Xavier Downfall?

[ServiceUnavailable]

For as long as I can remember, X always got better as the year went on. X was a fixture to not only be in the tournament but to win. What has happened? I'm not a basketball analyst. Seriously wondering.

[hoopster68]

We've gone from a #1 seed to a team that does the February Fade followed by the March collapse. The only constant factor has been Coach Steele. Time to admit a bad hire, cut him loose & start again.

[American X]

For as long as I can remember, X always got better as the year went on. X was a fixture to not only be in the tournament but to win. What has happened? I'm not a basketball analyst. Seriously wondering.

Despite the season-end slide, I though that Xavier March magic would just show up in New York and maybe the tournament. The Xavier program really needed it. Travis Steele really needed it. It looks like it is just gone...

[XUGRAD80]

For as long as I can remember, X always got better as the year went on. X was a fixture to not only be in the tournament but to win. What has happened? I'm not a basketball analyst. Seriously wondering.

Lack of player development, a seriously flawed roster makeup, a coach that has problems with in-game adjustments, players that struggled to physically compete at the BE level, poor fundamentals by the players. In short, pretty much of a dumpster fire. I can't think of one single thing that this team does on a consistent basis that I would consider above average.

[smileyy]

I can't think of one single thing that this team does on a consistent basis that I would consider above average.

Miss three-pointers.

[American X]

For as long as I can remember, X always got better as the year went on. X was a fixture to not only be in the tournament but to win. What has happened? I'm not a basketball analyst. Seriously wondering.

I have put deep and extensive consideration into this. The Xavier program has been broken since the Florida State loss. Personally, I have never really recovered from that indescribable disappointment. That was finally our time to break through (or at least get to the second weekend as a #1 seed). Instead, our star scorer flamed out, Macura suffered a crime against humanity, and our native son, lifer coach douched out of town for a wheelbarrow of dirty cash.

I think that the Seminole stole our soul. We need to get it back, but I am not sure how. Is it a ceremony? Is this ceremony Catholic or Seminole (or both)? I just do not know.

Maybe we just need to ask nicely. Could someone politely hit up the Seminole on Twitter or otherwise and ask if it would be cool if we have our soul back?

[CagedLavender]

For as long as I can remember, X always got better as the year went on. X was a fixture to not only be in the tournament but to win. What has happened? I'm not a basketball analyst. Seriously wondering.

Right?! Minus a few exceptions, that improvement and annual progression was the identity of the program every year. So many of those team appeared to be decent roster of Davids and go toe-to-toe with any Goliath in March. You could always count on a gritty defense, FT consistency, and the players playing at a high level (together) when the tourneys started.

We have not seen that type of team or program for years. I think that is what bothers me most about the X fans out there who still think three more top recruits and another year without a coaching change is going to fix the problem. People who are not seeing that difference in what we have now vs. the past few decades seem to be missing the point. #SaveTheProgram

[CagedLavender]

I have put deep and extensive consideration into this. The Xavier program has been broken since the Florida State loss. Personally, I have never really recovered from that indescribable disappointment. That was finally our time to break through (or at least get to the second weekend as a #1 seed). Instead, our star scorer flamed out, Macura suffered a crime against humanity, and our native son, lifer coach douched out of town for a wheelbarrow of dirty cash.

I do not know where to get any souls but your point here hits home. This is a big part of why my vote (which does not matter) is Miller > Mack.

[xukeith]

For as long as I can remember, X always got better as the year went on. X was a fixture to not only be in the tournament but to win. What has happened? I'm not a basketball analyst. Seriously wondering.

Part of it is coaching, part players and part BE conference being to difficult for X.
Only way to be in NCAA every year is get awesome coaches and awesome Elite top 25 recruits.

[xukeith]

Gonzaga, Mich St. and Kansas have made the most recent longest streaks of consecutive NCAA Tourney appearances

Villanova, UNC and Duke are close but they have had between 8-13 consecutive appearances prior to 2021.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

Part of it is coaching, part players and part BE conference being to difficult for X.
Only way to be in NCAA every year is get awesome coaches and awesome Elite top 25 recruits.

Steele doesn’t get the too hard of a conference pass, he had enough talent to be better than the lower half of the table each year.

[JTG]

Actually I think Steele's recruiting is a bigger problem than his coaching. He gets high 3 star and 4 star recruits, but they are all the same guy. What do we need for next year, a deadly shooter, a true point guard and a bulky big. So instead the recruits 3 highly rated tweeners. He has no concept of chemistry. You need a shooter, a point, a rebounder, a scorer and a defender. We have no shooters, no rebounders, and suspect defenders. Plus there are guys that never get off the bench because of his silly assed practice points system. It just doesn't work and he seems EXTREMLY STUBBORN. Those who don't learn from their mistakes are destined to repeat them. Unfortunately, for us, every March. Hire Miller.

[MHettel]

1. Failure to assess the strengths and weakness of the individual players and as a group, and construct a offensive and defensive scheme that emphasizes the strengths and minimizes the weaknesses.

2. Failure to gain an understanding of the type of roster construction that is needed to compete in the top third of the Big East.

3. Failure to allocate playing time to determine which players can "bring it" in a game situation, as opposed to having players earn it in practice only, especially when certain players (Tandy) dont get to play because of practice defense while other players (Free) are allowed to be a traffic cone in the actual games.

4. Failure to develop any kind of GRIT or "piss and vinegar" attitude in the team or individual players. I've never seen so many key missed FTs in 20 years. These guys were scared to death of winning. Teams in the past were fighting to the death.

5. Horrible in game adjustments

6. Complete lack of end game strategy.

7. AND THE MOST important one.......Failure to learn from his own mistakes.

[UCGRAD4X]

1. Failure to assess the strengths and weakness of...

7. AND THE MOST important one.......Failure to learn from his own mistakes.

put these two together and you've boiled it down.

[slysyl]

The FL. State game in TENN. was the turning point for me. Mack had to use the new recruits the last four minutes of the first half and again at the end of the game and got nothing in the way of scoring. I said to my better half the future does not look bright. BOY WAS I RIGHT.

[American X]

I do not know where to get any souls but your point here hits home.

We do not need just any soul. We need our soul back, the soul that brought us victory & joy in March. It is not a mystery where it is. I am pretty sure this guy has it:

https://theheismanwinners.com/wp-content/uploads/Chief-Osceola.jpg

So just need a volunteer to get it back from him.

[A Fan]

Actually I think Steele's recruiting is a bigger problem than his coaching. He gets high 3 star and 4 star recruits, but they are all the same guy. What do we need for next year, a deadly shooter, a true point guard and a bulky big. So instead the recruits 3 highly rated tweeners. He has no concept of chemistry. You need a shooter, a point, a rebounder, a scorer and a defender. We have no shooters, no rebounders, and suspect defenders. Plus there are guys that never get off the bench because of his silly assed practice points system. It just doesn't work and he seems EXTREMLY STUBBORN. Those who don't learn from their mistakes are destined to repeat them. Unfortunately, for us, every March. Hire Miller.

Excellent Post.

[A Fan]

Another Excellent Post. You have to believe that the folks who make the decisions will concur and act.

[A Fan]

1. Failure to assess the strengths and weakness of the individual players and as a group, and construct a offensive and defensive scheme that emphasizes the strengths and minimizes the weaknesses.

2. Failure to gain an understanding of the type of roster construction that is needed to compete in the top third of the Big East.

3. Failure to allocate playing time to determine which players can "bring it" in a game situation, as opposed to having players earn it in practice only, especially when certain players (Tandy) dont get to play because of practice defense while other players (Free) are allowed to be a traffic cone in the actual games.

4. Failure to develop any kind of GRIT or "piss and vinegar" attitude in the team or individual players. I've never seen so many key missed FTs in 20 years. These guys were scared to death of winning. Teams in the past were fighting to the death.

5. Horrible in game adjustments

6. Complete lack of end game strategy.

7. AND THE MOST important one.......Failure to learn from his own mistakes.

A Great Summary.

[xu82]

1. Failure to assess the strengths and weakness of the individual players and as a group, and construct a offensive and defensive scheme that emphasizes the strengths and minimizes the weaknesses.

2. Failure to gain an understanding of the type of roster construction that is needed to compete in the top third of the Big East.

3. Failure to allocate playing time to determine which players can "bring it" in a game situation, as opposed to having players earn it in practice only, especially when certain players (Tandy) dont get to play because of practice defense while other players (Free) are allowed to be a traffic cone in the actual games.

4. Failure to develop any kind of GRIT or "piss and vinegar" attitude in the team or individual players. I've never seen so many key missed FTs in 20 years. These guys were scared to death of winning. Teams in the past were fighting to the death.

5. Horrible in game adjustments

6. Complete lack of end game strategy.

7. AND THE MOST important one.......Failure to learn from his own mistakes.

The word FAILURE appears there a lot.

Sounds about right.