Game Thread: Xavier v. Clemson (Tire Pros Invitational) November 18, 2016

[Muskie]

http://a1.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/2752.png&h=70&w=70vs.http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/512230025203310592/FZb4Ards_normal.jpeg



November 18, 2016
1:30 p.m. Tip-Off (Projected)
Orlando, Florida
HP Fieldhouse
Radio: 700WLW (http://www.iheart.com/live/700wlw-1713/?autoplay=true&pname=1209&campid=header&cid=index.html)


TV: ESPNU

Live Stats (http://statbroadcast.com/events/tournament.php?tid=451)
Live Chat (http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=XavierHoops)
First Round Re-Cap for X (http://goxavier.com/news/2016/7/14/mens-basketball-bracket-for-puerto-rico-tip-off-revealed.aspx?path=mbball)
Game Preview from Xavier (http://goxavier.com/news/2016/11/17/mens-basketball-no-11-10-xavier-faces-clemson-on-friday-in-the-tire-pros-invitational-semifinals.aspx)
Clemson Game Recap from Clemson (http://www.clemsontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=28500&ATCLID=211302691)

First Meeting Between Clemson and X since 1999 NIT.

[sirthought]

Thanks for keeping on top of creating all these posts. There's been a lot of activity for this early in the season. It's fun to follow.

[XUMIOH12]

we'll see how Bernard does against Blossomgame, should be a critical matchup in the game tomorrow.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

Bernard has to up his game here.

Also, posted in his recruiting thread but Torian Graham is at ASU now and is playing in this tournament against UNI right now.


we'll see how Bernard does against Blossomgame, should be a critical matchup in the game tomorrow.

[paulxu]

Y'all realize that I'll have to put my house on the market if we lose this game.

Then again, I may have to change my license plate if we win to keep the car from being keyed.

[sirthought]

Aren't Clemson fans used to the disappointment by now?

[THRILLHOUSE]

http://a1.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/2752.png&h=70&w=70vs.http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/512230025203310592/FZb4Ards_normal.jpeg



November 18, 2016
1:30 p.m. Tip-Off (Projected)
Orlando, Florida
HP Fieldhouse
Radio:


TV: ESPN

Live Stats (http://statbroadcast.com/events/tournament.php?tid=451)
Live Chat (http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=XavierHoops)
First Round Re-Cap for X (http://goxavier.com/news/2016/7/14/mens-basketball-bracket-for-puerto-rico-tip-off-revealed.aspx?path=mbball)

First Meeting Between Clemson and X since 1999 NIT.



Game will be on ESPN U, not regular ESPN

[XUMIOH12]

Y'all realize that I'll have to put my house on the market if we lose this game.

Then again, I may have to change my license plate if we win to keep the car from being keyed.

do they even know the basketball team is playing?

[paulxu]

do they even know the basketball team is playing?

Good point. My Clemson friends certainly do; but they are accustomed to me touting the Muskies.
The average fan...not so much.

[Muskie]

Game will be on ESPN U, not regular ESPN

Updated. It said ESPN yesterday when I made the thread.

[Muskie]

I hope the team got some rest last night. This one is going to be tough.

[Emp]

Live Stats sucked yesterday. Score was wrong much of the last 10 mm of
Regulation. The graphics and color design hurt my eyes. Still better than the slow loading alternatives

[Muskie]

Thanks for keeping on top of creating all these posts. There's been a lot of activity for this early in the season. It's fun to follow.

I hope I have to do another one this afternoon.

[Muskie]

Am I remembering wrong or was Brad Brownell once a contender for the XU job after Miller left?

[GoMuskies]

I hope I have to do another one this afternoon.

Win or lose there's another one to do.

[ReturnOfTheMack]

Am I remembering wrong or was Brad Brownell once a contender for the XU job after Miller left?

I don't remember his name being in the mix. You may be thinking of Darren Horn who was South Carolina's head coach at the time. I know he was at least brought in for an interview.

[X-band '01]

Horn would have been a disaster had that taken place. Fran McCafferty I think was another candidate.

At that time, Brownell had moved from Wright State to Clemson, so I doubt he was on Xavier's list.

[gladdenguy]

I fully expect to lose this game. I guess I won't be too disappointed. Myles and Kaiser need to come back.

[AviatorX]

I have never muted the TV, but assuming it's the same crew as yesterday, might not have a choice.

As for the game, I think Clemson is solid (probably a fringe top 25 team that will be a bubble team come March if I had to guess), but if Xavier can snap out of their funk, they'll win. If you watched Clemson play Davidson, keep in mind they are one of the worst defensive teams in the nation outside of the true dregs of D1.

[GoMuskies]

Xavier is a 1.5 point favorite over Clemson today. Davidson is a 3.5 point favorite over Mizzou.

All to say that the bookmakers are taking yesterday's game as a sign that Xavier is not as good as expected (at this point) and have really not changed their view of Mizzou.

[xu82]

Live Stats sucked yesterday. Score was wrong much of the last 10 mm of Regulation. The graphics and color design hurt my eyes. Still better than the slow loading alternatives

The alternate site provided was also off, so I'm not sure what was up. I'm just glad the TV score of us up 4 was correct vs being tied according to my ipad!

[paulxu]

I fully expect to lose this game.

Hah! This is generally the harbinger of good news.

[X-band '01]

Xavier is a 1.5 point favorite over Clemson today. Davidson is a 3.5 point favorite over Mizzou.

All to say that the bookmakers are taking yesterday's game as a sign that Xavier is not as good as expected (at this point) and have really not changed their view of Mizzou.

Naturally, Davidson is up 14-4 on Mizzou early.

[paulxu]

Live Stats sucked yesterday. Score was wrong much of the last 10 mm of Regulation. The graphics and color design hurt my eyes. Still better than the slow loading alternatives

Emp, try "theScore" app. I couldn't get the game on TV yesterday, so was watching the ESPN site to check progress. Then I looked at "theScore" app on my phone. It was at least a minute or two ahead of ESPN. I actually have no idea how close it was to the game itself, but I know I was getting scoring more up to the minute than ESPN.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

There are things to put in perspective. We have played Missouri a few times so their coach knows us and so do some of the players. We shot 2-22 from the arc. We are down two guys, one of which is an old man senior (24 so old) and the other is a good defender and shooter. This is going to be a weird season where we take lumps in the next 6 weeks that will be weird to look at come conference tourney time. It will be a lot of, well they lost to team A who stinks but were short guys.

[xubrew]

We may be better than Clemson, but up to this point Clemson has played better teams and looked better against them. The sample size is too small to be relevant, but for the first three games they've looked better.

Mizzou is terrible. Fordham played us a lot too. It didn't matter that they knew us. Mizzou is so bad that they may be the worst power conference team since that Oregon State team from either 07 or 08 that lost all their conference games by double digits and finished outside the RPI top 250. When you're in overtime against a team like that, it's a sign things aren't going well. If we play like that today we won't just lose. We'll lose huge.

[AviatorX]

There are things to put in perspective. We have played Missouri a few times so their coach knows us and so do some of the players. We shot 2-22 from the arc. We are down two guys, one of which is an old man senior (24 so old) and the other is a good defender and shooter. This is going to be a weird season where we take lumps in the next 6 weeks that will be weird to look at come conference tourney time. It will be a lot of, well they lost to team A who stinks but were short guys.

Honestly, how many losses do you see possible to teams who stink? There just aren't any left on the schedule really, assuming wins over NDSU and Eastern Washington.

[Muskie]

We may be better than Clemson, but up to this point Clemson has played better teams and looked better against them. The sample size is too small to be relevant, but for the first three games they've looked better.

Mizzou is terrible. Fordham played us a lot too. It didn't matter that they knew us. Mizzou is so bad that they may be the first power conference team since that Oregon State team from either 07 or 08 that lost all their conference games by double digits and finished outside the RPI top 250. When you're in overtime against a team like that, it's a sign things aren't going well. If we play like that today we won't just lose. We'll lose huge.I think it all depends on which team shows up. The team that played Lehigh and Missouri? Or the one that stomped Buffalo.

[xubrew]

I think it all depends on which team shows up. The team that played Lehigh and Missouri? Or the one that stomped Buffalo.

Very true. I know you can say this about a hundred different teams right now, but Clemson is a potential tournament team, and they know it, and they know a win away from home against us really helps them. They are certainly good enough to beat just about anyone that overlooks them.

[XU-PA]

Naturally, Davidson is up 14-4 on Mizzou early.

Davidson is doing everything that they couldn't do against Clemson. Today they are making open jumpers, able to drive the lane. Mizzou looks like they wish they left town last night

[XU-PA]

And the officiating is vastly different

[GIMMFD]

Our game starts after Davidson right???

[Jesuit4Life]

Our game starts after Davidson right???

Yes, about 20 minutes after.

[Jesuit4Life]

TV Info: https://twitter.com/XavierMBB/status/799270984498999296
Channel finder: http://www.espn.com/espnnetworks/channelFinder
WatchESPN.com if you have ESPNU and sign-in with your cable/satellite provider

700WLW (https://www.iheart.com/live/700wlw-1713/)

[GIMMFD]

Yes, about 20 minutes after.

Omg, I just realised what I did. Where I'm in the Caribbean and we don't have Daylight Savings Time, I thought it was 1:30 tip for my time, instead of 2:30... jeeze. Okay, thank you guys so much, sorry, brain fart!!

[X-band '01]

Probably going to be around 1:45-1:50 EST. Also keep in mind that Daylight Savings time ended a couple of weeks ago here in the mainland, anyhow.

[XU 87]

Davidson is beating Missouri 60-47 late in the second half.

Davidson wins by 15. That sure doesn't make me feel too confident about our game.

[XUMIOH12]

Dino Gaudio legitimately thinks the name is Edmond Summer.

[xu82]

Dino Gaudio legitimately thinks the name is Edmond Summer.

Not quite as annoying as eggs-zavier, but still!

[Wheelhouse]

Our shooting was so bad yesterday that if we just shoot a little it better today we should be in this game.

[BMoreX]

God dammit it's still the same tv crew.

[Wheelhouse]

JP 3. Nice.

[BMoreX]

Two on Sean.

[Wheelhouse]

O'Mara 2 quick fouls. Ugh.

[KabeX]

Tre playing some good D so far

[BMoreX]

And now Gaston has 2.

[Wheelhouse]

We look so sloppy. We're going to smoked if we don't pull our heads out of our asses.

[Wheelhouse]

JP giving zeros f#cks today. Just shooting it from all over the gym.

[KabeX]

I like we've already made more 3's than all of yesterday but their bench is thinner than ours. Need to stay aggressive and get them in some foul trouble too.

[xu82]

Shooting from deeper than he has to at least once, be he made it so all is forgiven. ��

[RealDeal]

I like our fire today.

[SemajParlor]

What a difference 24 hours can make. Keep shooting JP!

[KabeX]

JP Freakin Mac!

[RealDeal]

Holy shit jp!

[Wheelhouse]

Oh JP

[GreatWhiteNorth]

JP on fire!

[mistabeecee41]

wow, Tyrique's block was also clean. Refs will call that 10/10 times, but he didnt touch the guy

[SemajParlor]

Pleasantly surprised with Tyrique.

[Wheelhouse]

We have such difficulty finished at the hoop.

[Wheelhouse]

Pleasantly surprised with Tyrique.

Me, too. I like the energy that both Jones and Goodin bring. They're young and making some mistakes but you can really see the potential there with both of them.

[xu82]

Jones RB/minute is amazing so far this season. Very encouraging!

[XMuskieFTW]

May need Stainbrook to play center at this rate haha

[IM4X]

The last foul called on Jones was bogus. A flop by the Clemson dude. Looked obvious to me. Replayed it again and again to see how the Ref didn't see it as a flop. Bad call.

[XMuskieFTW]

JP. Unconscious right now.

[muskiefan82]

Dude can take over a game. He is ridiculous when he is on his game.

[KabeX]

Too bad halftime is approaching. Best half I've seen in a long long time

[letskeepitreal]

JP is friggin playing out of his mind! Only problem is the rest of the team may just be spectators when someone is having a night like JP is having.

[muskieindent]

Wow .He's just taking this game over.

[muskieindent]

I love Tyrique but he has to learn how not to foul.3 in first half.We really need Gates .Depth is going to be an issue

[IM4X]

JP is carrying the team on his back... But some how I am not surprised he could be THAT kind of guy this year when needed.

[GoMuskies]

Man, I'm sorry I had to miss the first half. Would have loved to have seen JP playing like that. Hopefully Ed or Trevon will take their turn in the second half.

[X-band '01]

Not quite on pace for Steve Thomas' school-record 50 points, but Macura has a shot at David West's 47-pt performance against Dayton at this rate. He has 23 at the half.

[X Factor]

If JP had some help, X would be up 15 points at half. JP is getting his chance to show everyone what he can do. He could be our most important player.

[Wheelhouse]

Pretty good 1st half, mostly because of JP. Trevon played better than yesterday as well so things are moving in a positive direction. However, our bigs were not good, especially O'Mara, and Sumner didn't look very good either. But hey, up 9 at half and can't complain about that coming off of yesterday.

[nasdadjr]

Blueitt and Sumner are far from NBA material right now. Physical skills are there but shooting and creating shots just are not.

[paulxu]

I can't see the game, but my buddy told me Sumner took a shot to the nuts that slowed him down the whole half. Is that right?

Also, if I'm reading the stats right, we shot 1 FT the entire half, on what looks like a "and 1."
Wonder if we've ever had a half where we had only 1 FT.

[nasdadjr]

I don't know what it is but Sumner seems like he is pressing and thinking about his shot. It's at the point now where he looks afraid to shoot anything but a lay up

[xu82]

I like the guy who says it's a T. (For now)

[BMoreX]

By rule that's a flagrant.

[BMoreX]

Thats a box out by Gaston.

[Wheelhouse]

Plain and simple, O'Mara has been terrible so far this year.

[X Factor]

Plain and simple, O'Mara has been terrible so far this year.

I disagree. He needs to stay out of foul trouble though.

I think it would be a good idea to JP some shots.

[GoMuskies]

Plain and simple, O'Mara has been terrible so far this year.

Our inside game is definitely not very strong at this point.

[X Factor]

O'Mara is averaging 9 points and 4 rebounds in three games. He's shooting almost 60% from the field and 5-6 from the FT line. He's been pretty good in limted minutes due to foul trouble.

[nasdadjr]

I don't know his name but the play by play guy not the color guy is the worst announcer I've ever heard on any level of any sport

[UCGRAD4X]

Our inside game is definitely not very strong at this point.

...and it should be dominating this team...

[xu82]

"2-3 zone from Xavier". Do they do ANY homework or even watch?

[X Factor]

JP makes so many plays

[BMoreX]

Time to blow this game open.

[TUclutch]

Plain and simple, O'Mara has been terrible so far this year.

Plain and simple, this statement is pretty fuckin stupid

[Wheelhouse]

Bernard has really been a pleasant surprise. He's played crucial minutes early this year with Gates and Miles out.

[BMoreX]

Sean just needs to stop fouling. His stat line is fine. The issue is the mins.

Hopefully the fouling will taper off.

[xu82]

Sean just needs to stop fouling. His stat line is fine. The issue is the mins.

Hopefully the fouling will taper off.

Same with all the bigs.

[Wheelhouse]

Plain and simple, this statement is pretty fuckin stupid

You think he's played well? I missed the Buffalo game so maybe he looked like an All-American then. He commits horrible fouls all the time and has been a decent finisher at best around the basket. I get the 9 points in "limited" minutes but how many of those are easy layups off of feeds from our guards? I like Sean and think he can be a productive player but I don't think he's been good this year (of course he finishes a nice reverse layup as I type this!).

[xufan2020]

Was that goodin that blew the pass off JP? He's had some awful passes today.

[TUclutch]

He has been no worse than average overall.

[TUclutch]

Our bigs really need to learn to catch the ball.

[Wheelhouse]

Now he's finishing everything! I think the vibes from my negative post are spurring him on.

[xu82]

Is that 3 or 4 straight turnovers for us? UGH.......

[drudy23]

We should probably stop throwing the ball to them.

[MHettel]

Pick and roll is a disaster. Guys go one way, pass goes another. BAD.

Big guys hands need work too. Fucking oven mitts

[KabeX]

Sure didn't like that stretch

[mistabeecee41]

too much hero ball. even on the ed layup, he dribbled the whole time before getting to the rim.

[xufan2020]

Ok, relax and make good passes
- coach xufan2020

[xu82]

We should probably stop throwing the ball to them.

Or, maybe we should throw the ball TO them when we throw the ball "to them"? Some of those were just terrible.... Bad spell there to let them crawl back in it.

[X Factor]

Ed is not playing the PG very good at all. We need a floor general.

[RealDeal]

Gotta get jp involved.

[BMoreX]

Losing it now.

[KabeX]

We're not gonna blow an 11 point lead ... are we?

[X Factor]

X is crapping themselves. Need to right the ship fast.

[KabeX]

JP w. nada in 2nd half

[Wheelhouse]

This is where Myles would help. I feel like he did a good job of calming us down last year.

[xu82]

This is where Myles would help. I feel like he did a good job of calming us down last year.

Absolutely.

Get the energy back!

[XfansinKy]

Score? Please

[KabeX]

65-60 4:30 left

[XfansinKy]

Oh boy

[Wheelhouse]

We've turned up the defense.

[KabeX]

up 9 now

[xu82]

Turns out Bernard is handy to have around.

[KabeX]

69 - 60 at the under 4 TO

[X Factor]

Bernard is a great utility guy. Can do a little of everything. Some really nice buckets in the second half.

[xufan2020]

Malcolm Bernard !!!

[KabeX]

Turns out Bernard is handy to have around.

Yes. Very handy indeed.

[X Factor]

Now he's finishing everything! I think the vibes from my negative post are spurring him on.

No. Your analysis was just wrong.

[xu82]

We all get frustrated during rough patches. There have been a lot of rough patches. It's a long season and there's a lot of learning and growing yet to come.

[KabeX]

That was very timely Ed!

[KabeX]

FT time boys

[Wheelhouse]

No. Your analysis was just wrong.

Haha. Ok.

[xu82]

What ever happened to having to make a play on the ball? Was that's just a myth?

[XMuskieFTW]

Got away with a really bad turnover there.

[xu82]

JP with the smartest pass of the day?

[KabeX]

And that'll do it

[BMoreX]

Sign JP up for QB

[xufan2020]

Sheed!!!

[Xpectations]

Don't have audio. What did Gaston do?

[BMoreX]

What was that T on?

[KabeX]

And that'll do it

Well maybe not quite yet

[TUclutch]

Don't have audio. What did Gaston do?

apparently he and one of the clemson guys were jawing. looked like the ref told them to stop and gaston said something

[Wheelhouse]

Don't have audio. What did Gaston do?

Sounds like chirping at the official.

[xu82]

YUGE FT's!

[KabeX]

Nice job Sean

[xu82]

Sounds like chirping at the official.

That makes it sound almost adorable!

[Wheelhouse]

That makes it sound almost adorable!

I thought it was precious!

[KabeX]

Ed misses both FT. 80 - 75 15 sec left

[xu82]

I thought it was precious!

I managed not to throw something at the TV, so that's good.

[Xpectations]

Why Q? Why?

[KabeX]

X wins 83 - 77

[Xville]

well...we won so that's good. One good thing about all of these close games, we are already well battle tested. It is good to have that experience thru the year, and even better when it is a win each time.

[xu82]

I am pleased by all W's.

Now let's hear from Dino about how Mr Summer played.

[Wheelhouse]

That'll do it. Good win. JP carried the first half and we had nice contributions from a bunch of guys in the second half. X has a nice roll going in these holiday tourneys. How did we ever not like these???

[muskiefan82]

Especially down two players who contribute.

[XMuskieFTW]

Really really solid win. Sloppy ending but not a huge concern. Like a lot of the things we saw today.

[X Factor]

Still didn't play a very good game today. Turned it over almost 20 times. Sumner didn't do much offensively.

I'll take the W for sure! Guys made some big plays down the stretch, especially Bernard.

[Emp]

Too many minutes for the big 3. Bluett and Sumner can't carry 40 minutes all season.

[Wheelhouse]

Still didn't play a very good game today. Turned it over almost 20 times. Sumner didn't do much offensively.

I'll take the W for sure! Guys made some big plays down the stretch, especially Bernard.

All true but I thought overall we played pretty well, especially with no Myles and Gates. Sumner is definitely in a funk but he'll come out of it. Certainly some things to clean up but I thought there were a lot of positives today as opposed to yesterday.

[Xville]

weird that we may be playing UNI in back to back games...

[XUMIOH12]

J p !

[SemajParlor]

Good solid win for X. I believe Clemson is a good team.

[XUMIOH12]

weird that we may be playing UNI in back to back games...

yeah i'm hoping oklahoma wins, just to prevent that from happening

[SemajParlor]

It's only game 4 so obviously there are tons of things to improve on, but it's comforting to see some of the new guys step in and fill voids right away. Can't take that for granted - not an easy thing to do. Impressive.

[XUMIOH12]

very good overall win. solid defense, and good offense even outside of JP. The only bad thing is that the bigs all got in to quick foul trouble again. Hopefully that trend doesn't continue.

[AviatorX]

Good solid win for X. I believe Clemson is a good team.

They definitely have some pieces. Obviously Blossomgame is a known quantity but Grantham and DeVoe impressed me as well. Big guy had some nice plays but you can imagine he'd be up and down. And apparently they have some reinforcements coming in a few weeks similar to X. The ACC is a beast, but I think they can compete for a bid.

[XUMIOH12]

It's only game 4 so obviously there are tons of things to improve on, but it's comforting to see some of the new guys step in and fill voids right away. Can't take that for granted - not an easy thing to do. Impressive.

yeah both freshmen have played solid. Goodin just needs to learn to make the simple play at this point. I like how aggressive jones plays

[xubrew]

very good overall win. solid defense, and good offense even outside of JP. The only bad thing is that the bigs all got in to quick foul trouble again. Hopefully that trend doesn't continue.

We play great on the even number games! Games #2 and #4 have been great showings! It's the odd number games that we need to improve on

[xubrew]

BTW, when it comes to games played we are now over ten percent of the way through the year. No season goes faster than college basketball season.

[XUGRAD80]

Had a feeling this would be a tough game, and wouldn't have been surprised by a loss. Happy for another win.

[muskiefan82]

BTW, when it comes to games played we are now over ten percent of the way through the year. No season goes faster than college basketball season.

I am actually hoping we are EXACTLY 10% of the way through the year.

[X-band '01]

We play great on the even number games! Games #2 and #4 have been great showings! It's the odd number games that we need to improve on

I forget the year, but there was a 20+ game stretch where Saint Louis began the year with alternating wins and losses.

[Blue Blooded-05]

weird that we may be playing UNI in back to back games...

While not back to back, this would be the 3rd time in 4 seasons we would play the same team twice in the month of November. We played Tennessee on 11/12/13 (win) and 11/29/13 (loss). We also played Long Beach St on 11/18/14 (win) and 11/30/14 (loss).

[KabeX]

I forget the year, but there was a 20+ game stretch where Saint Louis began the year with alternating wins and losses.
Don't know for sure but I do know that we aint STL.

[gladdenguy]

After yesterday I will gladly take a 6 point Clemson win. One more!!!!

Mack and staff: what a great find in Malcolm Bernard. Boy he is a major reason X is 4-0 at this point. These four wins will be huge at the end of the year. Without Malcolm, we may be 2-2 at this point.

[xubrew]

I forget the year, but there was a 20+ game stretch where Saint Louis began the year with alternating wins and losses.

Soderberg was the coach. I don't remember the exact year either, but it was ridiculous.

[GoMuskies]

Two straight years of holiday tournament championships?!? That would be amazing. Particularly given some of our recent history in these goddamned things!

[ron meXico]

I was not expecting Clemson to be that good... They never gave up even after all those daggers JP hit em with and some decent defense on X's part. They've got some shooters and good for them. Solid win very solid win after watching that 1.

A couple things that have been pleasant surprises: Our rebounding continues to be solid (I don't think we've been close to being outrebounded yet) and Saint Bernard. Guy has impressed me with what some 1 else said his utility ability.

One thing we need from our point guards is better consistency... just seems at times they go into the teeth of the defense with no real plan or try to make that highlight reel play, but a little better decision making and all will be good.

[bobbiemcgee]

Bernard quietly played some nice defense and came up with a couple of huge plays in crunch time. JP was Everywhere! Hope his play lights a fire under Ed and Tre for the next game.

[IM4X]

Wonder if the hype Ed got this off season about being NBA ready after this year is messing with his head a bit. Maybe Ed is feeling he needs to try to prove something instead of just playing within himself. JP has no pressure on him, as he was not getting the hype Tre and Sumner were prior to the season. He can play with a bit of a chip on his should, which may work well for him.

[STL_XUfan]

Wonder if the hype Ed got this off season about being NBA ready after this year is messing with his head a bit. Maybe Ed is feeling he needs to try to prove something instead of just playing within himself. JP has no pressure on him, as he was not getting the hype Tre and Sumner were prior to the season. He can play with a bit of a chip on his should, which may work well for him.

Or teams are game planning to stop Tre and Ed, and make the rest of the team beat them. Pretty sure Shannon quoted the Brownwell as saying that JP made them pay for trying to stop Tre and Ed.

[paulxu]

O'Mara with 10 pts in 12 minutes is very good production from a big.
If he can fix the foul tendency, I like that pts/minutes.
2 TOs and 4 fouls in those same 12 minutes is not good.

[X-Fan]

JP giving zeros f#cks today. Just shooting it from all over the gym.
Like not even one f*ck.

I'd imagine his post game remarks were something like "I'd like to apologize...to absolutely no one!"


Pleasantly surprised with Tyrique.
Love what I've seen from Tyrque so far. There will be NO easy buckets in his presence.


Me, too. I like the energy that both Jones and Goodin bring. They're young and making some mistakes but you can really see the potential there with both of them.
For sure. Mack lit into them game one, and they heard him loud and clear!

[X-band '01]

Unless UNI gets hot in the 2nd half, it's looking like Xavier-Oklahoma for Sunday night.

[X-band '01]

Guess what - this game between Oklahoma and Northern Iowa going OT. Sooners led by as much as 18 but had an 11-minute drought without a FG in the 2nd half.

[IM4X]

Guess what - this game between Oklahoma and Northern Iowa going OT. Sooners led by as much as 18 but had an 11-minute drought without a FG in the 2nd half.

Wow- Carlson in the last 5 min of 2nd half reminded me of JP in the 1st half of the earlier game. Surprised they didn't get him the ball for that last shot of regulation.

[letskeepitreal]

Either way, its going to be a great final game and we will have to bring it to prevail. Let's go X

[letskeepitreal]

Looks like Northern Iowa tomorrow. Gonna be a battle

[Nigel Tufnel]

It's only game 4 so obviously there are tons of things to improve on, but it's comforting to see some of the new guys step in and fill voids right away. Can't take that for granted - not an easy thing to do. Impressive.

And when Jones realizes he needs to go to the opposite block from where he sets the pick....that pass by Goodwin is a dunk instead of a turnover. That was a great pass by Q that bounced out of bounds untouched.

[xu82]

I hope they go to several more OT's.

[xu82]

And when Jones realizes he needs to go to the opposite block from where he sets the pick....that pass by Goodwin is a dunk instead of a turnover. That was a great pass by Q that bounced out of bounds untouched.

These are little lessons that are nice to learn in a win. These games will help get some guys up to speed.

[IM4X]

Wow.... Northern Iowa it is.

Back to back games with this team after all.

The loser of Sunday's game will get a shot at payback.

[Nigel Tufnel]

These are little lessons that are nice to learn in a win. These games will help get some guys up to speed.

I like what I'm seeing from those two...add in contributions from Scruggs and Naji and others next year...the future is bright. I'm bullish on Jones.

[xu82]

I like what I'm seeing from those two...add in contributions from Scruggs and Naji and others next year...the future is bright. I'm bullish on Jones.

It's too soon to know, but Jones just seems to have a knack for rebounding and protecting the rim....aggressively.

[IM4X]

It's too soon to know, but Jones just seems to have a knack for rebounding and protecting the rim....aggressively.

I'm okay if he wants be the next Tyrone Hill.

[muskiefan82]

This will be odd playing UNI Sunday, then playing them again on Saturday.