minutes, he is determined to play whatever minutes he gets with an impressive intensity. Overall though, I was incredibly impressed by both of XU's true freshmen this year.

Favorite moment: End of Kenny's season

• I love to see players finish their careers as student-athletes on a strong note, especially players like Kenny Frease. Kenny has been the butt of every Xavier fan's joke, the easiest player to hate at times, but he truly showed how valuable he was to this Xavier team when it mattered most. Kenny was the X-factor against Lehigh and had a huge role in taking the Musketeers to the Sweet 16. While Tu is credited with being clutch, Kenny showed just how much of an asset he can be. If any Xavier player deserved to go out strong, it's Kenny Frease.