Is Xavier overrated?

[realxfan]

ok this is the kinda post that fuels the "MID-MAJOR" label. Our own fans don't believe in the team.

I will go on a limb and say this when we are hitting our shots not only can we beat anyone in the country I am not sure they can stay within 10 points. We have 4 guys that can shoot the three well. A guy that has as much athletic ability as anyone in the country in Brown. And an up and coming big man in Love. Oh yeah and a top 10 point guard. When this team is healthy they are as explosive as anyone in the country hands down. Sure if everyone is off like the Arizona State or Temple game we lose but I really think this is a special team. They have won in every way possible this year pretty, ugly, grimy you name it they have done it.

If you don't believe get off the bus. Sure we could lose in the second round. But I really think this team will make the Final four and possibly win it all. It will take some luck but if Drew is healthy and the team stays focused, I bet No team would want to see us in that sweet 16 game.

You really think Georgetown could beat us? If both teams play their best ball we beat them by 10. Duke I would love to play them. Carolina they are the most overrated team in the most overrated conference. So with that I say HELL WE CAN BEAT THOSE CHUMPS..

ok I am done venting......

Jim, and don't forget about our lock down defense. The defense this team plays is incredible and we all know defense win's championships. UCLA is the only team in the top 10 that plays defense like X.
Final 4 or bust. We aren't mid major anymore.

[Biff Tannen]

Of course X is overrated, but there is nothing wrong with that. Being overrated has many advantages, for example, higher seeding, and therefore an easier draw. I do think they would struggle against a team like UCLA that has a strong post presence, jump shooters and plays defense. If X plays against a team that only has inside they are perfectly fine, if they play against a team that only has outside they are fine too, I think they would struggle against both at the same time. I also think that the K-State game was a little misleading, that team is playing much better now than they were then. I still think it was a good win for our alma mater but am taking it with a grain of salt, considering that K-State was very young and playing basically their first game on the road, and against a quality opponent.

Outside of UCLA I think the teams that X would struggle against are Memphis, Georgetown, UConn, UNC and Duke. I also think Notre Dame is dangerous just because they can knock down shots.

X can definitely beat anyone, but they are definitely overrated, but as I stated before that is a good place to be.

[xubrew]

i have no doubt in my mind that xavier an make a deep run in the ncaa tournament, and perhaps get to the elite eight and beyond.

i have all kinds of doubts as to whether or not they actually WILL do it.

we've beaten one team that is a sweet sixteen caliber team all season long, and it's indiana. we've beaten zero elite eight caliber teams. a lot of that is due to circumstances because we haven't had that many shots at the top teams in the nation, but still, to keep things in perspective here, we're talking about doing something more difficult than anything that they've accomplished this season. i think it's silly, and perhaps dangerous, to just ASSUME we're going to go far.

can we?? sure. we have all the reason in the world to think that we can hang with and beat anyone once we get the chance. i'm not being pessimistic. i'm just pointing out that it's probably better for fans to be hopeful than it is to be expecting it to the point to where they're already buying sweet sixteen tickets.

as far as how we've been playing lately, xavier is in a unique position. we're going to the ncaa tournament, and we've clinched first place in the atlantic ten. sometimes when that happens, i think teams view the remaining regular season games with less intensity, and are more likley to just go through the motions until it's time to hoop it up. duke and north carolina aren't in that position. they know they're in the tournament, but htere is still a lot of pride on the line when it comes to winning the acc, and there is still a lot at stake because both are competing for a #1 seed in the charlotte region. xavier's in a unique position because whenever we take the floor between now and the end we're simply trying to sustain what we've already accomplished. there really isn't all that much more to be gained. for that reason, i'm not worried about some of our recent struggles. if anything, it's normal.

we can beat anyone in the country, i believe. then again, we're not invincible. when you're talki8ng about the ncaa tournament, you're talking about playing and beating good teams. it's foolish for anyone to think that it's going to be easy. there are teams that we could face in the second round that will be good enough to beat us. if they weren't good enough then they wouldn't be there in the first place.

[muskieman]

Of course X is overrated, but there is nothing wrong with that. Being overrated has many advantages, for example, higher seeding, and therefore an easier draw. I do think they would struggle against a team like UCLA that has a strong post presence, jump shooters and plays defense. If X plays against a team that only has inside they are perfectly fine, if they play against a team that only has outside they are fine too, I think they would struggle against both at the same time. I also think that the K-State game was a little misleading, that team is playing much better now than they were then. I still think it was a good win for our alma mater but am taking it with a grain of salt, considering that K-State was very young and playing basically their first game on the road, and against a quality opponent.

Outside of UCLA I think the teams that X would struggle against are Memphis, Georgetown, UConn, UNC and Duke. I also think Notre Dame is dangerous just because they can knock down shots.

X can definitely beat anyone, but they are definitely overrated, but as I stated before that is a good place to be.

I think you are wrong here, KSU has been nothing on the road and since the X game are 2-5 on the road.

Shut down Walker or Beasley and you win. Xavier shut down Beasley and they can do it again.

ND can knock down shots but watching them they need to get "open" shots and in the big East they have had luck because no one plays D as much as X.

If you note the coaches poll we don't seem to be overrated in their viewpoint.

[Biff Tannen]

I think you are wrong here, KSU has been nothing on the road and since the X game are 2-5 on the road.

Shut down Walker or Beasley and you win. Xavier shut down Beasley and they can do it again.

ND can knock down shots but watching them they need to get "open" shots and in the big East they have had luck because no one plays D as much as X.

If you note the coaches poll we don't seem to be overrated in their viewpoint.

KSU's road losses since X are to Mizzou (RPI #99), Texas Tech (47), Nebraska (103), Baylor (33), and Kansas (9) for 1.5 bad road losses.. They also have a road win against Oklahoma (#30) and a home win against Kansas. I'm not saying that X couldn't beat them again, I am just saying that I don't think they will have as easy a time if they were to play again. Thats all.
Saying that the key to beating K-State is shutting down Walker and Beasley is the equivalent of saying the way to beat the 93 Bulls is to shut down Jordan and Pippen, good in theory but actually executing is another thing.
The whole they don't play as good defense in the Big East is a crock, the reason ND is so good is not because of the lack of defense, it is their ability to make shots, mostly because they are good shooters. Anyone can play defense on Harangoudy but he'll still knock down shots regardless. Besides the talent drop off between the Big East and Atlantic 10 is quite considerable.
I am not saying our alma mater's basketball team can't beat the BCS conference schools, they can, but I think everyone has to realize there is a difference between the quality of shooters they have at ND vs the quality of shooters at Duquesne. Duquense will shoot poorly against X because they cannot shoot, it is not entirely because of X's defense.

[muskieman]

two things KSU is not the same team at home as they are on the road and in the NCAA they play on the road. Second sure they could be better but X is much better two and X beat them before so they know how to get it done.

[muskieman]

Oh and third...teams have shut down Walker and beaten KSU. Walker and Beasley have also gotten their points and KSU has lost. Comparing Walker and Beasley to Pippen and Jordan is a little pretentious of you.

[vee4xu]

Great. X is having one of its best seasons ever and the topic in this thread asks whether, or not the team is overrated. You know what Theo, you are overrated. Overrated at having any kind of common sense. Good God! Revel in the moment everyone. Some of you are never happy. Live for now, your team is 25-4, in the Top 10 of everyone's polls, getting great press and some of you are worried that we X is overrated? Is that the best you can do? Give me a freaking break!!! Poor muskieman is left to counterpunch all of the spew coming from these Einstein's who call themselves Xaver men's basketball fans. Keep up to good fight mm.

[XU 87]

I will help set the record straight. No, X is not overrated. X can play with, and beat, every team in the country. Go ask Kansas State, IU, Virginia, Auburn or Tennessee if X is overrated. How far is X going in the tourney? We don't know but they have the potential to go very far, including to the final four.

This is probably one of the top 5 teams in Xavier history. So I agree with Vee, enjoy it.

[Swam4XU]

I have to admit that I have the same thoughts sometimes that X will get bounced by some team in the second round of the NCAA that they should beat. BUT, I do think with Drew in the game, we can beat anyone. We proved all year that we're as good as anyone.

I actually think the A10 is better than people give it credit for. Teams in other leagues beat up on each other and its fine. Our league does it and everyone drops to bubble status.

My sentiments exactly. Even though I've nearly gone into cardiac arrest this season, X has proven time and again that they are tough and can find a way to win.