Game Thread: Xavier v. Michigan (11/27/2024)

[paulxu]

https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/2a1f45a0-e1cc-4202-89d7-1b7b5c27f309_1.3c18d8e111cdcd7e8a271effb6000907.jp eg?odnHeight=612&odnWidth=612&odnBg=FFFFFFVS.https://i.pinimg.com/564x/86/da/df/86dadf72e5f764cbc85d03073cac3408.jpg

FORT MYERS, FLA. --- The No. 22 Xavier University Musketeers, 6-0, take on the University of Michigan Wolverines, 5-1, on Wednesday night at 8:30 p.m. in the championship game of the Fort Myers Tip-Off. Xavier advanced with a win on Monday over South Carolina, while Michigan defeated Virginia Tech.

Xavier returns home on Sunday afternoon to host South Carolina State at 4:30 p.m. at Cintas Center.

THE MATCHUP

XAVIER UNIVERSITY MUSKETEERS (6-0, 0-0 BIG EAST)
MICHIGAN WOLVERINES (5-1, 0-0 B1G)
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2024 AT 8:30 PM ET
AT THE SUNCOAST CREDIT UNION ARENA, FT MYERS, FL

BROADCAST AND LIVE STATS INFORMATION

TV/Stream: FS1 with Jeff Levering and Donny Marshall on the call.
Xavier Radio: 55KRC with play-by-play from Xavier Hall of Famer Joe Sunderman ('79) and analysis from XU all-time leading scorer and Hall of Famer Byron Larkin ('88).XU broadcast is also available on the Varsity Network and on Sirius XM.

Live Stats: Media stats at Statbroadcast.com (http://Statbroadcast.com) and fan stats at GoXavier.com (http://GoXavier.com).

[GoMuskies]

X +1

[drudy23]

Surprised we're not favored. We have better players across the roster. The only advantage they have is one more quality big than us.

5-10 point victory.

[JTG]

According to Vegas, we are untested and have bad perimeter defense. They say bet Mich.

[Xavier]

I think X will win. But I think could be putting too much stock into the Michigan loss vs Wake. Wake didn’t look too tough to me despite being picked 3rd in the ACC. Michigan does have better kenpom numbers than X but hard to put much stock into those this early.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

I have seen Michigan -1.5, that sounds about right. It's Michigan and those 7 footers and the coach is a hot commodity. That is basically even for Vegas. I believe Wake beat them in Ann Arbor didn't they?

[GoMuskies]

Wake beat them in Greensboro.

[muskiefan82]

Here is hoping X gets back to their shooting form tonight and blows the doors out.

[X-band '01]

The one big that Michigan has is a LOT better than any of Xavier's regular bigs. If he gets in early foul trouble, it's a different ballgame.

[X-band '01]

To be specific, Vlad Golden is their big who was with Dusty May and Florida Atlantic on their Final 4 team 2 years ago.

[noteggs]

Two 7 footers hitting 3’s? Hopefully that’s not a sign.

[noteggs]

Nice shove and no call

[bjf123]

Starting out cold from 3 and giving up 3s like Monday night.


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[American X]

California prosecutor foul against Hugley, not a violation unless the value is more than $950.

The Green one-on-two block was an early low point.

Foster is a high point, keep it up.

[bjf123]

Sloppy all around. Let’s go guys.


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[Xville]

X is in trouble

[paulxu]

When this season is over, we'll be saying "things would have been different if we had Traore in the middle."

[Xville]

When this season is over, we'll be saying "things would have been different if we had Traore in the middle."

Yep. Our frontline is going to get exposed in a few games. Sucks but is what it is

[bjf123]

Our 3 point defense is as bad as our 3 point offense. We’re getting run out of the gym.


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[noteggs]

Flat out being outplayed!

[KabeX]

At some point we're going to have to start playing smarter. Jacking 3s early in the possession is recipe for a blowout

[Xville]

Hugely is really bad

[KabeX]

Wow. Lookin a lot like my 5th graders. That aint a good look right now.

[bjf123]

36% vs. 54% from the floor is a recipe for disaster.


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[KabeX]

Well, let's see how they respond, adjust etc... Stranger things have happened. Don't think Michigan will shoot 60% from 3 all game .. wait, well maybe that is possible. But our shot selection is .. ahem .. sub-optimal. Time to grow a pair and man up. Hopefully this game will pay dividends in Feb/March.

[American X]

Guess Hugley-Green will not go down in history like Stockton-Malone.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

The bad play has continued and gotten worse. Theee are the growing pains of the season. It’s the first team that should beat us and this is how the guys have reacted. Hopefully they turn it around and don’t quit.

Under 10 by the half and we got a shot.

[xu82]

BLOOP!!!

Bring on the second half.

[KabeX]

A lot of bad basketball in that half but by far the worst was the turnovers. Fix that, Michigan big stop shooting out of his mind and maybe. Just don't like the 3 man weave against a switching man with 2 7 footers protecting the rim. Need some more creativity here, and keep pushing in transition. Like I said, stranger things have happened ...

[paulxu]

Miller must be going nuts.
We've out rebounded the 7 footers...but have 14 TO's versus 4, and a measly 3 assists.
Good lord, hold on to the damn ball.

[Jumpin_Jamal_Forever]

Two 7 footers hitting 3’s? Hopefully that’s not a sign.

Sadly, it is.

[drudy23]

So chaotic on offense. Slow down and execute.

[Xville]

Mini run to keep it a game. Time to
Man up!

[MHettel]

Absolutely nothing going to the rim. Fix that.

[bjf123]

Unless we shoot about 90% the rest of the way, we’re toast.


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[KabeX]

Somewhat interesting or ironic or maybe not at all - the score is a mirror image of the FG %.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

Big reality check, these guys need to improve and work as a team. I thought it would be closer but matchups proved me wrong. UM has too much down low and can toss too many wrinkles for us to handle.

[xukeith]

Maybe this A10 version of the Xavier Muskies will add a Big East post player next season.

[KabeX]

Gettin embarrassing now. Ugh.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

We are getting killed by turnovers vs a team the turns it over a lot.

[Caveat]

Why does no one on this team drive to the hoop ever?

They’re so easy to defend because absolutely no one even tries to beat their man off the dribble.

[noteggs]

Maybe this A10 version of the Xavier Muskies will add a Big East post player next season.

Umm we did unfortunately he blew out his knee.

[xukeith]

I think Danny Wolf was a top 30 player in his high school class.

[bjf123]

Anyone want to bet that Sean does not call in to Joe and Byron after the game?


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[Caveat]

I think Danny Wolf was a top 30 player in his high school class.

He looks like the villain in an 1980s teen movie.

[paulxu]

Teddy Valentine is one of the refs?

[KabeX]

You just can't let a 7 footer not named Kevin Durant drive from the 3 pt line straight to the rim for an easy layup. This game is not complicated.

[bjf123]

Hugley looks lost at times, pointing at teammates.


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[KabeX]

As a wise man once said "It's gettin late early"

[ArizonaXUGrad]

19 turnovers, losing the game by themselves.

[xu82]

Being a large human being helps very much in basketball.

[bjf123]

Goldin camps in the lane so long, he needs to start paying real estate taxes. CALL THE 3 SECONDS!


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[Xville]

Complete mismatch and x played awful. X has a lot of work to do

[KabeX]

OK well this didn't go as planned. Matchup issues for sure but damn we did not play well. Top 25 was nice while it lasted but really doesn't mean squat in November. February we'll see. We need to shoot extremely well to compensate for the turnovers. Or maybe just not turn the damn ball over. Just don't like our offense right now. Too much dribbling, not enough quick ball movement and not enough inside-out despite the tall trees in there. We all say in Sean we trust. And I do. Whoever said we really miss Lahore was spot on. Only one game but really seems like we don't have the horses for a deep run this year.

[Xville]

12-33 from 2 is not going to do it

[Xville]

OK well this didn't go as planned. Matchup issues for sure but damn we did not play well. Top 25 was nice while it lasted but really doesn't mean squat in November. February we'll see. We need to shoot extremely well to compensate for the turnovers. Or maybe just not turn the damn ball over. Just don't like our offense right now. Too much dribbling, not enough quick ball movement and not enough inside-out despite the tall trees in there. We all say in Sean we trust. And I do. Whoever said we really miss Lahore was spot on. Only one game but really seems like we don't have the horses for a deep run this year.

We aren’t making a deep run. Losing traore was too big to overcome for that. Positive thing is that we won’t see a team this big for the rest of the season, but X didn’t look good in either game for the most part. Lots to get better at.

X should make the tourney but after that, it will just depend on matchups. Big frontlines are going to hurt all year long

[KabeX]

We aren’t making a deep run. Losing traore was too big to overcome for that. Positive thing is that we won’t see a team this big for the rest of the season, but X didn’t look good in either game for the most part. Lots to get better at.

X should make the tourney but after that, it will just depend on matchups. Big frontlines are going to hurt all year long

Yep. Agree with all that. And I'll learn how to spell Trahore for next season ;) Hopefully he'll be the beast we all want him to be,

[KabeX]

Not sure why we have starters in at this point

[KabeX]

Some humble assed pie a little early. Own it. Grow from it. Get better.

[MHettel]

Maddux and Hunter have been bad. Pretty much most of the time.

I’m also wondering if Hugley would be a better player at 280-290 pounds. It’s great that he lost some weight but he’s not quick. At least at 290, he’s hard to push around. He doesn’t know how to play as a smaller guy and still plays like a bruiser.

No sure what the answer is, or if there is an answer.

This team is very beatable and doesn’t have an identify yet.

Need to play uptempo all the time with everything going on to the rim. Not seeing any of that

[KabeX]

On another note, UConn plays the Dump at midnight. Too late for me to care.

[American X]

Danny Wolf looks like the villain in an 1980s teen movie.

Danny Wolf and Joe Burrow are going to beat up a band nerd who has a crush on a cheerleader.

[SkyWalker]

I really think Swain can be the difference maker on this team. Tonight, he did nothing, and X did nothing.

[KabeX]

Danny Wolf and Joe Burrow are going to beat up a band nerd who has a crush on a cheerleader.
Hey! I resembled that (a long assed time ago)!

[bjf123]

Well, that was embarrassing.


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[KabeX]

I really think Swain can be the difference maker on this team. Tonight, he did nothing, and X did nothing.
You could not be more correct.

[KabeX]

Just want to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving. I'm thankful for many things. Probably the thing I'm most thankful for at the moment is BEER. MORE BEER. And BOURBON. I'm really freakin thankful for BOURBON. Sigh. That is all.

[Xville]

I really think Swain can be the difference maker on this team. Tonight, he did nothing, and X did nothing.

I just wish that he and Fred didn’t have to play out of position.

[Xavier]

That was a classic snowball game. Few of our guys battled and anytime we got within striking distance we’d do something dumb again. Not worth delving into besides that. Move on, get an easy one Sunday and Beat UC.

[American X]

I will always cherish this week at #22.

I am not sure that Trey Green should be a ballhandler for Xavier. Everybody raves about him, but I am just not seeing it. Maybe he would be a better fit at a smaller school firing away every time he touches the ball. He is supposed to be this otherworldly free throw shooter, so maybe learn to draw a foul. Here is the highlight at the 19 second mark of him driving last night:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0rSbR80GQk

[xukeith]

X has issues. If Conwell is being relied upon to do a ton of scoring like Olivari last year, it likely won't result in much X success.
McKnight has to score 7-12 points a night for this limited team. Foster did well with defense, rebounding and offense.
What can X realistically get from Swain and Hunter this season? I will give Hunter a little break as he looks better than the rest of the jv squad.

Green, Maddox, and Hugley? Can they produce a combined 15 points a game?

[Xville]

I will always cherish this week at #22.

I am not sure that Trey Green should be a ballhandler for Xavier. Everybody raves about him, but I am just not seeing it. Maybe he would be a better fit at a smaller school firing away every time he touches the ball. He is supposed to be this otherworldly free throw shooter, so maybe learn to draw a foul. Here is the highlight at the 19 second mark of him driving last night:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0rSbR80GQk

I agree. I just don’t think he’s good enough for this level. Way too small, and doesn’t know how to use his body. A liability on d, and a one trick pony on o. Yes there are games here and there where he will make 4 threes, but they are seldom and I don’t see that he’s improved at all from last season. I’ll be surprised if he’s here next year.

[Jumpin_Jamal_Forever]

X has issues. If Conwell is being relied upon to do a ton of scoring like Olivari last year, it likely won't result in much X success.
McKnight has to score 7-12 points a night for this limited team. Foster did well with defense, rebounding and offense.
What can X realistically get from Swain and Hunter this season? I will give Hunter a little break as he looks better than the rest of the jv squad.

Green, Maddox, and Hugley? Can they produce a combined 15 points a game?

The morning after. Really good questions along with the previous post about Tre Green. I am a big fan of Green. I view him as a potential microwave off the bench. But last night he looked like he didn't belong on the court---at all.

OK so we suffered a beat down and as a much earlier post noted, this can be a good thing with longer term effects. Let's hope so.

My biggest take on last night, besides agreeing with many of the earlier observations, is we got punched in the mouth almost immediately and we never recovered. That is not supposed to happen with a veteran team. These guys are fourth- and fifth-year guys, and I saw only one player who seemed willing to fight...... Freemantle. Everyone else, Conwell, Hunter, Maddox, Swain, Hugely, even McKnight, appeared to be intimidated from the get-go. Just like Wake, Michigan came out and guarded the three-point line. We kept backing up and launching moon shots, sometimes deep into the shot clock, instead of taking it to the rim. At least Green had the balls to go inside even if the results were predictable. We completely surrendered to the opponent and that, for me, is very concerning.

The match ups for us were horrible and we will likely see that happen a least a few more times. We cannot change that. But we got punked last night. Punked with a bunch of veterans on our team. It felt like our guys lost that game in their heads before they ever stepped on the court.

[American X]

I would love to see Green break out and be an awesome four year player for Xavier. I am just not sure playing him on the ball is putting him in a position to succeed. Play off the ball, get lost by the defense, fire away catch and shoot in rhythm. Creating his own shot off the dribble usually ends poorly. I would rather Conwell be the ballhandler to spell McKnight and find Green when the defense collapses on him.

[JTG]

Once again the curse of the holiday tournament rears its ugly head on X. We again get our asses handed to us. I would just as soon we skip these things and schedule a couple A10 or MAC level home games. I guess they are a recruiting tool, but I get tired of losing every year. Even when we are good, we seem to throw up on ourselves. As for Hugley, maybe staying at 280 would have been the better idea. Getting used to his current body size is obviously taking a toll on his effectiveness. And having Conwell spell McKnight does seem like a better idea than Green at the point.
And on a side note, How in the world did Wake beat Michigan?

[XUGRAD80]

Michigan played Michigan’s game and took X out of their game. With 2 7-footers (and 6’10 backups) Michigan likes to pressure the outside and force teams to drive toward those twin towers. It worked against X because Swain wouldn’t take shots when he was wide open and others couldn’t make the shots they took at a high enough rate. It will probably work pretty often for them, but on the flip side more often than not X will make those shots they missed. It was a bad matchup for X and they didn’t play to their potential either. Hey at least we aren’t UConn!

Forget the game everyone….have a Happy Thanksgiving anyway!

[drudy23]

We didn't seem prepared for what Michigan threw at us. We were lost on offense.

We had no answer for their high pressure, which is head scratching as teams are going to try to take away our strength, which is shooting. I was shocked we never really attacked the rim knowing they were over-playing the perimeter.

[drudy23]

2nd team has to get better - or just start playing the starters more minutes.

Green is only a weapon if he gets good looks. He's not getting any. He will always struggle against bigger guards, which he will see the rest of the season.

Hugley will continue to struggle guarding big guys that can move or play on the perimeter. He just can't guard mobile bigs...period.

Maddox needs to step up and make his mark. Be the best defender on this team and make some open looks when you get them.

[drudy23]

The program continues to have a true power forward/center problem. Yes, an injury caused that, again, but it feels like the 10th year in a row where not having a 2nd quality physical and athletic post player is dooming the potential.

Can we prioritize this type of player PLEASE so we never run out again. Sean is going to continue to get guards.

[OTRMUSKIE]

Stop thinking too hard. Michigan is good!!! How can you stop two 7 footers when you have no real big guys of your own. X is going to struggle all year vs big teams. Michigan is an awful matchup. Good news for X is the rest of the BEAST looks awful too.

[bleedXblue]

Bench just has to be better. Period.

Swain played like a p***y. We need him to be that slasher and aggressive guy and he took ONE shot last night. Unacceptable.

Green is not a high level D1 PG or SG. Wish I was wrong there....but he simply isnt. He doesnt create at all for other players and doesnt have the physical tools to create his own shots. He cant defend, so what does that leave you?

Agree that was a bad match up. But we should have been a bad match up for them? Where was Sean last night? Where was some full court pressure to change the pace and get their big guys in sport where they werent comfortable?

Move on. Hoping it was a wake up call. It's still November.......

[Jumpin_Jamal_Forever]

Drudy---think you hit the Truth Trifecta with those three posts. Cannot refute or critique any of your comments. But, by the end of the season, I hope Green and Hugely prove you (and all of us) wrong.


Stop thinking too hard. Michigan is good!!! How can you stop two 7 footers when you have no real big guys of your own. X is going to struggle all year vs big teams. Michigan is an awful matchup. Good news for X is the rest of the BEAST looks awful too.

OTR----you seem to be saying that X is over-rated and maybe we are. I hope not. Still, we must try to find a way to win even if the matchups are not in our favor. Happens all the time. I recall a couple off the top of my head which I will never forget: Nova v Georgetown and NC State v Houston, both National Championship games. There are many others of course. If we expect to lose every unfavorable matchup, why play?

BleedXBlue----I want to know the answers to your questions. Why were we not an unfavorable matchup for Michigan? Where was Sean last night?

Nobody over-react. I concur we are lucky to have Miller as our coach. But I would still love to know what our game plan was going into last night's game, our expectations and what changes did Miller install (or try to install) when it became clear we were being overwelmed?

[X-band '01]

Once again the curse of the holiday tournament rears its ugly head on X. We again get our asses handed to us. I would just as soon we skip these things and schedule a couple A10 or MAC level home games. I guess they are a recruiting tool, but I get tired of losing every year. Even when we are good, we seem to throw up on ourselves. As for Hugley, maybe staying at 280 would have been the better idea. Getting used to his current body size is obviously taking a toll on his effectiveness. And having Conwell spell McKnight does seem like a better idea than Green at the point.
And on a side note, How in the world did Wake beat Michigan?

4 years ago, Xavier played 3 home games in a round-robin MTE against 3 buy-game level teams (and that was only because it was a Covid season). Gonna disagree vehemently here.

It's never a bad thing to expose the team to varying styles of play. They answered the bell for one game and didn't the next. Move on to the next buy game and get ready for their first true road test at TCU.

[waggy]

With 7:18 left in the game the score was 59-51. Wolf had hit 4 3’s and Zach was Ofer. Just saying.

Michigans pressure on the perimeter was excellent tho. Maybe we were their superbowl