How does Xavier make the dance?

[OTRMUSKIE]

So what’s it going to take for X to make the dance? I was thinking 11-7 in the Beast with 1 win in the tourney would put them at 20-13. RPI forecast isn’t working anymore so can’t see where they would be ranked. NET doesn’t have that option that I can find. X just doesn’t have any signature wins or good road wins. After missing a huge chance against Nova I am now thinking X has to go 12-6 in conference which means they need to go 9-3 rest of way and then win two in tourney. That puts them at 22-12. Can you find 9 wins?

PROVIDENCE W
MARQUETTE. W
@GTown. W
@Creighton W
DEPAUL. W
CREIGHTON. W
@Providence L
@Seton Hall. L
VILLANOVA W
@ST. Johns. L
@Butler. W
ST JOHNS. W

[JTG]

They buy tickets....

[GIMMFD]

Yeah it's looking a little bleak for the NCAA tournament right now, needed that Nova win last night, they played their hearts out just wasn't there. I wish our three point shooting wasn't this bad, like I thought it was going to be bad, but holy cow it's bad. Even hitting at like 5% higher on the year would have paid off so many dividens. I'm hoping we keep the conference streak alive and get to the NIT at minimum, but who knows, maybe it's time for The Run 2, the promising thing is that they've looked a lot better than where they were at the beginning of the season.

[GoMuskies]

I think the best shot is to hang in there enough to get the #6 seed in the BET and win 3 games at MSG.

[XUOHTX]

Yeah it's looking a little bleak for the NCAA tournament right now, needed that Nova win last night, they played their hearts out just wasn't there. I wish our three point shooting wasn't this bad, like I thought it was going to be bad, but holy cow it's bad. Even hitting at like 5% higher on the year would have paid off so many dividens. I'm hoping we keep the conference streak alive and get to the NIT at minimum, but who knows, maybe it's time for The Run 2, the promising thing is that they've looked a lot better than where they were at the beginning of the season.

So many dividends. All the dividends.

[whopper]

the problem is our best all around players are not good 3 pt shooters, and our best 3 pt shooter is not a great all around player(although I notice with Naji out he played "OK" on defense, boards, ball security.) The grad transfers have played well but are only here a year and it seems that Steele is emphasizing keeping the Core 4 together and using the grads in their role only. Too bad we only have them for one year. I think we are doing the best we can but I have noticed when one or more players are out Steele is much more engaged in substituting situationally and Castin, Hankins and Welage have all consistently played well (albeit against inferior competition).

[IM4X]

the problem is our best all around players are not good 3 pt shooters, and our best 3 pt shooter is not a great all around player(although I notice with Naji out he played "OK" on defense, boards, ball security.) The grad transfers have played well but are only here a year and it seems that Steele is emphasizing keeping the Core 4 together and using the grads in their role only. Too bad we only have them for one year. I think we are doing the best we can but I have noticed when one or more players are out Steele is much more engaged in substituting situationally and Castin, Hankins and Welage have all consistently played well (albeit against inferior competition).

Except for Scruggs. He (and Welage) need to be shooting a minimum of 7 3s a game and Naji needs to be shooting a maximum of 3 a game unless he is hot (and only when a big is near the rim).

[GIMMFD]

Except for Scruggs. He (and Welage) need to be shooting a minimum of 7 3s a game and Naji needs to be shooting a maximum of 3 a game unless he is hot (and only when a big is near the rim).

Agreed on Scruggs, it's amazing he's gotten his 3-point shooting up to 45%, I wouldn't mind him shooting more than the 2.6 a game he averages, but he's also damn good at slashing and getting to the rim because of his quickness, I don't know what's been going on with Naji's shot, because 19% isn't going to cut it, we need him to get to the 34% he was last year, if he can somehow get hot the last half of the season from beyond the arc it would open up things a lot more, because right now, out of the core, only Scruggs has been consistent from there, and if Q and Naji can improve, it'll help out a boat load.

[IM4X]

Agreed on Scruggs, it's amazing he's gotten his 3-point shooting up to 45%, I wouldn't mind him shooting more than the 2.6 a game he averages, but he's also damn good at slashing and getting to the rim because of his quickness, I don't know what's been going on with Naji's shot, because 19% isn't going to cut it, we need him to get to the 34% he was last year, if he can somehow get hot the last half of the season from beyond the arc it would open up things a lot more, because right now, out of the core, only Scruggs has been consistent from there, and if Q and Naji can improve, it'll help out a boat load.

It would be encouraging to see Q and Naji finding their stroke, but either of them shooting that many against Villanova is a fools game.

Like a Casino, Villanova has the house edge when it comes to 3 point shooting. You need to play the cards that give you the best chance to win (Scruggs and Welage) if you want a chance to come out ahead at that game. Naji shooting so many 3s again and again is like deciding to double down with a 7 against a 10 again and again.

It is a bad, losing strategy and by continuing it, you are simply improving the odds of the house to come out ahead in the end.

[nuts4xu]

Lionel Chalmers isn’t coming through that door...
Trevon Blueitt isn’t coming through that door...
Stan Burrell isn’t coming through that door...
Daivid West isn’t coming through that door...

For us to make the tournament, we need these 4 guys to be eligible and ready to play immediately. If they aren’t available, I really don’t see us dancing this year. This team suffers from too much LOFT —> Lack Of Fu**ing Talent.

[Section 200]

They buy tickets....

This is the most likely answer, only other way is winning the Tourney at MSG.

[GIMMFD]

It would be encouraging to see Q and Naji finding their stroke, but either of them shooting that many against Villanova is a fools game.

Like a Casino, Villanova has the house edge when it comes to 3 point shooting. You need to play the cards that give you the best chance to win (Scruggs and Welage) if you want a chance to come out ahead at that game. Naji shooting so many 3s again and again is like deciding to double down with a 7 against a 10 again and again.

It is a bad, losing strategy and by continuing it, you are simply improving the odds of the house to come out ahead in the end.

Oh yeah I definitely agree with that other people should have been taking those threes, I was just saying it would be nice if they could get their averrages back up a bit highe, would help out so much in the long run in this closing stretch of the season

[xu koop scoop]

How do we go dancing. Who we beat can make a difference. Lets say we beat Nova & Marquette at home & get 1 quality road that should do it. Finish 10-8 or better in BE & survive 1st rd BE Tourney. Who we beat matters more than overall record. Enjoy each game during the journey

[Xville]

12 Regular Season games left. If X wants to have any chance of making the tournament, I believe they need to go 5-2 in the next 7 games. This is ahead of the 5 game brutual stretch to end the season.

Providence
Marquette
@Georgetown
@Creighton
Depaul
Creighton
@Providence

If the team plays like they have the past 3 games, 5-2 is certainly doable in that stretch. That would give the team an overall record of 16-10 and 8-5 in conference, and at least a chance.

[drudy23]

Anyway you slice it, it's Big Easy tourney or bust at this point. We just don't have enough quality wins. Our resume is sub par.

[xukeith]

10 total BE wins (preferably 11) then win 1-2 BE Tourney games get a 12 seed.

[Xville]

10 total BE wins (preferably 11) then win 1-2 BE Tourney games get a 12 seed.

i'm not sure if a 14 loss BE team gets in this year....unless two wins are against Nova and Marquette. Unlike most years, the BE is not very good this year.

[mid major]

i'm not sure if a 14 loss BE team gets in this year....unless two wins are against Nova and Marquette. Unlike most years, the BE is not very good this year.

With the bubble being weak this year yet again and the BE being down then these are precisely the reasons why we could make the dance but by the same token I can see a team like DePaul or Creighton making it ahead of us. These are teams with better overall talent than us.

[XUOHTX]

Hope for upsets and win the BE tourney. Anyone can win it this year, including X.

[xukeith]

6-7 man rotation winning 4 games in 4 days?

[GoMuskies]

6-7 man rotation winning 4 games in 4 days?

There's no reason this team can't finish 6th or better.

[IM4X]

Oh yeah I definitely agree with that other people should have been taking those threes, I was just saying it would be nice if they could get their averrages back up a bit highe, would help out so much in the long run in this closing stretch of the season

Villanova has the house edge when it comes to three point shooting. If you are going to play that game with them you had better play your cards that give you the best chance to win (Scruggs and Wealage).

Choosing to allow Naji to shoot 3s is like doubling down with a 7 against a 10. Not only is is a poor strategy, the more you do it the greater the advantage the house has to come out ahead in the end.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

Hope for upsets and win the BE tourney. Anyone can win it this year, including X.

The last bracketology I saw for I think CBS had 10 of the 12 big 10 teams in the tourney. PSU and Illinois were out and the rest were in. That is crazy and just isn’t sustainable all year. The PAC 12 and Big East will have more than 2 or 3 teams, they had Rutgers in, that just won’t happen.


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[GoMuskies]

There are 14 teams in the Big Ten. I would assume Rutgers and Northwestern would also be out.

Rutgers is 9-9, 2-6. No one has them in.

[Xavier]

I gave up on making the tournament as an at-large a few games ago. At that point all I really wanted to see was improvement from top to bottom in large part to see how first year head coach Steele could turn a team around. It bodes well for the future if this team shows solid improvement and I think they have started to. To turn a team around that is clearly frustrated with their play, little chances at making the tournament, and a fan base that is extremely critical and frustrated as well is a hard thing to do. As I said a few weeks ago it looked like 3-4 players wished the season was over already. Things have been better since so I am pleased so far.

[xu koop scoop]

I gave up on making the tournament as an at-large a few games ago. At that point all I really wanted to see was improvement from top to bottom in large part to see how first year head coach Steele could turn a team around. It bodes well for the future if this team shows solid improvement and I think they have started to. To turn a team around that is clearly frustrated with their play, little chances at making the tournament, and a fan base that is extremely critical and frustrated as well is a hard thing to do. As I said a few weeks ago it looked like 3-4 players wished the season was over already. Things have been better since so I am pleased so far.

Wow! Giving up on making Tourney with 12 BE Games to play plus BE Tourney. We already played BE Studs Nova & Marquette away & DePaul away who is tied with us for 3rd. We are only 1/3 into BE Play. Enjoy the games as they unfold. Its not All about arriving at the Dance, its the journey along the way

[drudy23]

We're not even on the radar for at-large consideration, nor should we be.

The only way to get back on the radar is a long winning streak. One that this team isn't likely capable of playing the caliber of teams we have left. We will be lucky to finish .500.

It's NYC or bust at this point. Pray for a MSG miracle. That would be fun.

[Xville]

We're not even on the radar for at-large consideration, nor should we be.

The only way to get back on the radar is a long winning streak. One that this team isn't likely capable of playing the caliber of teams we have left. We will be lucky to finish .500.

It's NYC or bust at this point. Pray for a MSG miracle. That would be fun.

We win two this week, and we are on the radar. Though I think winning two is unlikely, they are at home and Cintas always gives the guys a boost. 13-8 and 5-3 with a win over a top 25 team would be tremendous for where this team was after the last game against Marquette.

[Masterofreality]

Unless we magically win the Big East Tournament, we don't. Period.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

There are 14 teams in the Big Ten. I would assume Rutgers and Northwestern would also be out.

Rutgers is 9-9, 2-6. No one has them in.

Thought I saw but probably not, still these bracket specialists are going out of their way to exclude the Big East and PAC 12. Maybe they have a good reason but maybe not.


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[Xville]

Thought I saw but probably not, still these bracket specialists are going out of their way to exclude the Big East and PAC 12. Maybe they have a good reason but maybe not.


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You've been caught talking out your ass on the Covington thread so now you have moved on to talking out your ass on this subject. Bracket matrix has 5 be teams in and 3 pac 12 teams which is probably more than they deserve. Fake news.

[GoMuskies]

Thought I saw but probably not, still these bracket specialists are going out of their way to exclude the Big East and PAC 12. Maybe they have a good reason but maybe not.


I think the good reason is that the Big East and Pac 12 are really shitty this year.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

You've been caught talking out your ass on the Covington thread so now you have moved on to talking out your ass on this subject. Bracket matrix has 5 be teams in and 3 pac 12 teams which is probably more than they deserve. Fake news.

Congratulations internet hero, you win the day.

I don’t read them all or that often but the ones I saw had a lack of representation. But hey, why should get in the way of your one man crusade.


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[Xville]

Congratulations internet hero, you win the day.

I don’t read them all or that often but the ones I saw had a lack of representation. But hey, why should get in the way of your one man crusade.


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So you saw one and then made a blanket statement that "these bracket specialists are going out of their way to exclude the be and pac 12." Again, you've been caught talking out your ass. Fake news.

[GetUp5]

X cannot lose at home again. Period. Not one more home loss.

Do this, and steal just one road game, and you end up 18-13 (10-8) with good wins over Marquette, Butler, Creighton, Nova and St. John's. That's really the only scenario that gets them to the bubble. Teams with worse resumes have made the tournament.

But yeah, probably not dancing this year.

[Masterofreality]

Congratulations internet hero, you win the day.

I don’t read them all or that often but the ones I saw had a lack of representation. But hey, why should get in the way of your one man crusade.


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Dude, put the phone/Ipad down and just read what more informed posters have to say. You're credibility on any subject is below zero, kinda like the temperature outside and the Global Warming Theory.

[SemajParlor]

Yeah, as others have said the "easiest" path at this point would be winning 3 games in New York. While it would take a lot, that's more probable than going 9-3 8/4 over the next 12 in my opinion.

Here's the good news. I think anyone can beat anybody in the BET this year. It should be fun.

[xudash]

So, New York it is?

[drudy23]

So, New York it is?

Been that way for a few weeks.

[bjf123]

They make it only with divine intervention.


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[Juice]

I stupidly had optimism before tonight’s game.

[Xville]

I stupidly had optimism before tonight’s game.

As did i... I thought they could realistically go 5-2 in the next 7 and then anything could happen. However, after seeing tonight's game, I'm hoping they can finish above 500.

[xu82]

The dance will wait. It happens. Hold onto our next class, add some shooters and build this back up.