Maryland Game discussion

[XU 87]

KenPom actually favors X by a point. Since we're an 11 seed, can't ask for a better matchup than that.

[94GRAD]

How about #7 seed dayton +6? Or #12 seed MTSU a pickem'

[muskiefan82]

Dayton got hosed by having to play Wichita State (which is fine). WSU gets UK if they win which isn't fair, really, to either WSU or UK. Crazy. I did; however, call NKU vs. UK after NKU won the Horizon (along with anyone else who was paying any attention at all, I'm sure). After I saw that matchup, when Dayton came up as a 7, I really thought X would be the 10 opposite them and was surprised it wasn't X.

[GoMuskies]

I did; however, call NKU vs. UK after NKU won the Horizon (along with anyone else who was paying any attention at all, I'm sure).

It was a coin flip, really. But it was definitely going to be either Kentucky or Louisville.

[BandAid]

I've been to Baltimore before. Fort McHenry was cool. I ate seafood. That's all I really know about Maryland.

[GoMuskies]

Gary Williams was (probably still is) kind of a prick. Ralph Friedgen is fat. The neighborhood outside Pimlico is unbelievably awful. The Bullets (and I guess the Caps?) used to play their home games in Maryland.

That's it for me.

[RealDeal]

Didn't Cal Ripken beat up Kevin Costner once?

[American X]

The Wire is an excellent documentary on Maryland.


(and did XU 87 start a thread titled 'Maryland discussion' and you immediately start talking about Dayton?)

[XU 87]

Maybe I should have titled this thread "Maryland game discussion". That's what I meant.

[muskiefan82]

Has anyone seen Maryland play? What do they do well? What are their weaknesses? Are they a typical Big 10 team or do they play more up and down?

[GoMuskies]

What do they do well?

They have Melo Trimble. Weaknesses? Everything else.

But Trimble is really, really good.

[American X]

Maybe I should have titled this thread "Maryland game discussion". That's what I meant.

You are screwed now. Now you have a discussion of the State of Maryland.

Criminals drop dead bodies in the Chesapeake Baby. Crabs eat those bodies, then people eat those crabs. Dead bodies and a couple centuries of industrial pollution. Yum.



a typical Big 10 team

A typical Big 10 team is in the Midwest. You must have some bad information. Crazy talk.

[Perma Fro]

David F. West concluded his college career against Maryland.

[flatspat]

The Wire is an excellent documentary on Maryland.


(and did XU 87 start a thread titled 'Maryland discussion' and you immediately start talking about Dayton?)

Along with the show " Homicide on the Street"
Also, Camden Yards/Oriole Park is a great place to watch a baseball game. Imo

[Muskie]

I've changed the title of this thread.

[bobbiemcgee]

Jay Bias crack analysis sez Md. can run the floor good so they will win. Likes FGSU over FSU also.

[GoMuskies]

Jay Bias crack

Len Bias cocaine

[muskiefan82]

This is an interesting thread. What kind of game do they have in Maryland? Deer? Quail? Is seafood considered game?

[GoMuskies]

What kind of game do they have in Maryland?

Helpful information: http://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/hunt_trap/GameBirds.aspx

[mistabeecee41]

Trimble gets the national attention, but I can honestly say I think Tre is the best player on the floor. If Tre is on and we contain Trimble, we win.

[OTRMUSKIE]

Another future hillbilly enjoying the killing of an animal. I have no problem killing for food bc I love meat. However you taking a picture with it like you're some sort of hero is pathetic. Hand to hand combat you can take a pic but gun vs nature?????

[muskiefan82]

Helpful information: http://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/hunt_trap/GameBirds.aspx

This is helpful information. For someone.

[GoMuskies]

Another future hillbilly enjoying the killing of an animal.

It's pretty interesting though, because I'm pretty sure I drank some Wild Turkey on April 28, 2011.

[Blue Blooded-05]

Dayton got hosed by having to play Wichita State (which is fine). WSU gets UK if they win which isn't fair, really, to either WSU or UK. Crazy. I did; however, call NKU vs. UK after NKU won the Horizon (along with anyone else who was paying any attention at all, I'm sure). After I saw that matchup, when Dayton came up as a 7, I really thought X would be the 10 opposite them and was surprised it wasn't X.

From WSU's perspective, this is a role reversals from a few years ago when UK was incorrectly seeded as an 8 or 9 and knocked them out as the 1st seed in the 2nd round.

[Drew's Crew]

Maryland (the state) is awesome.

The basketball team? Not so much. They got off to a scorching start and their Frosh were overachieving a bit. They have some very talented freshman and their future is bright. This year was a transitional year for MD and were not anticipated to be this good.

Trimble is fantastic, but can be very hot and cold. His ability to get to the rim and FT line is pretty much second to none and we will have to limit blocking fouls on Trimble. They have a couple good frosh who are solid contributors, but no one who is elite.

Their biggest weakness? Finishing games. They have folded down the stretch time and time again. Their inability to close out teams is their achilles heel...which is good because that's a critical weakness in the NCAAs. We have improved on that, but of course this used to also be one of our primary weaknesses.

[BMoreX]

Maryland also lost their big man, Michael Cecovsky a few weeks ago. We should absolutely control the boards in this one. Anything else would be a disappointment.

[Drew's Crew]

Maryland also lost their big man, Michael Cecovsky a few weeks ago. We should absolutely control the boards in this one. Anything else would be a disappointment.

Yeah this is a good point. We seem to struggle with teams with a solid inside presence. MD's is nonexistent, which is great for us.

[xukeith]

Yeah this is a good point. We seem to struggle with teams with a solid inside presence. MD's is nonexistent, which is great for us.

true but MD's guards might be superior to X's. If X plays D, and does not get in foul trouble, then X has a chance.
MD will send waves of players at X. Make freethrows and do not run unless there is a wide lane in transition for an easy 2.

[SemajParlor]

If Dez comes in the arena with a MD jersey, they should treat it like a WWF entrance

[MD Muskie]

From talking to people/friends that are fans/alumni of that school inside the capital beltway (I won't call it by its name), they are genuinely nervous for this game and are not at all confident. Both that school and Xavier had a difficult end to the season, but where we found out legs again in the BE tournament, that school did not.

[xufan2434]

Starts and stops as people have said with Melo. He can take a game over, but can also try to do too much and cost them the game. Their freshmen have grown up fast being forced to play big minutes since the beginning of the season. They aren't all that big in terms of traditional post players, but some of their wings have length like X. Justin Jackson and Kevin Huerter are their 3 pt shooters (besides Melo). Both of em are 6'7 so they can shoot over people. Can fill it up if they get hot, but they're just as capable as putting up a goose egg.

Basically they're inconsistent with a lot of potential because of the youth. Even with no experience from Malcolm and Shid, X should have the advantage in terms of their age. I'm assuming Chris is going to mix up the defenses a lot. I'd imagine he doesn't wanna leave Q on Melo for too many minutes and get him in foul trouble. Melo is fantastic at getting to the line

[JTG]

Who will guard Trimble? If he can be controlled, that's the key.
That and JP & Tre playing well.

[AviatorX]

Who will guard Trimble? If he can be controlled, that's the key.
That and JP & Tre playing well.

Definitely Q. Maybe mix in Bernard to throw some extra length on him. Three months ago I would have said a few possessions of Kaiser but now who knows.

As has been mentioned above, Trimble will get his. The key is making sure he doesn't make it a huge day by living at the free throw line which he is known to do if you watch the Big 10 at all. He has mastered the Tu Holloway neck snap.

[X-band '01]

Maryland also lost their big man, Michael Cecovsky a few weeks ago. We should absolutely control the boards in this one. Anything else would be a disappointment.

What about Demonte Dodd? He's another typical starter but missed 7 games this year.

[JTG]

Definitely Q. Maybe mix in Bernard to throw some extra length on him. Three months ago I would have said a few possessions of Kaiser but now who knows.

As has been mentioned above, Trimble will get his. The key is making sure he doesn't make it a huge day by living at the free throw line which he is known to do if you watch the Big 10 at all. He has mastered the Tu Holloway neck snap.

I don't think we want Q in foul trouble, that's a recipe for disaster. I say Bernard at the start. If he holds his own, great. If not then switch to Q.

[AviatorX]

I don't think we want Q in foul trouble, that's a recipe for disaster. I say Bernard at the start. If he holds his own, great. If not then switch to Q.

Good point. I didn't look at their commonly used lineups close enough. Q will likely be on Cowan.

[blueblob06]

First thing I noticed in the stat comparison that I really liked was this.
Reb Margin:
X +6.7
MD -0.3

Teams shoot similarly from FG/3PT/FT. Defensively, MD only allows 41.6% FGs, whereas X allows 45.2%.

Looks like they use 9, sometimes if 10 guys but 4 guys get the bulk of the minutes - Trimble, Cowan, Jackson, Huerter.

And as good as Trimble is, he averages 3.7 Asts and 3.0 Turnovers per game.

[X-ceptional]

Maryland is a state located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east. The state's largest city is Baltimore, and its capital is Annapolis. Among its occasional nicknames are Old Line State, the Free State, and the Chesapeake Bay State. The state is named after Henrietta Maria of France, the wife of Charles I of England.

[X-ceptional]

But really... USA Today had this to say:


It came as a bit of a surprise that Maryland was able to land a No. 6 see after losing six of their final ten games, but the committee did not do the Terps any favors by matching them up with an Xavier team that is built to take advantage of their weaknesses.

Maryland struggles on the defensive glass; the Musketeers are a good offensive rebounding team. The Terps have had problems against zone defenses of late, settling for long-range 3 far too often and not taking care of the ball; Chris Mack’s team can throw a nasty 1-3-1 zone at opponents, which should fluster the Terps. Unless Maryland catches fire from deep, Xavier is taking this game.


http://ftw.usatoday.com/2017/03/2017-ncaa-tournament-bracket-upsets-cinderallas-picks-advice-middle-tennessee-xavier-east-tennessee-state

[bobbiemcgee]

All the pundits picking MD, so I like our chances.

[GIMMFD]

If we come out focused I see no reason why we can't win this game. Just need the guys to be on, and Q to continue on the footing he found in the Big East tournament. I think we can neutralize Melo Trimble, keep throwing different looks at him. He's a helluva player. Let's hope we have good Sean O'Mara.

[flagship]

It was a coin flip, really. But it was definitely going to be either Kentucky or Louisville.

You've obviously never watched The Wire.

[Jbwest31]

UMD fan here. I thought I'd share a scouting report for you so you'll know our guys when you're watching the game.

PG: Anthony Cowen
-Great dribbler and is super quick. Probably one of the fastest players in the B10. He's a good slasher and can make some tough shots around the rim, but his lack of size really hurts him. He's Marylands best on ball defender. Okay shooter but doesn't take too many jump shots. He can play too fast at times and that's when he turns the ball over.

SG: Melo Trimble
-One of the best slashers in college basketball. Has a knack of getting to the rim and drawing contact. He's one of the best pick and roll players in the nation and marylands offense can be lethal if you don't guard it correctly. He'll make 5 plays a game that will wow you, but will also have 3 plays which make you wonder what the hype is about. Keep him out of the paint (which is easier said than done) and Maryland will really struggle. He's not a great defender and quick guards have been known to take advantage of him by driving by him. He's a streaky shooter so you never really know what to expect.

SF: Kevin Huerter
-Tremendous spot up shooter. He's capable of hitting shots from anywhere on the court and his height allows him to shoot over defenders. He's got great basketball IQ and is a really good passer. If it weren't for Melo. The offense would probably run through him. If you don't let him get open he has a tendency to disappear from games.

PF: Justin Jackson
-Great athlete with a massive wingspan which allows him to steal some offensive rebounds. He's a good shooter but has been cold recently. He's been trying to develop his offensive game by going to the basket, but doesn't seem completely comfortable doing that yet. He's not great defensively and get bullied by big men with more weight than him. If his jumper is on, then he's tough to guard, but if it's not, he can be a non factor.

C: Demonte Dodd
- Marylands only good post defender. Capable of completely neutralizing opposing bigs. Not the most coordinated guy though so he can sometimes struggle against quicker big men. He has no offensive skill set and his few points come almost exclusively on pick and roll with Trimble and put backs. Has a tendency to get into foul trouble which really hurts Maryland since he's their only good post defender.

Team strengths:
-Jump shooting
-On ball defending
-Pick and roll offense

Team Weakness:
-Interior defense
-Rebounding
-Turnovers

[D-West & PO-Z]

I don't think we want Q in foul trouble, that's a recipe for disaster. I say Bernard at the start. If he holds his own, great. If not then switch to Q.

Yeah I wouldnt think we want Q guarding anyone who is great at drawing fouls.

[GoMuskies]

Let's put Tyrique on him. That guy never fouls!

[xu82]

Let's put Tyrique on him. That guy never fouls!

HA! Great idea!

But seriously, he's gotten much better as the year has gone on, it seems. I'd love to see a chart of his fouls/minute as the season has gone on. Where's '09 when you need him?

[Smails]

Crab cakes and football!

[XMuskieFTW]

Jordan Latham transferred to Loyola in Maryland and was terrible there. He later went on to play semi professionally in Australia and professionally for 10 games in Lithuania only to return back to Australia.

[BMoreX]

All the pundits picking MD, so I like our chances.

I've actually seen a lot of people picking X to win this.


What about Demonte Dodd? He's another typical starter but missed 7 games this year.

Dodd sucks.


Definitely Q. Maybe mix in Bernard to throw some extra length on him. Three months ago I would have said a few possessions of Kaiser but now who knows.

As has been mentioned above, Trimble will get his. The key is making sure he doesn't make it a huge day by living at the free throw line which he is known to do if you watch the Big 10 at all. He has mastered the Tu Holloway neck snap.

Q might also guard the smaller and quicker Anthony Cowan. I would probably put Bernard on Trimble.

[X-ceptional]

HA! Great idea!

But seriously, he's gotten much better as the year has gone on, it seems. I'd love to see a chart of his fouls/minute as the season has gone on. Where's '09 when you need him?

Bored at work (and more, just can't think about anything but the tourney right now), so I'll take up the challenge here. Copied Jones' game logs into Excel, and looked at at minutes played per foul. Here's the chart for the season (running total, not per game):

2164

After the first 6 games of the season, he was playing 3.7 minutes per foul. Through the Creighton BET game, he had upped that to 5.3 minutes per foul... a 43% increase!

However, this research allowed me to uncover what I didn't realize at the time was THE MOST AMAZING STAT OF THE SEASON:

In Xavier's 11/14/16 game vs. Buffalo, a whopping 59 fouls were called between the two teams (21 on Xavier). Jones played 21 minutes and recorded ZERO PERSONAL FOULS. This was his third highest minute total behind two 23-minute performances in which he committed 3 and 4 fouls.

[SemajParlor]

Jordan Latham transferred to Loyola in Maryland and was terrible there. He later went on to play semi professionally in Australia and professionally for 10 games in Lithuania only to return back to Australia.

He played on a Patsons team that went dancing. I was there for that conference champ game in Massachusetts.

[xu82]

Bored at work (and more, just can't think about anything but the tourney right now), so I'll take up the challenge here. Copied Jones' game logs into Excel, and looked at at minutes played per foul. Here's the chart for the season (running total, not per game):

2164

After the first 6 games of the season, he was playing 3.7 minutes per foul. Through the Creighton BET game, he had upped that to 5.3 minutes per foul... a 43% increase!

However, this research allowed me to uncover what I didn't realize at the time was THE MOST AMAZING STAT OF THE SEASON:

In Xavier's 11/14/16 game vs. Buffalo, a whopping 59 fouls were called between the two teams (21 on Xavier). Jones played 21 minutes and recorded ZERO PERSONAL FOULS. This was his third highest minute total behind two 23-minute performances in which he committed 3 and 4 fouls.

That is awesome! I didn't realize he righted the ship so early in the season. That horrific beginning left a bad taste and created an impression that lasted maybe longer than it should have.

[XUMIOH12]

But really... USA Today had this to say:




http://ftw.usatoday.com/2017/03/2017-ncaa-tournament-bracket-upsets-cinderallas-picks-advice-middle-tennessee-xavier-east-tennessee-state

I like how this article thinks that Xavier plays a great 1-3-1 zone this year

[X-ceptional]

That is awesome! I didn't realize he righted the ship so early in the season. That horrific beginning left a bad taste and created an impression that lasted maybe longer than it should have.

Well, the 21 minute/no foul outing in the second game was definitely an outlier which flattens the improvement shown. If you remove that game, his improvement is a little more evident. If you exclude the miraculous 21 minutes of not fouling in a game that otherwise saw a foul called every 40 ****ing seconds, the chart looks like this:

2165

So, if we go from 6th game to the Creighton BET game (like in the last post, but--again--excluding Buffalo), Jones goes from 2.6 min/foul to 5... i.e., almost a 100% increase. For context, Jalen averaged 6.4 minutes per foul last year, so 'Rique is still a prolific fouler, but I think it's more than fair to say he's shown a marked improvement.

What's this thread about again?

[vee4xu]

Jay Bias crack analysis sez Md. can run the floor good so they will win. Likes FGSU over FSU also.

Jay Bilas can sniff my crack. He's awful on many fronts.

[vee4xu]

I was thinking earlier today, if X somehow makes it to the Sweet 16 this year, Mack, to my thinking, will have done a better coaching job this year that last, when he was named national coach of the year. Now, to be sure, Mack did a great job last year, but with superior talent. When I think of this year there's, high early expectations and rankings, Myles crapping out and getting booted, Ed getting injured, Tre injured at the same time for several games, no big man staking claim to the starting job, having to play two low DI transfers many more minutes than expected, with one starting all year because of knucklehead Davis, have two freshman expected to play maybe 8-10 minutes per game having to play up to 35-38 per game, no true backup PG after Ed got hurt, enduring a six game losing streak, losing four game at home (has that ever even happened at Cintas) and keeping a positive perspective by instilling confidence in his team versus throwing the under the bus (are you reading this Tom Crean). I'm not certain if X will win vs Maryland, but I feel like they have learned to play as a team post-Sumner. Much, if not all of that is Coach Mack.

Am I off base?

[xu82]

I was thinking earlier today, if X somehow makes it to the Sweet 16 this year, Mack, to my thinking, will have done a better coaching job this year that last, when he was named national coach of the year. Now, to be sure, Mack did a great job last year, but with superior talent. When I think of this year there's, high early expectations and rankings, Myles crapping out and getting booted, Ed getting injured, Tre injured at the same time for several games, no big man staking claim to the starting job, having to play two low DI transfers many more minutes than expected, with one starting all year because of knucklehead Davis, have two freshman expected to play maybe 8-10 minutes per game having to play up to 35-38 per game, no true backup PG after Ed got hurt, enduring a six game losing streak, losing four game at home (has that ever even happened at Cintas) and keeping a positive perspective by instilling confidence in his team versus throwing the under the bus (are you reading this Tom Crean). I'm not certain if X will win vs Maryland, but I feel like they have learned to play as a team post-Sumner. Much, if not all of that is Coach Mack.

Am I off base?

That's a pretty big IF, but it would be hard to argue against. No doubt there's been a tad bit of adversity this year. Now let's go win the next 2 games!

[markchal]

I was thinking earlier today, if X somehow makes it to the Sweet 16 this year, Mack, to my thinking, will have done a better coaching job this year that last, when he was named national coach of the year. Now, to be sure, Mack did a great job last year, but with superior talent. When I think of this year there's, high early expectations and rankings, Myles crapping out and getting booted, Ed getting injured, Tre injured at the same time for several games, no big man staking claim to the starting job, having to play two low DI transfers many more minutes than expected, with one starting all year because of knucklehead Davis, have two freshman expected to play maybe 8-10 minutes per game having to play up to 35-38 per game, no true backup PG after Ed got hurt, enduring a six game losing streak, losing four game at home (has that ever even happened at Cintas) and keeping a positive perspective by instilling confidence in his team versus throwing the under the bus (are you reading this Tom Crean). I'm not certain if X will win vs Maryland, but I feel like they have learned to play as a team post-Sumner. Much, if not all of that is Coach Mack.

Am I off base?

Yeah, this is an ENORMOUS If. Man, one win over Butler and this fan base does a complete 180. The draw isn't awful, but it's still gonna take more consistency than we've seen from the team this year to make it happen. Kinda surprised everyone on here thinks we're a shoe-in to win r1 (although I'm not gonna be the guy who warns against overconfidence, because we don't play the games, and it's not our job to treat every opponent the same).

[Masterofreality]

Gary Williams was (probably still is) kind of a prick. Ralph Friedgen is fat. The neighborhood outside Pimlico is unbelievably awful. The Bullets (and I guess the Caps?) used to play their home games in Maryland.

That's it for me.

And "College Park" is most assuredly no "Park". Kind of a garbage Clifton.

[GIMMFD]

Yeah, this is an ENORMOUS If. Man, one win over Butler and this fan base does a complete 180. The draw isn't awful, but it's still gonna take more consistency than we've seen from the team this year to make it happen. Kinda surprised everyone on here thinks we're a shoe-in to win r1 (although I'm not gonna be the guy who warns against overconfidence, because we don't play the games, and it's not our job to treat every opponent the same).

We also played Creighton tough, I think we definitely grew from the things we were seeing on our losing streak, JP was playing better, Tre is Tre, Q started finishing and scoring more, it's not completely off to have confidence about this game. Is it a guaranteed win? No. Am I happy with the draw, and think we can win? yes.

[vee4xu]

Yeah, this is an ENORMOUS If. Man, one win over Butler and this fan base does a complete 180. The draw isn't awful, but it's still gonna take more consistency than we've seen from the team this year to make it happen. Kinda surprised everyone on here thinks we're a shoe-in to win r1 (although I'm not gonna be the guy who warns against overconfidence, because we don't play the games, and it's not our job to treat every opponent the same).

It's meant to be a hypothetical based on this happening. I'm not suggesting it will happen. The point is, getting to a Sweet 16 this year is going to exceed what the team did in last year's NCAA tourney. So, yes, IF they make it to a Sweet 16, unarguably a very big if, my question stands, is Coach Mack's work this year better than last year?

[AviatorX]

Only good thing about X's tournament situation last year was the late night Friday tip. You can enjoy basically the entire first round without having it spoiled depending on what happens to X. I guess Thursday at 7 isn't horrible, but we could do better.

The 2008 team being down at the half to Georgia in literally the tournament's first game was a real low point.

[xu82]

It's meant to be a hypothetical based on this happening. I'm not suggesting it will happen. The point is, getting to a Sweet 16 this year is going to exceed what the team did in last year's NCAA tourney. So, yes, IF they make it to a Sweet 16, unarguably a very big if, my question stands, is Coach Mack's work this year better than last year?

If you go by the end result, we could get as deep, or deeper, as an 11 seed than we did as a 2. So yes, overcoming the adversity and getting a better result would be quite a feat. Let's hope we see that happen! I'll blame the adversity on the lower seed, and give him credit if we get some wins. Very pleased with the way they turned things around in the last few games (even in a tough loss).

[GoMuskies]

Only good thing about X's tournament situation last year was the late night Friday tip. You can enjoy basically the entire first round without having it spoiled depending on what happens to X. I guess Thursday at 7 isn't horrible, but we could do better.

The 2008 team being down at the half to Georgia in literally the tournament's first game was a real low point.

Yeah, the '98 game against Washington when we lost in the first game of the first round was a much lower low.

[Drew's Crew]

Only good thing about X's tournament situation last year was the late night Friday tip. You can enjoy basically the entire first round without having it spoiled depending on what happens to X. I guess Thursday at 7 isn't horrible, but we could do better.

The 2008 team being down at the half to Georgia in literally the tournament's first game was a real low point.

Yes but if we were to win the Thursday game, watching on Friday would be sooooo enjoyable knowing that we are moving on.

[AviatorX]

Yeah, the '98 game against Washington when we lost in the first game of the first round was a much lower low.

Before my time so I overlooked it but I can imagine. Gross.

[xu82]

Yeah, the '98 game against Washington when we lost in the first game of the first round was a much lower low.

I don't actually recall that. I'ts amazing how the brain copes with trauma.

[xudash]

I was thinking earlier today, if X somehow makes it to the Sweet 16 this year, Mack, to my thinking, will have done a better coaching job this year that last, when he was named national coach of the year. Now, to be sure, Mack did a great job last year, but with superior talent. When I think of this year there's, high early expectations and rankings, Myles crapping out and getting booted, Ed getting injured, Tre injured at the same time for several games, no big man staking claim to the starting job, having to play two low DI transfers many more minutes than expected, with one starting all year because of knucklehead Davis, have two freshman expected to play maybe 8-10 minutes per game having to play up to 35-38 per game, no true backup PG after Ed got hurt, enduring a six game losing streak, losing four game at home (has that ever even happened at Cintas) and keeping a positive perspective by instilling confidence in his team versus throwing the under the bus (are you reading this Tom Crean). I'm not certain if X will win vs Maryland, but I feel like they have learned to play as a team post-Sumner. Much, if not all of that is Coach Mack.

Am I off base?

No.

Last year for Coach Mack was like driving a high performance sportscar, which he did capably all season, until some dumbass threw a Badger on the road and caused a last second accident.

This year's journey included multiple detours to the shop, yet he still got us to our destination, even though the car is taped up and not as spiffy.

Screw the attempt at the metaphor. Think about what a roller coaster ride it was for us, and now consider being in charge of it as it kept happening from week to week. All the key metrics going backwards from what otherwise had setup to be a solid season.

Personally, I believe it is never too late to feel like you've established some momentum from what had been a bad dive. The Butler win and the great performance against CU showed this team that they could pull together and perform at a high level.

How many teams have a coach that can pull them out of a crash dive and get them moving in the right direction after so many straight losses, all the fatigue, and with so little time left in the season.

[GoMuskies]

I don't actually recall that. I'ts amazing how the brain copes with trauma.

I was a senior and in the building, so I remember it enough for the both of us. Often coupled with a cold sweat.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Yeah, the '98 game against Washington when we lost in the first game of the first round was a much lower low.

Was in 6th grade (when everyone was UC fans except a small few) and my teacher was an XU fan and let us watch the game during class. Brutal. The vast majority of my hate for UC comes from dealing with UC fan classmates in grade school and high school before XU really started breaking through in tourney. My senior year in high school was the run been real fun since then obviously.

[xu82]

Was in 6th grade (when everyone was UC fans except a small few) and my teacher was an XU fan and let us watch the game during class. Brutal. The vast majority of my hate for UC comes from dealing with UC fan classmates in grade school and high school before XU really started breaking through in tourney. My senior year in high school was the run been real fun since then obviously.

I'm beginning to see teachers differently now that I consider them in my older age. He didn't give a SHIT if YOU saw the game. And has been pointed out recently, movie days in class just might be hangover recovery days.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I'm beginning to see teachers differently now that I consider them in my older age. He didn't give a SHIT if YOU saw the game. And has been pointed out recently, movie days in class just might be hangover recovery days.

Ha I was thinking that as I typed. It was a woman though just for accuracy sake.

[X-band '01]

I was a senior and in the building, so I remember it enough for the both of us. Often coupled with a cold sweat.

I was a freshman and in the pep band for that one. Also trying to pretend the game never happened.

[Emp]

Jay Bilas can sniff my crack. He's awful on many fronts.

I will say the rosary for your language tonight.

[xu82]

Ha I was thinking that as I typed. It was a woman though just for accuracy sake.

That's even better! I love it when females are really interested. My wife plays along, but that's about it. She IS the one who said "they're in Orlando? You should go", so she gets it (and I wouldn't want to argue with her). We left a gym somewhere one Saturday when the kids were young and she got a call so we all had to be quiet. When she was done saving some deal she said to us all "THAT is my sport". So I can't complain!

[XMuskieFTW]

I was thinking earlier today, if X somehow makes it to the Sweet 16 this year, Mack, to my thinking, will have done a better coaching job this year that last, when he was named national coach of the year. Now, to be sure, Mack did a great job last year, but with superior talent. When I think of this year there's, high early expectations and rankings, Myles crapping out and getting booted, Ed getting injured, Tre injured at the same time for several games, no big man staking claim to the starting job, having to play two low DI transfers many more minutes than expected, with one starting all year because of knucklehead Davis, have two freshman expected to play maybe 8-10 minutes per game having to play up to 35-38 per game, no true backup PG after Ed got hurt, enduring a six game losing streak, losing four game at home (has that ever even happened at Cintas) and keeping a positive perspective by instilling confidence in his team versus throwing the under the bus (are you reading this Tom Crean). I'm not certain if X will win vs Maryland, but I feel like they have learned to play as a team post-Sumner. Much, if not all of that is Coach Mack.

Am I off base?

I'll give him coach of the month if that occurs, but don't think he did a better job necessarily. He had so many guys buy into what we were trying to do last year and executed it almost flawlessly. I'm of the mindset that too much weight it put on the tourney when it comes to accolades. If we were to win the big east, it is probably a bigger deal than making a sweet 16, but I bet a ton of people would rather have a second weekend run. I do think Mack has done a good job this year, but the way he was able to get a guy like Farr to buy into being a beast in the post instead of perimeter player or implemented the 1-3-1 to shut teams down and took down so many good teams was just awesome to watch all while managing an overloaded roster that probably often contained unhappy players(Maybe LAJ, probably Sean and Makinde). As a whole I will take his past two weeks of coaching over any other two week stretch, but when you had guys looking defeated at home against Marquette halfway through the game, it's hard for me to get completely on board with the idea he's done a better job. If we somehow do make a second weekend run, it will rank up there as one of the most satisfying ends to a season.

[XfansinKy]

Trimble gets the national attention, but I can honestly say I think Tre is the best player on the floor. If Tre is on and we contain Trimble, we win.

I agree. I'm sure I'll get ripped because I believe the faster, stronger, athletic players are what wins games but if Trevon gets hot and the rest rebound and take care of the ball, X can win by double figures. Tre is not a great shooter in comparison to the ability of guys like Posey, Brown, Crawford, Cage, and several others to get shots to fall, but when his first shot falls he can be unstoppable. It doesn't sound too crazy to me to keep Melo in check n "upset" Maryland, then beat FGCU after they upset FSU and on to another Sweet 16 and people worrying about Mack taking Scruggs and Naji to a blue blood basketball program instead of saying he should've done this or that.

[American X]

Yeah, this is an ENORMOUS If. Man, one win over Butler and this fan base does a complete 180. The draw isn't awful, but it's still gonna take more consistency than we've seen from the team this year to make it happen. Kinda surprised everyone on here thinks we're a shoe-in to win r1 (although I'm not gonna be the guy who warns against overconfidence, because we don't play the games, and it's not our job to treat every opponent the same).


I agree. I'm sure I'll get ripped because I believe the faster, stronger, athletic players are what wins games but if Trevon gets hot and the rest rebound and take care of the ball, X can win by double figures. Tre is not a great shooter in comparison to the ability of guys like Posey, Brown, Crawford, Cage, and several others to get shots to fall, but when his first shot falls he can be unstoppable. It doesn't sound too crazy to me to keep Melo in check n "upset" Maryland, then beat FGCU after they upset FSU and on to another Sweet 16 and people worrying about Mack taking Scruggs and Naji to a blue blood basketball program instead of saying he should've done this or that.

I will be a voice of caution (but just this once!). Like markchal said above, Xavier advancing is an enormous IF. There is no Xavier should advance. Xavier is an 11 seed and should lose to a 6 seed. I am sure our reasonable fanbase will keep this at the forefront of their minds should Xavier lose to a higher seed in the NCAA Tournament.

[xuwin]

Starts and stops as people have said with Melo. He can take a game over, but can also try to do too much and cost them the game. Their freshmen have grown up fast being forced to play big minutes since the beginning of the season. They aren't all that big in terms of traditional post players, but some of their wings have length like X. Justin Jackson and Kevin Huerter are their 3 pt shooters (besides Melo). Both of em are 6'7 so they can shoot over people. Can fill it up if they get hot, but they're just as capable as putting up a goose egg.

Basically they're inconsistent with a lot of potential because of the youth. Even with no experience from Malcolm and Shid, X should have the advantage in terms of their age. I'm assuming Chris is going to mix up the defenses a lot. I'd imagine he doesn't wanna leave Q on Melo for too many minutes and get him in foul trouble. Melo is fantastic at getting to the line

I don't see where X has an advantage in age when we have a freshman manning the most important position on the floor and they have Melo Trimble. I like Q but this should be a giant mismatch.

[xuwin]

I don't think we want Q in foul trouble, that's a recipe for disaster. I say Bernard at the start. If he holds his own, great. If not then switch to Q.

Lots of zone defense for X to conserve fouls.

[xu82]

Lots of zone defense for X to conserve fouls.

...and hopefully we have enough of an inherent rebounding advantage that it doesn't hurt us too badly.

[GoMuskies]

I will be a voice of caution (but just this once!). Like markchal said above, Xavier advancing is an enormous IF. There is no Xavier should advance. Xavier is an 11 seed and should lose to a 6 seed. I am sure our reasonable fanbase will keep this at the forefront of their minds should Xavier lose to a higher seed in the NCAA Tournament.

This is true, but that also leads to a discussion of how we got into this position in the first place. Personally, I'm satisfied with the season no matter what happens Thursday. I suspect others might still have some reservations about how this season went down.

[xufan2434]

I don't see where X has an advantage in age when we have a freshman manning the most important position on the floor and they have Melo Trimble. I like Q but this should be a giant mismatch.

So age and experience of the whole team doesn't matter and it comes down to one position? I agree guards win in March and Melo's going to have the ball in his hands a lot, but it's not like Q is dribbling around for 25 seconds (aka Lionel Chalmers) and then asked to make a play. He runs what Mack calls from the sideline and sets em up.

They start 3 freshmen. They're going to make mistakes. X has Tre, JP, Malcolm, and Shid around Q. That's where I'd say they have an advantage.

[American X]

Personally, I'm satisfied with the season no matter what happens Thursday.

As am I. Two weeks ago, I just wanted to make the tournament and end the misery. Now hope springs that great things could happen in March.

[xu82]

As am I. Two weeks ago, I just wanted to make the tournament and end the misery. Now hope springs that great things could happen in March.

I'm with you there. I just wanted in, and we got in extending a pretty good string. I certainly want to win Thursday (and will root for FGCU) especially since I'm heading to Orlando, but after all that happened this year, "in" pleases me. Wins from here on out are gravy. I did like our last few games though, so.....

[novachap]

Hello X! Great run in the tourney to cement the bid. I think you have a very good chance against MD. Aside from the obvious, Bluiett being red hot and finally looking mostly healthy, I think a main factor is how well O'Mara has been playing. He can hurt the Terps. Good luck folks!

[muskiefan82]

And good luck to you Novachap. Feel free to cut down the nets again. I would love X to do it, but I'm not thinking this is the year.

[D-West & PO-Z]

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/18896904/bold-predictions-ncaa-tournament

10. Xavier, too (to the Sweet 16)

Yes, Xavier finished 3-7 over its past 10 games. But the win over Butler and its battle with Creighton in the Big East tournament reminded all of the Musketeers' potential.

Maryland committed turnovers on nearly one-fifth of its possessions this season. Carelessness will cost the Terps in a loss to Xavier in the opening round. And Florida State has star power with Dwayne Bacon and Jonathan Isaac. Outside Tallahassee, however, FSU has been a more docile group. Trevon Bluiett (18.1 PPG) will lead Xavier to the Sweet 16 with a win over an FSU squad that makes just 69 percent of its free throw attempts.

[XMuskieFTW]

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/18896904/bold-predictions-ncaa-tournament

10. Xavier, too (to the Sweet 16)

Yes, Xavier finished 3-7 over its past 10 games. But the win over Butler and its battle with Creighton in the Big East tournament reminded all of the Musketeers' potential.

Maryland committed turnovers on nearly one-fifth of its possessions this season. Carelessness will cost the Terps in a loss to Xavier in the opening round. And Florida State has star power with Dwayne Bacon and Jonathan Isaac. Outside Tallahassee, however, FSU has been a more docile group. Trevon Bluiett (18.1 PPG) will lead Xavier to the Sweet 16 with a win over an FSU squad that makes just 69 percent of its free throw attempts.

They're actually fractionally higher than us, so a pretty terrible supporting point.

[stammina0721]

They're actually fractionally higher than us, so a pretty terrible supporting point.

If we get to FSU (and that is an if) I see JP turning the ball over at least 5 times. They are just so long and that is our Kryptonite

[ArizonaXUGrad]

We are playing with house money in my opinion. I just wanted them to be in the tournament. This draw is pretty good, Melo is a great player but Maryland is beatable. We are also very beatable.

[muskieindent]

David F. West concluded his college career against Maryland.

That was a big disappointment.And Maryland needed a last second shot to win in Round 1 or we would have played UNC Wilmington or some school like that.

[xufan2434]

If we get to FSU (and that is an if) I see JP turning the ball over at least 5 times. They are just so long and that is our Kryptonite

FSU is a classic athletic 3 seed that I'm praying gets upset because they go cold and the 14 gets hot. They basically remind of Baylor from the last 2 years. Can RJ Hunter suit up por favor

[X-band '01]

Mark Turgeon Wikipedia Bio (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Turgeon)

Hats off to Shannon Russell for tweeting this out. Which one of you rascals updated his personal life?

[stammina0721]

FSU is a classic athletic 3 seed that I'm praying gets upset because they go cold and the 14 gets hot. They basically remind of Baylor from the last 2 years. Can RJ Hunter suit up por favor

That was a fun game to watch!!!

[stammina0721]

We are playing with house money in my opinion. I just wanted them to be in the tournament. This draw is pretty good, Melo is a great player but Maryland is beatable. We are also very beatable.

This!!! Look we all know this team won't go far, but getting Goodin and Tyrique their first tournament now will pay off in years to come

[ArizonaXUGrad]

This!!! Look we all know this team won't go far, but getting Goodin and Tyrique their first tournament now will pay off in years to come

I don't know here, I could definitely see a total flame out and lose by 20 against Maryland. I could also see a win, followed by a second win to make the second weekend. I am saying with this team, enjoy watching the games because anything could happen.

[SemajParlor]

We are playing with house money in my opinion. I just wanted them to be in the tournament. This draw is pretty good, Melo is a great player but Maryland is beatable. We are also very beatable.

I agree with this. I obviously prefer to have Final 4 aspirations, but there's some comfort in just watching and seeing what happens.

[XMuskieFTW]

I just really want this team to get a win for Bernard. Gaston too to some extent and probably Tre also. But Bernard came here for this exact moment and he has been working his ass off the past 3 weeks. Probably playing the best basketball of his career. He seemed beyond excited that we even made the tourney. Him winning a game in his hometown at the end of his career after helping us so much down the stretch to get there would be awesome.

[FIGHTING MUSKETEER]

I've read some previews of the game. Most people mention that Maryland goes as far as Melo goes. I'm sure that is correct but Maryland has 2 more players averaging 10 points or more and another player averaging 9.0 points a game. That is 4 players that can put some points. If ref dont go crazy calling fouls, the usual suspects play to their average (Trevon, JP, Gaston and Bernard) and Quentin, Sean and Gates step up a bit, we should win. However, if Maryland comes nailing their 3 pointers and dominate the boards, we are in deep trouble.

[vee4xu]

I will say the rosary for your language tonight.

Goodness knows I need it on many fronts. :-)

[D-West & PO-Z]

I've read some previews of the game. Most people mention that Maryland goes as far as Melo goes. I'm sure that is correct but Maryland has 2 more players averaging 10 points or more and another player averaging 9.0 points a game. That is 4 players that can put some points. If ref dont go crazy calling fouls, the usual suspects play to their average (Trevon, JP, Gaston and Bernard) and Quentin, Sean and Gates step up a bit, we should win. However, if Maryland comes nailing their 3 pointers and dominate the boards, we are in deep trouble.

If Maryland dominates the boards something has gone seriously wrong and yes we will be in very big trouble.

[xu82]

If Maryland dominates the boards something has gone seriously wrong and yes we will be in very big trouble.

I'll worry about a lot of other things before that. Turnovers, cold shooting, Q, JP or Tre with foul trouble, hot shooting from......wait, I have to stop now.

[vee4xu]

X has lost several games this year due to poor free throw shooting. That's what keeps me awake at night because this is likely to be a very close game.

[xu82]

X has lost several games this year due to poor free throw shooting. That's what keeps me awake at night because this is likely to be a very close game.

i had not gotten to that on my list yet, but it might have been next, and might have deserved to be higher up.

[xdude]

Matchups and heat. We have a good matchup against Maryland, and the Big Ten is soft. We gave Creighton and Butler great fights.

While we go in as an 11, we know we can play with the #1 seed in this whole dance, though V rather owned us in our two games this year. {I can desert logic as needed at any time to make my point.} Our last two games show we can hold our own.

Mack's best year. Way easier to win with a talented group that hasn't been decimated than where we are with what's occurred this year.

Here we go. Bring it on.

[crazydave]

Anyone know if there is a way to watch the game on tape delay relatively promptly after the game? Have a prior obligation in the middle of the game, but don't have cable/DVR.

[D-West & PO-Z]

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/insider/story/_/id/18894248/giant-killers-ncaa-tournament-most-likely-upsets

1. Maryland Terrapins (6) vs. Xavier Musketeers (11)
51.4 percent
Our theory: The same PricewaterhouseCoopers guy who worked the Oscars handed a card from the Big Ten conference tournament to the committee just before they announced Maryland as a 6 seed. True fact: The Musketeers are a better team than the Terrapins.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Bilas likes the muskies:

No. 6 Maryland vs. No. 11 Xavier
Xavier lost Edmond Sumner for the season, but Trevon Bluiett is still a star. Xavier has struggled but is still hungry, while Maryland has lost six of 10 heading into the tournament. Melo Trimble should be the difference, but I see Xavier's offensive rebounding and toughness leading to a victory. Musketeers win in a squeaker.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Bilas likes XU to the Sweet 16:

Xavier vs. Florida Gulf Coast
Asking FGCU to win back-to-back games is too much. Xavier has had a rough ride but will win and advance to the Sweet 16, which seems like a birthright for Xavier teams.

[AviatorX]

I really think the three headed monster at the 5 is going to have a huge game for X. Loved their toughness in NYC. Sean and Rashid should be able to score pretty well on Maryland's front court.

[Xuperman]

I really think the three headed monster at the 5 is going to have a huge game for X. Loved their toughness in NYC. Sean and Rashid should be able to score pretty well on Maryland's front court.

Certainly should make some hay on both ends down low. Might have been a different story had the 7'1" Chekovsky been in the line up. The Terps have been in a tailspin since he was lost for the season 3 weeks ago. Now all they have size wise is the 6'11" Sr. Demonte Dodd. Our three guys at the 5 should get at least 20 combined IF the other guys can get them the ball in the paint consistently, but for some reason that doesn't happen enough in this offense.

[xu82]

Certainly should make some hay on both ends down low. Might have been a different story had the 7'1" Chekovsky been in the line up. The Terps have been in a tailspin since he was lost for the season 3 weeks ago. Now all they have size wise is the 6'11" Sr. Demonte Dodd. Our three guys at the 5 should get at least 20 combined IF the other guys can get them the ball in the paint consistently, but for some reason that doesn't happen enough in this offense.

Let's hope that's not in a handful of possessions where we just keep missing put-backs. FT's an bunnies count! (That was the pessimist in me.)

[Xuperman]

Most definitely. Hard to find the stat for the season on 2nd chance points in the paint, but seemed to be historically low. The opportunities have been there but many of us have commented on missed "bunnies". However in the set half court offense it seems that there are not nearly enough assisted buckets for our bigs. If there is an clear advantage down low early, CM should go old school and pound the ball inside.

[Masterofreality]

After 3, that's THREE days, McPaper (USA Today) still has the bracket wrong.
2166

[waggy]

What's wrong with it?

[atljar]

I dont see it either?

[THRILLHOUSE]

Yeah, it's right, just not the best design/layout for a bracket.

[mid major]

If Maryland dominates the boards something has gone seriously wrong and yes we will be in very big trouble.

If this happens I'm doing shots of Puerto Rican moonshine, Pitorro , all night until I pass out.

[xudash]

FT Shooting.

This is where we will eventually get bitten, unless God intervenes to help Bernard and Gaston, in particular, channel Tu for the next week or three.

On the flip side, I believe in them as a team. I believe they came out of NYC with a strong sense of team, and with confidence. If it's true that there were tears in their eyes after the Creighton loss - until Bill Murray stole one of Tyrique's french fries and they chuckled about that - then I believe it's safe to say that they're hungry to win games in the NCAA Tournament. I mean it seems very likely that they went to NYC with the sincere intent of unseating Nova, and came up just short from having a chance to do that.

They have Chris Mack coaching them in the Tournament. They'll be ready. I like our chances because of that. No more injuries from here and with a nice infusion of confidence from where Mickey makes little children's dreams come true, and this crazy version of Xavier basketball may just give us one of the more memorable versions of itself in a long, long while.

[xudash]

BTW:

http://maryland.247sports.com/Board/67/Contents/Maryland-Basketball-Coach-Mark-Turgeon-Previews-NCAA-Tournament--51783174

[markchal]

and this crazy version of Xavier basketball may just give us one of the more memorable versions of itself in a long, long while.

I get what you're saying, but we are coming off the greatest regular season in program history, which should certainly count for something.

[X Factor]

Look who's on the front page of ESPN.com's College Basketball site...

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/

[bjf123]

That's good bulletin board material for Maryland.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[D-West & PO-Z]

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/insider/story/_/id/18915790/what-need-know-thursday-first-round-ncaa-tournament-games

Player to watch
Trevon Bluiett, Xavier. The Musketeers got some of their swagger and confidence back by winning three straight games this month, after losing six in a row. But they still lack dynamic scorers, meaning most of the offensive responsibility for them against Maryland will fall to Bluiett. He carried Xavier at times in the Big East Tournament, but will have to go against Terps freshman Justin Jackson, a versatile defender. If Bluiett can get loose early on Thursday, Chris Mack's team has a chance at pulling the 11-over-6 upset.

[xavierj]

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/insider/story/_/id/18915790/what-need-know-thursday-first-round-ncaa-tournament-games

Player to watch
Trevon Bluiett, Xavier. The Musketeers got some of their swagger and confidence back by winning three straight games this month, after losing six in a row. But they still lack dynamic scorers, meaning most of the offensive responsibility for them against Maryland will fall to Bluiett. He carried Xavier at times in the Big East Tournament, but will have to go against Terps freshman Justin Jackson, a versatile defender. If Bluiett can get loose early on Thursday, Chris Mack's team has a chance at pulling the 11-over-6 upset.

I would say they are forgetting JP. I thought he carried Xavier at times in the Big East tourney as well and loves the big stage. If Bluiett and JP are on and Xavier handles the boards, I don't know how Maryland get beat them. Creighton has more scorers and Better big man then Maryland and they had to shoot 65% from 3 to squeak one out.

[xu82]

Game day began with a couple Maryland fans coming into the bar and sitting down beside me. One kept yelling "fear the turtle, fear the turtle!!!". His flailing arms managed to knock into his first beer, hosing down the lovely bartender. Let the games begin! Not sure how things will go on the court, but so far our fans are winning.

[xavierj]

Looking at Marylands season i have no idea how they are a 7. They lost home games to Pitt, Iowa and Minnesota by 14 and also lost to Nebraska at home. They got lucky to beat Georgetown by 1, Richmond in OT and struggled with Towson and American. They had 1 point wins at home over Oklahoma State and Kansas State and have been really struggling since the big guy went down. But they were very average before the Big 10 season started. And the big 10, i think was really down this year.

[Xavier]

Obvious to say- just depends on which X team shows up. We have seen xavier play as bad as they have in years, but they have played much better the last two games. I think the real difference has been feeding Tre a lot. He needs to be aggressive and shoot often. We need one of the three Bigs to get 10-12 points.

[xu82]

OWN the boards. From what I hear they are down to one real big. Attack inside and get him into foul trouble to make life easier.

[X-band '01]

Looking at Marylands season i have no idea how they are a 7. They lost home games to Pitt, Iowa and Minnesota by 14 and also lost to Nebraska at home. They got lucky to beat Georgetown by 1, Richmond in OT and struggled with Towson and American. They had 1 point wins at home over Oklahoma State and Kansas State and have been really struggling since the big guy went down. But they were very average before the Big 10 season started. And the big 10, i think was really down this year.

They're actually a 6.

[GoMuskies]

What beer should I be drinking for the Muskies game tonight?

[paulxu]

What beer should I be drinking for the Muskies game tonight?

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/75/Makers_Mark.jpg

[GoMuskies]

That's....an idea. But I have to work tomorrow. And then drive three hours to a gymnastics meet. This would be a better option if we had a Friday game!

[KabeX]

What beer should I be drinking for the Muskies game tonight?

When faced with such a decision I always say go for your favorite. As far as picking a favorite ... I read an article some years ago about a world renown beer connoisseur. When she (yes, a female connoisseur) was asked what her favorite beer was she, a person who had traveled the globe and tasted literally thousands of beers, replied "The next one". I also heeded that advice.

[stammina0721]

When faced with such a decision I always say go for your favorite. As far as picking a favorite ... I read an article some years ago about a world renown beer connoisseur. When she (yes, a female connoisseur) was asked what her favorite beer was she, a person who had traveled the globe and tasted literally thousands of beers, replied "The next one". I also heeded that advice.

Unless that next one is nati light or steel reserve. Just bad

[Nigel Tufnel]

What beer should I be drinking for the Muskies game tonight?

They sell Rhinegeist Truth where you live? It's my go to.

[BMoreX]

They sell Rhinegeist Truth where you live? It's my go to.

Waiting for them to distribute in MD.

[Wheelhouse]

Well, boys and girls, it's almost time. Let's make it a good one.

[GoMuskies]

Went with Franziskaner and Matilda. Can't go wrong there.

[Wheelhouse]

Went with Franziskaner and Matilda. Can't go wrong there.

Kona Big Wave for me.

[XUMIOH12]

Kona Big Wave for me.

gotta love some liquid aloha

[stammina0721]

Happy Bernard was able to get to NCAA's and get a win. Time to give him a sweet 16

[American X]

Happy Bernard was able to get to NCAA's and get a win.

Malcolm, his name is Malcolm. I do not think anybody calls him Happy. Did you just make up a silly nickname for him?

[XfansinKy]

Malcolm, his name is Malcolm. I do not think anybody calls him Happy. Did you just make up a silly nickname for him?

Maybe the poster meant they are happy for Bernard? Maybe you are being sarcastic? Maybe I took the sarcasm bait? Now I'm confused again.

[xu82]

Malcolm, his name is Malcolm. I do not think anybody calls him Happy. Did you just make up a silly nickname for him?

Happy Gilmore disagrees.

[birdman71]

Our tough conference prepared us well. We have 9 teams better than Maryland in the Big East......maybe 10.

[Juice]

Our tough conference prepared us well. We have 9 teams better than Maryland in the Big East......maybe 10.

I was thinking the same thing. The teams that finished around us like Marquette, Providence, and Seton Hall were all better than Maryland.

[JTG]

Did anyone else think Melo got very few calls. I was afraid with his rep, he would spend the night at the foul line. I think we beat him up, and the refs let it go.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

Our tough conference prepared us well. We have 9 teams better than Maryland in the Big East......maybe 10.

I don't know about 9 or 10. Maryland was good before that big went down. This was a good match up for us because Maryland did things poor that we did well and we executed.

[kyxu]

Did anyone else think Melo got very few calls. I was afraid with his rep, he would spend the night at the foul line. I think we beat him up, and the refs let it go.

Except for that horrendous flop he took near halfcourt against Trevon. It's so infuriating that NCAA officials continue to fall for that garbage.

[XUMIOH12]

Did anyone else think Melo got very few calls. I was afraid with his rep, he would spend the night at the foul line. I think we beat him up, and the refs let it go.

I think it was because we were mostly playing zone and he wasn't able to penetrate as frequently as he usually does.