Xavier has already shown a big difference in their portal strategy this year, as they have added their 2nd Power 5 guy already. Ruben Dominguez is a Sophomore Guard out of Texas A&M. He averaged 10.2 PPG on 40% shooting from 3 this season. Pitino has started out portal season hot, as X has added another solid contributor.
Let’s dive into what he brings to Victory Parkway!
What To Expect
Dominguez is a highly valuable role player and is best fit as a complementary piece right now. However, he is only a Sophomore. Therefore, he could develop into something special. His main strengths are the ability to shoot the 3 ball and his ball security. His turnover rate is a whopping 5.7%. He can immediately contribute to this Xavier squad, as he has experience in the SEC. He has proved efficiency against strong competition, including a 17 point performance against UK and a 30 point performance on 10 three-balls (Program Record) against Marshall. However, he is limited on defense at times and his usage rate is susceptible to change. Ruben is a great add for this X squad.
Big East Comparision
Ruben’s Big East comparison is Austin Swartz of Creighton. Swartz scored 10.9 PPG on 38.3% shooting from 3 this year. He also has a low turnover rate and is safe with the ball. He possesses major upside and can have a big game any night. He has a lower usage rate so, his role would be described as a complementary scorer, just like Dominguez. Swartz also lacks quality defense in some situations. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if Ruben plays at a higher caliber than Swartz did this past year.