Xavier-Stanford

[X-band '01]

Tip: 4:00 PM EST/1:00 PM PST

Audio: GoXavier.com (Mike Schwartz) (mms://wbbstream.xavier.edu/live)

Video: GoStanford.com (No Charge - Signup Required) (http://www.gostanford.com/sports/w-baskbl/sched/stan-w-baskbl-sched.html)

Rankings: Xavier #4(AP), Stanford #9(AP)

The ESPN/USA Today poll gets released later today; Xavier did not move in the poll despite the loss at Duke.

[cinskyline]

Big game today -- If the ladies have any thoughts about trying to capture a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, today is must-win. There will be no more high profile games to help us the rest of the year.

The guards absolutely must come to play today.

[XU-PA]

Thanks for the video link X-band,,,,,
This will be such an interesting and important game. It's 4 vs 9, but it's the little Jesuit upstart vs the big time program. Stanfords coach, one of the best vs the crime dog, soon to the called one of the best. The rematch of such a fantastic game from last year..
Can't miss for all true Xavier fans!

[GoMuskies]

Are you sure Stanford isn't going to charge to watch the game? So far it looks like they're going to want $9.95 for me to watch.

[GoMuskies]

Early yet, but it sounds like Xavier went out west to get their collective butts kicked.

[GoMuskies]

I lost the GoXavier stream. Based on the start, that might be a blessing.

[xu_fan]

37 - 24 at halftime, Stanford on top...

Pretty much just playing horribly... Not much else to comment.

[JimmyTwoTimes37]

Down 13 at the half. 37-24

Harris has 9 points, 4 rebounds, and a steal.

Nobody else above 4.

Losing the rebounding battle 22-16. X has 7 TO to Stanford's 4.

Ogwumike has 13 and 8 for Stanford. Pohlen has 8 and 5. Pederson has 7.

[X-band '01]

Closest Xavier has been was 14-10 about halfway through the 1st half - Stanford has blown it open since that time.

On the bright side, only Special Jennings is in any foul trouble. X is going to have to convert down low - outside shooting just isn't working today.

[HomerCecil]

I bought the feed from Stanford (which is of pretty crappy quality, by the way).

Amber didn't start, so I assume she did something to get in the doghouse. But she was in within 3 minutes of the game starting.

Guard play is terrible again. Most of the threes have been wide open, but they aren't falling. Moss made a nice shot to end the first half, but she doesn't look good at all (and hasn't for a few games).

With that said, we could really be down 20 pretty easily if Stanford had made more three-pointers (they're 1 for 8). They're killing us on the offensive backboards, partially because we're playing a zone, and have 8 second-chance points to 0 for us.

The biggest problem, again, is we can't score. You can't struggle to get to 50 points and expect to win a game like this.

Let's hope the second half gets better! A blowout loss is not what I expected, and hasn't happened in some time. Let's hope that continues.

[X-band '01]

We certainly didn't expect a blowout after their performance at Duke, either. Maybe Stanford righted their ship after the losses at DePaul and Tennessee.

At least we don't have to worry about them overlooking X in favor of UConn on Thursday...

[HomerCecil]

Down 18 with 17:10 left. Ick.

[HomerCecil]

And we just let Pohlen jog into the lane for a layup. Down 21.

[HomerCecil]

56-30.

[kyxu]

I'd imagine it's tough for the ladies to come back and play at #9 Stanford after letting a win at #3 Duke slip away.

Definition of an emotional letdown here.

[cinskyline]

This game is over...

Tyeasha's play has been totally awful of late...

[CinciX12]

To not come out and be ready to play in this game after last year's loss is a little baffling.

[HomerCecil]

Agreed. And while the Duke game was a tough one to lose, they had an entire week to get over that. The good news is that it's only December.

[Masterofreality]

Sounds like too many Holiday cookies.

Let's not get too full of ourselves, or anything else, ladies.

[X-band '01]

There will be no revenge today - the Great Oz has spoken.

[diehardfan]

rutan shot 3 times, for those watching, what was up with that? defense all over her? We are really in a shooting slump, hopefully getting back home will help them refocus.

[xu_fan]

The bottom line is Xavier has got to make shots.. Everyone has shot the ball bad recently...
-Special, Tyeasha, Katie, TASHIA isnt making hers hardly ever...

I'm sure its hard to be constantly trying to play great defense and never ever being able to get the ball in the basket. The past couple of games it has been all Amber and no one else... Some people have to step up if they want to get to a final four. Playing like today will not cut it at all.

Get in the gym and knock down some freakin shots... It's that easy. I truly believe this team CAN beat anyone in the country but they have to shoot better and today the girls just looked dis interested in playing.. Not sure why

[X-band '01]

Get in the gym and knock down some freakin shots... It's that easy. I truly believe this team CAN beat anyone in the country but they have to shoot better and today the girls just looked dis interested in playing.. Not sure why

If Amber wasn't starting today, either she got hurt in practice or broke a team rule. It doesn't surprise me that today would be a blowout if that was the case - the score just snowballed in the 2nd half.

It was one bad day - at least there's only one more OOC tuneup at home (Mizzou) before A-10 play begins.

[X-band '01]

Add Duquesne to the list of teams to watch out for in A-10 play; the Dukes won 71-67 at Ohio State earlier this evening. They've been a pleasant surprise in OOC play and will be even better come league pla.

[X-band '01]

Recap - ESPN.com (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/recap?gameId=303620024)

Turns out Amber got hurt against Duke in the previous game - she was held out of yesterday's practice due to concussion-like symptoms. Hopefully she's better for the upcoming A-10 season.

[GoMuskies]

The good news is that Xavier is only about 20 points worse than UConn.

[Porkopolis]

The good news is that Xavier is only about 20 points worse than UConn.

That Stanford win over UCONN was mighty impressive.

[Masterofreality]

Add Duquesne to the list of teams to watch out for in A-10 play; the Dukes won 71-67 at Ohio State earlier this evening. They've been a pleasant surprise in OOC play and will be even better come league pla.

Yeah, well. Overrated Oh-ho-ho State lost to Michigan last night. The same Michigan who Xavier beat in Ann Arbor

[xu_fan]

That Stanford win over UCONN was mighty impressive.

I'm hoping with Stanfords win over UConn that just means they are currently clicking on all cylinders and that is why they smashed us... I just can't believe that we're THAT much worse than Stanford... There is no way.

[xu_fan]

Saw this quote from Michelle Voepel on ESPN.com..

Rommel (Phoenix)


Ohio State has been getting exposed lately, as is Xavier. How much does this hurt perception of the Big 10 and the A-10?

Mechelle Voepel (2:26 PM)


It obviously doesn't help either league when its highest-profile teams lose games like this. But I would say Ohio State's loss to Duquesne is the most alarming, as it took place in Columbus. Of course, you can also see that as good news for the A-10. You have to wonder what mentally/emotionally is going on with the Buckeyes. Xavier looked very lethargic against Stanford, as if there was some hangover after the disappointing loss at Duke and then the holiday break. Losing at Stanford is no shame, but the lifeless and mopey way the Musketeers acted was alarming to me. Xavier's body language was just awful, and that is something you can control no matter whom you are playing.

[XU-PA]

Ohio State is poised for a huge drop in the rankings.
8-1 through the middle of december, only loss to Syracuse. Thye looked pretty strong.
Now 2 weeks later they stand 8-4, having lost 4 of their last 5 games. The 3 losses in a row to UConn, then the Dookies, and then finally Michigan (8-5) leaves them looking up at the rest of the big ten, and I think should put them on the cusp of being out of the rankings.
Not sure the same logic applies to X though.
Our losses are only 2, to Duke and Stanford. Those 2 teams, I think, could be 1-2 when next weeks rankings come out, as long as each win their next game. Of course Baylor is deserving too but their schedule strength is not as high as the rest of the top 5. And then of course there's that Tennessee team.
That SOS is where our Musketeers suffer. As much as Coach has beefed the non-conf to boost it, now he falls to the horrors of the A-10 where X and Duquesne are the only teams in the top 20 rpi. Year after year it's the thing that hurts the most.
X will need to sweep the conf reg season and A-10 tourney to hope for a 1 or 2 in the NCAA.
With that said, I like our chances. Nice to see that Duke and Stanford have hit a stride but playing at the top of your game on January 1 is like peeing your pants in a dark suit. you know nice warm feeling but no one will notice. They've now seen how strong they are, and they've seen how strong the rest of the world is. I count on the crime dog and our team staying healthy and hitting that stride in March when it counts.

[cinskyline]

Ohio State is poised for a huge drop in the rankings.
8-1 through the middle of december, only loss to Syracuse. Thye looked pretty strong.
Now 2 weeks later they stand 8-4, having lost 4 of their last 5 games. The 3 losses in a row to UConn, then the Dookies, and then finally Michigan (8-5) leaves them looking up at the rest of the big ten, and I think should put them on the cusp of being out of the rankings.
Not sure the same logic applies to X though.
Our losses are only 2, to Duke and Stanford. Those 2 teams, I think, could be 1-2 when next weeks rankings come out, as long as each win their next game. Of course Baylor is deserving too but their schedule strength is not as high as the rest of the top 5. And then of course there's that Tennessee team.
That SOS is where our Musketeers suffer. As much as Coach has beefed the non-conf to boost it, now he falls to the horrors of the A-10 where X and Duquesne are the only teams in the top 20 rpi. Year after year it's the thing that hurts the most.
X will need to sweep the conf reg season and A-10 tourney to hope for a 1 or 2 in the NCAA.
With that said, I like our chances. Nice to see that Duke and Stanford have hit a stride but playing at the top of your game on January 1 is like peeing your pants in a dark suit. you know nice warm feeling but no one will notice. They've now seen how strong they are, and they've seen how strong the rest of the world is. I count on the crime dog and our team staying healthy and hitting that stride in March when it counts.

Ohio State is a mess, no doubt. When you have players like Lavender and Prahalis, you really have to wonder what is going on up in Columbus. It doesn't help that tOSU and Jim Foster also have underachiever reputations because of early NCAA Tournament exits. Puzzling.

I really don't think the A-10 is going to hurt us as much as you think. The league is 7th in the RPI, which I'm thrilled with. The league as a whole has done well, and that's with Dayton and Temple having mediocre years, and GW totally fallen off the cliff. After the Stanford disaster, it will be hard to convince anyone that we deserve a #1 seed. I'm praying for a 2, but we will likely get a 3 when all is said and done. I have season tickets and just really haven't been thrilled with our play as a whole so far this year. Like you, I am hoping that this team will have hit it's stride by March, but there are some glaring weaknesses on this team.

If I were the coach, I would seriously consider some lineup changes. Missed shots are one thing. Missed shots with no energy or effort are quite another.

[X-band '01]

GW ceased being relevant the minute Joe McKeown took the Northwestern job. I wouldn't call Temple and UD mediocre just yet - at least not when Xavier has to play them. They'll give the best effort of their respective seasons against X this year.

And how about Michigan suddenly looking like a quality win? They have 3 wins in a row now against Top 25 teams - Boston College, Ohio State and now Iowa on the road. It looks like Michigan has finally learned a thing or two since this famous post-game presser a couple of years ago:

"That's How I Feel!" (0:13) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jvo5XO1kH1c)

Missouri (Xavier's final OOC opponent) is getting waxed right now by Florida State at home. I'm sure Xavier will right the ship against Mizzou and get some much-needed momentum going into their A-10 home opener against Dayton.