Game Thread: Xavier v Providence College (2/23/2022)

[KabeX]

Now repeat after me - do not turn the ball over and get a shot inside!

[Xville]

Let dwon run it

[GoMuskies]

Hinkle Fieldhouse North is having issues.

[KabeX]

Just need to find a sink ...

[Xville]

Come on.. good decisions

[KabeX]

A foul to give means 2 inbounds. Please God, no turnovers.

[paulxu]

Amazing; Kunk has made our only 4 3's. They've got 13. And we're tied with 23 seconds.

Whatever happens...helluva effort. Come on Muskies. Get this!

[KabeX]

Damn I thought that was in.

[GoMuskies]

At least we got a shot up.

[IM4X]

Why the hell don’t they work that inside and force the foul. What is going on with the coaching.

[Xville]

Fadeaway shot over Watson.. great shot… Geezus fuck…give Odom the damn ball and let him get to the rim. Geezus

[KabeX]

Well obviously don't like our chances OT on the road at our opponents pool. Guess it's sink or swim time boys.

[Blue Blooded-05]

Free rolled wide open in the middle of the key. No one saw him

[paulxu]

Good try.
OT in the shower.

[GoMuskies]

I've got a friend at work who is a Wyoming fan. I assume he wants to punch me in the face right now.

[Strange Brew]

Esp not good since we're not even in the Bonus...

[HenryMuto]

Thought we had this win. Just needed 1 stop couldn't get it just needed 1 score couldn't get it.

[xavbball]

Again… why does Hunter keep getting put into games. X was up by 3 when the game resumed. Down by one when he exited the game.

Now he is back in again and gets scored over.

Practice points.

[IM4X]

So now we work it inside and get the foul.

[GoMuskies]

I think Dwon should be in.

[Lloyd Braun]

Are we in the bonus yet

[IM4X]

How about a little full court press.

[Strange Brew]

Are we in the bonus yet

Still not yet.

[IM4X]

Work it inside.

[KabeX]

Yes it was a charge. BUT NOT BEFORE HE FOULED ODOM

[GoMuskies]

Free may have tackled Durham.

[IM4X]

Free playing tough.

[Strange Brew]

Yes it was a charge. BUT NOT BEFORE HE FOULED ODOM

Garbage calls all night.

[Lloyd Braun]

I just put a live $360k Moneyline wager on Xavier.

[GoMuskies]

Intentional foul

[IM4X]

Boooooo

[KabeX]

Looks intentional to me. Will they have the nads to make the call?

[GoMuskies]

I just put a live $360k Moneyline wager on Xavier.

Sweet

[bjf123]

Looks intentional to me. Will they have the nads to make the call?

Of course not!


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[Strange Brew]

Intentional foul

Obviously.

[KabeX]

Looks intentional to me. Will they have the nads to make the call?
And of course not. That will haunt.

[IM4X]

Steady does not guys.

[GoMuskies]

That is some bullshit. Greg Oden is proud.

[IM4X]

BS call

[KabeX]

Zero help. Wtf?

[GoMuskies]

That's a late, garbage call. But also terrible defense.

[GoMuskies]

And Jones had to get tackled to get a call.

[Xville]

Refs calling everything now… come on make the fts

[IM4X]

Over the back

[Strange Brew]

And Jones had to get tackled to get a call.

Flagrant? Contact to the head. Come on refs.

[IM4X]

Nunge needs to crash the boards when Free shoots.

[Xville]

Go to the damn rim

[GoMuskies]

Again. Let's go.

[IM4X]

Inside! Inside! Inside!

[KabeX]

Got a chance to steele one on the road. Please God, no turnovers or charging fouls.

[GoMuskies]

Leave Dwon in this time please.

[Xville]

Give Odom the effing ball and have him drive to the rim… make the shot or the tip back in. Game over. Come on!

[xudash]

I've got a friend at work who is a Wyoming fan. I assume he wants to punch me in the face right now.

Wyoming basketball = oxymoron.

OK, let’s win this thing right now.

[KabeX]

Lark saying Kunk will be in for Odom. Really would rather have Odom attack here.

[GoMuskies]

Prefer to take out Jones or Scruggs if Kunk must play.

[GoMuskies]

We are dumb

[KabeX]

Sensing heartbreak city here.

[whopper]

that miss may have been the season by Colby i am sorry to say

[IM4X]

What piece of Shhhh… play that was with Jones. Steele just doesn’t know how not to screw up an advantage.

[Xville]

Did Colby seriously just get blocked by the rim on a layup? Can’t make this shit up. Wtf was that.

Not having Odom in the game is effing stupid.

[GoMuskies]

Did Colby seriously just get blocked by the rim on a layup? Can’t make this shit up. Wtf was that.

Not having Odom in the game is effing stupid.

I thought it was the underside of the backboard, but whatever.

[GoMuskies]

Pretty sure we fouled Durham. Eh, maybe not. Good

[KabeX]

One more life. Go right at Durham. Try to stay away from that awesome shot blocker - the backboard. What in the hell Odom was not in there ...

[IM4X]

Hey let’s put Hunter back in so he can get shot over, not grab a rebound and maybe even miss a bunny or clank a 3.

[GoMuskies]

This kind of reminds me of a game at Charlotte when we had about 4 chances to win, and Crawford went one on one every time, and I'm pretty sure never scratched the rim. Then we lost.

[bjf123]

What’s with the ugly floor at Colorado State?


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[KabeX]

PLEASE REPEAT AFTER ME - Ah screw it. They're not gonna listen.

[GoMuskies]

Terrible foul

[Xville]

Should have won the game a long ass time ago.. stupid decisions and plays in last possessions.

[IM4X]

Scruggs is getting schooled.

[Strange Brew]

Terrible foul

Not sure he actually made contact.

[GoMuskies]

Scruggs is terrible

[KabeX]

Putrid D at the end - parting of the red sea

[SM#24]

Scruggs has to be on drugs. Nobody can be that bad.

[Xville]

Bynum doing what Odom should have been doing for last 15 minutes but Steele rides or dies with his 8th year senior who is the opposite of clutch

[KabeX]

And BTW - Can Lapp be any more biased?

[X Factor]

Paul getting abused on D, and we NEVER help on the drive

[GoMuskies]

Never mind Paul. You're good!

[Strange Brew]

And BTW - Can Lapp be any more biased?

No, and he's more annoying than normal.

[GoMuskies]

Colby missing both front ends is brutal.

[HenryMuto]

This would be a really tough game to lose.

[xukeith]

Colby missing both front ends is brutal.

I still can't believe those two fouls late second half weren't intentional fouls

[IM4X]

Time to redeem yourself Paul.

[HenryMuto]

Might have wanted Scruggs to have done that at end of the game or OT.

[Xville]

Alright Scruggs time to totally redeem yourself!

[GoMuskies]

Not sure Durham fouling out helps us.

[Xville]

Yea kunkel! Now come on one big stop!!

[GoMuskies]

Amazing game

[KabeX]

My watch just told me to relax. LOL.

[Blue Blooded-05]

Is this our first double OT game since Kansas St in 2010 NCAA Tourney?

[GoMuskies]

Dwon out. Bummer

[Xville]

Ugh odom. Gotta win it here, otherwise Steele is going to play hunter the entire next ot

[KabeX]

That's helpful. 2 for 1 in play if they play it right

[KabeX]

Just a bad time for a bad shot

[IM4X]

Got to put the game in the hands of Kunkel and Free.

[HenryMuto]

Just can't get that clinching stop. Now must score unlike regulation and OT after giving up the score.

[Xville]

Scruggs just doesn’t have it… whatever it is. Bynum sure as hell does

[GoMuskies]

The Scruggs dribble around for 20 seconds and then shoot off balance jumper can come out of the playbook.

[IM4X]

How is that no foul?

[KabeX]

Best chance is a quick bucket to get the 2 for 1

[KabeX]

WOW. How do you not call that? Robbed.

[GoMuskies]

How is that no foul?

Maybe if he shot. But he passed.

[Xville]

Had too many chances to win that they blew. Deserved to lose in the end even though effort was absolutely there tonight.

[KabeX]

Wow Lapp really sounding hopeful about Prov fouling up 3. Geeze

[IM4X]

What was that!!!!!

[GoMuskies]

We are stupid

[HenryMuto]

This is BS I watched another team do this exact same thing it was not called an F1

[Xville]

Lol this team is so ridiculous. Effort was there tonight but there is a whole lot of stupid on this staff and this roster.

[KabeX]

Well let's see what he did. Calling that at this point it had better be obvious

[IM4X]

What a joke!!!!!

[HenryMuto]

That is BS that was not F1 I seen other teams do that same thing never called a F1

[GoMuskies]

Horrible call

[Xville]

Ok seeing it again that’s a horrible call

[KabeX]

Well let's see what he did. Calling that at this point it had better be obvious
WOW not that is f'in BS. Even Lapp thinks so. Don't think we would have won but damn, c'mon

[HenryMuto]

Booooooooooooooooooooooooom

[muskiefan82]

Lol this team is so ridiculous. Effort was there tonight but there is a whole lot of stupid on this staff and this roster. Yes.

[IM4X]

Oh yeah!!!!

[Xville]

Acrugggggsssssssssss please be a 3

[GoMuskies]

Justice!

[Xville]

Yes!! Like I said all game… Scruggs is clutch!

[GoMuskies]

Definitely a 3

[IM4X]

Don’t screw this one up too refs!!!

[KabeX]

P.F. Scruggs.

[Blue Blooded-05]

Scruggs my boy!! Never doubted you in my life!

[GoMuskies]

More Hinkle North issues

[IM4X]

We deserve to win this game.

[KabeX]

Pretty obvious it's a 3.

[HenryMuto]

Why couldn't we have been down 2 pts when that happened................

[Xville]

This is the longest game in the history of college bb, or at least it sure as hell feels like it lol

[KabeX]

Why couldn't we have been down 2 pts when that happened................
Yep. But screw it. Win anyway!

[bjf123]

I doubt if anyone is going to be to close over in the Pick the Score thread.


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[GoMuskies]

That one point spread by Vegas sure seems pretty sharp!

[stammina0721]

Reagrdless... Steele needs to be flown home and told to clean out his office. A flagrant foul at the end here along with 2 pathetic win attempts is disgusting among everything else

[XUOWNSUC]

Karma fucking owes Xavier this game.

[X Factor]

Good gosh, I'm getting too old for this!

[Lloyd Braun]

Perfect time for another roof leak. Haven’t heard about that in awhile…

[fellahmuskie]

Byron is losing his mind over the refs on the radio.

[GoMuskies]

Hinkle North again

[xudash]

Good gosh, I'm getting too old for this!

Right there with you fellow Muskie.

[XUOWNSUC]

Fouls are 24-16 against us.

[GoMuskies]

I miss the A10...said no one.

[TheDanimal]

If only there were someone on a basketball team, maybe an older, compensated individual, who could be responsible for making sure one player on the opposing team doesn't continually beat you and ensuring effective end game decisions...

[IM4X]

Good hands Hunter.

[hydmuskie]

Not the best game I have ever seen.... but this is Big East Basketball!!!!

[IM4X]

whyyyyyyyyyyyyy is a hunter in!!!!!!!!

[Xville]

So glad hunter is in to do nothing worthwhile except give the other team 2 points

[GoMuskies]

Hunter shoots

[Blue Blooded-05]

Why. The. FUCK. Is. Hunter. In. The. Game????

[X Factor]

Hunter should NEVER play

[KabeX]

So glad hunter is in to do nothing worthwhile except give the other team 2 points
Here comes Caesar

[HenryMuto]

Is there a reason Hunter is taking every shot ?

[xudash]

Why is Hunter in this game!

[Xville]

Why. The. FUCK. Is. Hunter. In. The. Game????

Because gawd forbid Edwards play over him lol

[GoMuskies]

Hunter shoots again

[hydmuskie]

Hunter with a patentted Hunter play

[IM4X]

Get Hunter out of there!!!!

[hydmuskie]

Ooooh - lets use hunter as a decoy!!!

[Xville]

Kunkel if you are going to do that shit, you better effing make the shot

[IM4X]

You suck Steele for having Hunter in there again.

You suck!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[HenryMuto]

Unreal

[IM4X]

This game is 100% on Steele if we lose.

[GoMuskies]

Knew that was going in. Zone seems like a bad choice.

[Blue Blooded-05]

Fml

[Xville]

Ball game. 17-10; 7-9. Fire Steele please. Just for the stupid coaching at end of regulation and 1st ot alone. Guy is just a loser.

[xuphan]

You suck Steele for having Hunter in there again.

You suck!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is Hunter a senior or will he be back next year?

[bjf123]

Well, fuck.


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[KabeX]

I know they're exhausted but how you leave the best shooter in the building that open...

[HenryMuto]

Hunter for 3 is the play we drew up ? Announcer even said it "I don't know where Hunter gets off taking all these shots"

[GoMuskies]

Can't believe Hunter missed that three. Shocking.

[xuwillie]

Steele should be fired for playing Hunter period.. wth

[Xville]

Ha at least lappas knows hunter shouldn’t be shooting. Steele probably thought that was a hell of a shot

[ArizonaXUGrad]

Ball game. 17-10; 7-9. Fire Steele please. Just for the stupid coaching at end of regulation and 1st ot alone. Guy is just a loser.

I said before 19-13 is where we if they schedule the second Georgetown game with a loss to a lower seeded on Wednesday in New York. Season look familiar?

[KabeX]

And then there is the Hunter factor of course.

[Backyard Champ]

Is Hunter a senior or will he be back next year?

No idea why he was in all of 3rd OT. Trash coaching

[Cornbread1190]

Hunter with a ��

[stammina0721]

Scruggs will have played a million years and made one tournament. Steele should be ashamed of himself for wasting the talent he has. Dude took over a 1 seed program and has driven it into the ground.

[X Factor]

Even Steve Lappas wondering why Hunter is taking all of these shots!!!

[HenryMuto]

Team showed great heart tonight.

[IM4X]

Is Hunter a senior or will he be back next year?

Steele will probably startinf him…. If he still has a job.

Putting him in again and again during those key moments absolutely killed us. That is 100% on Steele. He crippled this team tonight as he so often does.

[GoMuskies]

Well that was not ideal.

[Xavier]

This is a classic game people will give a pass to Steele on. “Three OT at #11” moral win. But you had to chances to win, just really bad play calls.

[Xville]

Fire Steele! A competent coach wins this game in regulation. Just absolutely terrible end of game coaching. Sick of watching his horrible coaching decisions game after game.

[xuwillie]

Team showed great heart tonight.

who cares. My 10 year old plays with heart

[Blue Blooded-05]

Hunter in the 3rd OT:
- Turnover
- Missed Layup
- Missed Layup
- Missed 3

[HenryMuto]

Just another step to that 11 seed where we make our magical Elite 8 run

[Blue Blooded-05]

Hunter in the 3rd OT:
- Turnover
- Missed Layup
- Missed Layup
- Missed 3

[KabeX]

Well Sat just became our season. Pee down your leg and we can just about seal that NIT bid.

[Strange Brew]

Steele leads all Xavier coaches in moral victories.

[bjf123]

So who should have been in instead of Hunter?


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[GoMuskies]

Hunter in the 3rd OT:
- Turnover
- Missed Layup
- Missed Layup
- Missed 3

Ben Stanley didn't have enough practice points to play in OT, dude.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

Just another step to that 11 seed where we make our magical Elite 8 run
Stop, we aren’t going to the tourney. Just stop with this.

[Strange Brew]

So who should have been in instead of Hunter?


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One of the cheerleaders.

[TheDanimal]

I'm entering the portal...

[Xavier]

The team was so gassed by 3rd OT. I honestly won’t be too upset at how players play at that point, it shouldn’t have ever gotten there though.

*that missed wrap up T was tough, that’s textbook

[CP05XU08CU13]

Ball game. 17-10; 7-9. Fire Steele please. Just for the stupid coaching at end of regulation and 1st ot alone. Guy is just a loser.

Fire him now! Let one of the assistants finish out the season. He is an absolute loser with a terrible system. I think all alumni should withhold any and all donations until the University gets serious about the basketball program again. Period! This is an absolute embarrassment and now XU cannot even get to 20 wins in the regular season. So incredibly disappointing.

[Xville]

So who should have been in instead of Hunter?


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A walk on? Who gives a shit as long as it’s
Not him. I said x had to win in 2nd or or hunter would be playing the entire 3rd ot.. and whaddya know? Steele just can’t quit Carter hunter

[Strange Brew]

The team was so gassed by 3rd OT. I honestly won’t be too upset at how players play at that point, it shouldn’t have ever gotten there though.

*that missed wrap up T was tough, that’s textbook

Players were not the problem.

[Caveat]

Xavier has lost 5 of 6.

Another Steele Swoon.

It needs to change. I have no faith it will.

[KabeX]

Been one helluva a losing month. Getting tired of that.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

Stop with the stupid moral victory, those are losses. The committee doesn’t count moral victories.

Funny thing, I could see us split Georgetown and really tank.

[Xville]

Playing our way out of a tourney bid:::: a Xavier Steele tradition.

[GoMuskies]

Hard to believe we beat UConn in that stretch. Season saver...for a while.

[Backyard Champ]

Hunter tried making a name for himself. Unfortunately he just cemented what most Xavier fans Think of him.

[xuphan]

Hunter in the 3rd OT:
- Turnover
- Missed Layup
- Missed Layup
- Missed 3

Was this what Steele was talking about when he said the team needs to get the best shot for Xavier?

[whopper]

we had no answer for Bynum which is why Odom fouled out. I really have no complaints ..we can't rely on Kunk so much but he is all we got. He did get fouled by Watson on drive but they let a lot go both ways. I am sad for Scruggs(who played bad at times esp on defense) and really everybody. Not going to kill Hunter although he looks like he should be better. Honestly Edwards instead of Hunter and we have ball handlers in anyway in Scruggs, kunkel and Colby. So many emotions..

[Dblue]

The team was so gassed by 3rd OT. I honestly won’t be too upset at how players play at that point, it shouldn’t have ever gotten there though.

*that missed wrap up T was tough, that’s textbook

That wasn't a flagrant but the ticky tack on the inbounds was? Consistent standards would have been nice...just sayin!

[xudash]

Hunter tried making a name for himself. Unfortunately he just cemented what most Xavier fans Think of him.

Absolutely no doubt about it. He should never see the floor again.

Isn’t it also an interesting commentary on recruiting rankings and ratings, given how highly rated he was coming out of Ohio and originally going to Indiana.

[xumadman]

Hard to believe we beat UConn in that stretch. Season saver...for a while.
Fondest day or two of the year. Fumble game winning play's twice tonight. Wonder what hunters offensive efficiency is this year? God that was painful, even on the radio.

[Xville]

So what’s the Steele apologists excuse for this year? The big East was too tough, so 8th is good enough?

[ArizonaXUGrad]

Think about it, Hall at home St Johns in NY, and two against Georgetown. That is what we have left to show we deserve a bid. Does anyone see us doing better than 2-2? I don’t. 1-3 is a strong possibility. Hell we could see a DePaul or Butler first round matchup. Imagine that, a loss should do it.

[drudy23]

Hard to complain on this one. If we play with that intensity the whole season, this game is simply a war we lost.

But the reality remains - 17-10 and 8th place in the league. 8th place - ugh.

[Caveat]

we had no answer for Bynum which is why Odom fouled out. I really have no complaints ..we can't rely on Kunk so much but he is all we got. He did get fouled by Watson on drive but they let a lot go both ways. I am sad for Scruggs(who played bad at times esp on defense) and really everybody. Not going to kill Hunter although he looks like he should be better. Honestly Edwards instead of Hunter and we have ball handlers in anyway in Scruggs, kunkel and Colby. So many emotions..

We never have the answers.

It’s the same story every season in Big East play under Steele.

I miss back in the day when teams didn’t have an answer for us.

[IM4X]

So who should have been in instead of Hunter?

That’s easy.

Edwards, Stanley, Miles or any walk on sitting on the bench.

[Xville]

At best they finish 19-11 before the bet. Thinking it will be 18-12, play butler and probably lose. Hopefully don’t accept a nit bid. Need the time to find someone who can actually coach.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

That’s easy.

Edwards, Stanley, Miles or any walk on sitting on the bench.

With Hunter’s play, he could justify losing with any of those guys. I think he played Hunter because he knows the seat is hot and he is too afraid to take any bigger chances.

[xukeith]

At best they finish 19-11 before the bet. Thinking it will be 18-12, play butler and probably lose. Hopefully don’t accept a nit bid. Need the time to find someone who can actually coach.

X is not anywhere near NIT ville. If they lose next 3 games then you can guess.

[IM4X]

With Hunter’s play, he could justify losing with any of those guys. I think he played Hunter because he knows the seat is hot and he is too afraid to take any bigger chances.

The silly thing is that STEELE IS TAKING THE BIGGER CHANCE of losing by going with a guy that consistently misses easy bunnies and 3s and struggles to catch simple passes. It is worse than 5 on 4 with him. It’s like automatically agreeing to lose three offensive possession when he gets in the game.

The thing is - it’s the same story every time with him- so that is on the coach for not “getting” how it is killing the team’s chance of winning- in the same way it is on the coach to keep suggesting it’s okay for anyone on the team to take an open 3 if they have it - as if all 3s shot by all players have the same likelihood of going in the bucket and it is simply bad luck that keeps a bad shooter form hitting as many as Kunkel or Johnson.

[Masterofreality]

Marks of a losing coach:
-Can’t draw up an end game play twice to get one open look or a guy to the foul line.
-Strategizes (I assume) to foul Nate Watson to put him on the foul line. Not a terrible call at all, and almost smart, But put Edwards or Miles in to commit the foul!! Jack had 4. Does Steele EVER look at the scoresheet? Now you are without your best Watson defense!!
-Goes to a damn zone with no Nunge to rim protect. Watson has a carnival.

This team played hard and with purpose and this game was there for the taking. But these players were let down by ludicrous and non thinking coaching again.

Do we have anything left for Seton Hall Saturday? Eeeeeek!!

[Xavier]

This is one of the few games I thought for the most part the players did pretty well and Steele really let them down. So many games I think the guys were just as bad as Steele. Tonight, Travis failed them. That’s not to say I was happy with how all the guys played. (Scruggs will get a pass but he had so many ridiculously classic Scruggs plays in regulation…which is a bad thing.) but in the end they did what they had to do to win. Steele did not

[ArizonaXUGrad]

The silly thing is that STEELE IS TAKING THE BIGGER CHANCE of losing by going with a guy that consistently misses easy bunnies and 3s and struggles to catch simple passes. It is worse than 5 on 4 with him. It’s like automatically agreeing to lose three offensive possession when he gets in the game.

The thing is - it’s the same story every time with him- so that is on the coach for not “getting”
how it is killing the team’s chance of winning- in the same way it is on the coach to keep suggesting it’s okay for anyone on the team to take an open 3 if they have it - as if all 3s shot by all player have the same likelihood of going in the bucket and it is simply bad luck that keeps a bad shooter form hitting as many as Kunkel or Johnson.

I see this in Euro football, countless managers play more seasoned players in an attempt to avoid relegation. Steele is going with the guy with more experience because in his eyes it’s a lessor gamble.

[Masterofreality]

Steele wants to take more 3’s
Scruggs 1-2
Kunk 4-10
Everybody else 0-7 (although I thought 0-8 cause didn’t Free take one from the corner in front of the bench?)

That’s effective!!!!!

[IM4X]

Somebody needs to explain to Steele what “Giving your team the best chance to win” actually means. I am not so sure he’s quite grasped the concept.

[xu82]

I said a lot of bad words tonight. It didn’t help, but my wife came to check on me a few times.

[Xville]

X is not anywhere near NIT ville. If they lose next 3 games then you can guess.

They lose Saturday and they are 17-11 and 7-10. Quad 1 wins will only hold for so long. That’s bubble territory. Saturday is uuuuge.

[XUGRAD80]

There was a time not that long ago when it was the OTHER team talking about moral victories after playing Xavier close. When it was XAVIER that knew how to close out a game where they had the lead in the last two minutes. Man I miss those days.

[Xville]

I know they are young but I wonder what the legs will look like Saturday. Free, Colby and Scruggs all played almost 50 minutes; nunge 44. Hopefully they protect homecourt to win these last 2 of 3. Disappointing where Steele has taken the expectations and this program

[JTG]

Absolutely no doubt about it. He should never see the floor again.

Isn’t it also an interesting commentary on recruiting rankings and ratings, given how highly rated he was coming out of Ohio and originally going to Indiana.

We all need to take rankings of anyone from IU with a grain of salt. It goes back to the Bob Knight days. Anyone that was recruited by IU automatically gets rated higher than they actually should be. Some work out, some don't. Their current team has guys who were highly heralded, but not the real deal. Hunter is just another in a long line of IU players who were fool's gold.

[bleedXblue]

What a game.

We had our chances to win multiple times. We don't have that alpha dog which has cost us at least 2-3 wins this year. We also are absurdly incompetent from 3 and have a coach that wants us to shoot more 3's. You cant make this stuff up.

I'm normally not a blame the ref kind of guy. But, the league (if it cared) should investigate the crew last night for multiple bad calls and two egregious calls that impacted the outcome of the game. The flagrant on Durham against Nunge that wasn't called even after they reviewed it. And the flagrant called on Nunge for bumping Watson on the inbounds. Just criminal.

[Masterofreality]

We all need to take rankings of anyone from IU with a grain of salt. It goes back to the Bob Knight days. Anyone that was recruited by IU automatically gets rated higher than they actually should be. Some work out, some don't. Their current team has guys who were highly heralded, but not the real deal. Hunter is just another in a long line of IU players who were fool's gold.

So you are saying that pay sites like Broering and Snow’s are just errrrrrr, “Snow Jobs”?

[Xville]

Edwards plays 4 minutes; has a steal, rebound, goes 1-1 on a back to the basket post up. Brings real toughness and energy.

Compare that with hunter: 15 minutes; 0-5; 0-2 from 3, turnover, 2 boards.

Yeah hunter should play more, and Edwards should just sit the bench…. Practice points rule!

[Lloyd Braun]

We all need to take rankings of anyone from IU with a grain of salt. It goes back to the Bob Knight days. Anyone that was recruited by IU automatically gets rated higher than they actually should be. Some work out, some don't. Their current team has guys who were highly heralded, but not the real deal. Hunter is just another in a long line of IU players who were fool's gold.

Jordan Crawford and Tu Holloway would like a word…

[XUGRAD80]

In the presser Steele says that the most important job of a coach is getting the players to play to their potential……well coach, how’s that working out for you?

Kind of a catch 22, right?

If the failures are because the kids are playing to their potential and just aren’t good enough….then you’ve failed as a recruiter.

If the failures are because they aren’t playing to their potential…..then you’ve failed in your #1 job.

Hey coach, How we looking? Not good.

[Lloyd Braun]

Bynum was impressive last night. Providence has done a really nice job developing their guards, and I can’t help but think that Jeff Battle has had influence on this. Player development has been disappointing recently, and hopefully I’m wrong but I don’t see that changing anytime soon with the current structure of the team and approach to playing time.

[Masterofreality]

In the presser Steele says that the most important job of a coach is getting the players to play to their potential……well coach, how’s that working out for you?

Kind of a catch 22, right?

If the failures are because the kids are playing to their potential and just aren’t good enough….then you’ve failed as a recruiter.

If the failures are because they aren’t playing to their potential…..then you’ve failed in your #1 job.

Hey coach, How we looking? Not good.

And if the guys are talented, playing to their potential and still losing games then it might be because a coach has failed???

[Masterofreality]

"I don't want to talk about that," said Steele, when asked if he got any clarification about the flagrant foul called on Nunge. "-per Adam Baum

Sure he doesn't cause 1) Steele probably forgot that an intentional foul off the ball is now an automatic Flagrant 1 foul and 2) He had Nunge commit his 5th foul and didn't think to put Edwards or Miles in to do it. And he was coming out of a time out strategy session!
Watson is their worst free throw shooter so Steele thought he was probably being clever. If it was well executed by *someone* who wasn’t committing Foul 5, then I could think that’s cool, but….Hmm. Not so much..
Without Nunge his zone was crap in OT3 and Watson had a carnival.

[XUGRAD80]

And if the guys are talented, playing to their potential and still losing games then it might be because a coach has failed???

No matter how you frame it……Coach Fail

[Xville]

Just to point out again how stupid the NET is though it is benefiting X right now....

X is 26
Providence is 28

Providence has a better overall record, better quad 1,2,3,4....home, road, neutral etc record. Zero sense.

Providence must not have a whole lot of practice points.

[Xville]

Anyone know what bubble watch is saying about X? Curious at this point...guessing "work to do"

[GoMuskies]

Anyone know what bubble watch is saying about X? Curious at this point...guessing "work to do"

Updated last night after the Providence game. Still "Should Be In." Still projecting a 7 seed.

[xavierj]

Bynum was impressive last night. Providence has done a really nice job developing their guards, and I can’t help but think that Jeff Battle has had influence on this. Player development has been disappointing recently, and hopefully I’m wrong but I don’t see that changing anytime soon with the current structure of the team and approach to playing time.

Bynum was good at St. Joes as well…. He was a transfer

[bleedXblue]

Steele is not getting it done in any metric or category IMHO. Except, his guys seem to like him. Their effort is generally pretty good and they seem to care.

If he had a strength it would cover up some of the other deficiencies. He doesn't at this point in his coaching career.

Games like last night, save jobs and extend careers for some and put another nail in the coffin for others.

[xuwillie]

Im still pissed Hunter was our go to guy the 3rd OT. He shouldnt have been in. Just awful coaching

[drudy23]

Im still pissed Hunter was our go to guy the 3rd OT. He shouldnt have been in. Just awful coaching

If you noticed, Edwards was at the scorer's table for much of the 3rd OT. Play never stopped and he sat there for 3 minutes. I'm guessing he was coming in for Hunter.

[Masterofreality]

If you noticed, Edwards was at the scorer's table for much of the 3rd OT. Play never stopped and he sat there for 3 minutes. I'm guessing he was coming in for Hunter.

And Steele had a timeout available but he didn’t use it. Meanwhile Rome burns

[xuwillie]

And Steele had a timeout available but he didn’t use it. Meanwhile Rome burns

Old saying why coaches make the big bucks. Steele hasn't shown me anything in four years besides his players play hard sometimes

[Lloyd Braun]

Bynum was good at St. Joes as well…. He was a transfer

Though I wasn’t referring solely to Bynum, he’s improved quite a bit and his mechanics look a lot better since he arrived at Providence. He was good at St. Joe’s as a freshman, but it is tough to say he has not developed much.

[boozehound]

My thoughts: That was a tough loss. It would have been a huge win had we not snapped defeat from the jaws of victory. We had tie ballgame with the ball in our hands and the shot clocks off 2x, and couldn't get a point out of it. We didn't really even come close to scoring on either of those plays. The one that stood out to me was when Colby actually found a clean lane on the baseline and then got stuffed by the rim.

These are the types of games Xavier used to win.

We mostly played well though, and if we can turn in performances like that we should beat G-town, SJU, the Hall, and Butler. Unfortunately history suggests that we won't sustain that level of play.

[GoMuskies]

Personally, I'm not particularly worried/upset about last night. It would have been perfectly fine if it wasn't our 5th loss in our last 6 games and 7th in our last 10. And if we hadn't had previous nose dives the last two years.

Saturday is as must win as they get. For this team. For the coach. For the program.

[xavierj]

Personally, I'm not particularly worried/upset about last night. It would have been perfectly fine if it wasn't our 5th loss in our last 6 games and 7th in our last 10. And if we hadn't had previous nose dives the last two years.

Saturday is as must win as they get. For this team. For the coach. For the program.

Agree. It’s a good time to start winning games and get on a winning streak.

[IM4X]

I think the most encouraging thing about last night’s is seeing Free playing his ass off, seeing our team not give up and seeing several different players step up and make big time plays at key moments.

Issues not being addressed:
-guarding better against the three
-best shooters are not often taking threes: Scruggs should be taking more. Hunter, Free and Colby and even Nunge less.
-better plays needing to be drawn up when X has the ball for the final shot.
-using the most effective bench players
-stupid turnovers because players are lazily calling for passes yet refusing to create enough separation to make it an easy pass.