Game Thread: Xavier v University of Connecticut (1/25/2023)

[Three Point Pete]

Must have been a ton of $ bet on Yukon!

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[xavierj]

OK when all is considered, why was #13 a 6 point underdog to a struggling #19. Home court is usually 3.5 advantage???

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Because UCONn has really good offensive and defensive Kenpom numbers. Numbers that typically translate to March success. Kenpom had it at -8. They are also very talented with a first round draft pick on the roster. They are a good team and will go on a run. They will help Xavier win the league.

[xavierj]

Must have been a ton of $ bet on Yukon!

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Actually it started at -7 1/2 and I think went off at -6, so I think more money went on Xavier to cover.

[Xavier]

Who is the first round draft pick?

[xavierj]

Who is the first round draft pick?

Jordan Hawkins is on I think every mock draft in the first round.

[XUGRAD80]

If you’d told me in the preseason that you had picked X to sweep UConn this year…I’d have said you were crazy.

Someone pinch me, I must be dreaming this season. Wow!

[Masterofreality]

Weather by 1,2,3 or 30.

Dub.

[X-band '01]

If you’d told me after the PK Tournaments that you had picked X to sweep UConn this year…I’d have said you were crazy.

Someone pinch me, I must be dreaming this season. Wow!

Fixed that for you.

[Caveat]

Roadkills against top-25 teams are awesome and rare. Love to see it.

[GoMuskies]

Being in a league with UConn is so great. We used to go into that region to face URI and UMass. Now we're having heavyweight fights with UConn.

Fucking awesome.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Jordan Hawkins is on I think every mock draft in the first round.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/draft/mock-draft/

This one has us with the 1st round pick and not UConn. But I have seen Hawkins in other 1st round mocks.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Because UCONn has really good offensive and defensive Kenpom numbers. Numbers that typically translate to March success. Kenpom had it at -8. They are also very talented with a first round draft pick on the roster. They are a good team and will go on a run. They will help Xavier win the league.

Kind of crazy their numbers remain so good in the midst of this free fall. 2-6 in their last 8. However, I don't know how the numbers work and maybe last 8 is just too small amount of games to negatively effect their earlier games?

They only average 73.6 ppg in BE play. Our offense is clearly superior to theirs. And I don't watch their other games but their defense is not good against us, we have destroyed their defense twice now. They have given up 82 pts or more in 3 of their last 5 games.

[IM4X]

Miller questioning Free's 5th foul was genius. Got the crowd out of the game for a bit and gave himself time to plan the rest of the game.

Agree. I was thinking the same things. I was looking at the Tv and saying, “I think I know what you are doing here Sean and I’m loving it.”

Also, I thought he did a beautiful job calling TOs in the game. Quick to call one as soon as X players got out of sync or looked sloppy or as soon as the crowd started getting a little too pumped after UCONN made a few consecutive baskets. Bravo Coach!

[XUGRAD80]

Being in a league with UConn is so great. We used to go into that region to face URI and UMass. Now we're having heavyweight fights with UConn.

Fucking awesome.


Yeah, but we can no longer get a door dash delivery to our seats anymore, like you can in the A-10. :sign-wtf::munch::laugh:

[joe titan]

Agree. I was thinking the same things. I was looking at the Tv and saying, “I think I know what you are doing here Sean and I’m loving it.”

Also, I thought he did a beautiful job calling TOs in the game. Quick to call one as soon as X players got out of sync or looked sloppy or as soon as the crowd started getting a little too pumped after UCONN made a few consecutive baskets. Bravo Coach!

Drove Hurley to the edge; thought maybe would really escalate when Hurley approached Sean talking to refs.

[xavierj]

Kind of crazy their numbers remain so good in the midst of this free fall. 2-6 in their last 8. However, I don't know how the numbers work and maybe last 8 is just too small amount of games to negatively effect their earlier games?

They only average 73.6 ppg in BE play. Our offense is clearly superior to theirs. And I don't watch their other games but their defense is not good against us, we have destroyed their defense twice now. They have given up 82 pts or more in 3 of their last 5 games.

UCONN’s early wins over Bama and Iowa state are paying huge dividends for them in the numbers.

[EastCoastXman]

Big night in New England for the Miller brothers with Archie taking down the Flyers at URI too!

[Backyard Champ]

Drove Hurley to the edge; thought maybe would really escalate when Hurley approached Sean talking to refs.

Miller called him over so he could hear what they were talking about. Miller said official scorekeeper had Free at 3 fouls. Sean said he’d never have put him back in if he knew it was 4.

[noteggs]

Can’t stop watching this! Sanogo thought he was going to block some weak shit put up…nope

https://twitter.com/xaviermbb/status/1618400462050394112?s=42&t=masSTRtztXSothsBI1i5VA

[xudash]

Can’t stop watching this! Sanogo thought he was going to block some weak shit put up…nope

https://twitter.com/xaviermbb/status/1618400462050394112?s=42&t=masSTRtztXSothsBI1i5VA

That goes into my personal album of best plays of the year. That was what some may refer to as "authoritative."

[xukeith]

The way X played that opening 1st half, I am confident X can go to Final 4. X can but perhaps won't.

X needs to bottle that drink and do it again every game for both halves.

[noteggs]

That goes into my personal album of best plays of the year. That was what some may refer to as "authoritative."

Love the fact he just ran back to play defense. Ok a quick glance at Sanogo.

[Masterofreality]

Can’t stop watching this! Sanogo thought he was going to block some weak shit put up…nope

https://twitter.com/xaviermbb/status/1618400462050394112?s=42&t=masSTRtztXSothsBI1i5VA

Best poster since Scruggs Slam to cinch the Ohio State win last year.

[Muskeagle]

Best poster since Scruggs Slam to cinch the Ohio State win last year.

Good point. Given the angle of the drive, it reminded me more of Sumner's dunks against UC and Nova.

[atljar]

Dunks? Macura vs seton hall. /end conversation "Its Jp's world, and we are all just living in it today"

[Xavier]

Best poster since Scruggs Slam to cinch the Ohio State win last year.

….I was so pumped after that game. That was the sign things turned the corner for Steele. Monster win, great environment. Whoops…..thank God I was wrong

[Mel Cooley XU'81]

Can’t stop watching this! Sanogo thought he was going to block some weak shit put up…nope

https://twitter.com/xaviermbb/status/1618400462050394112?s=42&t=masSTRtztXSothsBI1i5VA

Who's that guy from DC who decommitted and went someplace down south?

[Strange Brew]

Dunks? Macura vs seton hall. /end conversation "Its Jp's world, and we are all just living in it today"

JP vs. Butler.

[noteggs]

Who's that guy from DC who decommitted and went someplace down south?

Exactly!

[Masterofreality]

Who's that guy from DC who decommitted and went someplace down south?

Tyrell Ward. At LSU. Cannot get on the court.

[noteggs]

Dunks? Macura vs seton hall. /end conversation "Its Jp's world, and we are all just living in it today"

Just adds to the JP lore!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-eqfoK8dWE

[UCGRAD4X]

Freaking amazing. Never get too much JP.

[atljar]

JP vs. Butler.

I don't immediately remember that one. Video?

[atljar]

Just adds to the JP lore!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-eqfoK8dWE

Here's the multi angle take on just that dunk (albeit poor quality film)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwjNcpzKAso

[X-band '01]

I don't immediately remember that one. Video?


https://youtu.be/gz-X39UAMZE?t=4859

1:21:00 for the Thunderdunk at Butler

[X-band '01]

The cherry on top is Chris Holtmann yelling at someone at the end of the game (not sure if it was Macura, the Xavier bench, his players for not paying attention).

[atljar]

HA! I do remember that. Not because of the dunk itself, but because of the timing of it at the end of the game. Typical JP

[whopper]

JP was great for sure. Honestly the development of Kunkel after Scruggs(sadly)went down has amazed me. I remember his 3 pt against Marquette but he also set up Colby against Providence for the game winner in 2021. When Scruggs went down he went into play maker mode but still hits a good percent of 3s. He rebounds a bit, moves the ball with long but accurate passes, drives, has a mid range and his defense is not bad(I think the refs kind of think a scrawny white guy is a bit slow but i thiink 1/3 of his fouls are not really fouls. He has far exceeded what i thought and we would not be where we are without him. Kudos and he plays hurt and hits his FTs

[Masterofreality]

HA! I do remember that. Not because of the dunk itself, but because of the timing of it at the end of the game. Typical JP

That became a whole year plus thing of classy/classless.
JP was the ultimate heel. And we loved every second of it.
We can never not thank Rick Carter for bringing the Macura Experience to X.