this year

[WCWIII]

OK, first five game skid in over 35 years. I think it's kinda cool that were still talking about whether we are a lock ... love this league!

In these recent losses, I've seen improvements especially with Goodin and our bigs. Bernard had a good game yesterday. A couple more regular season games for the team to further gel. No reason why we don't compete for a Big East championship and a run beyond the first weekend in the tournament ... this year.

In short, I don't see any huge flaws in the roster. No question, we need to step up and not make mistakes (like yesterday's stretch).

The "team gel" metric is one I look at. It's stalled out a few times with injuries/Davis. We're not all the way there, but this could still be a special year.

(By the way, you all come up for the DePaul game next Sat when their final Allstate arena game will be a Xavier home game).

[XMuskieFTW]

I just can't see this team winning 3 straight days with our depth. Goodin isn't going to be able to be effective for 105 minutes over a 3 days span. I'd be happy with one win at MSG.

I do think we've improved though. I keep thinking we are getting close, but we can't just put it all together. Maybe we never will, but the potential to is there.

See you at DePaul!

[xufan2434]

Anything is possible when you get to March. Especially if Tre or JP get hot. Sucks they crumbled in crunch time yesterday. This is the time of the year when X teams of the past start really putting it together at the end of games. I've pretty much accepted at this point it's just not in the cards. However, only possible spin zone is that now they really are looking at an 11 seed. Which is basically what I wanted any way if they weren't going to be a 6

[markchal]

No reason why we don't compete for a Big East championship and a run beyond the first weekend in the tournament ... this year.

In short, I don't see any huge flaws in the roster.



I can't quite tell if this is serious or not. We have some pretty major flaws. Obviously, depth is a huge factor (especially when you're trying to win 3 games in 3 days), but we also shoot the ball terribly from 3, and we don't have even a top 50 defense. We lack guys that can create their own shots, we still have some of the flaws we had even before the Ed injuries (ft shooting, field goal droughts, no one that steps up down the stretch, inconsistent offense from bigs).

I think this has been a disappointing team somewhat even before the injuries, so I don't want to give Mack a total free pass on the year, but given the injuries and roster makeup we're stuck with now, I think it's kind of hard to have any expectations for this team, so I've kind of resigned myself to that.

We're definitely limping towards the tourney, and largely have played poorly away from home, and just can't quite get over the hump even when we do play with good effort and offense. It is what it is, but right now I'll settle for one more win and avoiding the play-in game.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Someone just told me we are locked into the 7 seed for BE tourney is that right?

So all we have to do is beat DePaul twice in a row to get into the ncaa tourney?

That normally wouldnt be a scary proposition. Still think we can get it done.

[AviatorX]

Someone just told me we are locked into the 7 seed for BE tourney is that right?

So all we have to do is beat DePaul twice in a row to get into the ncaa tourney?

That normally wouldnt be a scary proposition. Still think we can get it done.

Yeah, problem is that is a 0 on the positive scale so we are basically just hoping to hold ground and a loss would be killer.

Beat DePaul twice and take a swing at Butler I guess.

[X-band '01]

Beating Butler in the 2/7 game would also be a big help.

[D-West & PO-Z]

If we win the next 2 I think we lock ourselves into a bid.

[XMuskieFTW]

If we win the next 2 I think we lock ourselves into a bid.

I'd like to think this, but does a 13 loss team with with potentially no top 25 rpi wins that is on the slide get in? I still think yes looking at the competition on the bubble. We don't have any bad losses in terms of opponent. Still, I'd be very nervous if we beat Depaul twice then lose.

[Backyard Champ]

Agreed, but if we lose one of the next two, I wouldn't blame the committee for keeping us out. Sucks, but we must beat DePaul twice to lock a bid. Most of the time I'd sleep easy knowing that was what needed to happen.. though I'm not sleeping easy now.

[Masterofreality]

Someone just told me we are locked into the 7 seed for BE tourney is that right?

So all we have to do is beat DePaul twice in a row to get into the ncaa tourney?

That normally wouldnt be a scary proposition. Still think we can get it done.

Honestly. After that disjointed, dispirited performance last night where you gave up NINETY FIVE freaking points to a team in a must win game ON YOUR OWN HOME COURT on Senior night, do you really give a crap?

Look, I'm going to NY for the full Big East Tournament to support them, but I'm not getting all crazy if this team only plays NIT. I was abjectly disgusted with every part of that game last night, and the last thing I want to hear about is whether the crowd lived up to a Coach's demand standards. What I want to hear about is if this team has any care or chemistry. Last night, unlike the Butler game where they actually seemed to try, there was no c and c.

If the prospect is to play against the Cryers in the first round, where we'd probably get our asses kicked because we can't defend, No thank you to the Dance.

[bjf123]

I'm afraid the streak of non losing conference records end this year. I have zero confidence that we'll beat DePaul.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AviatorX]

Honestly. After that disjointed, dispirited performance last night where you gave up NINETY FIVE freaking points to a team in a must win game ON YOUR OWN HOME COURT on Senior night, do you really give a crap?

Look, I'm going to NY for the full Big East Tournament to support them, but I'm not getting all crazy if this team only plays NIT. I was abjectly disgusted with every part of that game last night, and the last thing I want to hear about is whether the crowd lived up to a Coach's demand standards. What I want to hear about is if this team has any care or chemistry. Last night, unlike the Butler game where they actually seemed to try, there was no c and c.

If the prospect is to play against the Cryers in the first round, where we'd probably get our asses kicked because we can't defend, No thank you to the Dance.

Again, yes, some of us do care whether or not Xavier makes the tournament. Not sure how that has come up multiple times.

[casualfan]

Again, yes, some of us do care whether or not Xavier makes the tournament. Not sure how that has come up multiple times.

What are you talking about?

MOR was asking if the team cares, not anybody on the message board.

[AviatorX]

[QUOTE=casualfan;581742]What are you talking about?

Yeah, you are right, missed the first you in his sentence.

[Masterofreality]

For everyone who keeps decrying our lack of depth just remember the following:
Villanova has been playing basically a six man rotation all year because they lost Phil Booth & Omari Spellman basically for the season and Darryl Reynolds for 5 games. Xavier still plays 8, albeit an unbalanced roster that is the fault of who? We knew Austin & London were transferring and Myles was shaky, yet no extra guard was brought in from JC or 5th year. Why?

Go ahead and pick the above apart.

[markchal]

For everyone who keeps decrying our lack of depth just remember the following:
Villanova has been playing basically a six man rotation all year because they lost Phil Booth & Omari Spellman basically for the season and Darryl Reynolds for 5 games. Xavier still plays 8, albeit an unbalanced roster that is the fault of who? We knew Austin & London were transferring and Myles was shaky, yet no extra guard was brought in from JC or 5th year. Why?

Go ahead and pick the above apart.

But Myles and Ed!!!!

Seriously though, they lost some key guys and haven't missed much of a beat. I know we lost (arguably) more important players, but we fell completely apart, rather than just dropping a bit.

[GIMMFD]

For everyone who keeps decrying our lack of depth just remember the following:
Villanova has been playing basically a six man rotation all year because they lost Phil Booth & Omari Spellman basically for the season and Darryl Reynolds for 5 games. Xavier still plays 8, albeit an unbalanced roster that is the fault of who? We knew Austin & London were transferring and Myles was shaky, yet no extra guard was brought in from JC or 5th year. Why?

Go ahead and pick the above apart.

Serious question, did we announce Bernard before or after the Myles situation started? But I agree, we definitely should have added another ball-handler transfer, I guess when you see how things are lined up you don't expect Ed to go down with an ACL, but you definitely need to prepare for it.

[paulxu]

For everyone who keeps decrying our lack of depth just remember the following:
Villanova has been playing basically a six man rotation all year because they lost Phil Booth & Omari Spellman basically for the season and Darryl Reynolds for 5 games. Xavier still plays 8, albeit an unbalanced roster that is the fault of who? We knew Austin & London were transferring and Myles was shaky, yet no extra guard was brought in from JC or 5th year. Why?

Go ahead and pick the above apart.

MOR, I don't know the reason why we didn't bring another guard in. Probably because by the time Myles was suspended it was too late, and we thought he'd be back for the second semester.

As to the 2 guys you mentioned:
Phil Booth averaged 7 pts last year
Spellman didn't play last year.
Darryl Reynolds averaged 3.6 pts last year, and 5.3 pts this year

That's a far cry from Sumner's 11 pts and Myles 10.8 last year, as well as the minutes played.
I just think we lost a whole lot, and sometimes it happens.

[D-West & PO-Z]

For everyone who keeps decrying our lack of depth just remember the following:
Villanova has been playing basically a six man rotation all year because they lost Phil Booth & Omari Spellman basically for the season and Darryl Reynolds for 5 games. Xavier still plays 8, albeit an unbalanced roster that is the fault of who? We knew Austin & London were transferring and Myles was shaky, yet no extra guard was brought in from JC or 5th year. Why?

Go ahead and pick the above apart.

Villanova's program is more than a couple notches above Xavier's. Xaviers lost players were also 2 of their top 3 and the 3rd was out a few games.

Better comparison would be Butler or Creighton losing 2 of their top 3.

[AviatorX]

Villanova's program is more than a couple notches above Xavier's. Xaviers lost players were also 2 of their top 3 and the 3rd was out a few games.

Better comparison would be Butler or Creighton losing 2 of their top 3.

Seriously, breaking news: Nova way better than Xavier. See the 8 ass beatings and National championship for proof.

[Masterofreality]

Seriously, breaking news: Nova way better than Xavier. See the 8 ass beatings and National championship for proof.

Not last year necessarily.

[xdude]

Honestly. After that disjointed, dispirited performance last night where you gave up NINETY FIVE freaking points to a team in a must win game ON YOUR OWN HOME COURT on Senior night, do you really give a crap?

Look, I'm going to NY for the full Big East Tournament to support them, but I'm not getting all crazy if this team only plays NIT. I was abjectly disgusted with every part of that game last night, and the last thing I want to hear about is whether the crowd lived up to a Coach's demand standards. What I want to hear about is if this team has any care or chemistry. Last night, unlike the Butler game where they actually seemed to try, there was no c and c.

If the prospect is to play against the Cryers in the first round, where we'd probably get our asses kicked because we can't defend, No thank you to the Dance.

It's the strangest thing how, beyond player departures and injuries, we can't find any consistency. After we lost Sumner, had to get the bigs to step up. They look good for a minute and then gone. Same with our guards. It looked like Goodin and Bernard were finding some urgency against Butler. And to be that flat footed and lethargic last night. Gates was missing. It's more than matchups. It's not Mack, he's proven himself. But Holy Jesus...

[Xavier]

Not last year necessarily.

True, we did beat Nova pretty comfortably at home last season. But, essentially, Nova is to the Big East what we were to the A-10.

[xubrew]

Whatever happens in the next two weeks is what will be indelible about the season. If we win both games against DePaul and don't do anything else, people will say it was a dumpster fire that not even the dumpster could contain, and it will reinforce the no wins against anyone but DePaul in the last five weeks.

If we win the quarterfinal game against Butler, who we played well against both times, and somehow make it out of the Round of 64 everyone will be satisfied.

No one remembers that we entered the conference tournament in pretty much this same exact position in 2012. We weren't being projected in. We had to win a couple of games just to get in. But, they remember Sweet Sixteen.

No one remembers not being on the radar all year long in 2004 prior to the conference tournaement.

No one remembers being on the bubble at the start of the conference tournament in 2015, but after beating two ranked teams on a neutral court, and shooting up to a #6 seed, and then making the Sweet Sixteen after beating Georgia State, people remember the whole season as being successful.

So, we do have a chance to wash all of the sourness out of our mouths to the point of not even being able to remember it was even sour. Or not. If we lose one of the next two and then don't get past the quarters, everyone will be banging their heads against the wall and talking about this season as one of the biggest busts in the three point era.

[Masterofreality]

Whatever happens in the next two weeks is what will be indelible about the season. If we win both games against DePaul and don't do anything else, people will say it was a dumpster fire that not even the dumpster could contain, and it will reinforce the no wins against anyone but DePaul in the last five weeks.

If we win the quarterfinal game against Butler, who we played well against both times, and somehow make it out of the Round of 64 everyone will be satisfied.

No one remembers that we entered the conference tournament in pretty much this same exact position in 2012. We weren't being projected in. We had to win a couple of games just to get in. But, they remember Sweet Sixteen.

No one remembers not being on the radar all year long in 2004 prior to the conference tournaement.

No one remembers being on the bubble at the start of the conference tournament in 2015, but after beating two ranked teams on a neutral court, and shooting up to a #6 seed, and then making the Sweet Sixteen after beating Georgia State, people remember the whole season as being successful.

So, we do have a chance to wash all of the sourness out of our mouths to the point of not even being able to remember it was even sour. Or not. If we lose one of the next two and then don't get past the quarters, everyone will be banging their heads against the wall and talking about this season as one of the biggest busts in the three point era.

Oh, I remember it. However, even in defeat, those teams had a leader, and a chemistry that I haven't seen on this team all year long. Even before Ed went down, there were some mysterious missing pieces. I hope that somehow things change starting tomorrow at 2:00pm Eastern.