It’s Shootout time!

[XUGRAD80]

Enough with the prelims. It’s time to get to the Main Event of the pre-conference schedule. It time to tame the kittens! Let the Crosstown Beatdown commence!

[paulxu]

I'm more than ready for the Skykyline Chili Crosstown Shootout.
But what I really am ready for is some structured offense.

I see us pass the ball around the key, with the defense giving us a lot of wide open 3's. (Carter was a 34% shooter last year, so I hope 0-6 is an anomaly...especially in his own gym.)
I see guys come out for the high screen and try to pick and roll.
I see guys crashing the lane, sometimes (except maybe Marshall) with less than stellar results. (although if you are kicking out to 20% 3 shooters maybe that's understandable.)

What I don't see are many "offensive" play calls with multiple screens, back door cuts, and the team moving to create opportunities.
So use to watching Mike Young coach this sort of team for years it is frustrating to not see some of that from us.
I assume Steele has those tricks in his bag, and maybe my eyes are old and I just don't see it...but it just doesn't look right.

Hope we come out blazing on Saturday.
(and none of this addresses our continued sloppy passing/TO's. (Yes we held it to 10 against GB; but a ratio of less than 1 for your PG is still not good)

[Xville]

When you have guys that cant consistently make a 3 shooting a 3, the lane is completely packed in. You cant have backdoors, or crashing the lane when its packed in so tightly. Did you see how far off greenbay was playing? Every team is going to do that until we start making threes and there is nothing really schematically that Steele can do to circumvent this, until the lanes open up.

[muskiefan82]

Did anyone else think it was odd that Green Bay put on token pressure and then immediately backed off? They seemed to have the horses to run a full press, but they never tried. I think they could have forced several turnovers if they had actually kept pressing X

[paulxu]

Did anyone else think it was odd that Green Bay put on token pressure and then immediately backed off? They seemed to have the horses to run a full press, but they never tried. I think they could have forced several turnovers if they had actually kept pressing X

I should go look at the tape, but my impression was they applied token pressure, then backed up towards the basket once we picked up our dribble.
Daring us to shoot the 3.

[surfxu]

OK... here we go. Enough with the tune ups, it's time to tighten the laces and get going. We've been playing cat and mouse this entire season. Hiding our true offensive weapons, only to bring them out when it counts. Throw away any game tape prior to this, the true Xavier is about to be unleashed. The first game in the post Yellow Toothed Gnome era tips off at 5:00 EST 12/7. The uc mouth breathing fan base will be glued to Luke Fickell's second to last game as a uc football coach, with delusions of a New Years day game dancing through their heads, only to be stomped on by some tigers. With tears in their eyes they will turn the channel only to find further dismay as the Musketeers are running rough shod in an offensive and defensive onslaught never seen before. Walk ons will start the second half as a show of mercy by the benevolent Coach Steele. XU is about to unleash wave after wave of double digit scorers while racking up kills numbering in the dozens. The narrative has been written by the basketball Gods. Let the fury commence, for it is time for the Crosstown Shootout once again. On Xavier!

[scoscox]

When you have guys that cant consistently make a 3 shooting a 3, the lane is completely packed in. You cant have backdoors, or crashing the lane when its packed in so tightly. Did you see how far off greenbay was playing? Every team is going to do that until we start making threes and there is nothing really schematically that Steele can do to circumvent this, until the lanes open up.

kyky should help and i don't think we're gonna shoot that poorly normally. moore, carter, freemantle and james combined to go 0-12. on the bright side, naji, q, and paul shot 6-16. kyky went 2-5 and that's only gonna get better once he gets his rhythm back. honestly i saw a lot of reasons to be optimistic with how we played on offense.

[Xville]

kyky should help and i don't think we're gonna shoot that poorly normally. moore, carter, freemantle and james combined to go 0-12. on the bright side, naji, q, and paul shot 6-16. kyky went 2-5 and that's only gonna get better once he gets his rhythm back. honestly i saw a lot of reasons to be optimistic with how we played on offense.

Agreed...I think it is slowly starting to get better, and that will open up the scheme. It is going to be very hard to keep kyky off the floor. He is just what this team needs right now.

[xubrew]

I don't like saying this, but has the Shootout sort of....yunno....lost something??

It used to get people as amped up as an NCAA Tournament game. Sometimes it even seemed like it was even bigger than that. At times I was annoyed because it seemed like winning The Shootout was enough, and that if we continued to have a bad season after we won it then it was okay because at least we won The Shootout. I don't know if it was actually that way or not, but that seemed to be how it felt.

Now, it seems as if people are mostly aware that we are playing Cincinnati on Saturday, but are no more amped up for it than they are for any other game. That, and it kind of sucks that it starts when it does. The first Saturday of December is a date on the college sports calendar that is already so stuffed full with showcase football and basketball games, that a game like the Shootout kind of gets lost in the shuffle. If it were the following week, or even on a weeknight, the spotlight on the game would probably be a lot brighter. There were multiple years where the game was the lead story on SportsCenter and (at least for a day) at the top of the list of pretty much all college sports consciousness. That will NEVER be the case if the game is played on the first Saturday in December.

Is the game even making waves in Cincinnati? Or is it kind of having to share the stage with the AAC Championship game? It seems to me that it's hard to feel the full rivalry experience of a game when half of one of the team's fanbase is focused on something else.

But anyway, BEAT UC!

[drudy23]

I feel sorry for the people that pick UC football over this annual feudal match of entertainment goodness. There's no better game in Cincinnati every year. I could also care less what other people think.

Escalate the hate.

And tell Brannen to get some sleep - dude looks like a zombie.

[nuts4xu]

Escalate the hate.



This....

It is time to ESCALATE THE HATE!!

I hate that fucking team, their fucking mascot, their fucking campus riddled with gangs, whores, and horse punching fuckers. Pete Gillen once said to our team, speaking about UC... "I hate them, they are motherfuckers!"

If agreeing with Pete Fucking Gillen is wrong, I don't want to be right!! We are better in every way and I hope we pummel the ever loving shit out of those assholes on Saturday.

Everyone associated with their program can eat a 30 gallon bag of filled with veiny, purple, throbbing headed dicks!!

[Final4]

Hoping a little better competition will force Travis to stop dicking around and put the right players on the floor in the right positions. Tandy, Moore, Scruggs, Naji and Jones need to be on the floor, together, for extended minutes. Freemantle needs more minutes even if that means he is in with Jones. Carter, Q and Bishop need to have their minutes "managed" much more judiciously.

[xudash]

OK... here we go. Enough with the tune ups, it's time to tighten the laces and get going. We've been playing cat and mouse this entire season. Hiding our true offensive weapons, only to bring them out when it counts. Throw away any game tape prior to this, the true Xavier is about to be unleashed. The first game in the post Yellow Toothed Gnome era tips off at 5:00 EST 12/7. The uc mouth breathing fan base will be glued to Luke Fickell's second to last game as a uc football coach, with delusions of a New Years day game dancing through their heads, only to be stomped on by some tigers. With tears in their eyes they will turn the channel only to find further dismay as the Musketeers are running rough shod in an offensive and defensive onslaught never seen before. Walk ons will start the second half as a show of mercy by the benevolent Coach Steele. XU is about to unleash wave after wave of double digit scorers while racking up kills numbering in the dozens. The narrative has been written by the basketball Gods. Let the fury commence, for it is time for the Crosstown Shootout once again. On Xavier!

This needs no additional commentary, except for "Go X!".

[xcellentx]

I'm more than ready for the Skykyline Chili Crosstown Shootout.
But what I really am ready for is some structured offense.

I see us pass the ball around the key, with the defense giving us a lot of wide open 3's. (Carter was a 34% shooter last year, so I hope 0-6 is an anomaly...especially in his own gym.)
I see guys come out for the high screen and try to pick and roll.
I see guys crashing the lane, sometimes (except maybe Marshall) with less than stellar results. (although if you are kicking out to 20% 3 shooters maybe that's understandable.)

What I don't see are many "offensive" play calls with multiple screens, back door cuts, and the team moving to create opportunities.
So use to watching Mike Young coach this sort of team for years it is frustrating to not see some of that from us.
I assume Steele has those tricks in his bag, and maybe my eyes are old and I just don't see it...but it just doesn't look right.

Hope we come out blazing on Saturday.
(and none of this addresses our continued sloppy passing/TO's. (Yes we held it to 10 against GB; but a ratio of less than 1 for your PG is still not good)

I agree that the offense can look frustrating at times, but even with all our issues we are still a top 50 offense on Kenpom, so Steele is doing something right.

[atljar]

I don't like saying this, but has the Shootout sort of....yunno....lost something??


Lost Huggins. Easy to hate. Lost YTG. Easy to hate. Ask me to name someone else on UC? Cumberland. No real negative feelings come up there and now hes on the injured/not practicing list. Ask me to name another...... and I couldnt. I dont know how to hate an unknown entity.

Someone needs to throw some shade. We got bodybags that need filled! Lets zip em up

[AviatorX]

When you have guys that cant consistently make a 3 shooting a 3, the lane is completely packed in. You cant have backdoors, or crashing the lane when its packed in so tightly. Did you see how far off greenbay was playing? Every team is going to do that until we start making threes and there is nothing really schematically that Steele can do to circumvent this, until the lanes open up.

Exactly.

Or, and work with me here, did Travis Steele, architect of the most potent offense in school history a mere 2 seasons ago, simply forget how to structure an offense?

[AviatorX]

I agree that the offense can look frustrating at times, but even with all our issues we are still a top 50 offense on Kenpom, so Steele is doing something right.

Also this.

People are talking about the offense like it's ranked as low as last year's defense (which finished a horrendous 102nd on KenPom even with the bump down the stretch). No one is saying X has a great offense, but let's live in reality at least.

[noteggs]

Exactly.

Or, and work with me here, did Travis Steele, architect of the most potent offense in school history a mere 2 seasons ago, simply forget how to structure an offense?

Yes...yes he did because that’s what happens when you move over one seat. LOL

[X-band '01]

This....

It is time to ESCALATE THE HATE!!

I hate that fucking team, their fucking mascot, their fucking campus riddled with gangs, whores, and horse punching fuckers. Pete Gillen once said to our team, speaking about UC... "I hate them, they are motherfuckers!"

If agreeing with Pete Fucking Gillen is wrong, I don't want to be right!! We are better in every way and I hope we pummel the ever loving shit out of those assholes on Saturday.

Everyone associated with their program can eat a 30 gallon bag of filled with veiny, purple, throbbing headed dicks!!

Now it is Shootout time. Always brings a chuckle to hear college basketball's Joker go down this path.

Please tell me that was the year Gillen and Huggins were having a Skyline/Gold Star argument after the game.

[xeus]

I'm more than ready for the Skykyline Chili Crosstown Shootout.

That's awesome.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I don't like saying this, but has the Shootout sort of....yunno....lost something??



Wait did PDoc come to xavierhoops for his annual "the shootout lost its luster" column??

[nuts4xu]

Now it is Shootout time. Always brings a chuckle to hear college basketball's Joker go down this path.

Please tell me that was the year Gillen and Huggins were having a Skyline/Gold Star argument after the game.

It was that same game, as a matter of fact!

[xubrew]

Wait did PDoc come to xavierhoops for his annual "the shootout lost its luster" column??

Not sure who PDoc is, but there was a time when there were multiple active UC threads in the middle of the summer. The game is the day after tomorrow, and the Green Bay game thread is still getting more activity than this loan Shootout thread, and that was a buy game that was played yesterday. It does seem to have a little less luster than it once did.

[scoscox]

Not sure who PDoc is, but there was a time when there were multiple active UC threads in the middle of the summer. The game is the day after tomorrow, and the Green Bay game thread is still getting more activity than this loan Shootout thread, and that was a buy game that was played yesterday. It does seem to have a little less luster than it once did.

PDoc = Paul Daughtery

[scoscox]

Not sure who PDoc is, but there was a time when there were multiple active UC threads in the middle of the summer. The game is the day after tomorrow, and the Green Bay game thread is still getting more activity than this loan Shootout thread, and that was a buy game that was played yesterday. It does seem to have a little less luster than it once did.

it's lost something in that UC isn't very good

[scoscox]

imo it has never totally been the same since huggins left. none of cronin's teams were ever really nationally relevant and their fan base never really fully supported him either

[XUGRAD80]

I think it’s lost some of its luster because X has gotten so much better that beating UC isn’t that big of a deal. It’s now X that plays in a big time conference and UC that plays in a lesser one. It’s X that is getting the top recruits and UC is getting unknowns. The fact that UC football is somewhat relevant on the national scale means that they don’t hang their hat only on BB anymore. The fact that X has been the top dog in town for awhile might really bother many UC supporters, but the fact is that there is nothing they can do about it.......And of course, there is the fact that the coaches have changed.

[JTG]

it's lost something in that UC isn't very good

Not so fast my friend. It's always an "anything can happen game". The big difference this year is for the first time, in a long time, UC doesn't have an obnoxious asshole for a coach.

[bjf123]

Not so fast my friend. It's always an "anything can happen game". The big difference this year is for the first time, in a long time, UC doesn't have an obnoxious asshole for a coach.

^^^This^^^ In the post game show Wednesday, Steele was asked about the Shootout and said that the best team doesn’t always win that game.

He’s definitely right about that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[D-West & PO-Z]

I'm not going to pretend that it hasnt changed some, especially with Huggins leaving and now Cronin being gone. Some of the pre game hate/buzz may be less at times but I challenge anyone to attend the game at either building and tell me the Shootout has lost its luster. The buzz in the building before during and after is always one of the best sports atmospheres around.

[Lloyd Braun]

I don’t think it’s been the same ever since since the “Trumpslide!!!” thread was closed.

[XUGRAD80]

I'm not going to pretend that it hasnt changed some, especially with Huggins leaving and now Cronin being gone. Some of the pre game hate/buzz may be less at times but I challenge anyone to attend the game at either building and tell me the Shootout has lost its luster. The buzz in the building before during and after is always one of the best sports atmospheres around.

Agreed....may not have the pre and post game hype and buzz that it has had sometimes in the past, but when it’s game time that all changes.

[surfxu]

I think also that the forums of the venom spewing has changed and so unless your really into the Twitters and Instagrams then maybe you don't see it as much. Used to be the newspapers and the sports talk shows would be where fans could express their support etc. There's still a fair bit of flaming going on within Twitter though and I don't get on there that much. A bunch of little brother talk by uc fans and a bunch of uc flames out in the tournament every year to a lower seeded team and is now a mid-major by Xavier fans.
Not mentioned in this tread is that Cumberland may be out for this tilt. Don't think it's a secret that Brannen and Cumberland have clashed so far this year, so maybe this is more of a game of chicken between the two, who knows. But if he's out then that's a pretty big void to back fill on a very thin roster, Sorrolla (back up center) is also out, but I don't know who the F he is anyway. My guess is that if that's the case then Brannen's going to sit Cumberland out. I bet is he's willing to sacrifice the result (even though it's likely a loss for them either way) to change the culture of that program to what he wants "his" teams to be. Cumberland has already sat a game I believe for "not being prepared" for practice which means he's not putting in the effort that Brannen expects of his guys. Most recently Cumberland was out for an ankle injury... which may have been legit, or was it a way for Cumberland to "get back"? Now he's got an undisclosed injury that has him as questionable. IDK. Game play between coaches, game play between Cumberland and Brannen or just a real injury? Either way, Let's Go X!!!!

[drudy23]

What does the tension between Cumberland and Brannen stem from? Does anyone know? They're downplaying it, but it's obviously something.

[atljar]

What does the tension between Cumberland and Brannen stem from? Does anyone know? They're downplaying it, but it's obviously something.

My guess would be it boiling down to who is the boss (and its not tony danza). Prolly some of the same issues we were having last year.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I think also that the forums of the venom spewing has changed and so unless your really into the Twitters and Instagrams then maybe you don't see it as much. Used to be the newspapers and the sports talk shows would be where fans could express their support etc. There's still a fair bit of flaming going on within Twitter though and I don't get on there that much. A bunch of little brother talk by uc fans and a bunch of uc flames out in the tournament every year to a lower seeded team and is now a mid-major by Xavier fans.


This is a good point. Get on twitter and the "luster" is there is spades!

[XUGRAD80]

Cumberland has a hip injury and sat out most of the 2nd half of their last game after injuring it. Was seen icing it on the bench most of the 2nd half. Day to Day, but doubt very much that he misses at least starting this game tomorrow.

[GoMuskies]

I don't know how the game will turn out, but I DO know that I'll be violently drunk by 6pm Central. And that's the most important thing!

[GIMMFD]

I don't know how the game will turn out, but I DO know that I'll be violently drunk by 6pm Central. And that's the most important thing!

Amen, screaming at my TV. The Bearkittens suck, and we're going to roll them. Haven't won at Cintas since 2001, and I don't want that to change tomorrow. Let's fucking go.

[GoMuskies]

Haven't won at Cintas since 2001

Hmm, too bad that wasn't in 2000, because invoking Bill Clinton at this point would be pretty similar to when we started bringing up Jimmy Carter. Granted, we played UD at home almost every year in that stretch, so it's not QUITE the same. But still pretty fun.

[xudash]

It's amazing how the situation has been reversed for this year.

I hope Cumberland is a basketcase. I hope our defensive pressure just chokes them to death. I have a feeling our 3's will begin dropping in at a much better clip starting tomorrow.

[usfldan]

Shootout Tradition:

BEFORE: Should we even play it any more? The game has lost its luster. Nobody talks about it and there isn't enough animosity.

AFTER: Should we even play it any more? It's too emotional and takes too much focus away from the games around it.

[mid major]

Shootout Tradition:

BEFORE: Should we even play it any more? The game has lost its luster. Nobody talks about it and there isn't enough animosity.

AFTER: Should we even play it any more? It's too emotional and takes too much focus away from the games around it.

PDoc, is that you? It sure sounds like you.

[Nigel Tufnel]

What does the tension between Cumberland and Brannen stem from? Does anyone know? They're downplaying it, but it's obviously something.

From what I've heard, Jarron doesn't like Brannen. I've also heard he's not friends with anyone on the team, barely talks to them and doesn't hang out with them...and that includes his cousin.

This part is me speculating...maybe he regrets the decision to not go overseas and be making 6 figures right now and is just unhappy.

And to paraphrase Larry David, "my source is pretty, pretty, prettttttttty good."

[scoscox]

Not so fast my friend. It's always an "anything can happen game". The big difference this year is for the first time, in a long time, UC doesn't have an obnoxious asshole for a coach.

no doubt. i'm not taking this game lightly at all. in fact i'm very worried, but that doesn't change that UC isn't very good.

there is also the factor that xavier plays a much better schedule now and plays probably 8-10 regular season games a year as big or bigger than UC

[MADXSTER]

I go to god-damn church every fking Sunday but the shootout brings out the fking demons in me

[scoscox]

From what I've heard, Jarron doesn't like Brannen. I've also heard he's not friends with anyone on the team, barely talks to them and doesn't hang out with them...and that includes his cousin.

This part is me speculating...maybe he regrets the decision to not go overseas and be making 6 figures right now and is just unhappy.

And to paraphrase Larry David, "my source is pretty, pretty, prettttttttty good."

i said it before, but cronin's system was perfect for jarron. brannen's is not

[xukeith]

What about golden boy "top 50 " recruit Zach Harvey?

His stock must have dropped but he gets maybe 5-8 minutes of PT.

[OTRMUSKIE]

Remember when the coverage use to be a week long? There was a luncheon on mid week. All of this has changed because of Nancy zimpher. That lady took the fun out of everything!!!! Does skyline still sell the basketballs? I have a few of them in my parents basement.

[xukeith]

Remember when the coverage use to be a week long? There was a luncheon on mid week. All of this has changed because of Nancy zimpher. That lady took the fun out of everything!!!! Does skyline still sell the basketballs? I have a few of them in my parents basement.
I believe playing the Shootout in December or November hurts with people splitting time to football/ high school, pro or college.
I remember it used to be played on last Wednesday of January. It being now on ESPN or Fox and no longer on WCPO or Fox 19 forces the game to a not so peak time competing with football.

I blame Huggs and Skip plus each AD for trying to calm it down so play it not interfering with conference season.
Last night I watched the 1990 game on Facebook. The fans and players were so hyped (drunk?). The Gardens was 3 times as loud as Cintas.

[Xville]

I think it's pretty simple. Up until X joined the Big East, UC was the biggest game on the schedule every year and combine that with the fact that Huggins UC teams were generally really damn good, it made for something relevant on the national stage.

It's not relevant on the national stage anymore...no one outside cincinnati cares, mainly because uc isnt relevant.

[xubrew]

I believe playing the Shootout in December or November hurts with people splitting time to football/ high school, pro or college.
I remember it used to be played on last Wednesday of January. It being now on ESPN or Fox and no longer on WCPO or Fox 19 forces the game to a not so peak time competing with football.

I blame Huggs and Skip plus each AD for trying to calm it down so play it not interfering with conference season.
Last night I watched the 1990 game on Facebook. The fans and players were so hyped (drunk?). The Gardens was 3 times as loud as Cintas.

When I first started following Xavier the game was always in November or December. Lenny Brown's shot was in November. The classic 1999-2000 game against Kenyon Martin's team was in December. I know ESPN moved it a few times so it would line up with Rivalry Week, but I always thought that more often than not it was played prior to conference play. After looking it up, though, I see that you're right. It was almost always later in the year prior to the A10 era.

Moving it may have had SOMETHING to do with it, but it was still pretty heated when it was in November and December. I think playing it ON THIS DAY in December is kind of a bad call, but if it were say...Monday, or next week, or sometime last week, or on virtually any day other than this one the national spotlight would at least be a little brighter.

[bjf123]

Remember when the coverage use to be a week long? There was a luncheon on mid week. All of this has changed because of Nancy zimpher. That lady took the fun out of everything!!!! Does skyline still sell the basketballs? I have a few of them in my parents basement.

Skyline does still sell the basketballs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[drudy23]

Who cares about the national spotlight. We know what we have here.

[tacopizza885]

Does skyline still sell the basketballs? I have a few of them in my parents basement.

Skyline does still sell the basketballs.

For those looking for holiday gifts: My "neighborhood" Skyline was sold out of basketballs, but was quick to track some down for me. Picked up two. It seems that quite a few "Shootout" balls were sent way north of the city to various locations, and didn't sell as well (imagine that). If you are still looking, Skyline was very helpful, just ask.