Villanova Game thread 02/17/2018

[Shadow]

Hope the team is more pumped than the fans are, if possible.
Go Team 96.

[xu koop scoop]

Winter Florida guy now RVing on Suwanee River. Any chance fans gathering today in Live Oak, Lake City or Gainesville? Scruggs telegraphed about 5 passes vs Nova 1st game. He was pathetic then. Scruggs much improved now. Hope he doesn't step backwards. Nova hasn't lost 2 straight since 2012-13 season. They are due for that to happen. We are deep. They are not. BE Title is ours to be had with this win. GO XU

[muskieman]

Hope the team is more pumped than the fans are, if possible.
Go Team 96.

conserving our energy for the pre-game and game.

[mumuskie87]

Winter Florida guy now RVing on Suwanee River. Any chance fans gathering today in Live Oak, Lake City or Gainesville? Scruggs telegraphed about 5 passes vs Nova 1st game. He was pathetic then. Scruggs much improved now. Hope he doesn't step backwards. Nova hasn't lost 2 straight since 2012-13 season. They are due for that to happen. We are deep. They are not. BE Title is ours to be had with this win. GO XU

Yes, Scruggs had 5 TO's against Nova.
However, if you look at his last 9 games he has played very solid.
Averages 17 minutes a game.
Has had 19 assists compared to only 7 TO's or close to a 3:1 assist to turnover ratio.
Has shot 7-15 from 3 and 11 -24 from 2.
He is one of those guys along with Q and Naji that could be difference makers in today's game.

[mumuskie87]

Northwestern is up 14 on Mich St but it's early.
Would love to see an upset...and a W by X.

[mumuskie87]

Since I'm analytical nerd, I looked at 3 point shooting % on the X-Nova conference games since 2014.
X is 1-8 against Nova in new BE play.
Only one time did X have a better 3 pt % than Nova and that was the one win in 2016.
In the overall total 9 games, X has shot an average of 29 while Nova has shot 41%.
Nova has averaged 15 more points per game from 3 than X.

In Nova's last 2 losses - to PC and SJU - they shot 3-20 (15%) and 8-33 (25%) from 3.

So if X shoots a better % from 3 today, I predict a W for X.
Hope Kaiser Gates can break out of his 3-23 slump.

[mumuskie87]

Tre's last regular season game against Nova.
His scoring numbers have been less than stellar.
7 games - total of 61 points. High game was 12.
Has shot only 7 for 31 (23%) from 3.

JP has fared much against Nova -
7 games - 83 points and 15 for 35 or 43% from 3.

[mumuskie87]

1st war goes to Nova - 11 to 8.
Difference is one more 3 for Nova
Kanter and Naji need to use the glass on those inside shots.
After 3 fouls on the 1st possession, the fouls are now 3 to 2.

[mumuskie87]

X down 15-10 with 12 left in 1H.
Gates continues to struggle from 3.
Now 3 for his last 25 shots from 3.

Q has had the assist on each of X's buckets so far.
One hell of a pass to SOM for a bucket

[mumuskie87]

X loses 3 straight war.
Down 26-17 with 8 left.
Nova 6-10 from 3 and X is 2-8.
JP and Q have showed up.
That's about it.