ESPN: Villanova or the Field?

[Muskie]

Link (https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/27792429/villanova-field)



print (http://espn.go.com/espn/print?id=27792429)


As the countdown begins to the start of the 2019-20 college basketball season on Nov. 5, ESPN.com's panel of experts is making its predictions for all of the nation's top leagues. We begin with the Big East, where the Villanova Wildcats (https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/222/villanova-wildcats) will begin a defense of their fifth regular-season title in the past six years, albeit in a league that has recently been one of the nation's toughest gantlets from top to bottom

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X picked as high as 3rd and as low as 4th.

[sirthought]

Somebody with ESPN should know that the spelling is gauntlet.

No love for XU in this piece. That's okay. Seton Hall and Providence can get their ink now. Musketeers can get it later.

[xu82]

Somebody with ESPN should know that the spelling is gauntlet.

No love for XU in this piece. That's okay. Seton Hall and Providence can get their ink now. Musketeers can get it later.

They keep spellcheck and all of their recruiting knowledge in the same thimble.

[bobbiemcgee]

Like the CBS take better:


https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/big-east-expert-picks-2019-20-preview-villanova-will-have-to-fend-off-challenges-from-seton-hall-and-xavier/

[smileyy]

Gantlet is an accepted, if less frequently used, spelling.

Sorry to be that guy :D

[sirthought]

Like the CBS take better:


https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/big-east-expert-picks-2019-20-preview-villanova-will-have-to-fend-off-challenges-from-seton-hall-and-xavier/

The author likes Xavier a bit more, but the consensus of the whole group is still pretty much fourth place. I'm fine with that. The team has a lot to prove, honestly. I think they have a lot of great potential. We'll just see how well they bring it all together.

The conference is going to be much improved overall, but there's no runaway pick right now in mind.

[Xuperman]

Well, Coach Steele has plenty to motivate with from both of these polls. There are a combined 10 different “experts” and only TWO of the 10 picks X higher than 4th! No one here seems to consider the impact our core 4 will have based on their experience and productivity from last year.

Here’s what we know, the core 4 are among the top 17 returning scorers in the BE. Four teams have 2 of the 17 and the other five teams have 1. X ALSO features THREE of the top 10 returning assist men and do very well in returning rebounders. Not to mention minutes played out the wazoo (experience). So, STATISTICALLY we have clear separation on offense from the rest of the conference among RETURNING players but there are several key newcomers that will change this dynamic (Yurtseven, McEwan, Pipkins etc.) and some high potential freshman. However, X has those bases covered as well as anyone!

Now if the stifling Defense we saw late last year continues, and there’s no reason to think it won’t, I have a hard time understanding how we’re not picked at the top by some of these people. I guess the Nova/GQJ lovefest is just too much to overcome but hey, this pre-season prognostication means very little...other than some excellent bulletin board material for Coach and CHIPS for everyone’s shoulders!!

[bleedXblue]

Guys,

We were 19-16 last year and lost some key players? I'm fine with where we are. Nova and SH deserve the top 2 spots IMHO.

I do think that if we stay healthy we will be right there. Tough conference this year with a ton of quality teams and depth. Top 5 will go to the dance.

[XUGRAD80]

I honestly believe that it’s not a slight of X as much as it is an acknowledgment of how good some of the other squads may be. Still, I like Xavier’s chances to finish ahead of any of the other teams. I do believe that there is potential to correct the deficiencies that we saw last year and to make Xavier a very tough team to beat.

[JTG]

I think the only thing missing is a proven 3 pt shooter. If we had that, or if these guys provide better 3pt shooting, I'd say we are a tossup with Nova. Our dreadful 3 pt shooting is the reason we are picked 4th by media pundits.

[xukeith]

Nonconference should go better this year with lots of talent returning. I see 5-6 NCAA bids. Maybe 7 if get a lucky bounce here or there.

XU's biggest concern this year is consistent contribution from bench and 3 point shooting. I assume rebounding will be good and defense will be strong.
Need Moore, Tandy, Bishop, Scruggs and Marshall to knock down an average of 35%. Oh and no more than 12 turnovers. X will play faster and attack more often. Attacking might lead to balls stripped or sloppy deflected passes. Hope teh defense carries X to a top 3 conference finish.
If X ' s defense was so strong last year (I agree) then why play fast? Walk it up and hold teams down to 50 points and win like the last 8 games.
Yes, X has more players but fast play reminds me of Prosser teams and that was not fun.

[stammina0721]

Who cares about preseason ink? Just saying X always does better with no Target on our back

[xudash]

Who cares about preseason ink? Just saying X always does better with no Target on our back

This reads like a "sneaking up on people" comment.

[xukeith]

This reads like a "sneaking up on people" comment.

barf. It is sooo A10-ish.

[X-band '01]

There are more or less three tiers of the Big East this season. Villanova and Seton Hall at the top, Butler/DePaul/St. John's at the bottom and a pretty big cluster in the middle.

[bleedXblue]

SH and their supporting cast of players are going to need to step up this year if they want a BE title. Obviously Powell is really good, but I think they need more from others before they can knock off us or Nova.