Xavier is a really good team

[Punkbo]

They were also mugging Sanogo with immunity from the refs.

Yup. That was a problem and is part of the home-court advantage. Refs are human. They want to be heroes, not villains. They want to hear cheers, not boos. It’s one of the reasons why it’s a challenge to win on the road. If you go to the old Boston Garden and cheer for Pat Verbeek to beat up Randy Burridge, you may get a bottle to the side of the head. Sanogo was feeling our pain in your example.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

I rewatched the game again today... I felt like I was emotionally ready. I found myself screaming at the TV as much if not more as on Saturday.


My biggest takeaway:

We had the lead up to 7 (50-43) with 17:48 to go. Xavier quickly brought it back to a two point game (50-48) with 16:50 to go. Over the next 6:30min we gave up 10 points, but we only scored 8, we missed 2 free throws, had +/-5 good shots go in and out that have been dropping all year and 4-5 rebounds in our hands that got tipped right to Xavier. The missed fouls by the refs were ultimately the dagger. This is the sweet spot of the game where we typically have put teams away. Many on the board have said it, but this is where we typically have the bench wear teams out and make the smart plays to tack on points and go on the 12pt signature runs. We looked tired ourselves for the first time that I can remember all season.

With all that being said, if a couple of the shots that were in and out drop or we secure a couple of those rebounds in that 8 min part of the game, we win.

I agree that was an absolutely pivotal inflection point in the game.

We put a big run on them pre-halftime to take the lead 42-41. Took the wind out of their sails. Then, started the 2nd half on a 6-2 run to make it 48-43. Xavier Timeout.

We then forced a TO, but couldn't capitalize (Hawkins missed 3). We missed a couple more shots and committed a couple bad turnover over the next couple minutes. Had some great opportunities to stretch it to double-digits, but just didn't execute.

We get it to double digits, it very easily could have had a completely different 2nd half trajectory...crowd silenced, etc. The rest of how it played out never even happens.

 

[Scrutiner]

Six of them were on purpose in the final minute - and the tech. Still a discrepancy of 20-9 if you take those away, but not quite as pronounced.

There were some calls that bugged me. Tie game late, a soft offensive foul on Hawkins followed immediately by Fremantle creaming AJ with an illegal screen that led to their go-ahead basket, followed by the soft foul on Newton that led to the tech. Right before that Hawkins got the three free throws when he kicked his leg out (first one was a legit foul - second one was a bad call I thought). That might have been the only call we got all night but it was three foul shots down by six so it was a good time to get it.

The offensive foul on Newton in the first half (Kunkel flop) was perfectly awful - and the sideline ref behind the play was in absolutely no position to make that call. Should be a textbook example in ref school on why you don’t make calls when you aren’t in proper position.

There were also a couple instances - more annoying than something to argue - when they finally called a foul on X and it took away an advantage. Clingan had a dunk coming, but they called a foul on the entry pass. Diarra also had his man beat in the first half and we had to come back out and reset. Drives me nuts as a fan (“oh, NOW you blow your whistle) - but it’s not like officials are so diabolical that they are anticipating what‘s about to happen and take it away.

We need a rule like hockey has on "delayed" penalties so calls made don't penalize the offense when they are on a fast break or dunking. Drives me nuts to see a sure basket taken away.

 

[HooperScooper]

Revenge game back home is one of the 10 most exciting games to look forward to in 2023 according to CBSSports.com.

No. 18 Xavier at No. 4 UConn (Jan. 25)​

After the Musketeers ended the Huskies' perfect start to the season, UConn gets a chance for revenge at home. Xavier ranks in the top 10 nationally in offensive efficiency and leads all major-conference teams in 3-point shooting percentage (40.4%), and it's the only major-conference team with four players averaging at least 14 points.

UConn, of course, has its eyes on a Final Four run. Potential national player of the year Adama Sanogo leads a Huskies team that ranks top-10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. He has plenty of help around him as UConn is one of the country's deepest teams.

Kentucky vs. Tennessee, UCLA vs. Arizona among 10 most exciting college basketball games ahead in 2023

And who can forget Duke vs. North Carolina to close out the regular season?

www.cbssports.com