Preditions all over the place

[JTG]

I have satellite radio, and spend a good portion of my day in the car listening to various sports programming. Predictions for us are all over the place. Anywhere from Final Four to gone the first weekend. This morning the Bleacher Report guys had us losing to Wisconsin, because of their superior play. Yesterday Tim Brando had us beating Carolina. People saying we in no way match up to WVA or ND. Others in an Elite 8 showdown with UNC, UK, or IU.
I am really nervous bout the 2nd game, and I can say, the one team I have not even heard 1 word about is Pitt. I think for a S16 matchup I might prefer WVU, as they have trouble scoring whereas ND is pretty athletic.
What have others heard prediction wise ?

[MADXSTER]

I've heard the same. Think Xavier's road to the Sweet 16 is pretty solid. After that?? West Virginia doesn't worry me as much since Xavier has learned to take care of the ball from playing Providence. Notre Dame can go off but I think Xavier can handle them as well.

[X-band '01]

I'm not completely sold on that notion given the trouble that Seton Hall gave Xavier. But I doubt that either Weber State, Wisconsin or Pitt has the sheer athleticism that the Hall does.

[SemajParlor]

Xavier has a great draw the first 2 rounds. With respect to Weber St --- Pitt, Wisco, and ND are not good teams. Look for SFA to give WVU a run too.

[UCGRAD4X]

Xavier has a great draw the first 2 rounds. With respect to Weber St --- Pitt, Wisco, and ND are not good teams. Look for SFA to give WVU a run too.

It should not be too surprising that the predictions are so disparate. Look at the last two games Xavier played. They looked about as good as a team can look against Marquette and about as bad as they have looked all year playing Seton Hall.

Look at the season overall: dominant and undefeated OOC, RPI at or near the top. Then the insult and injury in Philly. Wrap the debacle in Omaha and a head-scratcher at home against G'town around some solid play against the rest of the conference including a thriller against #1 Villanova.

Sure, most teams have had some curious bumps, but Xavier's most recent was an unsettling display - which, in the end, they could have won with a few even decent turns.

Real Jeckle and Hyde stuff going on there.

[muethibp]

Is this thread - from the title it's not clear - about predictions or perdition? If it's about states of eternal punishment being all over the place, that will affect how I handle myself this St. Patrick's Day.

[xukeith]

WVU played Oklahoma (top 10 team) and forced them to turn it over 20 times.
What makes X so special as NOT to turn it over?
SH taught X that Defense is better than offense.
I hope WVU loses.

Mike DeCoursey says we can beat Pitt easier than Wisconsin as Wisconsin makes X play defense for 28 seconds and X has to play purely on mental advantage not athletes.
X can crush Pitt with scoring

[xufan2434]

I think predictions are all over the place because the potential teams X could play have been so up and down. I'm surprised so many people are over-looking Pitt. I think they'll give Wisco all they can handle. Their point guard could be one of those guard that wins you games in March. Wisconsin does have that experience though, so I think analysts still haven't decided how much that's going to help them. If X pushes the tempo against either of them though, we'll run them out of the gym.

I'd much rather face ND than West Va. ND isn't very deep and X could take advantage of that. I think if we play West Va it's going to be an all out war up and down and real physical for boards. Can't be careless with the ball like X has at times over the last month. Either way, I like our chances. Who knows who we could end up playing in the S16 the way recent years have gone

[XUFan09]

WVU played Oklahoma (top 10 team) and forced them to turn it over 20 times.
What makes X so special as NOT to turn it over?
SH taught X that Defense is better than offense.
I hope WVU loses.

Mike DeCoursey says we can beat Pitt easier than Wisconsin as Wisconsin makes X play defense for 28 seconds and X has to play purely on mental advantage not athletes.
X can crush Pitt with scoring

Edmond Sumner not being in foul trouble is the difference.

No, defense is not better than offense. I know people are in love with the idea of defense winning championships, but offense has proven time and time again to be a better predictor of tournament success. Single game samples don't prove anything. You still need respectable defense, but you need offense more.

Wisconsin is one of the slowest teams in the country but Pitt isn't much faster, almost falling outside the top 300 in tempo.

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