Game Thread: Xavier v. South Carolina State (12/1/2024)

[paulxu]

https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/2a1f45a0-e1cc-4202-89d7-1b7b5c27f309_1.3c18d8e111cdcd7e8a271effb6000907.jp eg?odnHeight=612&odnWidth=612&odnBg=FFFFFFVS.https://cdn1.apparelnbags.com/images/sports-leagues/ncaa-meac-sc-mascot.png

CINCINNATI --- The No. 22 Xavier University Musketeers, 6-1, host the South Carolina State University Bulldogs, 4-4, on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. at Cintas Center. The Bulldogs are coached by former Cincinnati standout Erik Martin.

After the South Carolina State game, Xavier will play three of its next four games on the road. XU visits TCU for a BIG EAST-Big 12 Battle matchup on Dec. 5, at No. 16 Cincinnati on Dec. 14 and its BIG EAST opener at No. 2 UConn on Dec. 18. XU hosts Morgan State during that stretch on Dec. 10.

THE MATCHUP

XAVIER UNIVERSITY MUSKETEERS (6-1, 0-0 BIG EAST)
SCSU BULLDOGS (4-4, 0-0 MEAC)
SUNDAY. DECEMBER 1, 2024 AT 4:30 PM ET
CINTAS CENTER, CINCINNATI, OH

BROADCAST AND LIVE STATS INFORMATION

TV/Stream: FS1 with Wayne Randazzo and Phil Martelli 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).

[paulxu]

I can only hope that Stanley Burrell will be there to welcome Martelli back to the Cintas Center.

[Smooth]

wrong thread

[X-band '01]

Look closer at the announcers for tomorrow's game. It went over my head the first time Martelli was at Cintas this year.

[Jumpin_Jamal_Forever]

I'm fine with Miller acknowledging, after the game, that Michigan was the better team. My frustration (and I'm still pissed off) is that we played as if we believed that from the start. Every single player must take responsibility for that debacle but Miller shares much of the blame as well.

I do not agree with posters who believe our bench consists of some single dimension players not worthy of the Big East. What our bench needs is more minutes. Lots more minutes. I hope they get those today. We need those four guys to produce at a much higher level for us to end near the top of the conference and to survive deep into the tournament. Without them, we are toast.

[xu82]

PLEASE don’t foul the 3 point shooter.

Thank you.

[MHettel]

Not a great start. Bench guys really hurting us. Turnover and shot clock violation in a matter of a handful of possessions.

Why don’t we have anyone that drives to the rim?

[Xville]

Officially concerned. wtf is up with this team?

[xudash]

That’s the Swain we need.

[Xville]

Ok maybe just some hangover from Michigan and weird start time on a sunday. Much better last ten minutes than first ten

[Xville]

Although the bench outside of hunter is still pure garbage

[xukeith]

This team is still searching for answers. Hunter, Free, and Swain vs this SC State frontline havn't rebounded very well.

[drudy23]

Not great Clark.

[GoMuskies]

Perhaps we're just kinda bad.

[Xville]

This is more embarrassing than the Michigan game.

[Xville]

Perhaps we're just kinda bad.

If that’s true, then it’s time to start questioning miller.
I’m not there, YET but wtf is going on

[xukeith]

It is almost like coaches have started to show they can't make X play better

[xudash]

I just want to see if these guys get pissed off, now that they’ve been pushed around by this team, and really amp it up.

Thank God we did not lose our star player at this point in the season playing against the team like this.

[xu82]

Just finish this.

[GoMuskies]

SC State came in KenPom #309.

[Xville]

Remember when we thought we had depth? Just play 6 and the rest can rot the bench

[Xville]

Horrible game. That’s all I got

[GoMuskies]

At least Green has a role on the team. And a valuable role at that to close out mighty SC State.

[xubrew]

SC State came in KenPom #309.

I bet they end up worse than 309th

[MHettel]

Awful game. We have much better talent and experience playing at higher level. We get run out by 11 guys that are barely D1 level.

Why can’t we have a system that WE impose on our opponent.

Back to back games that provide a blueprint on how to beat us.

[xukeith]

Was Miller's flow offense shutdown by Martin's tough blue collar guy?.

[xavbball]

Buckle up folks, it’s going to be a long season.

[GoMuskies]

Buckle up folks, it’s going to be a long season.

Sometimes a season is a lifetime, and sometimes it just feels that way.

The TCU game is going to be a very telling indicator of where this thing is headed.

[Three Point Pete]

Look on the bright side, they made adjustments, especially on defense in opening minutes of second half. Then they slipped losing 13 point lead on that 12-0 run.
But they did not give up and finished strong, the clutch FT shooting at the end.

I thought that the play of Hunter and Foster was really good.




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[Jumpin_Jamal_Forever]

Awful game. We have much better talent and experience playing at higher level. We get run out by 11 guys that are barely D1 level.

Why can’t we have a system that WE impose on our opponent.

Back to back games that provide a blueprint on how to beat us.

Absolutely pathetic basketball.

[KabeX]

So I thought this game was tomorrow (combination of the holiday, too much food, too much alcohol and too damn much opinionated family). Imagine my surprise and almost immediate disdain when I finally realized I was missing and turned it on. That was my first mistake. Sigh. Teachable moments abound. We've had plenty of these games in the past only to get it fixed and make a deep run. Make no mistake, I am not predicting that after what I saw in the final 12 minutes this evening.

For the record, I am still thankful for BEER and BOURBON.

[Xavier]

Definitely not good.

If there is a bright side- at least it’s not like last year where we lose the buy games.

[GoMuskies]

Definitely not good.

If there is a bright side- at least it’s not like last year where we lose the buy games.

I don't think SC State will be beating Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament.

[Xavier]

True. Maybe similar to Delaware, the other buy game we lost?

[GoMuskies]

Is it bad that I don't even remember us losing to Delaware? :laugh:

[American X]

I hope that South Carolina State wins their conference and upsets UC in the tournament.

Trey Green is the best free throw shooter ever. I am glad that I have never said a bad word about him.

Dante Maddox Jr. may want to frame that Club Trillion one minute one turnover box score.

[bleedXblue]

Well the recipe on how to defend us has been put out there and apparently, we can't run plays and make adjustments. We got some good minutes from Hunter which was great to see. Maddox went in fouled a guy and turned it over and was promptly back on the bench. He played less than 1 minute. I'm bewildered by the lack of coaching in two specific areas. Back door cuts and ball fakes. I say coaching b/c you see almost ZERO evidence anywhere on the court. Conwell is intent on heaving 3's whenever he has an open look. Sometimes not the best shots situationally.....Until this team shows it can beat guys off the dribble and get into the lane, this is what we're going to see.

[Xville]

Well the recipe on how to defend us has been put out there and apparently, we can't run plays and make adjustments. We got some good minutes from Hunter which was great to see. Maddox went in fouled a guy and turned it over and was promptly back on the bench. He played less than 1 minute. I'm bewildered by the lack of coaching in two specific areas. Back door cuts and ball fakes. I say coaching b/c you see almost ZERO evidence anywhere on the court. Conwell is intent on heaving 3's whenever he has an open look. Sometimes not the best shots situationally.....Until this team shows it can beat guys off the dribble and get into the lane, this is what we're going to see.

I agree and what i'm most concerned about. Either the guys don't want to do what they are being taught, don't understand yet or aren't being taught. I'm guessing it's the second, at least i hope. If it's the other two, this team is in a lot of trouble

[Jumpin_Jamal_Forever]

Well the recipe on how to defend us has been put out there and apparently, we can't run plays and make adjustments. We got some good minutes from Hunter which was great to see. Maddox went in fouled a guy and turned it over and was promptly back on the bench. He played less than 1 minute. I'm bewildered by the lack of coaching in two specific areas. Back door cuts and ball fakes. I say coaching b/c you see almost ZERO evidence anywhere on the court. Conwell is intent on heaving 3's whenever he has an open look. Sometimes not the best shots situationally.....Until this team shows it can beat guys off the dribble and get into the lane, this is what we're going to see.

Agree 100% with this analysis. We have played one good half of basketball (second half SC) in last three games. Since SC, teams are guarding us at the three-point line, and even when well covered, we just keep shooting. We looked anemic on offense last night. Nobody took it inside although Green and Mcknight attempted to a few times. What is the coaching staff doing to allow us to adjust? So far, I have seen little.

Hats off to Green and Mcknight for the win last night. Green displayed balls of steel to come off the bench and make those foul shots. McKnight sewed it up but finally, in the second half, was the alpha dog he must be for us to win.

Even after Traore went down, I thought we still had the makings of a good team because of our depth. Recently, I'm questioning that. Hugely and Maddox have not performed and if Maddox is suffering from a lack of confidence, last night will not help. He messed up coming in off the bench, but I saw similar play from Conwell without similar consequences.

If this team does possess the talent collectively to do better then what is going on? We looked passive and unconfident (not sure if that is a word but it fits our play last night) and are so lucky to escape what would have been one of the worst upsets in X history.

Right now, we need Miller to get this right. He's the head guy and he must fix whatever problems we have or as another poster said postgame last night, it is going to be a long season.