Time to move on

[OTRMUSKIE]

I think we have all seen enough. It's time to move on from Steele. The guy just is clueless. Why on earth would you let your team keep jacking up 3's when they are 2-19? No offense is ran, defense is atrocious and it's been this way for over 3 years. This season is a win win for X fans. We do great, well we do great. If we suck, we get rid of Steele. Win win for all of us. Now the question becomes who does X get as coach? I'm going Lexus all day long. Buick's are pretty nice these days. I'm sure X can give him one of those. If it's good enough for Shaq it's good enough for anyone.

[XUOWNSUC]

I disagree - it’s not a win win for fans. My greatest fear is that Travis makes the NCAA tournament, loses in the first round, and then Xavier promptly rewards him with a 5 year extension for a job well done. You know it’s going to happen.

[OTRMUSKIE]

That would not be a great year. A great year would be winning games in the tournament. Making the dance is what VD strives for not Xavier. X needs to win at least one game and they need to make the dance convincingly. No first 4 or last 4 in. I need at least a 7 seed. Just quit Steele. Go have babies with your wife and go live a nice little life. But please stay out of ours. YOU SIR SUCK at your job.

[CP05XU08CU13]

Totally agree. Xavier looked like garbage tonight against a team that was horrendous last year and will probably finish towards the bottom of their conference. It would be incredible if Xavier could someday reach the heights of a program like Gonzaga, but Steele will never get them there. Promoting from within works until doesn’t. It worked for Xavier for a long time, but it’s time to look elsewhere. A finish less than third in the conference would be a major disappointment this year. Marquette and Seton Hall have looked surprisingly good early on. It’s going to be a tough season unless the team can come together and get motivated. I am not sure if Steele can motivate these guys.

[XUOWNSUC]

That would not be a great year. A great year would be winning games in the tournament. Making the dance is what VD strives for not Xavier. X needs to win at least one game and they need to make the dance convincingly. No first 4 or last 4 in. I need at least a 7 seed. Just quit Steele. Go have babies with your wife and go live a nice little life. But please stay out of ours. YOU SIR SUCK at your job.

I agree - that would not be a great year. Sadly, I think the higher ups at Xavier do think that it would be a great year.

Seriously though - does anybody here really believe that Travis can take this program to a Final Four?

[X Factor]

Just nine teams have finished in the top 20 of KenPom each of the last two years. The fact that one of those nine is BYU, in Pope’s first two years as coach, speaks volumes about how elite at the job he is. That stat becomes even more impressive when you consider that BYU lost its top three scorers from the 2019–20 team heading into 2020–21. Pope is a skilled tactician (especially on offense) and a savvy recruiter who has brought in some highly regarded talent to Provo. After getting a look for the Arizona job this spring, expect some of the bigger brands in the sport to have Pope on their wish list should their jobs open ... though Pope’s Mormon faith might keep him in Provo for the long haul.

Mark Pope at BYU.

[XUBob]

Without saying all of on this board support the program and the University. We all want Travis to succeed, but, at some point the three plus years of inconsistent and poor play has to fall on the coach. As I’ve stated many times I would have hired him too. Unfortunately I think he might fall into the Dick LeBeau, Bruce Coslet territory. They all knew the game but for some reason couldn’t get their teams to produce. The Muskies are making the same mistakes four years running, that’s on the coach. We seem to lack discipline and focus especially on the road. I hope I’m totally wrong, I realize this is one game in a long season, but it looks like deja vu all over again.

[drudy23]

Seriously though - does any here really believe that Travis can take this program to a Final Four?

No.

[SM#24]

Pope is soon the be a Power conference coach when BYU goes to Big 12.

[xucub]

Nunge is 2 for 10 from 3 point range this year (20%). Hunter is 2 for 20 from 3 point range this year (10%). Yet both these guys routinely line up behind the 3 point line and appear to have a solid green light to shoot the 3. Who set up the offense? Who is giving the green light?

Again, for the 4th year, undisciplined offense, a defense that is only good at allowing opponents to get to the rim. Low basketball IQ, no energy. Low basketball IQ (felt that was worth repeating). We average 15 turnovers per game, and that is a very consistent numberr, not swayed by one or two bad games.

I almost hope we do not get to the dance so that there is no way steele comes back. And give Greg Christopher the boot as well.

[markchal]

I agree - that would not be a great year. Sadly, I think the higher ups at Xavier do think that it would be a great year.

Seriously though - does anybody here really believe that Travis can take this program to a Final Four?

I am not even sure he can take the most experienced team he’ll ever have to the first round. Bring back Mack

[RoseyMuskie]

The best thing Travis has going as a coach is the cancellation of the 19-20 Tournament. Let that sink in.

[XUBison]

Without saying all of on this board support the program and the University. We all want Travis to succeed, but, at some point the three plus years of inconsistent and poor play has to fall on the coach. As I’ve stated many times I would have hired him too. Unfortunately I think he might fall into the Dick LeBeau, Bruce Coslet territory. They all knew the game but for some reason couldn’t get their teams to produce. The Muskies are making the same mistakes four years running, that’s on the coach. We seem to lack discipline and focus especially on the road. I hope I’m totally wrong, I realize this is one game in a long season, but it looks like deja vu all over again.

I’ll tell you what, I’ve been much more disappointed by X losses. Tonight’s game seemed predictable and just ticked me off. I want Xavier to succeed. I don’t care about Steele, or Chris Mack, or whomever. I don’t know these people, except that each is another in a long line of glorified gym teachers. I want someone who will properly lead the marketing identity that made my alma mater a national brand. Please come back Sean, or even Thad at this point.

Chris Mack can stay the fudge away. I own that douche bag’s 2012 Sweet-16 ring, the season of the brawl and superhero Tu’s final season. I bought it from an online auction, but not from him. The focker had already previously unloaded it. I bought it just so it would not fall into the wrong hands. He is dead to me, ring be damned. These multi-millionaire crackpots can win games or get lost.

[XUBison]

Nunge is 2 for 10 from 3 point range this year (20%). Hunter is 2 for 20 from 3 point range this year (10%). Yet both these guys routinely line up behind the 3 point line and appear to have a solid green light to shoot the 3. Who set up the offense? Who is giving the green light?


That’s 30 attempts between the two of them, through 5 games. This almost makes me physically sick to my stomach. So tired of this new-agey game where most of these coaches (glorified gym teachers) have no clue how to actually digest analytics. I’m sorry, if you boil this great game down to layups and 3-pointers, you are an absolute idiot. It’s as if there are no complicating factors, such as game situation and player skill set/strengths. Oh, and there’s this little thing called opposition defense, where the opposing coaches scheme against you, and the talented opposition players execute those schemes. This means you have to take what the defense gives, and guess what? Everyone knows every other glorified gym teacher is trying to get their team to make layups and 3-pointers nowadays. Frankly, it’s what teams have always tried to defend against. This is what made MJ, Kobe, and Lebron so great— their ability to score from anywhere on the court, at any time, because they took what the defense gave them. Often,that meant they were scoring from the mid-range.

[xavierj]

I am not even sure he can take the most experienced team he’ll ever have to the first round. Bring back Mack

Screw Mack he sucks too. Now I would take back Sean Miller. At least his teams played with some toughness and his teams were playing with talent they got in the A10. He would recruit very well and have tough guys in the Big East.

[Xuperman]

You guys are hammering Steele pretty good here, but am I the only one pointing directly at Paul Scruggs for this debacle? What the hell is wrong with this guy! He definitely has a reputation for disappearing in games throughout his career, but this one takes the cake. How is it possible that a guy LOADED with experience and physical attributes, go full blown Casper the Ghost? 1-14??? ZERO FT attempts? ONE rebound? 5 turnovers? PLUS his guy pinned a 30 spot on him......GTFO, an absolute embarrassment.

Coaches coach and leaders lead. Steele coached a fine 1st half....not good enough. Scruggs sleep walks the entire game.....inexcusable!

[drudy23]

One thing is consistent - 3.5 years of some consistent "what in the hell is going on with this team" - something we've never had to consistently concern ourselves with.

Sure, all teams play like crap every once in a while. But when will this program, under Steele, ever get over the hump he's been trying to get over for 4 years now? I've seen enough to think this is who we are.

[Xville]

You guys are hammering Steele pretty good here, but am I the only one pointing directly at Paul Scruggs for this debacle? What the hell is wrong with this guy! He definitely has a reputation for disappearing in games throughout his career, but this one takes the cake. How is it possible that a guy LOADED with experience and physical attributes, go full blown Casper the Ghost? 1-14??? ZERO FT attempts? ONE rebound? 5 turnovers? PLUS his guy pinned a 30 spot on him......GTFO, an absolute embarrassment.

Coaches coach and leaders lead. Steele coached a fine 1st half....not good enough. Scruggs sleep walks the entire game.....inexcusable!

Oh I agree. Paul, Nate and Steele should all share blame in this loss..they were all complete crap. Steele fourth year coaching, Paul and Nate 5th year seniors and this is what that group comes up with?

I thought Steele had turned a corner in the Ohio state in which the strategy was clear from the tip…pound the paint, aggressive d…then last night, it is back to the same old Steele coached team of the past three years. I’m so effing sick of seeing Steele stick with his guys no matter how they are playing..three plus years of this bullshit of not adjusting lineups based on needs within the game and how players are performing. It’s effing insanity. It will be interesting to see the response tomorrow.

[bleedXblue]

I've seen enough. This is the same coach today that we promoted and gave the job to 4 years ago. I see almost no ability to tactically make adjustments and get this team through games like last night.

Keep in mind that was a first year coach, with almost a completely new roster.

[bleedXblue]

Oh I agree. Paul, Nate and Steele should all share blame in this loss..they were all complete crap. Steele fourth year coaching, Paul and Nate 5th year seniors and this is what that group comes up with?

I thought Steele had turned a corner in the Ohio state in which the strategy was clear from the tip…pound the paint, aggressive d…then last night, it is back to the same old Steele coached team of the past three years. I’m so effing sick of seeing Steele stick with his guys no matter how they are playing..three plus years of this bullshit of not adjusting lineups based on needs within the game and how players are performing. It’s effing insanity. It will be interesting to see the response tomorrow.

Its not just lineup adjustments.....its tactical changes too. Little to no defensive adjustments and it was clear ISU strategy was to disrupt our offensive flow by not allowing our perimeter players much room to move at all. They were all over the ball. We reverted to our dribble, hold onto the ball mentality instead of the great ball movement we saw the last two games.

[94GRAD]

You guys are hammering Steele pretty good here, but am I the only one pointing directly at Paul Scruggs for this debacle? What the hell is wrong with this guy! He definitely has a reputation for disappearing in games throughout his career, but this one takes the cake. How is it possible that a guy LOADED with experience and physical attributes, go full blown Casper the Ghost? 1-14??? ZERO FT attempts? ONE rebound? 5 turnovers? PLUS his guy pinned a 30 spot on him......GTFO, an absolute embarrassment.

Coaches coach and leaders lead. Steele coached a fine 1st half....not good enough. Scruggs sleep walks the entire game.....inexcusable!

This is the clown take of the season so far. I want to see you play after taking a punch to the twig and berries like he did at the 10min mark in the first half. With the short bench, he showed extreme toughness gutting it out the rest of the game. When they showed him come out with a minute left, he still looked blurry-eyed.

[Backyard Champ]

This is the clown take of the season so far. I want to see you play after taking a punch to the twig and berries like he did at the 10min mark in the first half. With the short bench, he showed extreme toughness gutting it out the rest of the game. When they showed him come out with a minute left, he still looked blurry-eyed.

Maybe a bit overboard.. but he’s not wrong. Scruggs played horribly when we needed him. Colby was much more calm and collected with the ball. Scruggs has a ton of experience- he should be able to take control against a team like that.

[xavbball]

We’ve given Steele enough time to learn from his mistakes and adjust. The problem is Steele is too stubborn and keeps his same ways. He has 11 players who are juniors or seniors and I think last night was a premonition that it’s going to be another struggle to make the tournament. If he can’t win now with this team, it’s time to move on.

If Steele can’t turn things around, then in my opinion, Sean Miller makes the most sense. We have one of his former assistants and a former player on the bench already. That should help with player retention (assuming one or both stay on) so it isn’t so much of a rebuilding process. I have no doubt Miller would get us back to playing Xavier basketball. He’s proven that he’s a capable coach. We can go with a rising mid-major coach but it’s going to be a gamble like with the Steele hire. This program needs to get back on track fast or being a sub .500 BE team is going to be our new identity.

[XUGRAD80]

If Steele can’t turn things around, then in my opinion, Sean Miller makes the most sense. We have one of his former assistants and a former player on the bench already. That should help with player retention (assuming one or both stay on) so it isn’t so much of a rebuilding process. I have no doubt Miller would get us back to playing Xavier basketball. He’s proven that he’s a capable coach. We can go with a rising mid-major coach but it’s going to be a gamble like with the Steele hire. This program needs to get back on track fast or being a sub .500 BE team is going to be our new identity.

When he was hired by X I made it a point to call the AD and give congratulations on making a great hire. I thought he was a great coach at X.

However….after what went down at Arizona while he was there, I hope that X stays as far away from him as they can.

[bleedXblue]

When he was hired by X I made it a point to call the AD and give congratulations on making a great hire. I thought he was a great coach at X.

However….after what went down at Arizona while he was there, I hope that X stays as far away from him as they can.

It goes on in almost every program in the country......

Hell look at Kelvim Sampson and Bruce Pearl. Both have top 20 programs now.

Id take Sean back yesterday and the day before. Guy can coach.

[Xuperman]

This is the clown take of the season so far. I want to see you play after taking a punch to the twig and berries like he did at the 10min mark in the first half. With the short bench, he showed extreme toughness gutting it out the rest of the game. When they showed him come out with a minute left, he still looked blurry-eyed.

Couldn't watch the game but listened to most. Had no knowledge of the nut sack trauma. Not buying that excuse. If he was hampered to the point that produced a miserable stat line like that, he had no business being out there....let alone for 30+ minutes. Of course, one can blast away at Steele for allowing it!

You got to go with Odom, Johnson, Jones exclusively if he was in that much pain, no?

Besides, Paul Scruggs has to be the most wildly inconsistent stat guy for X in decades...maybe ever. The most perplexing thing about Paul's career is his inability to get to the line. With his size, athleticism and experience, it is baffling how often he has games with zero attempts.....literally avoids contact instinctively.

[kxblue]

Couldn't watch the game but listened to most. Had no knowledge of the nut sack trauma. Not buying that excuse. If he was hampered to the point that produced a miserable stat line like that, he had no business being out there....let alone for 30+ minutes. Of course, one can blast away at Steele for allowing it!

You got to go with Odom, Johnson, Jones exclusively if he was in that much pain, no?

Besides, Paul Scruggs has to be the most wildly inconsistent stat guy for X in decades...maybe ever. The most perplexing thing about Paul's career is his inability to get to the line. With his size, athleticism and experience, it is baffling how often he has games with zero attempts.....literally avoids contact instinctively.

This team has zero chance of making the tournament without Scruggs playing 30mins a game. He had an awful game.

Hunter hasn’t made a 3 in a couple weeks and took 4 transition 3s in a 5 min block. Steele never even thought to replace him with Miles.

I feel bad for Paul, he’s had an amazing season up to this point. He had one awful game. He won’t have made the tournament his last four years here if we don’t get in this year.

One guy gets paid to make decisions, one guy doesn’t. We can bash Carter, Hunter, Scruggs (which is absurd frankly). It’s their job to do what the coach tells them, and if they aren’t doing it, they should be on the bench. Given they never find the bench, we have to assume they are doing what Steele wants them to do.

Again, if David West had low basketball iq (he def does not), he prob would have shot 5 3s per game for Steele. Jones is amazing Bc he is probably one of the smartest players we have had in a while. That’s in spite of Steele, not because of it.

So blame Scruggs, the guy who has won many games for Xavier in his career. Give the guy who gets paid to make decisions a free pass

[xuphan]

This team has zero chance of making the tournament without Scruggs playing 30mins a game. He had an awful game.

Hunter hasn’t made a 3 in a couple weeks and took 4 transition 3s in a 5 min block. Steele never even thought to replace him with Miles.

I feel bad for Paul, he’s had an amazing season up to this point. He had one awful game. He won’t have made the tournament his last four years here if we don’t get in this year.

One guy gets paid to make decisions, one guy doesn’t. We can bash Carter, Hunter, Scruggs (which is absurd frankly). It’s their job to do what the coach tells them, and if they aren’t doing it, they should be on the bench. Given they never find the bench, we have to assume they are doing what Steele wants them to do.

Again, if David West had low basketball iq (he def does not), he prob would have shot 5 3s per game for Steele. Jones is amazing Bc he is probably one of the smartest players we have had in a while. That’s in spite of Steele, not because of it.

So blame Scruggs, the guy who has won many games for Xavier in his career. Give the guy who gets paid to make decisions a free pass

Can someone explain Xavier’s offense under Steele? Is it a version of Bo Ryan’s swing offense or 5 out 0 in? I haven’t been able to watch every game but it seems like every player is expected to shoot 3s and we take a lot of them. Why is Nunge and Edwards taking 3s? Where is our low post games when we can’t make 3s? I am currently not Steele out but can someone please help me understand our offense because I am lost.

[xudash]

This team has zero chance of making the tournament without Scruggs playing 30mins a game. He had an awful game.

Hunter hasn’t made a 3 in a couple weeks and took 4 transition 3s in a 5 min block. Steele never even thought to replace him with Miles.

I feel bad for Paul, he’s had an amazing season up to this point. He had one awful game. He won’t have made the tournament his last four years here if we don’t get in this year.

One guy gets paid to make decisions, one guy doesn’t. We can bash Carter, Hunter, Scruggs (which is absurd frankly). It’s their job to do what the coach tells them, and if they aren’t doing it, they should be on the bench. Given they never find the bench, we have to assume they are doing what Steele wants them to do.

Again, if David West had low basketball iq (he def does not), he prob would have shot 5 3s per game for Steele. Jones is amazing Bc he is probably one of the smartest players we have had in a while. That’s in spite of Steele, not because of it.

So blame Scruggs, the guy who has won many games for Xavier in his career. Give the guy who gets paid to make decisions a free pass

I agree with this. Your specific point about not showing HUNTER the bench after too many missed three attempts is spot on. That is unfortunately it in a microcosm.

Tomorrow may be so telling it isn’t even funny. Will they show up with defensive intensity? Will they drive the ball? Will it look like the Ohio State game or the Niagara game?

How they show up is on the coach, IMO.

[xudash]

Pitino just beat Bama.

[drudy23]

Can someone explain Xavier’s offense under Steele?

"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"

- Jay Wright, probably

[Blue Blooded-05]

Xavier is 67th in the nation in 3 point attempts per game.

Xavier is 324th in the nation in 3 point percentage.

[XUGRAD80]

It goes on in almost every program in the country......

Hell look at Kelvim Sampson and Bruce Pearl. Both have top 20 programs now.

Id take Sean back yesterday and the day before. Guy can coach.

If it takes giving up on the principles the University is built upon to become a top 20 program….is it worth it?

Personally, I don’t think so. I’ll be just fine if X never makes a final 4 or wins a national championship. Sure, I’d LOVE to see them make it there, but them doing so won’t make one bit of difference in my life. Not in any real meaningful way. And if they did make it there, and then went on probation because of how they made it there, it would make it all less satisfying. I’m not stupid or blind, I know that cheating goes on, but that doesn’t mean that I want X to go down that road. If he didn’t cheat, he at least allowed it to happen under watch. I don’t buy the idea that others did it and he just didn’t know about it, either. Sure he can coach, I said that in my post. He’s a great basketball coach. But that’s not enough. The head coach needs to be a person of character and honesty too. I don’t think that Sean can any longer pass that test.

[boozehound]

Xavier is 67th in the nation in 3 point attempts per game.

Xavier is 324th in the nation in 3 point percentage.

It’s Deja Vu all over again with this team. They are ‘supposed to’ be a good 3 point shooting team, yet they are one of the worst in NCAA. Again. This coaching staff sucks. It’s hard to watch these games and believe that they are getting the best out of these kids.

[Xavier]

If it takes giving up on the principles the University is built upon to become a top 20 program….is it worth it?

I’m not stupid or blind, I know that cheating goes on.

Hate to break it to you, but Xavier (and every D1 program consistently in NCAA/NIT conversation) Is cheating. Maybe now that they can get paid for image and likeness it may not be as bad….but I doubt it changes much.

[bjf123]

Xavier is 324th in the nation in 3 point percentage.

How many D1 schools are there?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[paulxu]

358.

[xudash]

Serious question, relating to this cheating thing: do we believe that Nova and Gonzaga cheat at a material level?

Cheating is rampant without question, but is it everywhere? And is it necessary in order to compete at the highest level?

[XUGRAD80]

Hate to break it to you, but Xavier (and every D1 program consistently in NCAA/NIT conversation) Is cheating. Maybe now that they can get paid for image and likeness it may not be as bad….but I doubt it changes much.

So, are you saying that X should just say screw it, let’s not worry about following the rules? Let’s just go out and buy the best players we can? All that matters is that we win the BE, make the tourney, and compete for a NC, we don’t care how we do it? Let’s go out and hire a coach that we know has cheated in the past. I mean everyone else is doing it, why shouldn’t we? We owe it to the Xavierhoops members to just become better cheaters, right? Screw principles, just win baby!

Sorry people but I don’t believe that X wants any part of that. Neither do I. It’s just not worth it. Nothing is.

[Xavier]

Serious question, relating to this cheating thing: do we believe that Nova and Gonzaga cheat at a material level?

Cheating is rampant without question, but is it everywhere? And is it necessary in order to compete at the highest level?

Yes, they do. There was a time I could believe Cal cheated his way to Kentucky and at that point didn’t need To anymore. Playing and for cal essentially was a ticket to the NBA so no need to cheat. Could it be that way for Gonzaga? Nova? Sure. But I don’t think that’s the case anymore- all teams cheat.

I also don’t care too much, It’s not obvious. If you think a top 75 program is clean- you are lying to yourself. I even thought I remember low level mid major teams were paying for kids to commit. I wouldn’t be surprised at high level D2 teams either. I think the NCAA exists to make it appear teams are following rules

[paulxu]

Maybe the NIL rules save schools some money then. The car dealer will make the direct payment.

[XUGRAD80]

Yes, they do. There was a time I could believe Cal cheated his way to Kentucky and at that point didn’t need To anymore. Playing and for cal essentially was a ticket to the NBA so no need to cheat. Could it be that way for Gonzaga? Nova? Sure. But I don’t think that’s the case anymore- all teams cheat.

I also don’t care too much, It’s not obvious. If you think a top 75 program is clean- you are lying to yourself. I even thought I remember low level mid major teams were paying for kids to commit. I wouldn’t be surprised at high level D2 teams either. I think the NCAA exists to make it appear teams are following rules


And you of course have proof of this, right? Otherwise it’s just your belief and nothing more. You’re making some really serious accusations against a lot of people here….administrators, coaches, players, parents….virtually everyone in any way associated with college basketball. You’re even indirectly pointing the figure at high school coaches, because I’ll guarantee you that if there is money exchanging hands the HS coaches will hear about it. You are basing this on what? Some stories that you’ve read about some cheating that has gone on? Some opinions that others have espoused? Or do you have personal firsthand knowledge of this happening to someone you know? What really gets me about these type of blanket statements is that you are basically accusing each and every student athlete of being dirty. Of either profiting directly, or at the very least staying quiet about the cheating they see going on. In addition, by calling for the hiring of someone that is a known cheater of the highest level, you are condoning it! “Everyone is doing it”, so X needs to step up their game and do more of it too? Is X winning basketball games that important to you that you want to see them cheat to do so? I seriously hope that is not the case, but for some of the people here I really wonder if that’s really not where they are at. Far be it for me to lecture anyone on virtue and ethics, Lord knows that I’ve made my fair share of mistakes and more. But if it means that much to anyone that they will condone cheating, I’d suggest getting a different hobby. Go play more golf, everyone i know cheats on the golf course. :lmao: Me included.

[Xville]

And you of course have proof of this, right? Otherwise it’s just your belief and nothing more. You’re making some really serious accusations against a lot of people here….administrators, coaches, players, parents….virtually everyone in any way associated with college basketball. You’re even indirectly pointing the figure at high school coaches, because I’ll guarantee you that if there is money exchanging hands the HS coaches will hear about it. You are basing this on what? Some stories that you’ve read about some cheating that has gone on? Some opinions that others have espoused? Or do you have personal firsthand knowledge of this happening to someone you know? What really gets me about these type of blanket statements is that you are basically accusing each and every student athlete of being dirty. Of either profiting directly, or at the very least staying quiet about the cheating they see going on. In addition, by calling for the hiring of someone that is a known cheater of the highest level, you are condoning it! “Everyone is doing it”, so X needs to step up their game and do more of it too? Is X winning basketball games that important to you that you want to see them cheat to do so? I seriously hope that is not the case, but for some of the people here I really wonder if that’s really not where they are at. Far be it for me to lecture anyone on virtue and ethics, Lord knows that I’ve made my fair share of mistakes and more. But if it means that much to anyone that they will condone cheating, I’d suggest getting a different hobby. Go play more golf, everyone i know cheats on the golf course. :lmao: Me included.

Not that I condone it nor do I have first hand knowledge that it goes on everywhere but when you see low level schools get busted for cheating, it’s kind of a stretch to believe that not everyone is doing it..major schools are just better hiding it, or at least some of them are.

I’ll just say I have heard plenty of stories from a few former players and people with knowledge of the situation from schools in ky and Ohio…not to the level of what was going on at Louisville, but still not clean. I just find it hard to believe that all these kids aren’t getting something at this level of basketball.

[XUGRAD80]

I think that there is a difference between "cheating" and "breaking some rules". For example.....the coach at UC got in some trouble for paying the co-pay for a player to see a mental health professional. Is that cheating? Or is it he broke a (stupid) rule? I'd contend that while both are wrong, he wasn't really "cheating" to get a competitive advantage. Technically, as an alumnus of Xavier it would be against the rules for me to buy any current student-athlete, or a HS student that is being actively recruited by Xavier, as much as a coke. Even if they were known to me all of their lives and were family friends. Yet I did exactly that thing for a friend mine after I had graduated, and while he was a scholarship athlete at X. We didn't know any better at the time. The NCAA has a lot of stupid rules like that, and I have no doubt that many are broken on a daily basis. But I don't look at something like that as cheating. I've seen coaches reach into their own pockets to buy a poor kid some clothes, or gas money for their car so that they could get home on a break. I've no doubt that things like that go on almost everywhere, probably even at the lowest level of NCAA schools. But there is a clear difference (to me) between doing things like that (which are against NCAA regs) and sending thousands of dollars to agents to have kids steered to your school. Virtually every high-level school has a person or an office whose sole job is to make sure that they are following NCAA regulations, Xavier included. Administrators, coaches, staff, players, etc. all go through education on what is and is not within the rules of the NCAA. Even then, rules do get broken. Often it is a case of interpretation of the rules being a different matter of opinion, or of a rule not being known by either a coach or a student-athlete. But Arizona, with Miller being the Head Coach bearing the responsibility, went far beyond just misinterpreting some rules, or trying to help out a player in a moment of need. Xavier needs to stay away from him and anyone that was a part of the whole mess there, or anywhere else where that type of thing went on.

[Jumpin_Jamal_Forever]

Xavier needs to stay away from him and anyone that was a part of the whole mess there, or anywhere else where that type of thing went on.

Yes. Engaging in shady conduct or activity just because "everybody else is doing it" isn't a compelling argument.

As my Mom used to say............"so if everybody is jumping off a cliff, you're going to go jump off a cliff too?"

[xukeith]

Who? What? When? Where? and How?

All else is hot air. Move on.

[GIMMFD]

Think it depends on what people consider cheating to be honest. Are stipends for food on holiday tournaments, that the players eat meals with the team so get to pocket a few hundred dollars and spend it on whatever considered cheating (this happens at WVU, I have a friend who played there)?? Is supplying players with new shoes, a playstation or something of that nature considered cheating (this happens even at Miami of Ohio, where I had another friend who played there recently), or are we just talking about straight up paying players only cash?

The former happens at every single school, the latter may not be as much. I consider the former "stretching the rules" which I believe every single school does, the latter, I don't think happens at every school.

[BandAid]

Something involving cash? I don't care.
Texting players during a silent period? Also meh.
Slimy things such as drugs, prostitution, sexual abuse, etc? Don't want that in the program.

[XUGRAD80]

Well now, I wonder what some people have to say about moving on after that VT game? I’m no Steele apologist by any means, but I do think that we need to wait and see how the season plays out before making any decisions.

[boozehound]

Well now, I wonder what some people have to say about moving on after that VT game? I’m no Steele apologist by any means, but I do think that we need to wait and see how the season plays out before making any decisions.

That game really didn’t change my opinion of Steele at all. He should be coaching for his job this season, and I’m not sure if just making the NCAA tournament (which is far from a given) should be enough.

[Backyard Champ]

Quite frankly: I think most people feel the same after watching that game. We came away with a win, but we were very lucky to do so.

Watching that offense/team felt no different than watching it most games. The fact that we were missing several players and the offense felt similar, is a huge problem. Not being noticeably different sounds good, unless you’ve actually watched our team over the last several years. In fact, that offense would be understandable if we were missing key players, but it felt very much the same as if they were playing.

[xukeith]

X is playing with 4 starters out.

Steele and assistants just coached a gigantic win vs. a VT team that is above average, while X has been struggling.
Props to Steele

[boozehound]

Quite frankly: I think most people feel the same after watching that game. We came away with a win, but we were very lucky to do so.

Watching that offense/team felt no different than watching it most games. The fact that we were missing several players and the offense felt similar, is a huge problem. Not being noticeably different sounds good, unless you’ve actually watched our team over the last several years. In fact, that offense would be understandable if we were missing key players, but it felt very much the same as if they were playing.

That’s a good point. There was no real ‘offense’ to speak of, either. Nate Johnson just got really hot and scored half our points. Which is kind of what I feel our offense relies on with Steele. When that happens it works fine. If multiple guys get hot from 3 it looks really good, but that doesn’t tend to happen. If nobody gets hot from 3, we lose.

[XUGRAD80]

That game really didn’t change my opinion of Steele at all. He should be coaching for his job this season and I’m not sure if just making the NCAA tournament (which is far from a given) should be enough.

My point exactly…..this season…..not on a game by game basis. If people hated him after X lost its one game it’s lost this season, then they should have some love for him after they win. Especially as they were underdogs in the VT game. And oh by the way, ISU is currently beating #9 Memphis with 4 minutes left in the first half. Perhaps ISU isn’t as bad as some thought?

[xu82]

That’s a good point. There was no real ‘offense’ to speak of, either. Nate Johnson just got really hot and scored half our points. Which is kind of what I feel our offense relies on with Steele. When that happens it works fine. If multiple guys get hot from 3 it looks really good, but that doesn’t tend to happen. If nobody gets hot from 3, we lose.

We had a fun Thanksgiving conversation yesterday with our son. His HS coach was an ignorant bully and a jackass. Following his senior year of football our son showed up at soccer practice rather than return as point guard. I wasn’t happy with HOW he did it (the hoops coach expected him back), but I had no complaints with his choice. Did I mention he was a jackass? I’d sit one row behind the bench at times, because if he wanted to grab MY kids jersey and yank him around like Bobby Knight, we would have words, at the very least.

So, the year after our son leaves the coach wins Coach of the Year and is bragging about how “we built the program, and it took the kids a few years to buy into what we were teaching.” He never mentioned that they had a kid on scholarship who went on to play in the NBA. The guys who can win with less are the real coaches.

[bjf123]

X is playing with 4 starters out.

Steele and assistants just coached a gigantic win vs. a VT team that is above average, while X has been struggling.
Props to Steele

^^^This^^^


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Xville]

A win is a win. He will be judged at the end of the season…with that said, I want the offense that we saw against Ohio state back.

[xudash]

X is playing with 4 starters out.

Steele and assistants just coached a gigantic win vs. a VT team that is above average, while X has been struggling.
Props to Steele

This. Squared.

Iowa State is clubbing Memphis to death: 51 to 38 with 11 minutes remaining.

[xudash]

So, what is worse than a clubbing. 66 to 47 with about five minutes left. I am sorry that we lost, but it definitely was not a bad loss. Iowa State is a good, well coached team.

[Xavier]

Yep, at least it won’t be a resume blemish the way we thought it could. If you told me X went 2-1 vs OSU/ISU/VT I think the wins over VT/OSU will be much more valuable than a win over ISU. I’ll take it- and just keep battling until free comes back

[XUBison]

This is the clown take of the season so far. I want to see you play after taking a punch to the twig and berries like he did at the 10min mark in the first half. With the short bench, he showed extreme toughness gutting it out the rest of the game. When they showed him come out with a minute left, he still looked blurry-eyed.

I’m sorry, but did his balls explode? Suck some wind for a few minutes, and move on with life. Give me a break.

[noteggs]

ISU beats number 9 Memphis by 19. Yes Steele beat VT without 4 starting players or rotational. Boy does he suck…fire his ass!

Glad this thread was started so quickly.

[xu82]

ISU beats number 9 Memphis by 19. Yes Steele beat VT without 4 starting players or rotational. Boy does he suck…fire his ass!

Glad this thread was started so quickly.

That is just how OTR rolls. Tiresome and predictable, but it is what it is. Any decent program is tracking who the best next candidates are. Regardless of if a guy flames out or gets hit by a bus, you have your list which just keeps evolving.

[Xavier]

Just to be clear OTR starts the same thread after every loss basically, somewhat sarcastically about the overreacting from game to game

[xu82]

Just to be clear OTR starts the same thread after every loss basically, somewhat sarcastically about the overreacting from game to game

I don’t think it can be “somewhat sarcastically” when you do it over and over. All while complaining in other posts. No, it’s just pure whining.

I’m not sure where we go on the coaching front or how to fix this season, I’ll wait for this season to play out while keeping our eyes wide open.

[noteggs]

Just to be clear OTR starts the same thread after every loss basically, somewhat sarcastically about the overreacting from game to game

Hmmm….

As I tell my staff, sounds productive.

[Xavier]

I don’t think it can be “somewhat sarcastically” when you do it over and over. All while complaining in other posts. No, it’s just pure whining.

I’m not sure where we go on the coaching front or how to fix this season, I’ll wait for this season to play out while keeping our eyes wide open.

I thought i remember him posting after a big win last year how xavier found their coach and calling out the haters

[kxblue]

Defending Steele after last night is as absurd as saying he should be fired after Iowa St. x shot 45% from 3 yesterday thanks to Johnson. Johnson might average 40% this season but that means that Hunter, Nunge, prob Kunkel need to defer all 3s to Johnson.

Yesterday was out of necessity and Johnson stepped up. Why didn’t Hunter stop shooting and defer to Johnson vs ISU? That could have changed the game script and is at least in part coaching.

This team has the right pieces and we all really hope it comes together. When X makes 3s they win. When they don’t, they lose. It’s the offense Steele runs. But it requires Steele to have the right players shooting and I’m not sure we get to see it.

I’m sure everyone here wants Xavier to win, otherwise we all waste a lot of time talking about Xavier.

[bjf123]

Just to be clear OTR starts the same thread after every loss basically, somewhat sarcastically about the overreacting from game to game

An overreaction on a fan board? I’m shocked, shocked I say!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Smails]

. When X makes 3s they win. When they don’t, they lose. It’s the offense Steele runs. .

Xavier shot 20% from 3 against Ohio state and Kent State...both were wins.

[paulxu]

Kunkel made the one falling away 3 to win a game, and he must think that is his shot.
I don't think it is. Much better when he takes them with a little space, in the flow of the offense (such as it might be) gets his feet set facing the basket, and lets fly. Hope he does that shot, not the other one, more often.

[bleedXblue]

That’s a good point. There was no real ‘offense’ to speak of, either. Nate Johnson just got really hot and scored half our points. Which is kind of what I feel our offense relies on with Steele. When that happens it works fine. If multiple guys get hot from 3 it looks really good, but that doesn’t tend to happen. If nobody gets hot from 3, we lose.

This times 1000 percent.

I honestly have no idea what Steele spends his time on during practice. Last night (especially in the 2nd half) reverted to the old pass the ball along the top of the defensive perimeter for 25 seconds and then scramble to take a contested shot. I think we had 7 second half baskets.

Yes we won and we will all take the W. I give Steele credit for keeping the guys together when we could have easily folded. His offensive scheme is no different than 3 years ago. Nate Johnson bailed us out last night.

[drudy23]

Our offense has always been dependent on making perimeter shots. For every Ohio State type game, there are 5 "I hope we shoot well enough to win" games.

It's not a recipe for consistency, and that bears out in the results and frustration.

I honestly thought the gameplan was decent last night, we shot a little over 20 threes and the right guys were shooting them. Ben Stanley should be added to the list of guys that shouldn't shoot 3's.

Nate always has the green light, as does KyKy, who are our best shooters. Paul and Colby can take some good ones. Kunkel can in rythmn, but he can be too quick to pull the trigger on a bad shot. He has the green light on good looks, but be more patient.

[xudash]

“There were IV fluids, heads heaving in trash cans, and uncertainty leading up to game time as to who would be available for Xavier when the Musketeers met Virginia Tech at the Barclays Center on Friday in the NIT Season Tip-Off, but when it was over, Steele stood near the tunnel that led back to the locker room and congratulated each one of his players following a 59-58 win that was decided in the closing seconds.“

Missing players. The players that played were wounded. Coming off a loss; first of the season.

Some of you guys are expecting some form of “precision” offense under these circumstances. Sure.

If I recall reading about it correctly, we went inside to Nunge something like 9 times. He simply didn’t convert at a higher percentage, though he played a strong game overall.

And all these conversations are coming ex-Freemantle to boot.

I really want to see what this team looks like with Freemantle back in the mix at 100%. That will show us a lot; show us what we need to know about Steele’s coaching prowess.

One last thing: Steele has them united as a team. Television shots of the bench and Kunkel coming out to embrace KyKy tells me what I need to know about that.

[Xuperman]

I think we have all seen enough. It's time to move on from Steele. The guy just is clueless. Why on earth would you let your team keep jacking up 3's when they are 2-19? No offense is ran, defense is atrocious and it's been this way for over 3 years. This season is a win win for X fans. We do great, well we do great. If we suck, we get rid of Steele. Win win for all of us.

Hey OTR (and the other known nay sayers), enlighten us more please. 12-2. Anxiously awaiting.

[JEHARDI]

Anyone see Ohio State- Indiana? Do any of these guys know how to coach.

Clearly, there are many fans who missed their calling. College basketball would be much better in general if coaches were mining these boards for all of the free knowledge/expertise that is shared…

[OTRMUSKIE]

I do believe Xavier was 11-2 last year at one point. And let's see 3 years and zero tournament appearances. Now he has a team filled with 25 year olds and honestly he coached one good game and that was against a mediocre Butler team. This team is winning in spite of Travis. Now that's not to say Steele won't turn it around. It took Jay W a few years to become a HOFer. I'm rooting hard for Steele to succeed but to try and call me out after a 12-2 start means Jack Sht. The guy still needs to make the dance and win a game. If he doesn't time to move on.

[xuphan]

Hey OTR (and the other known nay sayers), enlighten us more please. 12-2. Anxiously awaiting.

Let’s let the season play out first. We are talking about a coach who hasn’t made the NCAA tournament in his 4 years as coach. Hopefully Steele and his team will change that this year and can become one of the best teams in the country.

[Xville]

People need to turn on this seton hall UConn game and understand those are the teams x needs to beat, not just butler who sucks.

Calling out other fans for what they say after three years of frustration and experiencing something x hadn’t seen since the early 80s is lame as hell.

[Xavier]

This team is winning in spite of Travis..

Can you give some examples of that this year? I don’t see that at all. I think he still has to prove himself this year but have seen a lot of great steps. Rotations are better, time out usage is smarter, throwing in different defenses at right times and the overall depth is great. He has Built a well rounded team.I’ve seen a lot better things.

Where are you seeing the team winning in spite of Steele

[xukeith]

Let’s let the season play out first. We are talking about a coach who hasn’t made the NCAA tournament in his 4 years as coach. Hopefully Steele and his team will change that this year and can become one of the best teams in the country.

It hasn't been a complete 4 years yet. It has been 3 years and only two of these years were there an opportunity to make the NCAA tourney.

Based on this year only, it appears that Steele has grown as a coach. Adjustments are made and although not perfect, the number of awful shots has decreased.

[JEHARDI]

Can you give some examples of that this year? I don’t see that at all. I think he still has to prove himself this year but have seen a lot of great steps. Rotations are better, time out usage is smarter, throwing in different defenses at right times and the overall depth is great. He has Built a well rounded team.I’ve seen a lot better things.

Where are you seeing the team winning in spite of Steele

Don’t waste your time trying to makes sense of ignorance.

[Xavier]

Don’t waste your time trying to makes sense of ignorance.

Crickets from OTR. Shocking.

[Xuperman]

to try and call me out after a 12-2 start means Jack Sht. The guy still needs to make the dance and win a game. If he doesn't time to move on.

The style in which one participates on a board like this should be noted. Some choose to be steadfast optimists. Much easier to celebrate the "highs" with dignity, while remaining respectful when things go wrong.

On the flip, there are some very vocal posters here that go the negative route. Which is really just text book "hedging" so they can have it both ways...."Coach Steele sucks but I hope I'm wrong" is a prime example. Doesn't that style make it hard to celebrate victories with any character?

There is this regular at my local pub who is a huge Bengals "fan". Has been pissing and moaning about them to the point of embarrassment for years, including the 1st 14 games this year. Now, after Burrow/Chase nuked the team records in the last two, he's Happy Jack with a permanent shitty grin, whoopin' and hollerin' like a fool.

If Happy Jack is your style, it is what it is.......highly likely you will be called out for it.

[Xuperman]

Just quit Steele. Go have babies with your wife and go live a nice little life. But please stay out of ours. YOU SIR SUCK at your job.


I'm rooting hard for Steele to succeed.

Keep rooting hard.

[XUGRAD80]

In addition…..

There are those that I call “but” people. Such as, “they shot great BUT they had to many turnovers. If they do that against (pick a team) they have no chance of winning”. Said after a 15-20 point win.

No matter how well a team plays, they always bring up something that could have been improved upon. They can always do that because no win will ever be perfect. You can’t really argue with the “but” people, because X will never play a perfect game and there will always be something to criticize about their play. However, neither will their opponents. What really kills me though is the 2nd part, where they are absolutely certain that if X doesn’t correct a deficiency that they have absolutely no chance of winning in the future. Yet somehow X continues to win many more games then they lose. Have they played as well as they can on a consistent basis? I’d say no. But I know that they will never play a perfect game, let alone a series of them, and I can accept and live with that. I don’t expect them to be perfect. All they need to do is be better than the opponent. If they do that every game it will be a “perfect” season. That’s good enough for me.

[xuwillie]

Nunge is 2 for 10 from 3 point range this year (20%). Hunter is 2 for 20 from 3 point range this year (10%). Yet both these guys routinely line up behind the 3 point line and appear to have a solid green light to shoot the 3. Who set up the offense? Who is giving the green light?

Again, for the 4th year, undisciplined offense, a defense that is only good at allowing opponents to get to the rim. Low basketball IQ, no energy. Low basketball IQ (felt that was worth repeating). We average 15 turnovers per game, and that is a very consistent numberr, not swayed by one or two bad games.

I almost hope we do not get to the dance so that there is no way steele comes back. And give Greg Christopher the boot as well.

This team started 11-2 the last two years as well. Seems a little premature to call out the fans that think Steele may not be the right guy for the job.

[Xville]

The style in which one participates on a board like this should be noted. Some choose to be steadfast optimists. Much easier to celebrate the "highs" with dignity, while remaining respectful when things go wrong.

On the flip, there are some very vocal posters here that go the negative route. Which is really just text book "hedging" so they can have it both ways...."Coach Steele sucks but I hope I'm wrong" is a prime example. Doesn't that style make it hard to celebrate victories with any character?

There is this regular at my local pub who is a huge Bengals "fan". Has been pissing and moaning about them to the point of embarrassment for years, including the 1st 14 games this year. Now, after Burrow/Chase nuked the team records in the last two, he's Happy Jack with a permanent shitty grin, whoopin' and hollerin' like a fool.

If Happy Jack is your style, it is what it is.......highly likely you will be called out for it.

Love when “fans” tell other fans how to be a fan. You think you are doing some kind of service, but instead you are just being the same asshole you accuse other fans of being.

With that said, Steele had a mediocre first three years, so to begrudge anyone for how they feel about his coaching ability at this point is a joke. There are some indications that he has improved upon in a numbers of areas such as lineup management, roster construction, so in game adjustments…I hope that it continues against the upper tier of the league and I’m cautiously optimistic. Just a little fyi, unless they are trolls, all of us want the same thing for the xavier basketball team. just because they may fan different than you, doesn’t make them any less of a fan.

[xukeith]

This team started 11-2 the last two years as well. Seems a little premature to call out the fans that think Steele may not be the right guy for the job.

Only 7 teams have less losses than X right now.
Last year's team started 11-2 with only one win against a kenpom top 50 opponent(#25 at the time Oklahoma) and 2 losses vs. two teams with an average rating of 38.

So far this season, X has 12-2 record with one top 25 kenpom win (OSU) one top 30 win (VT), one road top 45 win (Ok St) and and a BE win over Marquette (kenpom #51).

This seasons two losses(VU 5 and ISU 38) average a 22 kenpom ranking.

Completely apples and oranges comparison with significantly better accomplishments in this 1/3 of a season.

Choosing to not buy in for this team's top 25 resume and success so far says an absolute ton about negative nellies.

Last year after the 11-2 start, X was not as praised nor talented. Nunge and Hunter are upgrades.
Negative nellies know this and expect X to lose at least 8-10 games and not make the NCAA tourney.

This X program is better looking on paper this year than usual winners Syracuse, Florida St, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Memphis, Maryland, Florida, Stanford, Oregon, Washington, and St. Mary's.
Can you imagine how miserable some people would be if they had been superfans of these school at this time?
We all want X to go undefeated. No loss is enjoyed.
Give credit where credit is due.
Negative nellies know this and expect X to lose at least 8-10 games and not make the NCAA tourney.

Yes anything could happen. X likely will not lose every game here on out.
Barring any covid shutdowns and cancellations, X probably will win at least 8-9 more BE games for a minimum regular season record of 10-6 or 11-7
Winning feels good. Enjoy it.
Current NET ranking : 17
RPI : 11
Kenpom:20
bartrating: 12
AP poll 22
USA Today Poll:24

[Xville]

Last year's team started 11-2 with only one win against a kenpom top 50 opponent and 2 losses vs. two teams with an average rating of 38.

So far this season, X has 12-2 record with one top 25 kenpom win (OSU) one top 30 win (VT), one road top 30 win (Ok St) and and a BE win over Marquette (kenpom #51).

This seasons two losses(VU 5 and ISU 38) average 22 ken pom ranking.

Completely apples and oranges comparison with significantly better accomplishments in this 1/3 of a season.

Choosing to not buy in for this team's top 25 resume and proven success so far says an absolute ton about negative nellies.

Last year after the 11-2 start, X was not as praised and talented.
Negative nellies know this and expect X to lose at least 8-10 games and not make the NCAA tourney.
Irrational and based on fear.

Im sure if and when the team beats some of the upper tier of the big East this year, most if not all will be bought in. We shall see what happens. Im excited for the game Wednesday to see how the team responds..Villanova seems to have righted their ship the last couple of weeks.

[xu82]

Love when “fans” tell other fans how to be a fan. You think you are doing some kind of service, but instead you are just being the same asshole you accuse other fans of being.

With that said, Steele had a mediocre first three years, so to begrudge anyone for how they feel about his coaching ability at this point is a joke. There are some indications that he has improved upon in a numbers of areas such as lineup management, roster construction, so in game adjustments…I hope that it continues against the upper tier of the league and I’m cautiously optimistic. Just a little fyi, unless they are trolls, all of us want the same thing for the xavier basketball team. just because they may fan different than you, doesn’t make them any less of a fan.

You keep saying this. Do you see any irony there?

[Xavier]

No matter how well a team plays, they always bring up something that could have been improved upon. They can always do that because no win will ever be perfect. You can’t really argue with the “but” people, because X will never play a perfect game and there will always be something to criticize about their play. However, neither will their opponents. .

I sure hope the coaches are “but” people too. Always looking for ways to improve.

Kidding aside I get your point. But for me, I don’t do it as a way that is disappointed and down about the play- I do it more as seeing the potential. Example- butler game. Just casually watching I’m happy with the performance, overall it was great and couldn’t ask for much more out of the layoff. BUT I see Freemantle continue to struggle on D, and some unnecessary decisions from Scruggs. Stuff that didn’t hurt the team this game but it could in the future. If they improve on that, the potential of this team is even greater. It gives hope like “damn we played great if this was a little better I could see us really competing with anyone”

(*just some examples, I’m not expecting much improvement from Free on defense)

[Xville]

I sure hope the coaches are “but” people too. Always looking for ways to improve.

Kidding aside I get your point. But for me, I don’t do it as a way that is disappointed and down about the play- I do it more as seeing the potential. Example- butler game. Just casually watching I’m happy with the performance, overall it was great and couldn’t ask for much more out of the layoff. BUT I see Freemantle continue to struggle on D, and some unnecessary decisions from Scruggs. Stuff that didn’t hurt the team this game but it could in the future. If they improve on that, the potential of this team is even greater. It gives hope like “damn we played great if this was a little better I could see us really competing with anyone”

(*just some examples, I’m not expecting much improvement from Free on defense)

This +1.

[XUGRAD80]

I sure hope the coaches are “but” people too. Always looking for ways to improve.

Kidding aside I get your point. But for me, I don’t do it as a way that is disappointed and down about the play- I do it more as seeing the potential. Example- butler game. Just casually watching I’m happy with the performance, overall it was great and couldn’t ask for much more out of the layoff. BUT I see Freemantle continue to struggle on D, and some unnecessary decisions from Scruggs. Stuff that didn’t hurt the team this game but it could in the future. If they improve on that, the potential of this team is even greater. It gives hope like “damn we played great if this was a little better I could see us really competing with anyone”

(*just some examples, I’m not expecting much improvement from Free on defense)

Hey I get that, I really do. We always want our teams and players to play the best that they absolutely can. My comment was somewhat an attempt at light humor. To show the two extremes….those that never see any problems and those that see nothing but the problems. The truth is somewhere in the middle. There’s always going to be room for improvement, but it is still important to acknowledge the good and to reinforce it with positive reinforcement. At least that’s how I have always coached.

[Xuperman]

You keep saying this. Do you see any irony there?

YES!! Man you are spot on.
He always uses that phrase when confronted with his fan STYLE....classic Hedgeman.

[Xville]

YES!! Man you are spot on.
He always uses that phrase when confronted with his fan STYLE....classic Hedgeman.

Maybe I’ll just start posting old comments from you every time kunkel or other players you’ve pumped up has a bad game since you think the opposite is so effective and worthwhile to the discussion. Even after a win, you are frankly just being an asshole.

Apologies that there are some here that don’t have rainbows flying up their butt considering the results of the past three years and are cautious in their praises. There is a lot of scar tissue. I’m Heavily invested in my school as an alum in both dollars, travel and time spent so if you want to choose to be an asshole to other fans, that’s your prerogative but just know that’s what you are being.

[xuphan]

Maybe I’ll just start posting old comments from you every time kunkel or other players you’ve pumped up has a bad game since you think the opposite is so effective and worthwhile to the discussion. Even after a win, you are frankly just being an asshole.

Apologies that there are some here that don’t have rainbows flying up their butt considering the results of the past three years and are cautious in their praises. There is a lot of scar tissue. I’m Heavily invested in my school as an alum in both dollars, travel and time spent so if you want to choose to be an asshole to other fans, that’s your prerogative but just know that’s what you are being.

I don’t see what the issue some people have on here about waiting until the end of this season to see if Steele is the right guy for the job and gets us back to the NCAA tournament. Something he hasn’t don’t yet which Xavier traditionally does on a regular basis. While this season so far has been positive, the way Steele couldn’t coach out the second half of the Villanova game when the players needed him was disappointing. Hopefully we don’t struggle like we did last year in the big east and we can make the NCAA tournament again. Something we all have waiting to long to see.

[94GRAD]

I don’t see what the issue some people have on here about waiting until the end of this season to see if Steele is the right guy for the job and gets us back to the NCAA tournament. Something he hasn’t don’t yet which Xavier traditionally does on a regular basis. While this season so far has been positive, the way Steele couldn’t coach out the second half of the Villanova game when the players needed him was disappointing. Hopefully we don’t struggle like we did last year in the big east and we can make the NCAA tournament again. Something we all have waiting to long to see.

It still boggles my mind that Travis ran the "Don't make a 3-pointer" and "turn the ball over the first 4 possessions" offense in the second half. That was a terrible adjustment!

[xukeith]

I am rethinking that VU-X game and start of 2nd half.
Scruggs wants to win. Johnson wants to win. Were they rushing shots? Was Scruggs not being purposeful with his passes? What caused Scruggs to get rattled by VU's guards?

X may not play a first half as well as they did in Philly. Nor as poor as the second half either.

With the emphasis in practice on not turning the ball over during past 17 days, offense had cleaner looks but will VU guard X differently with better talent and experience?

Everybody in Cintas will know Wednesday what VU will do to X by hedging and running players faster in the lane to expose Freemantle. Butler did it effectively. X shot exceptionally well vs Butler which ran out of offense.

Kunkel likely will not be electric Wednesday. Who allows that non coverage again?

[xuphan]

It still boggles my mind that Travis ran the "Don't make a 3-pointer" and "turn the ball over the first 4 possessions" offense in the second half. That was a terrible adjustment!

You would think something in Travis’s brain would tell him that maybe we shouldn’t shoot more 3 pointers when we can’t buy one or maybe not try to lob the ball into the post when it isn’t working right? Maybe have the guards attack the basket more as an alternative to chucking up 3s.

[94GRAD]

You would think something in Travis’s brain would tell him that maybe we shouldn’t shoot more 3 pointers when we can’t buy one or maybe not try to lob the ball into the post when it isn’t working right? Maybe have the guards attack the basket more as an alternative to chucking up 3s.

There were six possessions used in the game that involved an entry pass where Villanova was fronting the post and/or tried to bring a help defender. Out of those six plays, Xavier turned it over twice. The 3's they were chucking up were wide open, they can shoot them all day as far as I'm concerned. The second half wasn't a Travis thing, it was a player thing.

[xuphan]

There were six possessions used in the game that involved an entry pass where Villanova was fronting the post and/or tried to bring a help defender. Out of those six plays, Xavier turned it over twice. The 3's they were chucking up were wide open, they can shoot them all day as far as I'm concerned. The second half wasn't a Travis thing, it was a player thing.

Good coaches make adjustments to help their teams win when their teams are struggling. I agree that the players were struggling but Steele has the power to make in game adjustments to help the team pull out the victory. He didn’t and we lost.

[94GRAD]

Good coaches make adjustments to help their teams win when their teams are struggling. I agree that the players were struggling but Steele has the power to make in game adjustments to help the team pull out the victory. He didn’t and we lost.

He ran sets for them that gave them WIDE OPEN shots. The players didn't execute. That's all you can ask for from a coach.

[STL_XUfan]

It still boggles my mind that Travis ran the "Don't make a 3-pointer" and "turn the ball over the first 4 possessions" offense in the second half. That was a terrible adjustment!
He knew Jay Wright would make adjustments to our make shots offense, so wanted to surprise him with something he didn’t expect. Just didn’t work out for us.

[94GRAD]

He knew Jay Wright would make adjustments to our make shots offense, so wanted to surprise him with something he didn’t expect. Just didn’t work out for us.

Sometimes it's snake eyes when you roll the dice

[xuphan]

He ran sets for them that gave them WIDE OPEN shots. The players didn't execute. That's all you can ask for from a coach.

No, when you see your players arenÂ’t making their wide open shots, you try something different. This is the whole live by the 3 or die by the 3 approach. When the 3 point shot isnÂ’t working, you do something else. Steele still has a lot to learn about in game management. However, he should have the talent this year to mask this weakness of his.

[xuphan]

Sometimes it's snake eyes when you roll the dice

Sometimes it’s snake eyes when you roll with Jason Carter right?

[xudash]

No, when you see your players arenÂ’t making their wide open shots, you try something different. This is the whole live by the 3 or die by the 3 approach. When the 3 point shot isnÂ’t working, you do something else. Steele still has a lot to learn about in game management. However, he should have the talent this year to mask this weakness of his.

What would you have run differently?

From what I witnessed, the players didn't execute. The players didn't execute because for some reason they literally lost their moxie. They blew it. It was night and day in terms of what we witnessed from the first half to how the second half opened. You keep taking the position that it was on Travis to make adjustments. I believe he was trying to do that while still allowing them to play somewhat in their developed framework of how they play.

We can pick at this until the proverbial cows come home. If it is reasonable to take a holistic view - some percentage of responsibility falls on the players playing and some on the coach for navigating the game - then, with this game, in particular, it simply isn't reasonable to try to pin all of it on Travis. The players put on too much of a clown show in the second half for that to be reasonable.

Beyond that, now we have a long layoff and a W at an away game (at the zeppelin hangar of all places) to demonstrate that perhaps the machine is working again and well. The players AND the coaching staff made that happen.

I am really looking forward to Wednesday. I see revenge city coming with a full head of steam.

[xuphan]

What would you have run differently?

From what I witnessed, the players didn't execute. The players didn't execute because for some reason they literally lost their moxie. They blew it. It was night and day in terms of what we witnessed from the first half to how the second half opened. You keep taking the position that it was on Travis to make adjustments. I believe he was trying to do that while still allowing them to play somewhat in their developed framework of how they play.

We can pick at this until the proverbial cows come home. If it is reasonable to take a holistic view - some percentage of responsibility falls on the players playing and some on the coach for navigating the game - then, with this game, in particular, it simply isn't reasonable to try to pin all of it on Travis. The players put on too much of a clown show in the second half for that to be reasonable.

Beyond that, now we have a long layoff and a W at an away game (at the zeppelin hangar of all places) to demonstrate that perhaps the machine is working again and well. The players AND the coaching staff made that happen.

I am really looking forward to Wednesday. I see revenge city coming with a full head of steam.

What would I have done differently? At some point midway through the second half, I would have told the boys that the 3s arenÂ’t falling and we need to attack the rim. Maybe run some screen and rolls to take high percentage shots and/or get to the foul line. In my opinion, the coach and the players were both at fault for the loss. As bad as our 3 point shooting was, I still felt Steele could have changed the offense to get better high percentage shots. We have had a lot of positives this year but the fears that I have had with Steele showed again during the Villanova game. I will praise Steele throughout the year when he does well and criticize him when he doesnÂ’t. I wonÂ’t be one of these fans who is content with missing the NCAA tournament 3 years in a row under Steele and that Steele canÂ’t do no wrong. He has done well at recruiting and need to start putting together NCAA tournament teams. I hope this is the year he does that.

[Xville]

With six minutes to go, the game was tied. From there, Villanova executed and was bar far the more aggressive, tougher team. Period. The blame is on both player and coach at that point. I know that sounds like an oversimplification, but basketball is not that complicated of a game.

[xudash]

With six minutes to go, the game was tied. From there, Villanova executed and was bar far the more aggressive, tougher team. Period. The blame is on both player and coach at that point. I know that sounds like an oversimplification, but basketball is not that complicated of a game.

Exactly. Nova imposed its will and we wilted. Don’t see that happening this Wednesday.

And I agree with you Xuphan about making it to the NCAAT.

[JEHARDI]

No, when you see your players arenÂ’t making their wide open shots, you try something different. This is the whole live by the 3 or die by the 3 approach. When the 3 point shot isnÂ’t working, you do something else. Steele still has a lot to learn about in game management. However, he should have the talent this year to mask this weakness of his.

Are you serious? Congrats on the most idiotic take I can recall. You do know your good game management though!

[Xuperman]

Only 7 teams have less losses than X right now.
Last year's team started 11-2 with only one win against a kenpom top 50 opponent(#25 at the time Oklahoma) and 2 losses vs. two teams with an average rating of 38.

So far this season, X has 12-2 record with one top 25 kenpom win (OSU) one top 30 win (VT), one road top 45 win (Ok St) and and a BE win over Marquette (kenpom #51).

This seasons two losses(VU 5 and ISU 38) average a 22 kenpom ranking.

Completely apples and oranges comparison with significantly better accomplishments in this 1/3 of a season.

Choosing to not buy in for this team's top 25 resume and success so far says an absolute ton about negative nellies.

Last year after the 11-2 start, X was not as praised nor talented. Nunge and Hunter are upgrades.
Negative nellies know this and expect X to lose at least 8-10 games and not make the NCAA tourney.

This X program is better looking on paper this year than usual winners Syracuse, Florida St, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Memphis, Maryland, Florida, Stanford, Oregon, Washington, and St. Mary's.
Can you imagine how miserable some people would be if they had been superfans of these school at this time?
We all want X to go undefeated. No loss is enjoyed.
Give credit where credit is due.
Negative nellies know this and expect X to lose at least 8-10 games and not make the NCAA tourney.

Yes anything could happen. X likely will not lose every game here on out.
Barring any covid shutdowns and cancellations, X probably will win at least 8-9 more BE games for a minimum regular season record of 10-6 or 11-7
Winning feels good. Enjoy it.
Current NET ranking : 17
RPI : 11
Kenpom:20
bartrating: 12
AP poll 22
USA Today Poll:24

Superb post Keith! This goes nicely in support of Coach Steele/staff and melting some snowflakes here.

BTW, doesn't calling a fellow poster an asshole warrant a red lash from the mods? Just want to play by the rules because the word "idiot" is frowned upon....personal experience.

[Xuperman]

My greatest fear is that Travis makes the NCAA tournament, loses in the first round, and then Xavier promptly rewards him with a 5 year extension for a job well done.

How does this mindset even exist? There are far too many here that buy into this crap. Steele has paid his dues admirably under some fine tutelage and now is adjusting to the big chair. Look at some similar situations with young coaches, i.e. Howard at Michigan or Ewing at GTown. Both at universities with significant more history than our beloved XU. No need to add more current coaches because the point is well made. Travis Steele is completely competent in navigating this ship, he has the locker room and his guys play hard for him. He shows an elite ability to bring in talent recruiting OR thru the portal. There has to be more pushback against any "fire Steele" nonsense until things go DRASTICALLY south.

[xuphan]

Are you serious? Congrats on the most idiotic take I can recall. You do know your good game management though!

So good game management is to let your team shoot 0-14 from the 3 point line in the second half? Ya, Travis isnÂ’t the one shooting them as some would say but he is the one running sets from the sidelines and out of time outs. At some point during the game, the game plan should have changed and it didnÂ’t leading to a 0-14 long range shooting performance loss to a weaker Villanova team than in prior years. Since my take was so idiotic, I am curious what you would have done differently? Just let the team continue to Jack up 3s that werenÂ’t going in? Just blame the players for not showing up? Some of the posters on here just kill me.

[Xville]

How does this mindset even exist? There are far too many here that buy into this crap. Steele has paid his dues admirably under some fine tutelage and now is adjusting to the big chair. Look at some similar situations with young coaches, i.e. Howard at Michigan or Ewing at GTown. Both at universities with significant more history than our beloved XU. No need to add more current coaches because the point is well made. Travis Steele is completely competent in navigating this ship, he has the locker room and his guys play hard for him. He shows an elite ability to bring in talent recruiting OR thru the portal. There has to be more pushback against any "fire Steele" nonsense until things go DRASTICALLY south.

Funny you mention Howard and Ewing, coaches that have accomplished more than Steele has at this point. It exists because he has done something that Xavier hasn’t seen since the early 80s

Let’s let the rest of the season play out and see where we are at. I’m sure all of us would love it if it ends in a final four.

[xukeith]

Funny you mention Howard and Ewing, coaches that have accomplished more than Steele has at this point. It exists because he has done something that Xavier hasn’t seen since the early 80s

Let’s let the rest of the season play out and see where we are at. I’m sure all of us would love it if it ends in a final four.

i know nobody who would trade coaches with Ewing. It has been disastrous for Ewing. At least X wins more than loses.

[drudy23]

How does this mindset even exist? There are far too many here that buy into this crap. Steele has paid his dues admirably under some fine tutelage and now is adjusting to the big chair. Look at some similar situations with young coaches, i.e. Howard at Michigan or Ewing at GTown. Both at universities with significant more history than our beloved XU. No need to add more current coaches because the point is well made. Travis Steele is completely competent in navigating this ship, he has the locker room and his guys play hard for him. He shows an elite ability to bring in talent recruiting OR thru the portal. There has to be more pushback against any "fire Steele" nonsense until things go DRASTICALLY south.

Well it is year 4 with zero tournament appearances, which is unprecedented. Every other coach before him had accomplished MUCH more by year 4.

I think we've all seen growth this year with Travis. But this is a results oriented business. Getting to the tournament shouldn't really be the barometer for our coaches, as we should be making the tournament 8 times every decade. Getting to the tournament saves his job, but in my opinion, an extension would require a deep run. Otherwise, it's a year by year approach until he proves some consistency.

[webxu]

Well it is year 4 with zero tournament appearances, which is unprecedented. Every other coach before him had accomplished MUCH more by year 4.

I think we've all seen growth this year with Travis. But this is a results oriented business. Getting to the tournament shouldn't really be the barometer for our coaches, as we should be making the tournament 8 times every decade. Getting to the tournament saves his job, but in my opinion, an extension would require a deep run. Otherwise, it's a year by year approach until he proves some consistency.

Every other coach had the luxury of plying their trade in the MCC or A10, not the Big East, which is an entirely different animal, not to mention a 2 year global pandemic. Ill cut him some slack.. if this years team falters down the stretch then he should deserve some criticism.

[bleedXblue]

Every other coach had the luxury of plying their trade in the MCC or A10, not the Big East, which is an entirely different animal, not to mention a 2 year global pandemic. Ill cut him some slack.. if this years team falters down the stretch then he should deserve some criticism.

Good point, but on the flip side no other coach took over a program coming off a #1 seed and was sitting in a great spot. Also, Steele had been an assistant for many years in the program. Likely longer than any other HC previous to him.

[Muskie]

Good point, but on the flip side no other coach took over a program coming off a #1 seed and was sitting in a great spot. Also, Steele had been an assistant for many years in the program. Likely longer than any other HC previous to him.

Look the team that Mack coached at the end of his last season versus the squad that showed up for Steele in year one was night and day different. Mack knew the cupboard was bare. In retrospect, I'm not sure that team looks much different no matter who was coaching.

[drudy23]

Look the team that Mack coached at the end of his last season versus the squad that showed up for Steele in year one was night and day different. Mack knew the cupboard was bare. In retrospect, I'm not sure that team looks much different no matter who was coaching.

While this is true, you cannot deny the rotation decisons and lack of cohesive offensive philosophy his first 3 years. He was probably behind the 8 ball from the jump because recruiting fell off a cliff when Mack left, but there were some decisions under his control in these 2 areas that made it worse. I think most people giving an honest assessment would admit that.

[Xuperman]

Good point, but on the flip side no other coach took over a program coming off a #1 seed and was sitting in a great spot

C'mon Man, Tre and JP basically were the reason for that 1 seed.

Naj, Q, Ty were exceptional complimentary pieces, but when those 3 were asked to continue the momentum in Steele's rookie season, they really let their young coach down in providing the necessary consistency for any realistic post season success. AND....This is KEY. Douche Mack handed TS a totally lost recruiting class. This really raised it's ugly head in year 2. With the mass exodus of experience and zero soph input, would put any 1st time HC behind the 8 ball, no?

Wipe off the chalkboard and pound the erasers for year 3 because of C19.....biggest asterisk since WW2.

Unfortunately, here is the elephant in the room. Coach Steele has clearly had a miserable time winning in MARCH! All 3 seasons were lost in MARCH. This has to stop in 2 months or it will just bellow the hot seat some think he is sitting on. I will not be in favor of an off season change, if it happens for other reasons, however the support in my house for him will take a HUGE HIT!

[bleedXblue]

C'mon Man, Tre and JP basically were the reason for that 1 seed.

Naj, Q, Ty were exceptional complimentary pieces, but when those 3 were asked to continue the momentum in Steele's rookie season, they really let their young coach down in providing the necessary consistency for any realistic post season success. AND....This is KEY. Douche Mack handed TS a totally lost recruiting class. This really raised it's ugly head in year 2. With the mass exodus of experience and zero soph input, would put any 1st time HC behind the 8 ball, no?

Wipe off the chalkboard and pound the erasers for year 3 because of C19.....biggest asterisk since WW2.

Unfortunately, here is the elephant in the room. Coach Steele has clearly had a miserable time winning in MARCH! All 3 seasons were lost in MARCH. This has to stop in 2 months or it will just bellow the hot seat some think he is sitting on. I will not be in favor of an off season change, if it happens for other reasons, however the support in my house for him will take a HUGE HIT!

I was simply making a counterpoint. Look, the answer resides somewhere in between. He needs to take this team and talent to the tourney this year. I dont care the seed honestly. Based on what we have seen, anything less than a 7-9 would be a disappointment IMHO.

[xudash]

How's this: assuming no massive COVID disruptions and no key injuries, with the roster he now has in place, there will be no legitimate excuse for missing the NCAAT this year.

It is a fact that the roster was a mess when he took over the head chair. It is a fact that key injuries were suffered late in the season on I recall two occasions. And it is a fact that every coach in the NATION is off the hook for the year the damn pandemic took out the NCAAT for every program.

This year? Again, with no COVID insanity taking over and with a healthy roster all the way through, it is beyond reasonable to expect him to navigate this program back to the tournament.

[hoopster68]

Has the program fallen from being a #1 seed to (paraphrase) "make the tournament as a 7 -9 seed" and that is OK? Not for this long-time supporter! I want XU to make the tourney under Coach Steele and then win a game or two. Less than that is a disappointment.

[xudash]

Has the program fallen from being a #1 seed to (paraphrase) "make the tournament as a 7 -9 seed" and that is OK? Not for this long-time supporter! I want XU to make the tourney under Coach Steele and then win a game or two. Less than that is a disappointment.

I expect him to achieve his PLAN: the final "2%". I expect a Final 4 and eventually a NC.

[Masterofreality]

Look the team that Mack coached at the end of his last season versus the squad that showed up for Steele in year one was night and day different. Mack knew the cupboard was bare. In retrospect, I'm not sure that team looks much different no matter who was coaching.

Mack’s “cupboard” may have been bare but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t talent on that first team. Hanky McSpanky was a D2 POY who could play but misused. Ryan Welage was a quality Stretch 4 but the scheme didn’t allow him very many open looks. Naji Marshall was a future NBA baller. Kyle Castlin was a quality defender who went on to play in the G League and you had Man Mountain Tyrique and Scruggy.
There was talent but a definitive misuse. It seems, however, that this particular issue has been corrected, for whatever reason.

[xuphan]

I expect him to achieve his PLAN: the final "2%". I expect a Final 4 and eventually a NC.

He definitely can recruit the talent for it. Now the question is can he coach the talent to get them to a final four? That is still to be determined.

[xudash]

He definitely can recruit the talent for it. Now the question is can he coach the talent to get them to a final four? That is still to be determined.

I get it. This program and fans of this program are not used to long absences from the NCAAT.

It will take reasonably sustained success this season and a good performance in this year‘s tournament to prove to everyone that he finally is on track. However, so far so good: there simply is no other way to look at it.

[webxu]

While this is true, you cannot deny the rotation decisons and lack of cohesive offensive philosophy his first 3 years. He was probably behind the 8 ball from the jump because recruiting fell off a cliff when Mack left, but there were some decisions under his control in these 2 areas that made it worse. I think most people giving an honest assessment would admit that.

So essentially, learning to coach... usually takes a few years to find your footing. I bet if you went back and looked closely to Miller and Macks first few season you could find the same mistakes, they were just had the band aid of the A-10. If Steele's last 3 teams were in the A10, I think they make the tourney but doesnt matter. Now its just a matter if he learns from those mistakes..

[xukeith]

Has the program fallen from being a #1 seed to (paraphrase) "make the tournament as a 7 -9 seed" and that is OK? Not for this long-time supporter! I want XU to make the tourney under Coach Steele and then win a game or two. Less than that is a disappointment.

Every team wants to win in tourney. It is not so easy.

[JEHARDI]

Good point, but on the flip side no other coach took over a program coming off a #1 seed and was sitting in a great spot. Also, Steele had been an assistant for many years in the program. Likely longer than any other HC previous to him.

Are you forgetting he took over a team that did not have enough BE talent.

Do you know why UGA and Bama are in the playoffs every year?. Be cause they are 2 deep at every position with 4 and 5 stars. Talent wins. You cannot out coach talent disparity.

[Xville]

Are you forgetting he took over a team that did not have enough BE talent.

Do you know why UGA and Bama are in the playoffs every year?. Be cause they are 2 deep at every position with 4 and 5 stars. Talent wins. You cannot out coach talent disparity.


Your first sentence nonsense…there was plenty of talent to win a couple of more games in what was a mediocre be and get into the tournament. Naji is in the nba, Scruggs, tyrique, good q, hanky.

Plus, even if that wasn’t the case, your last sentence is also nonsense. We see instances of the opposite every year in March. Yeah talent may make things a bit easier but you can out coach talent.

College football is a completely different animal than college basketball

[drudy23]

So essentially, learning to coach... usually takes a few years to find your footing. I bet if you went back and looked closely to Miller and Macks first few season you could find the same mistakes, they were just had the band aid of the A-10. If Steele's last 3 teams were in the A10, I think they make the tourney but doesnt matter. Now its just a matter if he learns from those mistakes..

Yet both made deep tournament runs.

Average seasons are forgiven with over-achievement in March.

[UCGRAD4X]

Time to move on from time to move on.

We play tonight.

We win tonight.

A new day is dawning (really, it's 5:04 am).

Tonight we ride! (respect to Snipe...wherever you are)

[bleedXblue]

Your first sentence nonsense…there was plenty of talent to win a couple of more games in what was a mediocre be and get into the tournament. Naji is in the nba, Scruggs, tyrique, good q, hanky.

Plus, even if that wasn’t the case, your last sentence is also nonsense. We see instances of the opposite every year in March. Yeah talent may make things a bit easier but you can out coach talent.

College football is a completely different animal than college basketball

Couldn't agree more

[Muskie]

I'm not seeing the first couple of seasons didn't have talent (though not as much talent as that 2018 team). The team had a bunch of parts that didn't work well together: A SF who shot the ball almost every time he touched it (shooting 39% (248 Attempts) from the field and 27% from 3 (178 Attempts)). A PG that seemingly didn't get better on the Court, but who's stats actually were better than I remember, and other piecemeal players.

I don't doubt Marshall is a talent. He has it. History is replete with great college players who are poor NBA players as well as average college players who stick it out in the NBA for years.

What those first two years did not have was much teamwork and they were painful to watch.

[Xer4ever]

I'm not seeing the first couple of seasons didn't have talent (though not as much talent as that 2018 team). The team had a bunch of parts that didn't work well together: A SF who shot the ball almost every time he touched it (shooting 39% (248 Attempts) from the field and 27% from 3 (178 Attempts)). A PG that seemingly didn't get better on the Court, but who's stats actually were better than I remember, and other piecemeal players.

I don't doubt Marshall is a talent. He has it. History is replete with great college players who are poor NBA players as well as average college players who stick it out in the NBA for years.

What those first two years did not have was much teamwork and they were painful to watch.

In todays game, it’s hard to have teamwork on offense without good shooters and those first couple of years we ranked among the worst.

[OTRMUSKIE]

TIME TO MOVE ON FROM STEELE. Just out coached again by jay wright. Great comeback, better shot selection , but too many missed layups and poor substitution.

[xavierj]

TIME TO MOVE ON FROM STEELE. Just out coached again by jay wright. Great comeback, better shot selection , but too many missed layups and poor substitution.

No one in the Big East beats Jay Wright. It’s disappointing. Also not sure how you blame the coach for the missed layups. Now being too loyal to Zach, I will give you that. Not sure Zach playing helps at all right now. They were better with Miles starting early on and then bringing Jack
In. Colby, Paul and Jack need to be better than they have been.

[xu82]

TIME TO MOVE ON FROM STEELE. Just out coached again by jay wright. Great comeback, better shot selection , but too many missed layups and poor substitution.

Do you have any other tricks?

I sure wish Steele would make those darn layups!

I’m not excusing him, as there is a lot that can and should be better. Just pointing out how tiresome you can be.

[OTRMUSKIE]

Well, okay let me change my tune. My goodness Steele has gotten so much better. In his fourth year, they have obviously improved, players have gotten better and the results speak for themselves.

[xu82]

Sometimes people need to grow into their jobs. I know I got better every year in every position I ever had. The biggest leaps are in the first few years. Teams that are quick to react (think Jaguars) are far less successful than patient teams (say the Steelers).

I don’t know that Steele will be the answer, but I will give him every shot at proving he can make it.

[xuphan]

TIME TO MOVE ON FROM STEELE. Just out coached again by jay wright. Great comeback, better shot selection , but too many missed layups and poor substitution.

Another head scratching loss to a weaker Villanova team. The first half was completely unacceptable from both the players and coaches. You are playing at home against a weaker Villanova than in years past team and you get played off the floor in the first half. If you canÂ’t get fired up for this game, what game can you get fired up for? I am not ready to move on from Steele but I am ready to move on from his nice coach approach to some of his players. His players have really let him down with their decision making and fundamental errors. While it is not Steeles who is missing layups, foul shots, and open 3 pointers, the ultimate results fall on him. He recruits them, develops them, and prepares them. If the players are letting him down, he needs to start being ruthless with guys who just donÂ’t want to bring it.

[XUBANDGRAD]

Another head scratching loss to a weaker Villanova team. The first half was completely unacceptable from both the players and coaches. You are playing at home against a weaker Villanova than in years past team and you get played off the floor in the first half. If you canÂ’t get fired up for this game, what game can you get fired up for? I am not ready to move on from Steele but I am ready to move on from his nice coach approach to some of his players. His players have really let him down with their decision making and fundamental errors. While it is not Steeles who is missing layups, foul shots, and open 3 pointers, the ultimate results fall on him. He recruits them, develops them, and prepares them. If the players are letting him down, he needs to start being ruthless with guys who just donÂ’t want to bring it.

Players stagnate under Steele. Look at freemantle, Goodin, Scruggs. All stayed the same or got worse.

[Final4]

Players stagnate under Steele. Look at freemantle, Goodin, Scruggs. All stayed the same or got worse.

What do you care? I’m not going to dig back through pages of old threads to find it but aren’t you the one who said you were giving up your season tickets, discontinuing all donations and removing X from your will? Why are you still here?

[XUBANDGRAD]

What do you care? I’m not going to dig back through pages of old threads to find it but aren’t you the one who said you were giving up your season tickets, discontinuing all donations and removing X from your will? Why are you still here?

The simple American answer will suffice for this: because I can.

[boozehound]

I remain extremely undecided about Steele. They need to finish out the season strong and make the tournament at an absolute minimum. Anything less than that and I think Steele should be gone. If I see them win a game or two in the NCAA's I might start to turn the corner on Steele.

What worries me is next year we lose Scruggs, Kunkel, and Johnson (I think). That's a lot of shooting and experience to lose, and we could very conceivably take a step backwards.

I don't want to blink and find that Xavier has made the tournament once in like 6-7 years.

[Final4]

The simple American answer will suffice for this: because I can.

Of course you can. But why the charade? I’m sure you never had season tickets to begin with nor every made any donations of any kind to XU. And as far as your estate planning I’m pretty certain if I contacted Mark McLaughlin he would say he’s never heard of you.

[Xville]

I remain extremely undecided about Steele. They need to finish out the season strong and make the tournament at an absolute minimum. Anything less than that and I think Steele should be gone. If I see them win a game or two in the NCAA's I might start to turn the corner on Steele.

What worries me is next year we lose Scruggs, Kunkel, and Johnson (I think). That's a lot of shooting and experience to lose, and we could very conceivably take a step backwards.

I don't want to blink and find that Xavier has made the tournament once in like 6-7 years.

Pretty sure kunkel is back for one more year. However, I agree with your point. I was actually thinking last night about the roster next year and it’s not great. Kunkel, Odom, kyky maybe?, Colby, free, miles, nunge, hunter. There are some good players in there but yikes… looks like the teams we had the previous theee years where the team couldn’t shoot, and soft on the inside. Of course, the freshmen and Tucker could surprise and be absolute studs right from the jump, but who knows.

Like you, letting the season play out to see what happens. What would this team look like without Johnson and Scruggs coming back this year? Probably be around .500.

[drudy23]

Don't worry, our next recruiting class is always the one with "great shooters" - or so we've heard for the last 4 years.

Oh wait, it was the next one - I mean the next one after that.

[xuphan]

Don't worry, our next recruiting class is always the one with "great shooters" - or so we've heard for the last 4 years.

Oh wait, it was the next one - I mean the next one after that.

I really wish we would recruit a back to the basket type big. We have way to many finesse big who don’t seem to want to bang in the paint when it is needed. They just want to pick and pop from 3. I think a power big would really help this team in Steele’s offense when we are struggling to make shots.

[drudy23]

I really wish we would recruit a back to the basket type big. We have way to many finesse big who don’t seem to want to bang in the paint when it is needed. They just want to pick and pop from 3. I think a power big would really help this team in Steele’s offense when we are struggling to make shots.

I think most people would agree with you 100000%.

But Steele simply doesn't recruit that player. I think it took some convincing to even get a guy like Nunge. He is simply in love with the stretch wing and the 3 ball.

[xavierj]

I really wish we would recruit a back to the basket type big. We have way to many finesse big who don’t seem to want to bang in the paint when it is needed. They just want to pick and pop from 3. I think a power big would really help this team in Steele’s offense when we are struggling to make shots.

Edwards could be that guy if he is developed right and I think they wanted Miles to be able to grow into that but he hasn’t. I think we will see them try to get that in the transfer portal after the season.

[XUBANDGRAD]

Edwards could be that guy if he is developed right and I think they wanted Miles to be able to grow into that but he hasn’t. I think we will see them try to get that in the transfer portal after the season.

Lol developed. Under Steele? Keep dreaming.

[xuphan]

Edwards could be that guy if he is developed right and I think they wanted Miles to be able to grow into that but he hasn’t. I think we will see them try to get that in the transfer portal after the season.

I thought I read an article from one of the AAU events last year that Edwards hangs out at the perimeter to much. I assumed he was another finesse big Steele was bringing in. Would love to get a Matt Stainbrooke type of big from the portal. A guy that can come off the bench and get post points when the shots aren’t falling.

[Xavier]

I think most people would agree with you 100000%.

But Steele simply doesn't recruit that player. I think it took some convincing to even get a guy like Nunge. He is simply in love with the stretch wing and the 3 ball.

I think he has given up on recruiting that out of HS and developing it. Even under Mack I don’t remember a great big development (Jones showed flashes and had stretches though). I think they just look for somewhat developed big already through transfers (like Hankins). *forgot about Reynolds. And Farr completely changed to be an acceptable back to basket guy….so you’re right it’s more of a Steele problem

I agree the roster looks average next year but again- X seems to be trying to position themselves as a school that builds through recruiting and bigger name transfers. Just look at this team- Three of the top 6 players transferred in. (Nunge, Johnson, Kunkel). So while on paper it doesn’t look great, I expect X to attack transfer pool hard and continue to build teams that way. Granted I think the team has a lot of talent coming back but development hasn’t been great for awhile at Xavier. If they all kept getting a little better each year we’d be fine.

It also depends how many players want to stay and play for Miller ��

[drudy23]

I think he has given up on recruiting that out of HS and developing it. Even under Mack I don’t remember a great big development (Jones showed flashes and had stretches though). I think they just look for somewhat developed big already through transfers (like Hankins). *forgot about Reynolds. And Farr completely changed to be an acceptable back to basket guy….so you’re right it’s more of a Steele problem

I agree the roster looks average next year but again- X seems to be trying to position themselves as a school that builds through recruiting and bigger name transfers. Just look at this team- Three of the top 6 players transferred in. (Nunge, Johnson, Kunkel). So while on paper it doesn’t look great, I expect X to attack transfer pool hard and continue to build teams that way. Granted I think the team has a lot of talent coming back but development hasn’t been great for awhile at Xavier. If they all kept getting a little better each year we’d be fine.

It also depends how many players want to stay and play for Miller ��

Reynolds, Farr, Tyrique, Stainbrook and Hankins all fit that mold under Mack. It was absolutely a consistency on his teams.

[drudy23]

I thought I read an article from one of the AAU events last year that Edwards hangs out at the perimeter to much. I assumed he was another finesse big Steele was bringing in. Would love to get a Matt Stainbrooke type of big from the portal. A guy that can come off the bench and get post points when the shots aren’t falling.

Edwards is 100% a stretch guy - I guess he can develop into a true power forward, but he's currently listed at 220. As comparison, Hankins 240, Tyrique 240, Reynolds 235, Farr 245, and Stain was like 250 or even bigger I believe.

Villanova forward comparisons:

Njoku - 260
Samuels - 230 (plays heavier than that, he's strong as hell)
Dixon - 255
Cosby-Roundtree - 250
Slater - 220

Steele's rosters look NOTHING like that.

[xuwillie]

i believe every big east team not named X would have beaten Villanova last night. They where dreadful for the most part, and Steele does deserve most of the blame..

[joe titan]

Reynolds, Farr, Tyrique, Stainbrook and Hankins all fit that mold under Mack. It was absolutely a consistency on his teams.

Can add Jason Love to the list though I know he was recruited by Miller and was still around for Mack.

[drudy23]

X has 3 guys over 220 (Stanley 225, Miles 230, Nunge 245) - 2 of them don't even play, and our best big guy only played 20 minutes last night and wasn't in foul trouble. Of course we got bullied.

We are significantly smaller than most of the upper half Big East teams - when that's the case and you don't shoot the ball well, you're probably going to lose more than you win against those upper tier BE teams.

Nunge is THE MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER on this roster. He needs to be playing 30+ minutes a game.

[MHettel]

Reynolds, Farr, Tyrique, Stainbrook and Hankins all fit that mold under Mack. It was absolutely a consistency on his teams.

Hankins didnt play for Mack....

[drudy23]

Hankins didnt play for Mack....

He was 100% a Mack find based on his need/want for power forwards - in fact, he debated not going to X when Mack left, but decided to stay.

Via Shannon Russell in 2018:
Hankins said Mack and Steele had dinner with his family this winter after one of Ferris State’s home games in Big Rapids, Mich. Hankins loved everything about Xavier’s program, from its consistent NCAA Tournament appearances to the confidence the Musketeers’ coaches showed in him, so he assured them he was XU-bound. Mack, Hankins said, told him to sit tight as Ferris State and Xavier continued their respective seasons.

In the meantime, Hankins kept up with the Musketeers as best he could.

“I was still catching some of their games and looking up their stats when I’d be on the road traveling back from a long road trip. I’d be figuring out who did what, how the centers played, how J.P. (Macura) and (Trevon) Bluiett played, looking at some of the younger guys, and seeing how much of a role they played,” Hankins said.

When he learned Mack was leaving for Louisville on March 27, Hankins opened his options “a little” but expressed confidence in Xavier's associate head coach.

[Xavier]

Nunge is THE MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER on this roster. He needs to be playing 30+ minutes a game.

I agree. But he also sucked last night. Travis tried showing a message to Free and Nunge bringing miles in. He promptly let an easy rebound fall through his hands

[drudy23]

I agree. But he also sucked last night. Travis tried showing a message to Free and Nunge bringing miles in. He promptly let an easy rebound fall through his hands

I mean, he's not going to get 20 and 10 every night, but he's BY FAR been our most consistent, and arguably only, post player.

[xuwillie]

I mean, he's not going to get 20 and 10 every night, but he's BY FAR been our most consistent, and arguably only, post player.

Agree. Don't understand what freemantle has done to get more than 10 a game this season. Nunje shoud be on the court unless he needs a break

[xavierj]

i believe every big east team not named X would have beaten Villanova last night. They where dreadful for the most part, and Steele does deserve most of the blame..

I disagree. I think that is who Nova is this year and I think Xavier was much better defensively, which made Nova look worse in the 2nd half. But Nova’s defense was lights out. They would have beat most Big East teams on defense alone. They basically did the same to Seton Hall when they won there. They beat them with defense and rebounding. Out rebounded the Hall by 13.

[xukeith]

X caused Nova to play a horrible 2nd half with turnovers, missing a ton of shots and not looking to extend their lead.
Wright seriously doesn't know how to get Nova to play consistently and dominate weaker teams like X.
Nova won and was lucky. It will bite their ass if Wright can't get his head out of his ass and teach his players to not jack up too many 3's and turn the ball over so much.

[xuwillie]

We'll see how the year plays out. I don't think Villanova in general is that good this year but could look a lot differently if they start hitting 3s. Their offense last night was pretty abysmal.

[JTG]

X caused Nova to play a horrible 2nd half with turnovers, missing a ton of shots and not looking to extend their lead.
Wright seriously doesn't know how to get Nova to play consistently and dominate weaker teams like X.
Nova won and was lucky. It will bite their ass if Wright can't get his head out of his ass and teach his players to not jack up too many 3's and turn the ball over so much.

Sarcasm is a great thing.

[bleedXblue]

We'll see how the year plays out. I don't think Villanova in general is that good this year but could look a lot differently if they start hitting 3s. Their offense last night was pretty abysmal.

I wonder what Nova fans say about Xavier?

"man we aren't even good this year and X still cant beat us" LOL

[drudy23]

I wonder what Nova fans say about Xavier?

"man we aren't even good this year and X still cant beat us" LOL

The same things we used to say about Dayton.

Dayton: Xavier::Xavier: Villanova

They own us, and both sides know it.

[xavierj]

The same things we used to say about Dayton.

Dayton: Xavier::Xavier: Villanova

They own us, and both sides know it.

Nova owns the entire league. Would be nice if others could make it interesting. It’s kind of like Kansas in that you just pretty much pencil them in as the champs every year. Don’t see that as much in the Big 10, Pac 12, SEC or even the ACC.

[Masterofreality]

I’m not jumping over the shark over this loss….BUT..
Elite Coaches find ways to win close games, even if initially things don’t go 100 because they have stuff prepared for eventualities. Second tier coaches don’t.
3 Things on Steele:
1) The fact this team came out in the first half lackadaisical and, can I say, lazy is all on the staff. At home? With a jacked crowd? Vs a Team you just played 2 weeks before? If the team starts like that, you have to send a message. Mine would have been pull Freemantle out during a quick time out and light into their asses about playing Defense and stop being bullied. The first half was an abject embarrassment. At least Steele must have peeled paint off the walls at halftime, but like some of his on-court moves, too late.
2) After Paul’s tying 3, I immediately told my watch mates “GO ZONE STEELE!”. The zone had been effective in confusing Nova and stop their bullying to the basket. But what happened? Steele stayed man, Wright did what Wright does, work a mismatch with Moore guarded by Nate and a drive/3 point play results. Steele just sat back and let Nova do what they do with zero pro activity.
3) I thought the Scruggs ending drive play was simplistic, not terrible- especially since if Paul would have seen him, Nunge was wide ass open on the other side of the basket. The lack of having a ready made play other than that in the pocket-especially since you had just played Nova two weeks before and knew how they defended, was disappointing.
Like I said, I’m not gonna kill Steele over this but games like this separate the top coaches from the secondaries. Steele has a ways to go

[Xuperman]

I wonder what Nova fans say about Xavier?

"man we aren't even good this year and X still cant beat us" LOL

You are in the sad group of pitchfork and torch PREPPERS. Mouthing off negative crap at every turn and waiting to march.

VILLANOVA holds a #7 NET and a #14 in the polls! That by definition is "Very Good".... you guys have to stop embarrassing yourselves.

Nobody in Philly has the " we're not that good" mentality. You are clueless Or just want to troll the board with your compadres. NO TEAM has a GQJ/GILLESPIE/MOORE combo. They alone NUKE any "not that good" sillyness. Can you nay sayers do more to justify the negativity?

[Xville]

You are in the sad group of pitchfork and torch PREPPERS. Mouthing off negative crap at every turn and waiting to march.

VILLANOVA holds a #7 NET and a #14 in the polls! That by definition is "Very Good".... you guys have to stop embarrassing yourselves.

Nobody in Philly has the " we're not that good" mentality. You are clueless Or just want to troll the board with your compadres. NO TEAM has a GQJ/GILLESPIE/MOORE combo. They alone NUKE any "not that good" sillyness. Can you nay sayers do more to justify the negativity?

Anyone with a brain knows that he meant compared to years where Villanova has simply been dominant. They aren’t this year. Yeah Dixon, Moore and 9th year senior Gillespie are a heck of a tripod, but they have absolutely zero bench and anyone outside of those three are just players. This is probably the least talented Villanova roster since the new league was formed.

Plus, it was said somewhat in jest.

Geezus

[bleedXblue]

You are in the sad group of pitchfork and torch PREPPERS. Mouthing off negative crap at every turn and waiting to march.

VILLANOVA holds a #7 NET and a #14 in the polls! That by definition is "Very Good".... you guys have to stop embarrassing yourselves.

Nobody in Philly has the " we're not that good" mentality. You are clueless Or just want to troll the board with your compadres. NO TEAM has a GQJ/GILLESPIE/MOORE combo. They alone NUKE any "not that good" sillyness. Can you nay sayers do more to justify the negativity?

WTF are you talking about? Step away from the keyboard

[Xavier]

Man, there seemed to be an obvious double dribble late in the game that lead to a 3 by nova. Does anyone remember that? At the game it seemed classic double dribble. Maybe replayed showed different, but that was huge.

[Xavier]

Like I said, I’m not gonna kill Steele over this but games like this separate the top coaches from the secondaries. Steele has a ways to go

Just seems like a major mental block vs nova as a program. And getting down 17 is tough. Steele has shown signs of being better (obviously not a top coach at all) but the one thing over his time at X is teams very rarely give in. Always keep battling back. Last night was well fought after brutal start. A very winnable game when not many guys played well. Not a moral victory but that’s a good sign for rest of year

[xavierj]

I’m not jumping over the shark over this loss….BUT..
Elite Coaches find ways to win close games, even if initially things don’t go 100 because they have stuff prepared for eventualities. Second tier coaches don’t.
3 Things on Steele:
1) The fact this team came out in the first half lackadaisical and, can I say, lazy is all on the staff. At home? With a jacked crowd? Vs a Team you just played 2 weeks before? If the team starts like that, you have to send a message. Mine would have been pull Freemantle out during a quick time out and light into their asses about playing Defense and stop being bullied. The first half was an abject embarrassment. At least Steele must have peeled paint off the walls at halftime, but like some of his on-court moves, too late.
2) After Paul’s tying 3, I immediately told my watch mates “GO ZONE STEELE!”. The zone had been effective in confusing Nova and stop their bullying to the basket. But what happened? Steele stayed man, Wright did what Wright does, work a mismatch with Moore guarded by Nate and a drive/3 point play results. Steele just sat back and let Nova do what they do with zero pro activity.
3) I thought the Scruggs ending drive play was simplistic, not terrible- especially since if Paul would have seen him, Nunge was wide ass open on the other side of the basket. The lack of having a ready made play other than that in the pocket-especially since you had just played Nova two weeks before and knew how they defended, was disappointing.
Like I said, I’m not gonna kill Steele over this but games like this separate the top coaches from the secondaries. Steele has a ways to go

Agree with some of what you said but if Colby is somewhat adequate and knocks down a couple of wide ass open threes and if Johnson would have drilled the wide ass open three late from the corner, Xavier wins and no one is questioning Travis. Also, the play you referenced at the end should have worked so really can’t complain about that. Now I would have just drew up a play to see if you can get someone an open three look to win it but Paul should have dumped to Jack for a dunk and game would have been tied.

[boozehound]

Just seems like a major mental block vs nova as a program. And getting down 17 is tough. Steele has shown signs of being better (obviously not a top coach at all) but the one thing over his time at X is teams very rarely give in. Always keep battling back. Last night was well fought after brutal start. A very winnable game when not many guys played well. Not a moral victory but that’s a good sign for rest of year

At some point in every Nova game we choke. You can feel it building. It starts when a shot or two don't go in, then Villanova hits a few and opens up a 5-6 point lead. Then guys start throwing the ball around and turning it over. Then we miss a few more easy shots. Then a solid shooter gets a wide open 3 and misses it. The next thing you know we are down 10+ points.

Steele has to find a way to stop that. I struggle to believe it's all on the players, when everybody is choking.

[boozehound]

Agree with some of what you said but if Colby is somewhat adequate and knocks down a couple of wide ass open threes and if Johnson would have drilled the wide ass open three late from the corner, Xavier wins and no one is questioning Travis. Also, the play you referenced at the end should have worked so really can’t complain about that. Now I would have just drew up a play to see if you can get someone an open three look to win it but Paul should have dumped to Jack for a dunk and game would have been tied.

That's all valid, but at the end of the day he gets paid $1MM+ a year to find a way to win. It needs to start happening.

[American X]

I’m not jumping over the shark over this loss….BUT..
Elite Coaches find ways to win close games, even if initially things don’t go 100 because they have stuff prepared for eventualities. Second tier coaches don’t.
3 Things on Steele:
1) The fact this team came out in the first half lackadaisical and, can I say, lazy is all on the staff. At home? With a jacked crowd? Vs a Team you just played 2 weeks before? If the team starts like that, you have to send a message. Mine would have been pull Freemantle out during a quick time out and light into their asses about playing Defense and stop being bullied. The first half was an abject embarrassment. At least Steele must have peeled paint off the walls at halftime, but like some of his on-court moves, too late.
2) After Paul’s tying 3, I immediately told my watch mates “GO ZONE STEELE!”. The zone had been effective in confusing Nova and stop their bullying to the basket. But what happened? Steele stayed man, Wright did what Wright does, work a mismatch with Moore guarded by Nate and a drive/3 point play results. Steele just sat back and let Nova do what they do with zero pro activity.
3) I thought the Scruggs ending drive play was simplistic, not terrible- especially since if Paul would have seen him, Nunge was wide ass open on the other side of the basket. The lack of having a ready made play other than that in the pocket-especially since you had just played Nova two weeks before and knew how they defended, was disappointing.
Like I said, I’m not gonna kill Steele over this but games like this separate the top coaches from the secondaries. Steele has a ways to go

Fair points, but I also doubt that Steele coached them to miss a million layups. If the players executed a fraction better, the close game scenarios you lay out may not even come into play.

[xuphan]

That's all valid, but at the end of the day he gets paid $1MM+ a year to find a way to win. It needs to start happening.

I think Steele has been here long enough. What we see in Steele is what we are going to get. A good recruiter with finesse players who is an average at best game management coach. He seems to be pretty consistent in what he does or doesn’t do. He reminds me a little bit of Coach Callipari. Coach Cal in my opinion is not a very good at game management. However, he is a great recruiter and the talent he is able to recruit masks his weaknesses as a coach. Still can’t believe that man had only won one national championship as a coach with the players he has brought in. I think coach Steele is similar. A good recruiter who is an average at best game management coach. Our success will come from the talent of our players to overcome coaching weaknesses from Steele this year and going forward.

[xavierj]

That's all valid, but at the end of the day he gets paid $1MM+ a year to find a way to win. It needs to start happening.

So they are 12-3, with losses to only top 15 teams. Does he get any credit for the other 12 games, including Ohio State? Or just the losses? He has flaws as all coaches do but he seems to be getting better. May need to change the recruiting philosophy a little, but he has improved. And hey he took Xavier from getting absolutely smoked by Nova before he was head coach to petty much being competitive against them in almost every game, so there’s that.

[xavierj]

I think Steele has been here long enough. What we see in Steele is what we are going to get. A good recruiter with finesse players who is an average at best game management coach. He seems to be pretty consistent in what he does or doesn’t do. He reminds me a little bit of Coach Callipari. Coach Cal in my opinion is not a very good at game management. However, he is a great recruiter and the talent he is able to recruit masks his weaknesses as a coach. Still can’t believe that man had only won one national championship as a coach with the players he has brought in. I think coach Steele is similar. A good recruiter who is an average at best game management coach. Our success will come from the talent of our players to overcome coaching weaknesses from Steele this year and going forward.

You act like Xavier is loaded with talent. Is there an NBA guy on this roster?

[xu82]

So they are 12-3, with losses to only top 15 teams. Does he get any credit for the other 12 games, including Ohio State? Or just the losses? He has flaws as all coaches do but he seems to be getting better. May need to change the recruiting philosophy a little, but he has improved. And hey he took Xavier from getting absolutely smoked by Nova before he was head coach to petty much being competitive against them in almost every game, so there’s that.

Thank you for noting the progress. We have a long way to go, but 12-3 with 2 losses to one of the very best programs in the country and the thorn in our paw is not exactly embarrassing. Frustrating? Hell yes, but not embarrassing. Be careful what you wish for. Let’s see how this season plays out.


.

[xuphan]

You act like Xavier is loaded with talent. Is there an NBA guy on this roster?

Not what I was saying.

[bjf123]

Man, there seemed to be an obvious double dribble late in the game that lead to a 3 by nova. Does anyone remember that? At the game it seemed classic double dribble. Maybe replayed showed different, but that was huge.

It sure looked like a double dribble to me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[xucub]

I taped the game and rewatched the first half only. In that 20 minutes of basketball, we passed into the post a grand total of......wait for it.....3 times. That is a coaching problem. If Steel told the players not to get the ball to the post, that is a coaching problem. If Steele told the players to get it to the post and the players refused, he should put them on the bench. Were the bigs unable to get open in the post? That would be a coaching issue.

Outcoached. Outstrategized. Low basketball IQ. A continuation of Steele basketball.

[xuphan]

I taped the game and rewatched the first half only. In that 20 minutes of basketball, we passed into the post a grand total of......wait for it.....3 times. That is a coaching problem. If Steel told the players not to get the ball to the post, that is a coaching problem. If Steele told the players to get it to the post and the players refused, he should put them on the bench. Were the bigs unable to get open in the post? That would be a coaching issue.

Outcoached. Outstrategized. Low basketball IQ. A continuation of Steele basketball.

Not saying I don’t agree but Steele’s offense isn’t a post up type offense.

[XUGRAD80]

Not saying I don’t agree but Steele’s offense isn’t a post up type offense.

I agree with that. A problem is that Xavier Basketball has been primarily from the offensive standpoint inside-out play for several decades. It’s what most fans know. Even Joe and Byron talk about it during broadcasts. It’s what is expected. However, that type of offense is getting rarer and rarer in college basketball. Big aircraft carrier type centers are rare. Real power forwards are rare. Sure, there are some but there aren’t a lot of them. The game has moved to slash, drive, shoot, move. Even for the tallest players want to show they can be multidimensional players, that they can handle the ball outside and shoot from beyond the arc. Recently Xavier has had players like Jones and McSpanky that could certainly play power ball. Nunge certainly has the potential to play that style. I’m not sure Freemantle does, and the X roster outside of Nunge probably isn’t set up to play that style. But I certainly understand why so many X fans want them to play that style. It’s what they know, it’s the way X has been successful in the past, but I certainly don’t think that it’s the style that Steele thinks can work at X any longer. He certainly has NOT been recruiting players for that style of play. Looking at the list of offers he has out for the 2023,4, and 5 classes, I’d say that isn’t going to change either.

[Xavier]

I taped the game and rewatched the first half only. In that 20 minutes of basketball, we passed into the post a grand total of......wait for it.....3 times. That is a coaching problem. If Steel told the players not to get the ball to the post, that is a coaching problem. If Steele told the players to get it to the post and the players refused, he should put them on the bench. Were the bigs unable to get open in the post? That would be a coaching issue.

Outcoached. Outstrategized. Low basketball IQ. A continuation of Steele basketball.

I’ll be curious to see where that number lands in 2nd half. I’d be surprised if we generate more than 6 points through dumping it in the post and letting the big go to work in the 2nd half. And if it’s a coaching problem to get down 17 points, it’s gotta be a coaching problem to comeback from 17 to tie it up, right?

[Xuperman]

WTF are you talking about? Step away from the keyboard

Are you wanting to carry the torch for this merry group? They are jostling for position at the top, but they would rally around you....you come with a little less pungent history here.

"BleedXBlue" could be the groups mantra.....kinda like a hoops version of "Let's go Brandon" for our board.
:encore:

[A Fan]

I agree with that. A problem is that Xavier Basketball has been primarily from the offensive standpoint inside-out play for several decades. It’s what most fans know. Even Joe and Byron talk about it during broadcasts. It’s what is expected. However, that type of offense is getting rarer and rarer in college basketball. Big aircraft carrier type centers are rare. Real power forwards are rare. Sure, there are some but there aren’t a lot of them. The game has moved to slash, drive, shoot, move. Even for the tallest players want to show they can be multidimensional players, that they can handle the ball outside and shoot from beyond the arc. Recently Xavier has had players like Jones and McSpanky that could certainly play power ball. Nunge certainly has the potential to play that style. I’m not sure Freemantle does, and the X roster outside of Nunge probably isn’t set up to play that style. But I certainly understand why so many X fans want them to play that style. It’s what they know, it’s the way X has been successful in the past, but I certainly don’t think that it’s the style that Steele thinks can work at X any longer. He certainly has NOT been recruiting players for that style of play. Looking at the list of offers he has out for the 2023,4, and 5 classes, I’d say that isn’t going to change either.

All Great Points. The game has gone to penetrate and score , dish or shoot threes. But you need players that can defend that game. Particularly in the post. Getting skinny kids like Fremantle and and Miles with no physicality does not work. The quality of the 2021/ 22 Big East teams, have on average,, gone up more steeply than X . Staying above 500 hundred in the conference will be a challenge.

[XUGRAD80]

When X has to match up with the size….height and bulk….that Seton Hall posses, they are going to have some major problems IMO. While Nunge has certainly been a very pleasant surprise (for the most part) he still doesn’t have the size to bang with some of the real bigs in the BE. Nor does Freemantle. Our hope has to be that the X wings can play better and that Nunge, Free, and Miles can run those bigs into problems.

[boozehound]

So they are 12-3, with losses to only top 15 teams. Does he get any credit for the other 12 games, including Ohio State? Or just the losses? He has flaws as all coaches do but he seems to be getting better. May need to change the recruiting philosophy a little, but he has improved. And hey he took Xavier from getting absolutely smoked by Nova before he was head coach to petty much being competitive against them in almost every game, so there’s that.

Absolutely. He owns the total product: recruiting, strength and conditioning, in-game coaching and performance, you name it. He also owns 3 years without a tournament berth, 0 wins against Villanova, and the late season collapses in Big East play. On the Villanova front, I'm not too impressed with moral victories - especially since the Villanova teams the past few years haven't been their best (still very good teams though), so I'm not giving him credit for getting his ass kicked a little less than Chris Mack did. I thought Chris Mack's performance against Villanova was atrocious, for the record.

This season has not yet been a failure or a success. We have 1 good win and no bad losses, beyond that I'd argue we have generally done as expected. He needs to find a way to deliver a strong finish with an NCAA bid and I'm in favor of him getting another year. If they can win a game or two in the tournament I'll really start to believe he might be the guy. I'd really like for him to be the guy, because I don't want to start all over with a new coach.

I'm not going to feel bad critiquing a guy getting $1.2MM a year to coach basketball though.

[xavierj]

Absolutely. He owns the total product: recruiting, strength and conditioning, in-game coaching and performance, you name it. He also owns 3 years without a tournament berth, 0 wins against Villanova, and the late season collapses in Big East play. On the Villanova front, I'm not too impressed with moral victories - especially since the Villanova teams the past few years haven't been their best (still very good teams though), so I'm not giving him credit for getting his ass kicked a little less than Chris Mack did. I thought Chris Mack's performance against Villanova was atrocious, for the record.

This season has not yet been a failure or a success. We have 1 good win and no bad losses, beyond that I'd argue we have generally done as expected. He needs to find a way to deliver a strong finish with an NCAA bid and I'm in favor of him getting another year. If they can win a game or two in the tournament I'll really start to believe he might be the guy. I'd really like for him to be the guy, because I don't want to start all over with a new coach.

I'm not going to feel bad critiquing a guy getting $1.2MM a year to coach basketball though.

Travis Steele has missed the tourney twice. No one made it two years ago. Oh and Travis and Xavier beat Nova by 12 his first year at the Cintas and that team went 7-3 last 10 in the Big East, But keep going.

[Tim]

Travis Steele has missed the tourney twice. No one made it two years ago. Oh and Travis and Xavier beat Nova by 12 his first year at the Cintas and that team went 7-3 last 10 in the Big East, But keep going.
Why do the Steele apologists continue ignoring the fact that in the covid season we had ZERO chance at making the tournament after the embarrassing first round loss to DePaul in the Big East Tournament? Let's be fair on both sides of this Steele debate.

[xavierj]

Why do the Steele apologists continue ignoring the fact that in the covid season we had ZERO chance at making the tournament after the embarrassing first round loss to DePaul in the Big East Tournament? Let's be fair on both sides of this Steele debate.

Not an apologist just stating a fact. It was a fact that his first year he beat Nova by 12 and his team went 7-3 the last 10 Big East games. So it was factually incorrect that it was said he has never beat Nova and collapses every year in the big east. As for this year my expectation is make tourney and win two games. It’s ok to be critical but also be factual and give credit where credit is due.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Man, there seemed to be an obvious double dribble late in the game that lead to a 3 by nova. Does anyone remember that? At the game it seemed classic double dribble. Maybe replayed showed different, but that was huge.

Yes! The one in the post? I think it was Moore? I was like WTF? He held it long enough down there that it was like everyone forgot he picked up a dribble.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Why do the Steele apologists continue ignoring the fact that in the covid season we had ZERO chance at making the tournament after the embarrassing first round loss to DePaul in the Big East Tournament? Let's be fair on both sides of this Steele debate.

I am no Steele apologist and while that loss severely hurt our chances, Xavier still had a chance to get in after that loss. If we won we would have been a lock. It was probably less than 50/50 but there was a chance depending on what other bubble teams did in their tournaments.

[boozehound]

Travis Steele has missed the tourney twice. No one made it two years ago. Oh and Travis and Xavier beat Nova by 12 his first year at the Cintas and that team went 7-3 last 10 in the Big East, But keep going.

I had forgotten that they beat Villanova that year. I don't really remember the details of that season, but I'm surprised to hear that they closed out the season 7-3 since they went 9-9 in Big East play. The beginning of the season must have been pretty bad. Criticism withdrawn on not beating Villanova. I'd still like to see us more competitive with them, but Steele probably is ahead of Mack at this point in that regard.

I don't necessarily expect 2 tournament wins this year. I'd consider one win a decent season assuming they close out Big East play on a strong note, and would be fine with a reasonable contract extension given those circumstances. We probably have to extend him after this season if we stick with Steele for recruiting purposes.

The lack of big men notwithstanding I've been pretty happy with Steele's recruiting: guys like Colby Jones and Dwon Odom are good gets. Hopefully Edwards and some of the other newer recruits develop. He's also done a good job filling needs in the transfer portal and we have landed some good talent from there. I like the fact that he has recruited a legit PG in Dwon Odom. I'd like to see a few less wings and a few more bigs.

[drudy23]

I am no Steele apologist and while that loss severely hurt our chances, Xavier still had a chance to get in after that loss. If we won we would have been a lock. It was probably less than 50/50 but there was a chance depending on what other bubble teams did in their tournaments.

They were not getting in - let's not make this the new "Lamar Odom kept us out" - we weren't making it then either.

[XUBob]

Not trying to start a pissing match, but, as to the Covid tournament year no one knows if X would have gone or not. I was of the firm belief that X would not have been in. I was listening to a podcast before last season featuring Mario Mercurio, granted he has an XU bias. He presented the case that X would have been in the play in round at Dayton. He is the scheduling/analytics guru for X and does a great job at that. According to him X’s numbers were better than most of the play in teams from previous years. He didn’t seem to be to concerned about X not making the tournament. Again it was contingent on teams around X numbers wise. If that was true and X got in this conversation would probably be much different. I’ve been critical of Steele, but I’m seeing improvements and hoping for the best.

[D-West & PO-Z]

They were not getting in - let's not make this the new "Lamar Odom kept us out" - we weren't making it then either.

We didn't go from a lock with a win to 100% not in with a loss despite it being DePaul. Fan's of their own team are always downplaying their chances when on the bubble (I think for many reasons). The bubble is filled with really flawed teams every year.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Not trying to start a pissing match, but, as to the Covid tournament year no one knows if X would have gone or not. I was of the firm belief that X would not have been in. I was listening to a podcast before last season featuring Mario Mercurio, granted he has an XU bias. He presented the case that X would have been in the play in round at Dayton. He is the scheduling/analytics guru for X and does a great job at that. According to him X’s numbers were better than most of the play in teams from previous years. He didn’t seem to be to concerned about X not making the tournament. Again it was contingent on teams around X numbers wise. If that was true and X got in this conversation would probably be much different. I’ve been critical of Steele, but I’m seeing improvements and hoping for the best.

Yeah, X had a chance. Imo it was less than 50/50 but for anyone to say we had a 0% chance just doesnt know what they are talking about and probably has an axe to grind.

[drudy23]

No team in history had ever jumped to the "locked" status by beating DePaul.

[D-West & PO-Z]

No team in history had ever jumped to the "locked" status by beating DePaul.

It wasnt the beating of DePaul that would have made them a lock, it was the not losing to them.

[XUBison]

It wasnt the beating of DePaul that would have made them a lock, it was the not losing to them.

The way that season ended sucked. Of course we had some statistical probability of making the tournament. So what?

[D-West & PO-Z]

The way that season ended sucked. Of course we had some statistical probability of making the tournament. So what?

Totally agree it sucked and it was inexcusable.

The so what is that it shouldn't be stated as absolute fact that Steele missed that tournament that didn't even happen.

[Xuperman]

Hey OTR, VILLE, Drudy, MOR,

Let's just cut the sh!t. No more "aluminum" bull crap. It was a cute phrase for your girlie giggles, but the product is now apparent. We have FIFTH YEAR guys that don't produce.......NOT ON COACH!

[Xavier]

Hey OTR, VILLE, Drudy, MOR,

Let's just cut the sh!t. No more "aluminum" bull crap. It was a cute phrase for your girlie giggles, but the product is now apparent. We have FIFTH YEAR guys that don't produce.......NOT ON COACH!

I mean….he doesn’t have to play them? And in fact the team looked better when Colby running it in the second half.

But if the coach isn’t responsible for the production of the guys on the court, what is he responsible for?

[XUGRAD80]

Let me first acknowledge that DePaul looks to be a much better team than they have been over the last few years, much better. But if X had lost that game I would have placed 99% of the blame on Steele.

The fact is that Freemantle can not guard centers. He just doesn’t have the size to compete with those players. Yet at the start of the game, and at the start of the 2nd half, Steele put him the position where he had to do just that. Steele continues to run that same starting lineup out every game and in almost every game X gets off to a bad start and falls behind. That is a coaching decision , nothing more. He is asking a player to do something that he is not capable of doing and hasn’t shown that capability of doing over the last 2 1/2 years. Why is he so stubborn about it? It’s not a matter of toughness. It’s a matter of physical abilities. Free is giving up length, bulk, and strength to those centers and that’s not going to change.

He needs to start Nunge and put Hunter on the bench. Let Nunge and Free start. Rotate Hunter in to give them a break after the opposing center goes to the bench for a blow.

That lineup decision is on Steele, nobody else.

[bleedXblue]

I mean….he doesn’t have to play them? And in fact the team looked better when Colby running it in the second half.

But if the coach isn’t responsible for the production of the guys on the court, what is he responsible for?

I love Paul at times and I cringe when he has the ball in hands in critical moments of a game. The fact that the coach continues to run things through him in those situations is concerning.

Apparently Paul decides when he plays and has complete control of the team and what plays are run and executed.

[Xville]

Hey OTR, VILLE, Drudy, MOR,

Let's just cut the sh!t. No more "aluminum" bull crap. It was a cute phrase for your girlie giggles, but the product is now apparent. We have FIFTH YEAR guys that don't produce.......NOT ON COACH!

I guess it’s the players fault that Steele keeps running free and hunter out there together like a stubborn mule and that x doesn’t have a point guard that plays much. Steele has been consistent in his four years—-consistent poor roster management, construction and not putting players in position to succeed.

[XUGRAD80]

I guess it’s the players fault that Steele keeps running free and hunter out there together like a stubborn mule and that x doesn’t have a point guard that plays much. Steele has been consistent in his four years—-consistent poor roster management, construction and not putting players in position to succeed.


And how in the world does Kunk score 12 in the first half….almost single-handedly bringing X back from a double digit hole……and only get 2 minutes in the 2nd half? If it’s not because of some kind of injury, then Steele has some real explaining to do.

[XUBob]

Kunkle was sick, didn’t practice on Tuesday tried to play through it couldn’t go in second half per Adam Baum.

[drudy23]

Hey OTR, VILLE, Drudy, MOR,

Let's just cut the sh!t. No more "aluminum" bull crap. It was a cute phrase for your girlie giggles, but the product is now apparent. We have FIFTH YEAR guys that don't produce.......NOT ON COACH!

Um....

We won.

And yes, he's Coach Aluminum until he gets us to the tournament, and especially if he continues to park Nunge on the bench for the first 5-6 minutes of each half. And especially if he continues to recruit only skinny wing guys and ignores power forwards, and especially if those skinny wings guys shoot a bunch of 3s when they're not good shooters.

And our offense still kinda sucks.

[xavierj]

Um....

We won.

And yes, he's Coach Aluminum until he gets us to the tournament, and especially if he continues to park Nunge on the bench for the first 5-6 minutes of each half. And especially if he continues to recruit only skinny wing guys and ignores power forwards, and especially if those skinny wings guys shoot a bunch of 3s when they're not good shooters.

And our offense still kinda sucks.

How does the offense suck? Torvik has the offense after last night at 21 in the nation and Kenpom has them 22nd. They can get stagnant at times but the offense is not a problem. The looks they get are good but guys need to make shots. I think in Big East play they tend to rush shots. Need to slow down a little when shooting.

[drudy23]

How does the offense suck? Torvik has the offense after last night at 21 in the nation and Kenpom has them 22nd. They can get stagnant at times but the offense is not a problem. The looks they get are good but guys need to make shots. I think in Big East play they tend to rush shots. Need to slow down a little when shooting.

I would love to see our offensive efficiency numbers when Nunge is in the game vs not. He's probably the main reason for that high of an offensive ranking.

[XUGRAD80]

Kunkle was sick, didn’t practice on Tuesday tried to play through it couldn’t go in second half per Adam Baum.


Thanks for that explanation. I'm certainly not the only one asking that question.

[drudy23]

Thanks for that explanation. I'm certainly not the only one asking that question.

Adam Baum reported it - Steele said it. I don't buy it. He looked fine on the bench and was cheering for his team - and he lit it up in the first half.

I doubt the 15 minute halftime delay put him in "couldn't go" territory.

[XUGRAD80]

Adam Baum reported it - Steele said it. I don't buy it. He looked fine on the bench and was cheering for his team - and he lit it up in the first half.

I doubt the 15 minute halftime delay put him in "couldn't go" territory.

I was thinking the same thing, but I'm going to give ADAM the benefit of the doubt on that one. Perhaps it is true, but like you said, Kunk looked fine at the end of the 1st half.


Nothing was said about that in the post-game radio show.

[drudy23]

I was thinking the same thing, but I'm going to give ADAM the benefit of the doubt on that one. Perhaps it is true, but like you said, Kunk looked fine at the end of the 1st half.


Nothing was said about that in the post-game radio show.

Adam just asked the question - it wasn't his answer.

[xavierj]

I would love to see our offensive efficiency numbers when Nunge is in the game vs not. He's probably the main reason for that high of an offensive ranking.

So Nunge has the highest offensive rating on the team at 123, followed by Adam at 120, Colby and Nate at 114, Dwon at 106, Zach 102, Paul 96 and Hunter 92. Paul and Jerome are the only guys that play that are under 40% from the floor.

[xuphan]

Hey OTR, VILLE, Drudy, MOR,

Let's just cut the sh!t. No more "aluminum" bull crap. It was a cute phrase for your girlie giggles, but the product is now apparent. We have FIFTH YEAR guys that don't produce.......NOT ON COACH!

So how can any coach be held accountable with this type of post? Didn’t this coach recruit these players, coach these players, select these players for certain minutes within the game and design the offensive and defensive plays for them to run? How can any coach in any sport ever get criticized or fired if they players are solely responsible for the performance of the team? While I think Steele has been better this year, he still leaves me scratching my head at some of his decisions and game planning. Why Nunge doesn’t start the game is mind boggling. Especially when we continue to get off to very slow starts, can’t rebound, and get dominated by athletic bigs.

[X-man]

Does anyone know why Miles isn't seeing he floor? Last night would have seemed a good game for him to see minutes. Is he injured or sick? Are the coaches down on him? They kept talking about his potential and athletic ability, yet don't play him to allow him to develop. It seems like a huge waste.

[xuphan]

Does anyone know why Miles isn't seeing he floor? Last night would have seemed a good game for him to see minutes. Is he injured or sick? Are the coaches down on him? They kept talking about his potential and athletic ability, yet don't play him to allow him to develop. It seems like a huge waste.

The coaches seem to favor more Freemantle at this point. I would be surprised if Miles is back next year to be honest.

[noteggs]

Does anyone know why Miles isn't seeing he floor? Last night would have seemed a good game for him to see minutes. Is he injured or sick? Are the coaches down on him? They kept talking about his potential and athletic ability, yet don't play him to allow him to develop. It seems like a huge waste.

Sick and didn’t make the trip

[D-West & PO-Z]

Does anyone know why Miles isn't seeing he floor? Last night would have seemed a good game for him to see minutes. Is he injured or sick? Are the coaches down on him? They kept talking about his potential and athletic ability, yet don't play him to allow him to develop. It seems like a huge waste.

I think I am harder on Miles than most, so this may seem harsh, but my answer would be because he isn't any good.

Not sure if that is why the coaches don't play him but I would imagine so. Because, you're right, in theory, last night was a game where he could have helped. However, the coaches clearly don't think so.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Sick and didn’t make the trip

Interesting, thanks. Maybe he would have got some minutes last night. Not sure.

[drudy23]

I think I am harder on Miles than most, so this may seem harsh, but my answer would be because he isn't any good.

Not sure if that is why the coaches don't play him but I would imagine so. Because, you're right, in theory, last night was a game where he could have helped. However, the coaches clearly don't think so.

Especially since he wasn't even there.

[xukeith]

I think I am harder on Miles than most, so this may seem harsh, but my answer would be because he isn't any good.

Not sure if that is why the coaches don't play him but I would imagine so. Because, you're right, in theory, last night was a game where he could have helped. However, the coaches clearly don't think so.

He was sick and didn't travel

[xukeith]

Yes Nunge had a good game last night BUT he was pushed around and out rebounded for the majority of the game. Freemantlle too.

[bleedXblue]

Especially since he wasn't even there.

Add to this that Edwards hasn't emerged ahead of Miles, that is even more concerning.

We need a guy to go in and play physical and rebound the ball and defend the post for 8-10 MPG. We don't have that. At all.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Especially since he wasn't even there.


He was sick and didn't travel

Yeah I saw that reply after the fact. Still not sure he would have played anyway though.

[drudy23]

Add to this that Edwards hasn't emerged ahead of Miles, that is even more concerning.

We need a guy to go in and play physical and rebound the ball and defend the post for 8-10 MPG. We don't have that. At all.

Haven't had that - at all - in the Steele era.

Used to be Power Forward U - now they're not even on campus.

[Masterofreality]

Yes Nunge had a good game last night BUT he was pushed around and out rebounded for the majority of the game. Freemantlle too.

Jack Nunge was +12 when he was on the court last night. He saved the game.
The above is Bullsheet.

[Xavier]

Depends if you count Jones in that roll. Feel like he is definitely a big that is physical and rebounds. I’m not sure Hankins qualifies, but both were with Steele. (Was Jones only here one year or two? Feel like it was Steeles first two years) Obviously the roster is lacking it now.

[drudy23]

Depends if you count Jones in that roll. Feel like he is definitely a big that is physical and rebounds. I’m not sure Hankins qualifies, but both were with Steele. (Was Jones only here one year or two? Feel like it was Steeles first two years) Obviously the roster is lacking it now.

Both Hankins and Tyrique were Mack guys - yes, Steele was a coach, but he recruits to the wants of the head coach.

Steele has yet to recruit or transfer in a power forward that has been a force in the paint.

It's obvious by roster construction and recruiting pipeline how he wants to play.

[Masterofreality]

Both Hankins and Tyrique were Mack guys - yes, Steele was a coach, but he recruits to the wants of the head coach.

Steele has yet to recruit or transfer in a power forward that has been a force in the paint.

It's obvious by roster construction and recruiting pipeline how he wants to play.

This is truth and a BIG problem in the Big East. Stop with the finesse guys. We need a banger.
But just more proof that Steele wants to be Villanova west

[Xavier]

I definitely agree, just saying for 2/4 years he has had that big physical player. I always think they aren’t easy to come by and give Steele benefit of the doubt- he has recruited project bigs. Yet almost every game I see a big on the other team that fits the roll and think “man X could really use that”.

I guess this year he’d be taking Freemantle minutes?

[Xavier]

I think I am harder on Miles than most, so this may seem harsh, but my answer would be because he isn't any good.

Not sure if that is why the coaches don't play him but I would imagine so. Because, you're right, in theory, last night was a game where he could have helped. However, the coaches clearly don't think so.

I know he was sick and didn’t come….he wouldn’t have played anyways. Sorry, he stinks. Hoped he’d turn it around but just isn’t the guy.

[hydmuskie]

Put me in the camp that Steele thinks that if he has both Free and Nunge playing at a high level - then we are an elite 8 team. The only way for Free to return to the form he had last year is to keep getting game minutes - even if he is not productive. If Nunge had Free's minutes last night - we win comfortably.

My view - keep giving Free a chance to play his way back into form - through game 10 of the conf schedule. If he gets his act together - the upside is so much greater - even if it means losing 2 more games. If he does not - then we play the back half of the schedule without him and get the substitution patterns etc etc squared away for post season play.

To bail on Free right now is pre-mature - even if it means losing a couple of games.

[Final4]

But just more proof that Steele wants to be Villanova west

And what's wrong with that?

[Xville]

And what's wrong with that?

What few seem to realize (maybe even Steele if Villanova who he is trying to model the team after) is that in addition to shooters most years, they also have had ochefu, Dixon, jenkins (shorter but beefy), paschal (same as Jenkins), spellman, Robinson-earl and you absolutely need that in the big East. Apparently, Steele doesn’t think so.

[Final4]

What few seem to realize (maybe even Steele if Villanova who he is trying to model the team after) is that in addition to shooters most years, they also have had ochefu, Dixon, jenkins (shorter but beefy), paschal (same as Jenkins), spellman, Robinson-earl and you absolutely need that in the big East. Apparently, Steele doesn’t think so.

That’s a bit illogical but that’s OK. Point remains why wouldn’t you want to be Villanova west (or Gonzaga east).