Red Flags from Marquette Game

[muskiefan92]

I've been discussing the win at Marquette last night with my brother and a friend and they are saying "be happy with a tough road win" and "don't knit pick on a BE road victory". However, are we just looking at this team being good enough to make the NCAA Tourney or to advance to the Elite Eight and hopefully beyond? Right now this team isn't playing very good defense or nearly well enough to be a team that will advance well into March. Last night X beat a team by 4 on the road who is 71st in the RPI and lost to Purdue by 15 and Wichita State by 14, while allowing 15 made threes. That doesn't sound like a top five team to me or a team that will make it even as far as last year's team. There are obviously two full months to go to correct the glaring defensive deficiencies, but let's not delude ourselves into thinking this is a National Title Contender at this point.

[True_Blue]

Another way to look at it...

We made it to the Elite 8 last year and LOST to Marquette... by double digits...twice

Using your logic.. Duke and UNC should pack it in this year.

using my logic... We should prepare the Cintas Center for the biggest trophy for XU yet


That said, yes, we can improve.

The tourney is a crap shoot. Depends on match ups, who is hot, or not (by game) and unfortunately... 3 people wearing black and white carrying a whistle. (see: phantom offensive foul on Edmund Sumner to set up Wisconsin dagger in tourney 2 years ago.)

[muskiefan92]

Another way to look at it...

We made it to the Elite 8 last year and LOST to Marquette... by double digits...twice

Using your logic.. Duke and UNC should pack it in this year.

using my logic... We should prepare the Cintas Center for the biggest trophy for XU yet


That said, yes, we can improve.

The tourney is a crap shoot. Depends on match ups, who is hot, or not (by game) and unfortunately... 3 people wearing black and white carrying a whistle. (see: phantom offensive foul on Edmund Sumner to set up Wisconsin dagger in tourney 2 years ago.)

Fair enough as far as last season, but I choose to focus on this year's team. You can't always expect to catch lightening in a bottle like we did last March. I posted this as a way to make people aware who are reveling in last night's win that we still need to look at the big picture. I am not saying we shouldn't have high expectations for this team and at times so far this season they have played at a top five level. What I'm saying is I don't like the trajectory right now for this team on the defensive end. Improvements need to be made if X is going to be the type of team we expect it to be come March.

[True_Blue]

Marquette lost to Purdue and WS on neutral floors, non rival games...

Marquette gave us their best shot, shot out of their minds on their home court in a big east opener.. and lost by 4....

At one point, we led Mick Cronin's "BEST TEAM EVER" ... 31-10.... 'nough said... a fair defensive effort, matched by a blitzkrieg offensive effort

If XU hopes to ever win a national title... I think they best catch lightning in a bottle... Correct, you cannot count on lightning in a bottle each year, but unless you have a parade of 10, 5 star recruits each and every year... teams like X win the title by catching some form of it.

That said, you are absolutely correct... we can improve.

Case in point, last night we shot 90% - plus from the free throw line. We can improve, but I will take 90% from the line most days. Then again, you could go 30-30 from the line and miss the 31st to lose a game.

[muskiefan92]

As I stated, X has played at a top five level at times particularly against UC and Baylor. Those games were weeks ago though and the trend has been downward defensively ever since. To your point as well about the last night's game, X shot 90% from the line and still almost lost. It was a good win on the road against a solid, but not great Marquette team. However, if you think we have a chance against Nova on Jan 10th allowing 15 threes you are dreaming!

[True_Blue]

maybe...maybe not

If we allow 15 3's at Nova on 1/10 we just might win...91-87

but if you couple giving up 15 3's and XU having 20 TOs and shooting 33% from the free throw line... I think we'd lose... big time

[lionelchalmers0]

I don't see as many red flags in that game. There was a little more adversity than meets the eye too considering we had a late night Friday game in Iowa then had to get back to cincy, do whatever the guys did for Christmas, practice, then get back to Milwaukee the day after Christmas. Mack even complained about the big east scheduling it that way and he's not one to moan about that stuff.

Our defense is somewhat concerning but I think a lot of it is fixable. It's not like we can't guard rowsey but I noticed a lot of bizarre switches and guys being out of position after overpursuing him. If we clean that up defense should be okay.


Also, Theo John and Jamal Cain must have sat on horseshoes on Christmas they are two not very good players who started the second have 6/6 or 7/7. I doubt Jamal Cain played that way against wichita state or Purdue.

So I see your points especially in regards to d and giving up offensive boards, but if anything I'm encouraged that we can not play our best and still win.you pretty much have to have 1-2 games like that in the tourney.

[xu koop scoop]

Green flags from Marquette. I appreciate Red Flag comments, but I see this years D as much better than last years. We are playing faster paced and scoring more, hence more pts against us. Duke & N Car win scoring in the 80s & 90s. We see where teams like UC get avg 70 pts & allowing 60 or less.
Good D begits good offense. We made 7 three pt shots last night & gave up 15, but they heaved 38 three's. We made 22 FT & allowed 14 FTA.
We outrebounded them 37-34 & had 23 assists to 11 to. Scruggs had 4 Assists & no turnovers. We had 8 steals & a great block at a crucial time by JP Macura. We kept them out of the paint. For the year, we are allowing Opp 39% FG Pct while shooting 52% ourselves. For the year, we allow 32% from 3 while shooting 39% ourselves. This may become our best in season team ever. If you play a single bad half of BBall in the postseason, you are probably gone. ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE, ELIMINATE THE NEGATIVE. We are doing pretty good at it.

[muskiefan92]

The other thing is these aren't one game issues. It started with the ETSU game and they've gotten progressively worse since. If it was just one game, I wouldn't be so concerned.

[oldhoopster2]

Xavier will struggle with any team that has quick slashing guards and multiple 3 point shooters. It is what it is. X is not fast defensively and that won't change. Yes, in some games the help defense is better than others. I hate that with quick teams we still have our bigs switching out on guards at the top and no one down under, but that's just me. The thing is, despite this, X got the win. Marquette averages 40% from 3 so last night was not a super night for them, but pretty normal. But they'll live and die by that 3.
As for advancing in the tourney, nothing is truer than it all being about matchups. We did well last year cause we were beneficiaries of a good draw in terms of matchups and were able to handle them. We could have as easily been one and done vs an Arizona State or Marquette type team that can blow by our defenders and knock down threes. In those matchups, I just hope they miss enough because our offense is strong too and our experience and depth will allow us to pull out games like last night. As for Villanova, I fear we'll be schooled at their place as they have all the pieces that we don't match up well against. But you play the game because anything can happen on a given night, especially in rivalry games and the NCAA tourney.
My hope is that the Villanova game is matchup between two top fives and we can take them to the wire.