Xavier post game thread.

[FlakeyFoont]

Every W until Clingan gets back is gravy and I'm liking the gravy so far.

 

[Bazz2014]

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UConn is now tied for 1st in the Big East standings with Seton Hall and St Johns, as we all predicted.

This is why I dont care about how ugly the wins are. We’re finding a way to win, without our most impactful player, and other teams in the Big East (and outside of it) are losing to teams they “should” beat.

Conference play is nuts. Survive and keep moving forward. Every game is one game closer to getting Clingan back, and he’ll return to a team that is solidly 9-deep with him back in the lineup. He addresses two of our largest issues (interior defense, rebounding) just by getting himself back on the floor. Once those problems are solved… this group will be cooking.

Glad to have a home game this weekend, the guys deserve a friendly crowd after gutting it out for 2 in a row in hostile arenas.

 

[Tiamat7]

This team is better than last year’s team. Last year we lost this game. This year we basically took Xavier’s best shot and then knocked them out. Diarra is the man. This team is really really good.

I appreciate your enthusiasm but let's not get ahead of ourselves. . This Xavier team, while showing promise, is not at the level of last year's squad with Colby Jones, Free mantle, Nunge, Souley Boum, and Jerome Hunter.

If DC returns and regains his conditioning, we could be special.

 

[Tiamat7]

Great win in a fantastic college basketball environment.

One thing I can't get out of my mind: about a year ago I recall people talking about Samson's nice 3 point shot. What happened to that? It appears Hurley shut that down. Probably for the best, but it would be nice if SJ would at least look at the basket at the foul line. Castle too.

 

[InTheRed]

Free throws killed us all game. We miss the front end of 1-1 and then they come down and hit a three. Happened twice.

Hurley running clock instead of set plays led to two Castle threes. Last person on team I want shooting a three.

This is the issue. We build a 14 point lead and then decide that we should stop doing everything we did to build that lead. All coaches do this and it is so infuriating.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

A perfect game. A road win in conference, Hurley wins a close game, and they covered the spread.

And yet every naysayer can point to areas where UConn straight out sucked tonight.

For a sizeable bunch here, isn't that second paragraph part of the "perfect?"

 

[uconnfan68]

This is the issue. We build a 14 point lead and then decide that we should stop doing everything we did to build that lead. All coaches do this and it is so infuriating.

It might have been better with almost anyone else with the ball that late in the clock. I want Castle to make them, but he’s only done it once that I remember, and he was wide open for that. He needs to drive and draw fouls.

 

[HooperScooper]

Glad we didn’t speculate about next week’s ranking. We could’ve lost that one. /s

I'm glad I didn't speculate on where UConn would be ranked on Monday. That's why they won tonight.

 

[storrsroars]

Alex is going to have a crappy night. Cuts on the eyebrows like that hurt like hell.

Nah. They just bleed like crazy. I took a head butt in a touch football game over my eye that took 28 stitches. Didn't even know I was hurt until the rest of my team pointed out I was bleeding all over my shoes.

The other kid had a concussion. All I had was a laundry problem and a scar.

 

[TheChamps990411]

Somebody has to do it. Good guys win!

Absolutely putrid last 7 or so minutes of the game. We got dominated on the boards, defense was poor and the free throws were an embarrassment. Easily the worst basketball we`ve played in nearly a year. Fortunately this team is so good they can withstand this stuff and still win on the road. We are a win away from being #1. Lets get it done.

 

[TheChamps990411]

Nah. They just bleed like crazy. I took a head butt in a touch football game over my eye that took 28 stitches. Didn't even know I was hurt until the rest of my team pointed out I was bleeding all over my shoes.

The other kid had a concussion. All I had was a laundry problem and a scar.

so wierd isnt it? Ive cracked my head a couple times with blood gushing everwhere not painful and you dont realize it till you feel the blood running down. But give me a paper cut on my finger and im on the floor writhing in excrutiating pain. lol!

 

[JustbrewitMan]

 

[caw]

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If Hurley is serious that is some utter BS. Don't call it a flagrant if you don't want but come on.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

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The refs need to see the eye doctor, if this is true. The point of Ousmane’s elbow hitting him in the eye was clear as day.

You run the offense down the stretch, instead of freeze ball, to make the opponent play D. They’ll overplay more in desperation and the open shots you get will be better. Especially with a lineup that has 5 ball handlers on the floor.

 

[dennismenace]

Laphonso Ellis covering our game again is a delight. Upbeat but also great analytics.

Castle played 36 minutes. Kind of unstoppable on the drive. He's learning on the fly. 5 turnovers.
He's a tough kid and we need some of that. He is gaining confidence. Just needs to think a little out there. Confident that he will continue to grow as the season progresses.

Diarra is really becoming a force and is really an exciting player when he comes in. Playing exceptionally well at both ends. Wow.

Would like to see Singare in there in the second half; especially when we built a lead. Karaban getting killed in there all alone. We need more help and without DC especially. We are fortunate that small ball worked against Xavier.

 

[Edward Sargent]

Alex is going to have a crappy night. Cuts on the eyebrows like that hurt like hell. Maybe our players should start putting vaseline on the eyebrows like boxers.

Solid game from Castle. Unstoppable at the rim, great defense, great passing. Hustle plays too.

Newton has gotta figure out his finishing and made some bonehead moves in crunch time but looked really good otherwise.

Cam did Cam things.

Good minutes for Jaylin.

Solo is in a little funk.

Diarra really did work for a 5-8 minite stretch there. Totally changed the momentum. MIP.

I could see from my living room that cut will need a few stitches. Hope there is no swelling too

 

[Edward Sargent]

I didn’t know the parallel/angled rule, but by that rule it wasn’t a flagrant.

It should have been a common foul though

 

[Chin Diesel]

For a sizeable bunch here, isn't that second paragraph part of the "perfect?"

Yes. Perfect must be perfect all the way through.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Johnson had zero rebounds in the first half. Villanova used to play four guards and out-rebound teams. It's about effort and boxing out, not size.

It's also about instincts and a nose for the ball, something which Johnson has lacked (and partially why he hasn't played until this year).

 

[Edward Sargent]

I thought they should have put a butterfly on that thing to close it up.

Hard to do little quick clot and big bandage. Could tell it would need stitches

 

[Chin Diesel]

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[Khal Drogo]

Never saw that Musketeer logo before. Looks like a soccer player.

Looks like he is running to the bathroom

 

[navery12]

This is the issue. We build a 14 point lead and then decide that we should stop doing everything we did to build that lead. All coaches do this and it is so infuriating.

It's frustrating, but it's also effective when the lead is that big because the biggest obstacle to Xavier coming back is time. Wasting 25-30 seconds every possession is more important than scoring because it limits the number of possessions Xavier will have. Despite that huge scoring drought, the win probability never dropped below 94%

 

[husky99]

Road win is great. Sloppy last 2 minutes but still a win.

 

[J187Money]

Love having 5 guys in double figures. It isn’t about stopping one guy. Makes us hard to beat.