Xavier vs. Villanova Game Thread (February 17, 2018)

[X Factor]

Why will next year be a down year? It’s not like they won’t have some serious talent and length. Naji will be a stud, Goodin will be a stud, I expect Scruggs to be very good and you would hope kaiser steps up as a senior and tyrique has loads of potential. Plus they bring in size and length, another solid transfer and probably another transfer from somewhere. Defense will be the strong point and they will still have a lot of guys who can score, but it will be a different type of offense. Next years strength should be this years weakness. They will be fine but this year will still be a fun ride regardless of what happened today.

We lose Tre, JP, Sean, and Kerem. If you don't think X will take a step back, I don't know what to say.

Where will the shooting come from?

[XUBison]

Obviously I'm disappointed too. Doesn't mean I can't keep the broader perspective in mind. Everything I posted is true while you have already declared X sucks balls next season (they are likely to be a tournament team easily IMO). Trust me, I used to take each loss way harder than I do now and understand that some of the most passionate fans are going to be overly negative after a loss. If last year's run didn't push some people over to looking at the bigger picture, obviously nothing will, which is fine, but I'll continue to push back.


There is nothing wrong countering with the many positives that have already occurred this season, nor the many that still might occur. It is your condescension,’as well as that of some others on this board, I find to be sanctimonious and lame. It is why several years ago I stopped reading Musketeer Madness. Oh , FWIW, in one of my prior post I stated that X could very well be a tourney team next year. My ball sucking comment was a sarcastic response to one of your sanctimonious brethren.

[xavierj]

We lose Tre, JP, Sean, and Kerem. If you don't think X will take a step back, I don't know what to say.

Where will the shooting come from?

I think Naji, Paul, Quentin and gates are all capable. All, except gates have shown great improvement this year plus all except gates can get to the rim rather easily. I would expect all to make great improvements in the off season. If you don’t have confidence in those guys I don’t know what to say. Chris still says gates is the best pure shooter on the team but it’s between his ears that is holding him back. They will have plenty of guys who can put the ball in the hoop. Tre and JP are great offensive players but they are not good defenders. So you have a solid starting 5 that are all capable scorers, bring in some others who can score and the defense will be better. They will be fine.

[Lloyd Braun]

Bringing up next years team again? Jesus

[Strange Brew]

They shot anal ejective.

X, win the regular season title and use this as motivation for the conference tourney.

[stammina0721]

Lol! 1g! Look at you, message board moneybags!

In my defense ive said on here since Jan that anyone should just bet the over on an X game. It hits every time

[stammina0721]

It's the biggest guarantee in Vegas right now

[Lloyd Braun]

It's the biggest guarantee in Vegas right now

Not really. I’m the last month there have been 4 overs and 4 unders. And in big east play there have been 8 unders and 7 overs.

[American X]

I'm not going to dwell on this one. Take care of business the rest of the way and get a #1 seed.

Approved. Xavier can still win the Big East regular season, win the Big East tournament and get a #1 seed.

If we cannot beat Villanova in Philadelphia, Cincinnati or New York, we will just have to beat them in San Antonio.

[Xville]

It's not even that we lost to nova...again! Though it really sucks. What is most maddening is that the defense has been a problem all year and still the same problems keep coming up. I don't know if it is effort or ability on that end but it's freaking maddening and it causes concern that getti g out of the first weekend may be an issue. This team has given up 90 or more points 4 of the last 5 games, that's terrible for a college game...yes almost all of those have been wins, but I think it's still a big concern when after the first game in March, you play a really good team.

[Lloyd Braun]

League play is a different animal. All these teams know each other so well. It’s why this league is so tough and so good. Same with the Big 12. Having 10 teams is great for competition. I’m not saying the defense isn’t a concern, but I trust in Mack and the staff to put together a better game plan than just about anyone they face in the dance.

[GIMMFD]

League play is a different animal. All these teams know each other so well. It’s why this league is so tough and so good. Same with the Big 12. Having 10 teams is great for competition. I’m not saying the defense isn’t a concern, but I trust in Mack and the staff to put together a better game plan than just about anyone they face in the dance.

I definitely agree with this take, it's a whole different beast playing a team for the first time in a few years opposed to seeing them twice every single year, it's a bit easier to game plan regardless of roster turnovers. That definitely plays a role with coaching as well, in game plan and preparation, and luckily for us, Chris Mack is pretty damn good at that regard for the most part.

[markchal]

I just think this collection of talent isn’t going to happen at Xavier but once every 5-10 years so have to take advantage when you can. Though this team is limited defensivley, there is still enough talent for a final four and that was my expectation when the year began. That expectation isn’t there for me every year

It's tough to bill this as a once in a decade team when two years ago we were in almost the exact same place. Sure, next year will be a rough rebuilding year, but Mack has been turning out some good squads.

[Lloyd Braun]

X -1.5 o/u 375

Wasn’t sure where else to post this but the O/U for the NBA all star game is 335.

[xu82]

Wasn’t sure where else to post this but the O/U for the NBA all star game is 335.

Is that for the first half?

[D-West & PO-Z]

I disagree with this.

This is a major setback. This is the kind of game that lets you know who you are as a program and a team — and Xavier just went out and gave an epic failure of a performance. There was no defensive intensity. Shots were bricking off the iron.

This is a “contender / pretender” game — and Xavier outed itself as a pretender. What makes it worse is that this is the kind of effort you see repeatedly from the program when the lights are bright. At some point, these types of games need to be wins.

I am not through the whole thread yet so maybe you've come off the ledge but it is laughable to say this is the kind of effort u repeatedly see from the program when the lights are bright. No, dumb. This may be the result we see time and again when we play Nova. Its an aberration fro the program against ONE other program.

The lights arent bright against any other team in the BE? They werent bright against UC? A pre injury ranked Baylor? How about against Final 4 favorite Arizona in the Sweet 16 last year? Terrible effort from the program under bright lights right?

Nova is just a better program obviously. They are the class of the Big East. They are they single best program over the last half decade bar none. Even given that you would think and hope we could get at least 1 or 2 more wins than the only one we have vs them but to lose again to the best program in the country isnt what I would consider a major set back. We are still in great position for a 1 seed. 7 of the top 10 teams lost, some twice this week. #9 was Gonzaga who I dont believe was a top 4 seed in the reveal. MSU who went undefeated was a 3 seed.

Step off the ledge.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Defense again is why I have serious reservations about this team making a run in March. They don't play it well at all and it shows against good teams.

Isnt out adjusted defensive ranking by Kenpom almost identical to last year when we made the Elite 8? I know it isnt ideal but it doesnt prohibit a deep run.

[D-West & PO-Z]

but there is just a Grand Canyon gap between Villanova and Xavier.

Duh, us and almost every other program the last 5 years. Just because Butler has beat them several times the last couple years doesnt mean their gap is even smaller. Yes it sucks, I hate it, but they are literally the best program in the country since we joined the Big East.

[mohr5150]

Broering wrote a great article analyzing each three Nova made. He believes only 4 of the 16 made 3's were bad defense. I agree with him. Nova brings their A game against us every time. Their talent level and scheme make it impossible for every program in America to beat them when they play their A game.

[Xuperman]

Everyone brings their A game against us, especially in league play. Obviously teams see an easier opportunity for a top 5 win vs X as apposed to Nova and they are salivating at the chance when they play us. To me this explains our perceived poor defense. When looking at our players individually, we have plenty of elite defenders and effort is never a problem! Just wait until we get back to playing non BE opposition in the tourney!

[XUFan09]

Broering wrote a great article analyzing each three Nova made. He believes only 4 of the 16 made 3's were bad defense. I agree with him. Nova brings their A game against us every time. Their talent level and scheme make it impossible for every program in America to beat them when they play their A game.Yep. Could the defense have been better? Sure. The biggest problem with the first-half onslaught, though, was that with Nova making highly contested threes, Xavier wasn't keeping it close by scoring on the other end. They scored 37 points on 34 possessions, which is not good for this team at home. If X had countered Nova's offensive performance enough to keep it single digits at half, a comeback would have been much more likely.

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[Xavier]

It's tough to bill this as a once in a decade team when two years ago we were in almost the exact same place. Sure, next year will be a rough rebuilding year, but Mack has been turning out some good squads.

Agreed. Just this year a thread about best team ever was started and a lot of people thought it was the team two years ago. Certainly that team is top 3-4 Xavier team of all time.

[X Factor]

All I know is it's gotten old debating why Xavier got spanked by 15-25 by Villanova every time. Home, away, neutral, it doesn't matter.

Xavier is Nova's easiest two conference games every year.

[xu82]

All I know is it's gotten old debating why Xavier got spanked by 15-25 by Villanova every time. Home, away, neutral, it doesn't matter.

Xavier is Nova's easiest two conference games every year.

Do you have a long line of people asking to join you in your foxhole? I might rather take my chances in the open. At least I’d be safe from friendly fire!

Yes, it’s frustrating, but how far you advance in March is all that matters in my mind. If this helps prepare us, that’s fine.

[X Factor]

Do you have a long line of people asking to join you in your foxhole? I might rather take my chances in the open. At least I’d be safe from friendly fire!

Yes, it’s frustrating, but how far you advance in March is all that matters in my mind. If this helps prepare us, that’s fine.

I forgot we're never allowed to be critical. I'm sure Mack is thrilled X is 1-10 against Nova.

I love Xavier. I love Xavier basketball. It amuses me when people question someone's fandom if they're not the absolutely, most optimistic fan in the world.

And yes, ultimately, how far you go in March is all that matters, but Xavier's goal is to win the Big East Conference, and in order to do that, you have to beat Villanova.

[AviatorX]

I forgot we're never allowed to be critical. I'm sure Mack is thrilled X is 1-10 against Nova.

I love Xavier. I love Xavier basketball. It amuses me when people question someone's fandom if they're not the absolutely, most optimistic fan in the world.

And yes, ultimately, how far you go in March is all that matters, but Xavier's goal is to win the Big East Conference, and in order to do that, you have to beat Villanova.

Believe it or not, Xavier might just do this in mere days. I'm assuming I don't need to tell you they didn't beat Villanova this season.

[X Factor]

Believe it or not, Xavier might just do this in mere days. I'm assuming I don't need to tell you they didn't beat Villanova this season.

Yeah, but X has to hope SOMEONE ELSE beats Villanova. I'll take a BE Championship ANY WAY it works out though. So far, in the four years X has been in the BE, the title has gone through Nova. You know that.

[xu82]

I forgot we're never allowed to be critical. I'm sure Mack is thrilled X is 1-10 against Nova.

I love Xavier. I love Xavier basketball. It amuses me when people question someone's fandom if they're not the absolutely, most optimistic fan in the world.

And yes, ultimately, how far you go in March is all that matters, but Xavier's goal is to win the Big East Conference, and in order to do that, you have to beat Villanova.

Again, I get that the Nova thing is frustrating. But I will say this might be the worst year ever to be negative about Xavier basketball. Enjoy this season, and hope it goes deep into March. That would be my approach and suggestion. But that’s just me. I don’t see great shame in losing to possibly the best team in the country, like Nova probably understands it’s hard to win the NC every year. Just keep working to get better. It’s what I would tell my kids. I would not go full “you suck mode” on them.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Yeah, but X has to hope SOMEONE ELSE beats Villanova. I'll take a BE Championship ANY WAY it works out though. So far, in the four years X has been in the BE, the title has gone through Nova. You know that.

No one else has to beat Nova this year for X to win the Big East if that is what you mean. If X win their next 3 games they are Big East champs no matter what Nova does.

[xu82]

Yeah, but X has to hope SOMEONE ELSE beats Villanova. I'll take a BE Championship ANY WAY it works out though. So far, in the four years X has been in the BE, the title has gone through Nova. You know that.

I care far more about March than the BE tournament, and I thank Nova for giving us the best possible preparation for March. I’d love to go undefeated every year, but that’s not the way it works.

[D-West & PO-Z]

All I know is it's gotten old debating why Xavier got spanked by 15-25 by Villanova every time. Home, away, neutral, it doesn't matter.

Xavier is Nova's easiest two conference games every year.

I'm not sure there should be much debate. They are just better. Better players and better coach. Now hopefully this wont stay this way for much longer but for now it is just the case. The better program with better players and better coach usually wins. You would think we'd catch a break here and there a have a few more wins but hasnt worked out like that. Their program is at the level ours is trying to get to. Sucks we arent there yet and we cant beat them more than once but just is what it is.

[xu82]

I'm not sure there should be much debate. They are just better. Better players and better coach. Now hopefully this wont stay this way for much longer but for now it is just the case. The better program with better players and better coach usually wins. You would think we'd catch a break here and there a have a few more wins but hasnt worked out like that. Their program is at the level ours is trying to get to. Sucks we arent there yet and we cant beat them more than once but just is what it is.

I think it’s worth noting they probably realize we are the biggest threat, and we never get them on an off night. They get up to play X.

[paulxu]

Last year Duke beat UNC twice.
Duke won the ACC tournament.

UNC won the NC.

[AviatorX]

No one else has to beat Nova this year for X to win the Big East if that is what you mean. If X win their next 3 games they are Big East champs no matter what Nova does.

Yep, exactly what I was getting at. If X goes 15-3 they are at the very least co champions.

[xu82]

Last year Duke beat UNC twice.
Duke won the ACC tournament.

UNC won the NC.

WIN for UNC!!!

[D-West & PO-Z]

I think it’s worth noting they probably realize we are the biggest threat, and we never get them on an off night. They get up to play X.

Yeah good point.

Also I wasnt trying to denigrate X in what I was saying either. Villanova is just the best program in the country over the last several years. They just are better than us as a program right now.

[xu82]

Yeah good point.

Also I wasnt trying to denigrate X in what I was saying either. Villanova is just the best program in the country over the last several years. They just are better than us as a program right now.

The list of teams they are NOT better than is short to non-existent. Hard to pout about that. Geez....