Dec 28th, 2015 AP and Coaches Poll

[blueblob06]

X is #6 again in both. Nobody lost so that makes sense. We are closer in votes to #5 than #7 if that intrigues you...

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/rankings

X has 2 big games this week of course, but Jan 2nd is going to be a big day for the top 6 ranked schools. Here's the slate for Jan 2nd:
#1 Mich St at Minnesota (MSU also plays at Iowa tomorrow night)
#2 Kansas vs #23 Baylor
#3 Oklahoma vs #11 Iowa St
#4 Maryland at Northwestern (getting votes in top 25)
#5 Virginia vs Notre Dame
#6 Xavier vs #9 Butler

[xu82]

While I'm hoping for and expecting great things, I'm also making a point of enjoying this moment right here, right now. Not that anyone isn't, but...you know. "Undefeated" has such a sweet ring to it. But I DO love the way this team is put together and think they can do great things!

[XMuskieFTW]

0-2 this week would be extremely disappointing. 1-1 and I'm content. 2-0 and I'm chugging the koolaid and looking into flights to Houston.

[JTG]

0-2 this week would be extremely disappointing. 1-1 and I'm content. 2-0 and I'm chugging the koolaid and looking into flights to Houston.

2-0 this week is definitely tickets to Houston time.

[DoubleD86]

0-2 this week would be extremely disappointing. 1-1 and I'm content. 2-0 and I'm chugging the koolaid and looking into flights to Houston.

My feelings exactly.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Up 1 spot, tied for 5th in the ESPN rankings:

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/powerrankings

[GoMuskies]

If, if, if, Xavier can somehow win twice this week...the Musketeers will have an excellent chance of finding themselves in the #1 spot (or at least #2) in coming weeks. Those would be two fantastic wins, the others in the top 5 are bound to do some losing soon, and things get a lot simpler for the Muskies after January 2nd until the 26th. Amazing opportunity.

[xukeith]

I don't understand how we are tied with Virginia with 109 points when all voters had us either 5 or 6th with 1 voter 2.
All voters for Virginia had them at 5 or 6th.

[xukeith]

With all the attention the last 3 years, Villanova has gotten, they must bring in all star recruits.
Are they simply molding together or short on quality depth with solid shooters?

[XU '11]

With all the attention the last 3 years, Villanova has gotten, they must bring in all star recruits.
Are they simply molding together or short on quality depth with solid shooters?

Neither. They are very, very good. They had an atrocious shooting night against a top 5 team in Hawaii and lost a relatively close game on the road to another top 5 team. Almost all computer rankings still have them in the top 7 and they will be favored on Thursday.

[XMuskieFTW]

Neither. They are very, very good. They had an atrocious shooting night against a top 5 team in Hawaii and lost a relatively close game on the road to another top 5 team. Almost all computer rankings still have them in the top 7 and they will be favored on Thursday.

Are they really that good of shooters though? They are shooting 31% from 3 this year on 352 attempts. That is not very good at all. Tied for 286th in the country. As a comparison we are tied for 99th at 36.5%.

[nasdadjr]

Are they really that good of shooters though? They are shooting 31% from 3 this year on 352 attempts. That is not very good at all. Tied for 286th in the country. As a comparison we are tied for 99th at 36.5%.

Yes because we all know a top 10 team coming into your house on New Years night when you are the conference bully and the new guy is trying to take what you have is going to bring out their absolute best game

[xufan2434]

Are they really that good of shooters though? They are shooting 31% from 3 this year on 352 attempts. That is not very good at all. Tied for 286th in the country. As a comparison we are tied for 99th at 36.5%.

This is where stats and numbers easily mislead people. For the most part, the guys shooting the 3's for them are the same ones that have been shooting them the last couple of years. Seemed more like they just started cold. I've seen majority of their roster light it up far too many times to completely disregard them because they hit a rough patch. The Oklahoma game was a weird one to be honest. Nova did make some bad decisions and Oklahoma went on a couple of runs. When they shoot 3's when the shot is open, they can be deadly. Took some uncharacteristic ones after 1 or 0 passes.

[XUFan09]

This has been linked here a few times now, but it's worth reading if you haven't yet.

http://kenpom.com/blog/index.php/weblog/entry/villanovas_deceptive_3_point_percentage

Keep in mind that his analysis is made in a vacuum, without even considering the historic percentages of Villanova's various shooters (which would only bolster the argument further).

They have shot in the high 30s and low 40s, percentage-wise, in the last few games. Not a surprise.

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[Xville]

Nova is awesome against crappy competition, good against good competition, and not very good against great/elite competition. Why? Because of their system and its been that way for a few years now. They have dominated the league because quite frankly the league hasn't been that great the last couple of years even though the numbers say differently regarding last year. The league is much improved this year and ...Nova isn't winning the league this year...mark that down.

As you can see, I don't think much of Nova and their crappy live by the three, die by the three system....that system doesn't work against great teams as evidenced by their March flameouts. I'm quite sick of them going into the tourney with high seeds and flaming out making the league look bad....f them...really f them.

[Xville]

This is where stats and numbers easily mislead people. For the most part, the guys shooting the 3's for them are the same ones that have been shooting them the last couple of years. Seemed more like they just started cold. I've seen majority of their roster light it up far too many times to completely disregard them because they hit a rough patch. The Oklahoma game was a weird one to be honest. Nova did make some bad decisions and Oklahoma went on a couple of runs. When they shoot 3's when the shot is open, they can be deadly. Took some uncharacteristic ones after 1 or 0 passes.

That's their problem though...when their outside shot isn't falling, they have no clue what to do....they just keep throwing them up and hoping things will change. They have zero inside game and its been that way for a few years now, and is why the early exits in March.

[xufan2434]

That's their problem though...when their outside shot isn't falling, they have no clue what to do....they just keep throwing them up and hoping things will change. They have zero inside game and its been that way for a few years now, and is why the early exits in March.

Yes I would agree with all of that. My point wasn't that they're a juggernaut because of it. I was just saying I've seen them catch fire more often than not and when they are on, they're very tough to beat. Mix that in with X's struggles with defending the 3 over the last couple of years, and it explains why we haven't been able to consistently beat them. X's length this year changes that a bit, but I wouldn't simply overlook them because they've struggled from the outside so far.

[XUFan09]

Xavier really hasn't had trouble defending the three this year. Historic teams had Stainbrook/Philmore hedging on screens. This team doesn't, and that's so much of the difference.

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[Xville]

Yes I would agree with all of that. My point wasn't that they're a juggernaut because of it. I was just saying I've seen them catch fire more often than not and when they are on, they're very tough to beat. Mix that in with X's struggles with defending the 3 over the last couple of years, and it explains why we haven't been able to consistently beat them. X's length this year changes that a bit, but I wouldn't simply overlook them because they've struggled from the outside so far.

Nah I hear ya....even with all that I said about Nova, they honestly should win at home on NYE. I full expect us to destroy them at home this year though, and in the conference tourney if we play them again.

[XMuskieFTW]

This is where stats and numbers easily mislead people. For the most part, the guys shooting the 3's for them are the same ones that have been shooting them the last couple of years. Seemed more like they just started cold. I've seen majority of their roster light it up far too many times to completely disregard them because they hit a rough patch. The Oklahoma game was a weird one to be honest. Nova did make some bad decisions and Oklahoma went on a couple of runs. When they shoot 3's when the shot is open, they can be deadly. Took some uncharacteristic ones after 1 or 0 passes.

Maybe there's a reason why their threes aren't falling though. It's not like we are talking a few game sample size here. They aren't the same team as last year. They have a harder time getting open from three so they tend to take more bad shots. That's a product of their offense being not as good as it has been in the past. Do I think part of it is them starting cold? Sure. But I think it more so has to do with their offense not being able to find open looks and being forced into bad shots. Lots of college players are good shooters, but when you start shooting with a hand in your face, maybe you aren't as good.