Xavier Post Game Thread

[EnochRoot]

Had X rattled with the comeback. With JC coaching we would have blew by them. Seton Hall beat us coming back from down 17, no excuse for not finishing the job. End game fundamentals - rebounding, making foul shots, avoiding turnovers, don’t goal-tend, etc. Without Hawkins catching fire it would have been a blowout.
Yes, good effort coming back. Yes, X is very good, but they lost to DePaul, so are beatable.
When the head coach makes $2.9M, expectations are very high. He hasn’t proven to be a winner in big games or March tournaments.
Miller getting his team an extra TO with the Freemantle foul count was superb gamesmanship on his part; Hurley was out coached again.
All that being said, we have good kids who play hard. Just not smart in crunch time. Success for the season would be making the BET final and Sweet 16. Below that would be a disappointment giving the collective talent level of the players.

Said the same thing as it was happening.

 

[1999GoodSon]

1st half great, 2nd half sucks (SH) 1st half horrible, 2nd half good (tonight), this is making my head hurt.

Call me crazy but don't these guys have an actual game plan carefully laid out before the game starts? How can you run the exact same offense against a team as good as Xavier that just beat you. They beat us the first time by making us shoot 37 threes, and we were what, 1 for 14 in the first half? And I love Jackson, but how can you start a game by allowing him to take 6 of your first 8 shots? Was that the plan? At the 16:00 mark, we were still at 0 - at home. Total buzzkill, see ya home court advantage!

You don't need to be basketball "royalty" to know you don't call a TO with your best shooter ready to shoot the damn ball. And honestly to me it didn't even look like Newton tried to miss that last free throw. Hurley was standing 30 feet from him.

Say what you want, good loss/learning experience/something to build on. Some of this stuff doesn't even make any sense. Maybe the players are as confused as I am.

 

[navery12]

I mean , you are right when you answer that post, but be honest did you ever feel we would win that game? Put the math book down for a second and give me a hoops watcher answer.

100%. I started getting skeptical when we cut it to 1 and then Xavier went on a 10-0 run to go up 67-56, but once we answered that punch I thought we'd pull it out

 

[Orc]

We will never win big with AJ. His offensive disaster giving them a 9-0 lead and his goaltending.

There are many bad plays every game that do not show up in the stats. His constant big massive jumps to try and block 3 point shooters give up several good looks a game. The shooters know he’s going to do it and step aside and drain the shot 2-3 times a game. Then you have the 4 times a game he gets blown by and then tries the block from behind.

He is constantly trying for highlight reel plays and in turn costs us several points a game.

He is just not a winning player or a player you win with. There are just guys like that..

Agreed. So tiring to see 4v5 with him in the game. I hope he plays better the rest of the season so that he can get drafted somewhere and leave

 

[HuskyBoi]

Few things:

First half we were cold, ice cold. Xavier made some tough looks and couldn't miss (in both halves)

Second, I think coach should consider using a zone as the main defense moving forward. It seems to make the other team waste clock much more and force a three at some point (Except the couple times they got it inside)

Third; I am not sure what can be done to fix Sanogo. I feel like he is missing a lot more than he is making. His interior defense isn't there right now. And also I hope AJ fixes his man defense. Letting the player blow by and going for the block is a big gamble most of the time

 

[HuskyHawk]

Not much worth saying. I’m just deflated. They stomped all over my optimism.

Ultimately, early D wasn’t good enough. First half shooting was abysmal. FT shooting down the stretch was inadequate. I appreciate the effort to come back, the adjustments they made and the really good 2nd half performances by a few guys. But the hole shouldn’t have existed.

Hurley found a use for Jackson in the second half. Up top in the 1-3-1 he is a chaos agent and doesn’t need to play strong man defense. But for the love of all that is holy, he has to be less involved on offense. Give Newton the ball and let him do his job.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Hope Xavier wins the whole thing. They’re good enough.

I hate them with the white hot intensity of 1000 suns. I hope they never win another game. Ever.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Clingan got 8 minutes

Didn’t deserve more. Was brutal on defense and missed his shots. Xavier is the worst possible matchup for him.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Too large a deficit to overcome! Awful start, gritty comeback that falls short. The return of the dreaded 1-3-1? Was hoping that was retired. This could be a bubble team given how we can’t beat the top BE teams / even at HOME. So much for stacking wins. Now we have to worry about another losing streak.

Worry away if you must.
I'm not part of your "we."

I'm saying this before the game even ends: Credit where it's due. That was a very well-coached second half of basketball by Hurley.

I like how he kept composure when Miller stalled & tried to stir things up after Freemantle fouled out. The entire coaching squad seemed more actively involved in game adjustments & team management.

Andre Jackson’s 0 for 7 meltdown to start the game was the difference.

There's no doubt that there have got to be better ways to get Newton going.

They don’t put any effort on defense.

This is too extreme for me. In addition to late arrivals, errors, breakdowns, etc., I saw recoveries and successes and adjusted defensive schemes. The second half showed results that came from such efforts. Fewer dumb fouls were committed.

Showed some heart in the second half today, but we’re looking at a complete season collapse right now. It sucks.

Yeah, "showed some heart," but I'm definitely NOT part of what your "we" is looking at.

When the game is close they are simply unable to perform.

Some yes plus some no
doesn't add up to "simply."

On the plus side, looks like you found your peeps, even if maybe you don't aspire to be cheerleading captain for Team Eeyore.

Hawkins charge,
Tristan travel.
Hurley calls a time out after a made basket.
Newton doesn't miss the second foul shot.

It just never ends!

Well, yeah, there were errors, a number at key junctures, but you left out some good things that would signal progress.

In recent games, they fell apart and showed little recovery when things like that happened.

It was interesting that you mentioned 2 things by the same player (who had his 'fullest' Big East game) by referring to him by his last name and his misspelled first name.

If you don’t think there was in game coaching adjustments by Hurley that worked extremely well in the 2nd half, you’re just a hater

There are other possibilities: unobservant, uncomprehending, or subject to excessive influence by haters & trolls.

To be fair, some of these alternative suggestions may better apply to others allied in overall opinion, including haters and trolls

Team continues to beat itself.

• Heroic amount of missed open shouts
• Unforced turnovers
• Napping in the 1st half

Negative voices aren't exhibiting widespread growth and improvement in supportive attitude, writing skills, emotional maturity, etc. Maybe this doesn't apply to you, but it's pretty easily observed.

We all ought to be
able to improve over the season's unfolding. A lot of folks don't even seem to be trying.

Can't get onboard with nice comeback, great effort....granted it was but really needed a W badly.

A loss is a loss and that's mostly how January has gone.

I appreciate you owning your feelings.

I accept as fact an outcome I didn't want. Having done that, it's easier for me to appreciate the observable positives and move on to the next game.

People are happy with his result? With the coaching and play?

Can you read? Many are not. Not many are. I quote some of them above, and I'm only on the 3rd page when I wrote. No way it could have let up.

Do you possibly imagine that those who don't rmphasize the upsetting things are happy? On what basis? Absence of complaints?

Am I going to let you dictate how I should feel, or let you stigmatize me if I have a different perspective on things? No way. I don't see a winning attitude in how you express yourself. It's more a whining attitude.

Nothing makes me want to emulate you. And none of that means that I didn't & haven't seen the same games as you, and that I haven't felt a wide span of uncomfortable feelings.

What are YOU going to do moving forward?
What will the coaches do?
What will the players do?

I choose not add to the pig pile of cataloging past wrongs and forecasting future futility & doom. Why should I?

No, should never be happy after a loss. They played an amazing second half though

Put up 55 points, didn't get into foul trouble, and didn't collapse. In context, yes, amazing.

Too bad Joey or Tristen couldn't draw a foul on their 3-pointer attempts at game's end and send the game into OT if they made the FTs. But that's way too low percentage a strategy.

a loss is a loss is a loss.

here comes everyone to explain why we should feel good about this result…

You do realize that you posted this instantly after a post that said, "No, should never be happy after a loss," don't you?

I haven't seen a "feel good about the result" post yet.

That didn't matter at the end. Our inability to play well when the game is one the line mattered.

How many times do we have to cut the lead to one only to freeze up?

Tonight 2 or 3, right? If all of them were "freeze ups."
How many times have we in the past or will we in the future? I dunno. Do we really "have to?"

I'll go out on a limb and say that it'll continue to happen until it doesn't.

I'll root in favor of improving in the meantime.
How about you?
Anybody else?

I think that's enough for me, other than to say that in addition to the well-known phrase 'ishposting,' I want make mention of seeing a lot of what I'll now name "pissposting," both here and in other threads. I'm not a fan of it. It seems singularly unhelpful, by virtue of grafting a recruitment agenda onto venting in order to create a negative energy community.

 

[Shamon30]

We lost this game at the line. If we made our tree throws, this would've been a W. Of course there was that one free throw I wish had been missed.

 

[August_West]

Yes. But I think we should end this practice of comparing Hurley or anyone else who ever coaches this team to Calhoun

How about if I compare him to mick Cronin?

 

[AntG168]

How about if I compare him to mick Cronin?

Have at it. The overarching point is comparing him to Calhoun is dumb

 

[August_West]

WE GAVE UP 82 POINTS!

 

[August_West]

100%. I started getting skeptical when we cut it to 1 and then Xavier went on a 10-0 run to go up 67-56, but once we answered that punch I thought we'd pull it out

I never thought we’d win down one, I’m an admitted pessimist , sure, but realism is us turning ball over under 4 in tight games.

 

[ecasadoSBU]

Ruiling the Big East hasnt been as easy as many people expected. Its going to take more time...

Nonetheless I think we have a good time. We'll be fine!

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Im not just talking about this game specifically....Im saying in general. They face a team where they need to come out and be tough and they cant do it.....nice comeback but again...did you win? NOPE. Have you won a tough hard knocks game YET this season? NOPE

My case dismissed....

You know that your case being dismissed isn't a favorable outcome, don't you?

 

[August_West]

Ruiling the Big East hasnt been as easy as many people expected. Its going to take more time...

Nonetheless I think we have a good time. We'll be fine!

Lol when we joined the AAC this board anointed us the east coast Gonzaga. Big East is a great hoops league.

 

[Punkbo]

Not much worth saying. I’m just deflated. They stomped all over my optimism.

Ultimately, early D wasn’t good enough. First half shooting was abysmal. FT shooting down the stretch was inadequate. I appreciate the effort to come back, the adjustments they made and the really good 2nd half performances by a few guys. But the hole shouldn’t have existed.

Hurley found a use for Jackson in the second half. Up top in the 1-3-1 he is a chaos agent and doesn’t need to play strong man defense. But for the love of all that is holy, he has to be less involved on offense. Give Newton the ball and let him do his job.

@HuskyHawk Glad you’re online tonight. You’re my guy regarding defensive strategy. Sanogo is struggling defensively. He appears to have reasonable speed for a guy his size, but never seems to be in position to make key defensive plays. He isn’t a shot blocker so opposing players are willing to challenge him. He is slow to rotate over to provide help defense when necessary. Is this poor effort on his part or is the coaching staff failing to put him in a position to succeed? He has the physical attributes to be a great defender. I just don’t see it. Thanks for any insight.

 

[Conndog]

Didn’t deserve more. Was brutal on defense and missed his shots. Xavier is the worst possible matchup for him.

He wasn’t a factor tonight, but why is Xavier the worst possible matchup for him? Others folks have said the same. Is Nunge too good? Is it because when Jackson can’t make the outside shot that they clog the inside? I’m asking friendly just out of curiosity.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

Didn’t deserve more. Was brutal on defense and missed his shots. Xavier is the worst possible matchup for him.

get real. eight minutes is a joke, a bad one.

 

[navery12]

I never thought we’d win down one, I’m an admitted pessimist , sure, but realism is us turning ball over under 4 in tight games.

I'm naturally optimistic, I still think this is a really good team. Somehow this board hasn't beaten the optimism out of me tonight. Run the offense through Hawkins instead of Sanogo, and run a lot more zone and this team will thrive

 

[Monte]

Sanogo allowed too many easy shots under the basket.

 

[uconnfan68]

On the plus side, I think Hurley might have figured out how to use Jackson when teams sag off him that much. It took 1.5 games against X. Hopefully, he doesn't revert to something stupid.

He should floating around the lane to get putbacks and rebounds, not in the corner as a safety valve.

 

[uconnfan68]

Could a 3 / 2 zone with both bigs in the game prevented Nune from his easy scores?

Only if they keep their mouths shut.

 

[Dove]

What happened to Joey Ice Coldcuts?