Season in Review - Some Happy Thoughts

[MauriceX]

Now that the college basketball season is officially over, I thought it would be a good time to look back on our season and point out the better moments so that we can go into the offseason on a happy note. After all, this year was pretty amazing. Here are some of my happy thoughts:

The emergence of Mr. James Farr. He transformed himself from a shooter to a back-to-the-basket-beast. He had many great moments, and will leave as a true representative of everything Xavier stands for. I am proud to have had a guy like that on our team.

The freshman phenom of Edmond Sumner. We knew he was going to be good coming in, but I think he may have beat expectations. His first step to the basket is lightning fast, and man can he finish at the rim! He had some of the best dunks of the year, and he is our point guard. We are in good hands going forward.

Highest ranking ever in the AP Poll at #5. And we did it multiple times.

We beat the number one team in the country, and it was at our place, making for one of the most memorable games in Cintas history.

We got the highest seed ever for Xavier in the NCAA tournament with a two seed.

We went 6-1 against teams in the top 25 with our only loss to the eventual national champions.

We dominated the AdvoCare Invitational in a field with 6 tournament teams (and one other that should have been in)

We beat our most hated rival and our old conference rival and neither game was particularly close. We also beat Butler. Twice.

Our coach won multiple coach of the year awards after leading an unranked team into the top 5.

Our team next year is going to be very very very good, and I already can't wait for #Team95.

I invite you to share your favorite memories from this year in this thread, but let's keep it to happy thoughts!

GO X! :logo:

[Xavier]

What I'll remember most about this season will be beating the number 1 team in the country (and obviously eventual national champions) at home.

[Strange Brew]

I invite you to share your favorite memories from this year in this thread, but let's keep it to happy thoughts!

GO X! :logo:

Every darn minute was great this year. When does next season start? Thank you '94; '95 bust down the door!

[markchal]

What I'll remember most about this season will be beating the number 1 team in the country (and obviously eventual national champions) at home.

Agreed. Really special night and felt then it might have been the high water mark of the season.

[Masterofreality]

Great post Maurice!

A season attendance that averaged MORE than the building capacity. Never happened before.

Better get your season tickets NOW for next year. I believe that there will be no one NOT renewing theirs.

[XMuskieFTW]

Being front row at the smackdown at Michigan is a game I'll remember for a long, long time. One of, if not the most fun game I've been to.

[Milhouse]

I'll always remember being down in Orlando and watching this team OBLITERATE UD in a crowd that was 80% UD. The look on their faces said it all. Something tells me none of them will refer to us as "The Big Least" after this year.

[SkyWalker]

Has Xavier ever beaten the National Champion before?

[KabeX]

Has Xavier ever beaten the National Champion before?

I was wondering the same thing. I did a cursory look at Sports-Reference.com (because I'm really busy today and should be doing other things but hey, priorities). I went back to the 40s. There were a couple of seasons where UK won it all but the reg season results are missing. Interestingly, we played UK twice in the 1950-51 season (home and home lost both) when they won it all. So I would say the answer is no but not completely certain.

Hopefully next year other schools will be wondering the same thing about X (assuming we don't go undefeated of course ;) )

[KabeX]

ALSO: Numbers for the day:

199 - Days until Musketeer Madness (assuming it's 10/21)
221 - Days until 1st real game (guessing here but should be close)

Sigh.

[fellahmuskie]

Great post Maurice!

A season attendance that averaged MORE than the building capacity. Never happened before.

Better get your season tickets NOW for next year. I believe that there will be no one NOT renewing theirs.

Ditto. I'm trying to bump up to 4 tickets... Kids on the way in a few years. If I don't buy now, not sure I'll be able to down the road.

[fellahmuskie]

And to keep this thread on track, I would also add the win over Miami, not to mention NKU, Wright State and WKU. We beat everyone in our region! Maybe next year we can add Louisville and Kentucky :)

[Xville]

Does anyone know what the actual deadline is for College players to withdraw their name from the draft? I'm seeing a bunch of different dates from different sources...is it April 24th?

[THRILLHOUSE]

Does anyone know what the actual deadline is for College players to withdraw their name from the draft? I'm seeing a bunch of different dates from different sources...is it April 24th?

May 25th.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/25448359/ncaa-moves-withdrawal-deadline-for-nba-draft-to-after-combine

[XUMIOH12]

what a great season! I can only hope we have many more of these to enjoy in the near future.

[EastCoastXman]

Getting to Cintas and back on campus for the first time in 43 years. My old roomie treating me and my wife to a "bucket list" front row table seat for the Seton Hall game (and actually beating them) and being with other friends from 72!

Back in NJ, I have been an SHU ticketholder for 25+ years just because I love college hoops and my closest friends are SHU grads. Can we please figure out how to win a game at the Pru Center next year so I can stop taking all their crap and having to buy a boatload of drinks in the process?

[novachap]

Congrats X on a very good season. As has been said many times (Jay included), you guys were one of the best teams this year and could just as easily been there. I have enjoyed dropping by your board, great insight, passion and support for your program. Although rivals, it was nice to see the support from X and other BE programs. We are kicking down the door. Next year 2 or so teams in E8 and beyond.

Next year, who the heck knows how it pans out. You guys, assuming everyone stays will be loaded--but, you will miss Farr. Nova, if Hart stays will actually have more talent than this year with the addition of Paschal, Spellman, Painter, Delaney and Donte DiV, starting Hart, Jenkins, Booth, Brunson and Spellman with Bridges, Paschal coming off the bench... man. .... but we will unequivocally miss Arch and Chef. What they brought to the program is really special. We know most every team hated Arch, but damn everyone would take him. To me the signature visual of Arch for the game was not the 3 point shooting or the play/pass at the end, it was him battling the NC bigs after switches under the basket giving up 6 inches and 50 pounds. Unreal heart. JP has that potential for you guys and Sumner is a flat out stud (He scares the shit out of me with his potential!). Looking forward to the battles next year with you guys, they will be great games.

Go Big East!

[scoscox]

Can. not. wait. for Big East play next year. Will be some incredible teams. If this is what it feels like to be in a power conference... it feels good.

Great post by the way.

[Masterofreality]

No hate for Arch from me Chap. Nothing but respect for how he played the game and his leadership.
Congrats on the Championship. You guys have re-established the conference prestige. Now it is up to us and others to join you and take it further.
Next year can't get here soon enough.

[MADXSTER]

Arch to me played a lot like Bobby Hurley. Smart, gutsy, tenatious, deadly at the free throw line, finds the open man, finds the hot hand and makes big shots when needed. You guys will miss him. Paschal coming off the bench sucks for the rest of the league.

[GIMMFD]

Arch to me played a lot like Bobby Hurley. Smart, gutsy, tenatious, deadly at the free throw line, finds the open man, finds the hot hand and makes big shots when needed. You guys will miss him. Paschal coming off the bench sucks for the rest of the league.

Agreed with this sentiment completely, Arch was a gamer, and I have a lot of respect for him, he was a class act, never did anything to really piss off opposing fans other than play good basketball (for example Greyson Allen and his trips), but with that being said, I'm glad he's gone. Torched us at Nova..

Pre-season Big East:
1. Nova
2. X
3. Seton Hall
4-rest. ????

[X-ceptional]

The biggest thing for me is, I HATE losing... weird, right? But seriously, it ruins my day / week when any of my teams lose, but especially X, since I follow them more closely than any other team / sport. The past four years, Xavier has lost 13, 14, 13, and 14 games each. That is a lot of time I spent pi$$ed off.

Only 6 losses this year is the least since the '02-'03 season. It will always suck losing the last one, but damn there were a lot of good times this year, and I spent a lot of time thinking about WIN after WIN after WIN. Great season, X! Can't wait for the next one!

[MauriceX]

Great post Maurice!

A season attendance that averaged MORE than the building capacity. Never happened before.

Better get your season tickets NOW for next year. I believe that there will be no one NOT renewing theirs.

Oh yeah, that is one I forgot! Is there a record for % attendance over a season? We have some great fans that kept the Cintas rocking this year! We also had a good presence at away games too! I recall multiple times where you could hear "Let's Go X!" on TV at away games.

[NY44]

My favorite happy thought about this year is James Farr. That guy rose from the ashes this year. No one knew how he could fit into an offense and be a consistent contributor. If my memory serves me, there was a thread titled "The James Farr Project" a year ago. He completely changed his game and became an absolute monster on the glass. I think this team is a far cry a #5 ranked team without his consistency this year.