Creighton Game thread 01/16/2017

[bmuskies]

I thought Summner was good at finishing how many missed layups and short shots did he miss? Not NBA not even close!

[XavierTragedy]

I get it Xpert (I'm not a moron with feet) but let's not judge the season after playing murderers row the past 6 days.

If X made 30 percent of their FT misses the end of game is totally different.

[bmuskies]

I get it Xpert (I'm not a moron with feet) but let's not judge the season after playing murderers row the past 6 days.

If X made 30 percent of their misses the end of game is totally different.

Why are they missing these shots? Poor offensive execution or not enough good players Summner is just not clutch when the game is on the line sorry to have to say that.

[commish118]

X has lost two very close games in a row, against two very good teams. In those two games Xavier committed 33 turnovers to our opponent's 22. In these two very close games, Xavier missed 24 free throws. Our opponents missed 6. No mystery about these two losses. You give good teams 5-6 extra possessions and you leave 12 points a game sitting on the FT line, you won't win.

[skyhops]

X is turning the ball over way too much to be a top notch team. If Watson plays second half we lose by 10 plus points. Time for Tre to hit a shot when it matters. Gaston was solid. Either these players have their own agenda or Mack just can't get thru to them. We will get spanked by UC

[X-lucidity]

While not time to throw the baby out with the bath water, we are in a prolonged funk with no end in sight. Better to lower expectations and hope we can finish above .500 in the league and take it from there. For those happy we came close today, trust me, that is fools gold. Creighton lost their talented PG midway through the 1st half. They had other significant players curtailed with serious foul trouble. X was healthy, no serious foul trouble, and playing at home. Still could not execute, make free throws or come up with a clutch play at crunch time. Why, why - WHY was not boxing out Justin Patton a priority.?? Twice under the 3 min mark he easily got to the rim to tip back in a well defended initial shot. Among all the other issues we had, (too many TO's, poor execution, missed FT's and missed open clutch shot attempts), we still win that game if he is boxed out on those two plays. OK, now I just sound like a sour-grapes fan.
Folks, we just do not have the horses this year to compete in the top twenty level of competition.

[X-Expert]

X has lost two very close games in a row, against two very good teams. In those two games Xavier committed 33 turnovers to our opponent's 22. In these two very close games, Xavier missed 24 free throws. Our opponents missed 6. No mystery about these two losses. You give good teams 5-6 extra possessions and you leave 12 points a game sitting on the FT line, you won't win.

Commish agree and it would be less of an issue had they not lost all games to quality teams. Today, they lost to a team that lost their best player. In three losses, X was ahead at half. in all losses except Villanova, they were ahead at some point in second half. As for FTs, you are correct but be honest, they can't make FTs. X is 60% along in the season so won't improve dramatically throughout. I think their bench isn't developed and players legs are such that they can't shoot (FTs or 3s) because they are playing too much or their offense of having Bluett and Sumner break down their man can be too taxing. Their inside game is unfortunately not good. They give their all but reminds me when X joined the A-10 and TJ Johnson couldn't complete. He was an MCC player. X's big men are just not talented, Jones has time still. If tourney was today, with no quality wins, X would be squarely on the bubble.

[oldhoopster]

Why, why - WHY was not boxing out Justin Patton a priority.?? Twice under the 3 min mark he easily got to the rim to tip back in a well defended initial shot.

The answer could be that X doesn't have, and hasn't had for some time, anyone to coach and develop bigs. I can't remember the last really good big we had. J Love was very much improved and serviceable, and Stain did fairly well, but we haven't had a big who could get a pass and go with it. They think too much on offense and run around too much on defense with the hedging. And I'm guessing they're encouraged to not shoot any jump shots (I was stunned by Gaston's shot today), but rather force to the rim. Jalen was athletic but not much offensively unless he could get a dunk or lay up.
Boxing out can be taught. For the most part Gaston did great today and with 17 rebounds, he had to be boxing out. But maybe a coach could have given that little reminder to him late in the game, if they didn't.
I for one would surely like to get a lean big guy who is athletic enough to be an offensive weapon, a defender and rebounder. We'll see if they can develop Mr Jones. Other teams get productive bigs, why doesn't X?

[Anti-Homer]

I'm taking a different approach. I believe in Karma. Last year, CM did a great job in the REGULAR SEASON, leading one AH to opine early on that he should be the Nat'l COY. He was, but then he & the team "sh&t" the bed during the BE and NCAA tourney games, losing as prohibitive favorites. This year, the slump has continued, as we've only beaten teams who are usually crossing their fingers during the CBI or NIT Selection Shows, which are televised at 4:27 a.m. Sunday night, after the convection oven infomercial.

As this nightmare of a regular season continues, I still believe X will earn a 7-10 seed, and shock the world ala Thad Matta (with his A-10 talent laden team with probably 1-2 or so Top 100 recruits), and finally advance to an Elite 8, ending a 9 year drought, when X last advanced there in 08'' (& obviously 03' prior to that). Though when you're a consensus pre-season Top 10 team, I highly doubt reaching an Elite 8 can be defined as shocking.

I still believe.

[mumuskie87]

[. If tourney was today, with no quality wins, X would be squarely on the bubble.

Good news - the tourney isn't today. And there are opportunities for quality down the stretch.
Bad news - Unless there is significant improvement in many areas, the season can go south pretty quickly

This Xavier's version of the Season on the Brink.

This board wasn't around in 2004 when X was 10-9 at the end of January and then went on a tear, losing only 1 game (Duquesne) before losing to Duke in the E8.
But if it was, I'm sure that team would have been buried by the posters and calls would have been made for Matta's head.
And that team's run started with a win in the Crosstown Shootout.

I'm still hoping that Myles can somehow channel Lionel Chalmers and provide that senior leadership down the stretch.
But right now he is Oh for the season.