Grit

[American X]

Our guys got it.

Win or lose, that was a gutty & praiseworthy performance. Adversity aplenty, our guys came out focused and fighting.

Can't say enough about overcoming the deficit to pull out the tough win on the road. For once, we flipped the script, erasing the halftime lead and dropping almost half-a-hundy in the second half.

Nobody will call it perfect, but it was tough. Steel Balls gone widespread late in the second half. X had every chance to let that one slip away, but made clutch play after clutch play (and for once had a bit of luck).

Hail a great TEAM win! March On.

[XUGRAD80]

Completely agree.

I thought I saw a stat where Creighton was 19-0 when leading at halftime before this game. 19-1 now!


Wouldn't be surprised if these two teams played again as the 2-3 seeds in the conference tourney.

[xu82]

Some teams seem to find a way to win, and refuse to lose. I hope we are becoming one of those teams. Early in the season we found a way to lose some games we easily could have had. I hope we are learning and growing and turning that corner. Peak in March!!!

[scoscox]

Agreed. No Jalen, Ekiyor, London, Austin, Davis, Sumner, Tre hampered, Jones hampered, JP goes down, Creighton hitting everything, refs not calling fouls and we still win. That was a tough, tough performance.

[xu82]

Agreed. No Jalen, Ekiyor, London, Austin, Davis, Sumner, Tre hampered, Jones hampered, JP goes down, Creighton hitting everything, refs not calling fouls and we still win. That was a tough, tough performance.

The JP thing scared the crap out of me!!! Loved seeing him come back in.

[Snipe]

Our guys got it.

Win or lose, that was a gutty & praiseworthy performance. Adversity aplenty, our guys came out focused and fighting.

Can't say enough about overcoming the deficit to pull out the tough win on the road. For once, we flipped the script, erasing the halftime lead and dropping almost half-a-hundy in the second half.

Nobody will call it perfect, but it was tough. Steel Balls gone widespread late in the second half. X had every chance to let that one slip away, but made clutch play after clutch play (and for once had a bit of luck).

Hail a great TEAM win! March On.

True Grit Bitches!

We go for 1st place next Saturday.

MAKE ALL OF THEM OUR BITCHES!

[X-Fan]

Great stuff! Wins like those mean so much! Builds character and confidence both this season and beyond.

What's amazing is that the mental toughness the team displayed today, is exactly what they were lacking in losses earlier this year.

They hung together, dug in, and refused to give in. With all they've been through this season and especially the past month, this says a lot about their character and toughness.

[SemajParlor]

JP Macura was especially gritty.

Shoutout to PFT Commenter

[xudash]

Great stuff! Wins like those mean so much! Builds character and confidence both this season and beyond.

What's amazing is that the mental toughness the team displayed today, is exactly what they were lacking in losses earlier this year.

They hung together, dug in, and refused to give in. With all they've been through this season and especially the past month, this says a lot about their character and toughness.

Exactly.

It's doing all that while playing through pain and injuries that impresses the hell out of me.

They've received some kind of virtual wake-up call, and kinda just in time.

GO X!

[XUFan09]

I think this has been generally been a tough team this whole year, outside the anomaly of the UC game. That's why they've generally not allowed lesser teams to beat them. Their issues in crunch time have been a combination of luck and inexperience, but they seem to be handling themselves better now.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[Caveat]

JP Macura was especially gritty.

Shoutout to PFT Commenter

Like a coach out there on the court. Real lunch pail guy.

[XUGRAD80]

It's been said often that over the course of a season, the breaks even out. We saw a little bit of that yesterday when Creighton missed a bunny layup and had an unforced turnover in the last minute of the game. Earlier in the year we saw those things happening to X at times, and not happening to the opposition.

This could just turn out to be a real fun Feb-Mar, now that they are through the pit of January. Just hope the team doesn't run out of energy. Players need to do all they can to get their rest and the coaches need to make sure they don't over work them in practice. I believe that the players have shown the mental toughness they need, let's hope they have the physical energy to match that mental grit.

[OH.X.MI]

JP Macura was especially gritty.

Shoutout to PFT Commenter

We are all gritnesses

[Masterofreality]

True Grit Bitches!

We go for 1st place next Saturday.

MAKE ALL OF THEM OUR BITCHES!

Yeah, baby!! Can't wait to scream my f-ing lungs out in the building next Saturday!

[muskieindent]

Yeah, baby!! Can't wait to scream my f-ing lungs out in the building next Saturday!

They showed me a lot yesterday but don't sleep on DePaul

[ArizonaXUGrad]

Team is +1 on my prediction but they can't lose one to DePaul now. That is a must at the Cintas.

[GenerationX]

It's been said often that over the course of a season, the breaks even out. We saw a little bit of that yesterday when Creighton missed a bunny layup and had an unforced turnover in the last minute of the game. Earlier in the year we saw those things happening to X at times, and not happening to the opposition.

This could just turn out to be a real fun Feb-Mar, now that they are through the pit of January. Just hope the team doesn't run out of energy. Players need to do all they can to get their rest and the coaches need to make sure they don't over work them in practice. I believe that the players have shown the mental toughness they need, let's hope they have the physical energy to match that mental grit.

Yep. I loved Tyrique's response as to how he planned to celebrate the win... he said "rest".

As others have said, finally X is getting some breaks. And they aren't hanging their heads when shots aren't falling or when some calls go against them. Love the tenacity.

[TUclutch]

JP Macura was especially gritty.

Shoutout to PFT Commenter

love coming across other stoolies/PMT fans. JP would be a PFT favorite

[Juice]

love coming across other stoolies/PMT fans. JP would be a PFT favorite

Gritty tshirt http://store.barstoolsports.com/products/the-immaculate-gritception-tee-navy

[nasdadjr]

Our guys got it.

Win or lose, that was a gutty & praiseworthy performance. Adversity aplenty, our guys came out focused and fighting.

Can't say enough about overcoming the deficit to pull out the tough win on the road. For once, we flipped the script, erasing the halftime lead and dropping almost half-a-hundy in the second half.

Nobody will call it perfect, but it was tough. Steel Balls gone widespread late in the second half. X had every chance to let that one slip away, but made clutch play after clutch play (and for once had a bit of luck).

Hail a great TEAM win! March On.
Had to work so just got done watching the game. I don't know if grit and praiseworthy are the words I would use. In the end I a happy about this much needed resume boosting win. However, our guys pretty much pissed down their leg the last 2 minutes. The difference is that Creighton didn't piss down their leg... they shit their pants. I'd like to see our guys actually make plays down the stretch before heeping praise. That said a win is a win. I'll take it

[AviatorX]

Had to work so just got done watching the game. I don't know if grit and praiseworthy are the words I would use. In the end I a happy about this much needed resume boosting win. However, our guys pretty much pissed down their leg the last 2 minutes. The difference is that Creighton didn't piss down their leg... they shit their pants. I'd like to see our guys actually make plays down the stretch before heeping praise. That said a win is a win. I'll take it

Do the back to back to back threes not fall in that category?

[MuskieXU]

Definitely their grittiest defensive performance down the stretch. They stepped up big time and got huge stops when they needed. I dont think Creighton scored an easy basket after the 5 minute mark and had they not got a few lucky bounces that led to offensive rebounds XU wins more convincingly.

[XUGRAD80]

They "pissed down their legs" because Creighton was grabbing them everywhere else. Watch the inbounds plays again and you will see that in everyone of them the Xavier player was at the very least grabbed and in a few cases also bumped....especially JP was getting beat up. The only time a foul was called was the one time when it was called before the ball was even inbounded. Otherwise it was more of a wrestling match than a basketball game.

[Olsingledigit]

True Grit Bitches!

We go for 1st place next Saturday.

MAKE ALL OF THEM OUR BITCHES!

Let's not trip over DePaul. I have watched a number of their games and they almost always keep it tight but have had no luck with last minute finishes. Let's hope that trend continues with X.

[X-ceptional]

I don't know if grit and praiseworthy are the words I would use.

There were several times the guys could have folded... at least two of Patton's blocks leading to breakaway dunk/layup, etc. that really got the crowd into it. Also, I hate harping on officiating, but I am going to do it anyway... X was more than doubling up the amount of shots at the rim than Creighton had, yet somehow the Jays only had one foul called against them for the first 18.5 minutes of the second half.

Definitely could have seen the team folding then. In the end: yes, they probably could have won by a few more points. Still, that was about as hostile an environment as you'll find, and (led by a freshman PG no less), they fought back and won.

Unless there is some Grittiness Quotient I'm not aware of, grit is a lot like obscenity. I know it when I see it. I can certainly agree to disagree, but these guys showed grit in my mind.


That said a win is a win.

And sometimes, a win is a top-25 road win at one of the most difficult places to play in one of college basketball's best conferences, giving you sole possession of second place in said conference.

[nasdadjr]

There were several times the guys could have folded... at least two of Patton's blocks leading to breakaway dunk/layup, etc. that really got the crowd into it. Also, I hate harping on officiating, but I am going to do it anyway... X was more than doubling up the amount of shots at the rim than Creighton had, yet somehow the Jays only had one foul called against them for the first 18.5 minutes of the second half.

Definitely could have seen the team folding then. In the end: yes, they probably could have won by a few more points. Still, that was about as hostile an environment as you'll find, and (led by a freshman PG no less), they fought back and won.

Unless there is some Grittiness Quotient I'm not aware of, grit is a lot like obscenity. I know it when I see it. I can certainly agree to disagree, but these guys showed grit in my mind.



And sometimes, a win is a top-25 road win at one of the most difficult places to play in one of college basketball's best conferences, giving you sole possession of second place in said conference.

Don't get me wrong I'm not putting anyone on blast. Trevon actually stepped up big when it mattered most with the 3's. However, after that we couldn't even get the ball inbounds. Although in the end style points don't matter a winnis a win is a win

[XUGRAD80]

They had trouble getting the ball inbounds because the Creighton players were fouling the X players that were trying to receive the ball. It's hard to catch a pass when you are being pulled on and run over by the defender.......see pass interference in football......:(

[xuwin]

They had trouble getting the ball inbounds because the Creighton players were fouling the X players that were trying to receive the ball. It's hard to catch a pass when you are being pulled on and run over by the defender.......see pass interference in football......:(

Also because the two guys that they were trying to get it to both had sprained ankles and were having a hard time getting to the ball. I would have liked to have seen a whole floor shot to see if they had an opportunity to throw it deep on those plays. What also makes it difficult for X is that they don't have 5 free throw shooters that they can put in the game at the end like they have in the past. their only three options in that case are JP, Tre and Gates.

[Muskie]

They "pissed down their legs" because Creighton was grabbing them everywhere else. Watch the inbounds plays again and you will see that in everyone of them the Xavier player was at the very least grabbed and in a few cases also bumped....especially JP was getting beat up. The only time a foul was called was the one time when it was called before the ball was even inbounded. Otherwise it was more of a wrestling match than a basketball game. I don't disagree that JP was bumped. However, they never adjusted by making more space. They continued to run the same plays into the corner of the Court. It was very frustrating. But if they had to get through it that way, so be it.

[American X]

Bruised, Bloodied, Battling.

Xavier has plenty of good wins ahead of them.

I love our guys.

[xu82]

Grit.

Rhymes with shit.

Not a good day, but there will be other days.

[UCGRAD4X]

We might be able to beat a lot of teams on grit, even as shorthanded and we were today - but not the overall #1 seed.


I like to think that even considering such a scenario is encouraging...but it isn't really.

Losing just sucks.

[vee4xu]

Both 'Shid and JP were BADASS today. JP played all 40 minutes and Gaston wasn't too far behind. The entire X team played tough today, in the face of adversity. But these two guys played their guts out.

[dcfunk]

JP may make some shots, but he's in a 3 year funk defensively.

https://twitter.com/BIGEASTMBB/status/830510825278287872

aside from the backdoor in the video above, guys blow by him constantly, and then he tries the poke steal from behind....and it has worked .00325% of the time.

it seems to be an epidemic across college hoops: there is very little pride lost on the defensive end anymore. the ego is bruised when an offensive dunk is missed, but not when your man blows by you for a layup.

[casualfan]

JP may make some shots, but he's in a 3 year funk defensively.

https://twitter.com/BIGEASTMBB/status/830510825278287872

aside from the backdoor in the video above, guys blow by him constantly, and then he tries the poke steal from behind....and it has worked .00325% of the time.

it seems to be an epidemic across college hoops: there is very little pride lost on the defensive end anymore. the ego is bruised when an offensive dunk is missed, but not when your man blows by you for a layup.

He is just a bad defender. As much I love some of the things JP does, when he isnt being efficient on offense he really hurts you because he is awful defensively.

[Masterofreality]

Both 'Shid and JP were BADASS today. JP played all 40 minutes and Gaston wasn't too far behind. The entire X team played tough today, in the face of adversity. But these two guys played their guts out.

Q plays all 40 minutes too. We were REALLY shorthnanded yesterday. No way you are beating Nova with your two leading scorers out- and shooting 50% from the FT line----AGAIN!
Q did have some nice setup but 1-14 from the field. UGH!!!!

I would guess that the opposition's defensive strategy going forward will be to drop off Q and make him shoot from out and play more zone against us. He's gonna have to make shots- long and midrange like he did at Creighton for us to win going forward. Period.

I can't tell yet if Q is a decent shooter, a below average shooter or a bad shooter who occasionally gets hot. In any event he needs to get better and more consistent.

[Masterofreality]

He is just a bad defender. As much I love some of the things JP does, when he isnt being efficient on offense he really hurts you because he is awful defensively.

But he works his ass off.

When there was a loose ball, JP was the ONLY Xavier guy to get on the floor. The others just stood. JP got a possession out of it too.
Was disappointed in that effort from the others.

[XUGRAD80]

We just have accept the fact that Xavier, including JP, is not an exceptionally quick team. The players that X has right now are more ideally suited to playing a zone, than they are playing a tough man to man defense. Unfortunately, they are missing a big bucket guarding presence right now. So the opposing players get by the outside defender and have a realitively easy path to the basket. It's not for lack of effort or knowledge of what to do, it's more from a lack of physical ability to do what they need to do. Still, by virtue of just effort they have been able to keep teams from scoring at an exceptional rate. Add a lack of depth on the outside, which has resulted in the team getting worn down at times, to a lack of physical ability to stop quick opposing players, and it becomes hard for them to play great defense. Still, they are in 2nd place in one of the top 3 conferences and in the top 20 (10?) in the RPI and a top 30 team in the polls. Not perhaps what we wanted, or what many expected, but still pretty darn good. I fail to see how anyone can not support this team and appreciate what they have done and are still trying to do.

[XU 87]

But he works his ass off.

When there was a loose ball, JP was the ONLY Xavier guy to get on the floor. The others just stood. JP got a possession out of it too.
Was disappointed in that effort from the others.

JP gave it everything he had yesterday. He never quit.

That said, his defense still needs to improve.

[BandAid]

But he works his ass off.

When there was a loose ball, JP was the ONLY Xavier guy to get on the floor. The others just stood. JP got a possession out of it too.
Was disappointed in that effort from the others.

Tyrique scrambled quite a bit yesterday too. Just wanted to give the big man a shout out for his efforts.

[Backyard Champ]

JP gave it everything he had yesterday. He never quit.

That said, his defense still needs to improve.

True, and the bigs need to do a much better job providing help defense. Announouncers pointed it out a couple of times, any time the guards got beat, no big slid over to guard the rim.

[X-band '01]

Something tells me that "Grit" is not a topic for Indiana right now:

Tom Crean quote after Indiana lost to Michigan at home (https://twitter.com/AdamDerWSBT/status/830873679135404032)

This is IU's schedule the rest of the way:

at Minnesota, at Iowa, Northwestern, at Purdue, at Ohio State. I know they're injured, but there's a shot they may not win another game this season.

[whopper]

Surprisingly true, on the slow motion replay it is very clear..they are limited and slow but should use all their fouls and maybe draw an offensive or 2

[Olsingledigit]

Tyrique scrambled quite a bit yesterday too. Just wanted to give the big man a shout out for his efforts.
His tendinitis and now apparently rolled ankle are keeping him off the floor more. We could have used Shid and Tyrique at the same time more. We need for Tyrique to get healthy also.

[xu82]

His tendinitis and now apparently rolled ankle are keeping him off the floor more. We could have used Shid and Tyrique at the same time more. We need for Tyrique to get healthy also.

So do we know it's tendinitis with Tyrique?

[XUMIOH12]

So do we know it's tendinitis with Tyrique?

i don't remember for sure, but i thought i heard Mack say something about a minor meniscus issue a couple weeks back.

[xu82]

i don't remember for sure, but i thought i heard Mack say something about a minor meniscus issue a couple weeks back.

I think I'd probably prefer some tendinitis, but I'll pray for the best.

[xudash]

Why not in the "grit" thread: can Trevon and Jones even play this week?

[American X]

Butler, how does Xavier grit taste?

[xufan2434]

Butler, how does Xavier grit taste?

Last night felt a whole lot like the 14-15 team come March. Possession by possession. Slow the game down, and go to work. Just an absolute grind that gets wins when it matters. Just something about this program when backs are against the wall and under the bright lights. I love it. Last year was an unreal year, but it truly never felt like that team knew how to grind one out. Safe to say Tre and company have learned how to now

[American X]

Everyone should hold their heads high. Xavier fought hard, played well and left it all on the floor, but faced a Creighton team that just shoots the hell out of the ball.

We did not capture the crown, but we March On. Take our seed whatever it may be and take our chances.

I am proud of these guys. They fought like warrior poets, they fought like Musketeers, and they won their NCAA Tournament bid.

[X-ceptional]

What's the title of this thread?

[American X]

What's the title of this thread?

It's the main ingredient for a Final Four.

[American X]

Most teams would have understandably folded in that situation last night - down 2 with 2:30 left to play, true road game, tough opponent, raucous environment.

Instead, BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE, 16-2 run, huge clutch plays, roadkill, taste the grit Wisconsin.

[Snipe]

Taste The Grit! is something I could yell at an opposing fan.

You really know how to turn a phrase.

#TASTETHEGRIT