In Praise of Nova

[Snipe]

Villanova is the #6 team in the nation.

Our RPI is actually going to go up after losing to them, at least that is some relief.

I was impressed by their play, though I hate them, or at least I will have to learn to hate them. I don't really hate them yet, but I know I am going to learn to hate them and teach it to my children. It is all in good fun.

They beat us on the boards by 8. That is impressive. We don't have many teams come in here and rule the glass. Even at Nova they just got us by 2 boards in a blowout with their own whistle.

Now I get the fact that Stain averages almost 10 boards and without him it is different, but I still expected to beat them on the glass. Our forwards are plenty talented and we are deep. We really are deep, and I love this team. I thought we would at least have the glass advantage.

We led the entire conference in Rebounding Margin this year at +5.3 If that is a surprise to you, welcome to Xavier basketball, where we have led every conference in rebounding margin since I have been a fan. Not every single year, I will give you that, but more years than not, and even most years.

It pisses me off when we don't get the boards, when we don't rule the boards. It killed the sell out crowd at times tonight too, because we would get a stop but then they would get the board and score. It happened again and again. And that is despicable. The crowd was trying to get into the flow but we kept giving them easy buckets and free boards.

I am not happy about it, but I want to offer props and praise to Nova because they came in here and took the boards away. They hit the boards and we didn't.

They beat us by 8 on the boards. That is where the game was won. In the last minute we drew it to 6 points AND the ball. Pissed me off when we didn't hit a shot, because we wouldn't have even had to foul. But the real game was dominated, and that game is on the boards.

They were +8 against us on the boards, and we are the best rebounding margin team in the league. We average +5.3 on the boards. Had we had a rebounding advantage of just +2, instead of -8, that would have meant that we had 10 extra possessions, all in a game that was just 6 points with the ball with just a minute to play. I would like our chances.

I will root for Nova in the NCAA Tournament. I hope we meet again in the Big East Final. They really are good. The pressure they put on us we could not handle. It was intense. Jay Wright had the correct game plan, and they came into here and they schooled us. I am impressed.

And I am pissed too, but got to give them some props. They really are that good, and I admit that I love the way they scrap and keep firing up 3 point shots. They could go far. Damn them.

[GoMuskies]

I'm with you on Nova being very good. I feel like we could play them 10 times and we'd lose all 10 even if Big Stain had a bionic knee. They're just better. Easily the best team we've played this year. Easily.

[Xavier]

I agree I think they are the best team we faced. Them or Creighton, hard to believe Creighton mopped the floor with them twice.

[Strange Brew]

Yeah Snipe they beat us on the boards but slapped us with a dainty white glove like a snotty Frenchman from behind the arc. I can't understand why this team has so much trouble hitting and defending the 3.

[profson]

Easy team to like. They play an admirable brand of basketball. I fear when they play a team with strong athletic bigs but I will root for them.

[LadyMuskie]

They are good. Maybe very good. But they were beatable tonight. There were several times when we took the wind out of their sails, but couldn't maintain our own momentum. From what I witnessed that team does not handle adversity well. They bicker. They blame. The flagrant foul on Bell was because he was pissed. He was rattled and so was Wright. Creighton beat them because Creighton used that to their advantage. They got into Nova's heads and beat them mentally. We could have as well. We didn't lose by as much as I thought we would since we were missing Stainbrook. We could have won tonight.

[xu82]

There's a reason they are #6, and we are not. Having said that, we can play with them. They are a great team, but if we have our second best player and shot even mediocre this is a different game. We have guys who can shoot (despite what you've seen the last two games). But the proof is in the pudding. They can argue they played poorly and still won. Good teams find a way to win and make it happen. It's a learning process. Let's hope we do that soon.

[The_Mack_Pack]

Nova is one of the best teams I've seen all season. Deep, physical, big, well coached. That is a squad that is not talked about enough on the national scene.

[The_Mack_Pack]

Something I like about Villanova is that just two seasons ago they were 13-19 and they wanted Wright fired. Just goes to show how quickly you can turn around.

[Snipe]

Not hard for me to imagine Creighton beating them, because I watched both games.

On any given Sunday, any team can beat any other team for sure. But Creighton can't only just beat you, if they are on they can demolish you.

Creighton can beat any team in the nation by 20 points. They can also lose that game. Both Nova and Creighton are Final Four candidates. They have different skill sets for sure, but they both are deadly.

I just want to join the party.

[GoMuskies]

I could see Creighton in the Final Four or losing in the first round. I think Villanova is much more solid and cannot imagine them losing before the Sweet Sixteen.

[Snipe]

They are good. Maybe very good. But they were beatable tonight. There were several times when we took the wind out of their sails, but couldn't maintain our own momentum. From what I witnessed that team does not handle adversity well. They bicker. They blame. The flagrant foul on Bell was because he was pissed. He was rattled and so was Wright. Creighton beat them because Creighton used that to their advantage. They got into Nova's heads and beat them mentally. We could have as well. We didn't lose by as much as I thought we would since we were missing Stainbrook. We could have won tonight.

I don't profess to know the internal dynamics of Nova. I think they could have been had tonight for sure, we just had to hit the boards. We didn't and they did. I give them credit. Not many programs come in here and rule the glass. That is what we do. They also had intense pressure that we failed to break on a regular basis. Jay Wright was on us all game, and we never got off. It was a game plan that smacked us in the face, and they won. Still, we had a 6 point game with the ball and failed to get off a good shot with a minute left. That made me bitter. They beat us. I give them credit.

[xu82]

Creighton can beat any team in the nation by 20 points. They can also lose that game. Both Nova and Creighton are Final Four candidates. They have different skill sets for sure, but they both are deadly.

I just want to join the party.
I agree, both of them advancing makes us look good. And meeting them in the Final Four makes us look better! (OK, it's late and I'm dreaming...)

[BMoreX]

They should get a one seed

[Masterofreality]

Villanova is damn....damn good. Hilliard is a cold blooded Killa and they run great offense and defense.

They do one thing that I wish we would do. Open up in a press to get the team's energy up early. I wish we would have done that in both Seton Hall games.

[vee4xu]

Hmmm, I thought this thread was about Mrs. Vee, whose name is Nova. She is very worthy of praise. Especially after putting up with the likes of me for almost 31 years. Oh, the basketball team with her name in shortened form isn't bad either.

[bleedXblue]

I could see Creighton in the Final Four or losing in the first round. I think Villanova is much more solid and cannot imagine them losing before the Sweet Sixteen.

Villanove has very little inside game

I could see them losing early to a team that can handle the press, not turn it over and slow the game down some........its all about matchups.

[xsteve1]

Villanova is damn....damn good. Hilliard is a cold blooded Killa and they run great offense and defense.

They do one thing that I wish we would do. Open up in a press to get the team's energy up early. I wish we would have done that in both Seton Hall games.

Hopefully Mack and his staff take notice of these things. Jay Wright is an elite level coach and younger less experienced coaches can learn a lot from him.

[GoMuskies]

Hopefully Mack and his staff take notice of these things. Jay Wright is an elite level coach and younger less experienced coaches can learn a lot from him.

I'll say this: if Villanova goes out in the first two rounds, it will DEFINITELY cost me a chance at $1 billion.

[RealDeal]

I see both teams in the elite 8.

[American X]

I will be surprised if Villanova is not in the Final Four. They are the most well-rounded team I have watched this season.

They remain calm and play steady every possession regardless of situation, which is the type of team that advances under the pressure of tournament play.

I am far more disappointed in Xavier not showing up against Seton Hall than losing to Villanova.

[xsteve1]

I'd rank Villanova in the top 2-3 opponents to have ever come into Cintas.

[nuts4xu]

On any given Sunday, any team can beat any other team for sure.

Maybe we should have scheduled Nova on a Sunday....

[BTR MUSKIE]

I think Nova could grab a 1 seed if they run the table.Very good shooting team,tall guards,tenacious D.I would like to have played them with Matt but not sure the end result would change.

[RP_Gambit]

All I can say is that I am very happy having Xavior in the Big East! I think you guys are going to be in the tournament and you deserve to be in the tournament. We could not pull away last night. Usually, this year, when we go up by 10, it is over. We slowly build the lead up to 20. We couldn't do that and I was worried until there was 10 seconds left on the clock.

You have a very good team and I can see you guys being near the very top of the league every year! Especially with your recruiting class coming in. Good luck the rest of the way. I hope we can play you guys in the Big East Championship. If only for the reason that we wouldn't be playing Creighton. :)

RP

[Filthy Conservative]

So Snipe posts analysis of a game he wasn't even close on. I thought Myles and Carr were gonna have big games.

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