Game Thread: Xavier vs. Gonzaga (March 25, 2017) NCAA Tournament Elite Eight

[vee4xu]

I'm just frustrated that we picked the one year where Gonzaga wasn't a total fraud of a team to draw them in the tournament.

Maybe so, but if they were their usual total fraud selves, they wouldn't have made it this far and X would have played someone else tongith.

[SM#24]

I've been an X fan for well over 10 years and that was the most disappointing loss of them all. Yes, great run by this team but it really stinks to have it end against Gonzaga. It seems that we always get wrecked in the E8 game. The officiating was horrific in that game but so was X's effort.

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Nothing wrong with Xavier's effort. They just shot better. We played hard.

[AviatorX]

I've been an X fan for well over 10 years and that was the most disappointing loss of them all. Yes, great run by this team but it really stinks to have it end against Gonzaga. It seems that we always get wrecked in the E8 game. The officiating was horrific in that game but so was X's effort.

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The home loss to Bucknell back in the day sticks out as worse to me than losing in the Elite 8. Call me crazy.

[Caveat]

Maybe so, but if they were their usual total fraud selves, they wouldn't have made it this far and X would have played someone else tongith.

I'd rather lose to some other school v. seeing their team and fans happy at making their first Final Four. It hurts so much more knowing they get what we want.

[DWXU23]

We're doubling down on their bigs too soon though...leaving perimeter guys open. We need wait until they make a move and then collapse on them.


I'd rather lose to some other school v. seeing their team and fans happy at making their first Final Four. It hurts so much more knowing they get what we want.
Gotta say after tonight Mark Few has my respect. He's a rare breed who has earned this the hard way. Mack can be that guy for us.

[LadyMuskie]

I've been an X fan for well over 10 years and that was the most disappointing loss of them all. Yes, great run by this team but it really stinks to have it end against Gonzaga. It seems that we always get wrecked in the E8 game. The officiating was horrific in that game but so was X's effort.

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So you weren't around when we lost to Ohio State, because Justin Cage's look of defeat is something that still haunts me. The only comforting thought is knowing old man Greg Oden was a complete failure in the NBA.

[BandAid]

So you weren't around when we lost to Ohio State, because Justin Cage's look of defeat is something that still haunts me. The only comforting thought is knowing old man Greg Oden was a complete failure in the NBA.

Yet Oden is probably still rich AF

[GreatWhiteNorth]

I am sorry we lost, but not too sad. We were fortunate to be in the E8 and that took everyone playing at his maximum. To be honest, this team is depleted and the talent level is really not sufficient to be playing in the FF. Let's celebrate what we have accomplished and say a big "Thank You" to everyone in this team, players and coaches. Just watch what we can do next year. Go X!

[Grizzx12]

So you weren't around when we lost to Ohio State, because Justin Cage's look of defeat is something that still haunts me. The only comforting thought is knowing old man Greg Oden was a complete failure in the NBA.

I don't know, with the team we had last year the shot by Wisconsin still hurts real bad. And even though Cage should have hit the FTs, it still should have been an intentional. Didn't he end up four rows deep after the chuck he took from Oden? Either way, both were some low points for me. But watching this team come together like they did was a major up swing and why I love watching this team year in and year out. Bring on next year!!

[IM4X]

Couple observations:

So proud of our guys who for three games played out of their minds.

Our guys looked spent from early on in this game. They were huffing more than in previous games-think they needed another day of rest. Tre particularly. He had trouble getting separation.

The strategy of packing it in on D and allowing wide open 3s (that fell) backfired and took away any chance of us staying in the game.

Had a feeling the Zags would win after hearing Mark Few responded to the "Monkey on your back" comment after their last game.

This Gonzaga team looks really really good- Like "championship team" good. Good luck to Mark Few and the Zags.

We appear to have a pretty-pretty good group (who will be hungry for more) coming back next year and heck of a group of recruits joining them (and maybe even Edmund and Tre?????)

[xudash]

I am sorry we lost, but not too sad. We were fortunate to be in the E8 and that took everyone playing at his maximum. To be honest, this team is depleted and the talent level is really not sufficient to be playing in the FF. Let's celebrate what we have accomplished and say a big "Thank You" to everyone in this team, players and coaches. Just watch we can do next year. Go X!

Great post.

[OTRMUSKIE]

Agreed Zags are damn good and much better then I thought. Win it all zags

[GreatWhiteNorth]

Like to see a Jesuit school winning the national championship. Go Zags !

[xu 89]

Credit to the Zags....they kicked our ass.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Welp. No tears here. Not a good night & Tre played his worst game at the wrong time. Still proud of this team. Exceeded expectations. Have a good summer!

Agree MOR.

And to be 100% honest I would rather lose like that then lose like we did last year.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I am sorry we lost, but not too sad. We were fortunate to be in the E8 and that took everyone playing at his maximum. To be honest, this team is depleted and the talent level is really not sufficient to be playing in the FF. Let's celebrate what we have accomplished and say a big "Thank You" to everyone in this team, players and coaches. Just watch what we can do next year. Go X!

This is where I am at as well.

[American X]

I've been an X fan for well over 10 years and that was the most disappointing loss of them all.

Then you are Drew Barrymore in 50 First Dates. Congratulations, you are Drew Barrymore.

There is a difference between venting & frustration and being an unmentionable word.

[BandAid]

Then you are Drew Barrymore in 50 First Dates. Congratulations, you are Drew Barrymore.

There is a difference between venting & frustration and being an unmentionable word.

Can we guess what the unmentionable word is?

I've got money on it being "Voldemort"

...or Koenig

[paulxu]

Fayer.

[xavbball]

Then you are Drew Barrymore in 50 First Dates. Congratulations, you are Drew Barrymore.

There is a difference between venting & frustration and being an unmentionable word.
Well I've just had a little too much to drink. It's been a hell of a season for this team. I guess when I wrote that I was a little frustrated. Looking forward to next year. Let's go X!

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[American X]

Well I've just had a little too much to drink. It's been a hell of a season for this team. I guess when I wrote that I was a little frustrated. Looking forward to next year. Let's go X!

Well, you are probably the only Xavier fan who had a little too much to drink.

You are in Austin? Have you met up with Thrillhouse? Do we have an Austin chapter? You two have a mandate to start an Austin chapter.

[THRILLHOUSE]

Well, you are probably the only Xavier fan who had a little too much to drink.

You are in Austin? Have you met up with Thrillhouse? Do we have an Austin chapter? You two have a mandate to start an Austin chapter.

Yeah! Cmon XAVBBALL, let's go down to 6th Street and fight people! (but seriously, I'm down to catch a game with ya somewhere next season)

[TUclutch]

I've been an X fan for well over 10 years and that was the most disappointing loss of them all. Yes, great run by this team but it really stinks to have it end against Gonzaga. It seems that we always get wrecked in the E8 game. The officiating was horrific in that game but so was X's effort.

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What an absolutely idiotic statement

[whopper]

just reviewed espn and matthews, williams, nigel-goss were respective 15 scorers at Call, Missouri and Washington respectively. It is not that this team was built from scratch..they had 90% of their points! A little sour grapes I know but nice season X and am proud of a self made team.

[stammina0721]

I'm surprisingly not disappointed. This team earned every single thing they got and gave it their all. This time their all wasn't good enough. Nothing wrong with that at all. We will get over the hump eventually

[Masterofreality]

It was Gonzaga's day. Period.

The X defensive game plan, based upon what the season had shown to last night, was exactly what I would have predicted, but as Chris Mack said Postgame:

. “And a team that’s 290th in the country relying on 3-point shots goes 12-for-24, 50 percent from the 3-point line. You’re not going to win against many teams with their size when they’re shooting it that well.”

Tre finally cooled off, unfortunately at the wrong time, and there's your ballgame. I also think that last night, especially adding in the emotionally draining Arizona win, the number of large accumulated minutes that these kids had to play over the last month finally caught up with them. The tank was empty in the second half when they tried to put the hammer down. They didn't give up, as Malcolm Bernard's and Sean's block from behind showed, but physically they had run out of gas.

The Buick took us all on a spectacular tour, however. The future continues to be bright. Man, I can't wait to walk into a newly renovated Cintas Center next November and see this Recruiting Class start their respective journeys along with the talent we have coming back.

For now, though, thanks to Rashid Gaston, Trevon Bluiett (I think) for your work, contributions and effort and Special Thanks to Malcolm Bernard. I have never fallen in love with a one year transfer in player like I have with Malcolm. His joy, his leadership and his talent have been special. He is deserving of the term "Xavier Legend" in the Lionel Chalmers, Stanley Burrell mode. Much Appreciation Malcolm, and I hope you come back often. For the rest, "Let's GO Team 96!"