Xavier’s Killer Instincts?

[Sonoma Muskie]

I love this year’s team. It is the greatest in our history, but:
It seems that we sometimes lose focus. We are up by as much as 13 points,but we let Providence back in the game to get as close as 3 points to us.
Poor shot selection, ill-advised passes, poor ball security & carelessness. We can get away with that vs. Providence on Senior’s Night, but it will cost us in the NCAA.
Let’s hope not. Wouldn’t we all like to see our first National Championship!!??

[ChitownSteve]

I love this year’s team. It is the greatest in our history, but:
It seems that we sometimes lose focus. We are up by as much as 13 points,but we let Providence back in the game to get as close as 3 points to us.
Poor shot selection, ill-advised passes, poor ball security & carelessness. We can get away with that vs. Providence on Senior’s Night, but it will cost us in the NCAA.
Let’s hope not. Wouldn’t we all like to see our first National Championship!!??

The situational understanding by a few players sometimes is questionable.

A player* jacked up a long three, with about 23 seconds left on the shot clock and the score 21-8. Providence then began a run Immediately thereafter. X* launched a three with 13.5 seconds to go in the half and 10 seconds left on the shot clock, leading to another Providence scoring possession, cutting the lead to 3. Worse, JP picked up his 3rd foul, on a dubious call, due to that rush to shoot before the end of the First Half.

Of course, we tend to be more critical about the mistakes made by the team we are rooting for. If we objectively analyzed college hoops, other teams routinely make just as many, if not more, mistakes. Last night meant much. Whenever it appeared X was going to easily put the Friars away, the lead was chopped to 6 and some discomfort arose. Fortunately, the "focused X" overcame those poor possessions.

Your point is valid. In the NCAA Tournament, too many mistakes against a well disciplined team can lead to an exit.

Let's Go X!

*Most may remember the players in question. After a nice win, overall good performances and the celebration by the Team and fans, no need to indivdually call anyone out, that is Coach Mack's responsibility within the team framework.

[kyzrex]

But in virtually every case where this has happened, especially in Jan/Feb, the team has shown the ability to REfocus and close out the game with a win. Not discounting that they DO lose focus at time and turn easy wins into nail biters, but so far they have just been nail biters and not loses.......and that’s a GOOD thing!

[Sonoma Muskie]

Sometimes this team has me swearing at the TV. My wife’s afraid i’m Gonna have a heart attack. There kinda like an 18 year old. You wish they could make smarter choices ALl the time! But they are still ours.
This coaching staff knows their better than we do.They will be addressed & hopefully eliminated.
No matter what hold on tight. It’s gonna be the most entertaining 6 or 7 weeks we’ve ever had.

[lionelchalmers0]

I don't think we lack killer instinct, in fact I'd argue the amount of close games we've gutted out and comeback wins we've had proves this team is very clutch and knows how to come back and win a game.

I think more than anything this senior laden team gets a bit bored. It seems like we get up 10-15 and guys start jacking up dumb shots and trying to make slicker passes. It's not a great trait I agree but I think come tourney time you won't see that anymore.

[Xavier2005]

There is only a limited killer instinct. There is a strong desire to win in this team. The fact that they have won many close games shows they know how to win at the end. The problem is that X does not dominate most teams this year, they slip by most teams at the end. In a 6 game do or die tournament, if you give a weak team or good team a chance to win at the end...the opponent will have a 50 -50 chance to beat X....X cannot let a team be close at the end. example Virginia just beat Louisville with one second on the clock Louisville was up 4 points and managed to lose to Virginia...any close game can be lost. Take away the chance to lose by dominating the other team and be up double digits at the end.

[xu koop scoop]

Remember, the opponents want the game just as much. So you have 2 teams trying to have a killer instinct. When I was younger I lived & dies swore & stomped feet, cussed the refs, etc... I'm 66 with health issues & happy to be alive. All I ask for when I watch a game is a chance to win with under 2 minutes to go. That has not happened with NOVA the past 2 years, so those games got boring. This is ultimately Entertainment folks. DePaul is psyched up to beat us tomorrow. Their killer instinct should be at its best. That means ours better match theirs.

[Sonoma Muskie]

The use of the term “killer instincts” in the heading of this post was intentionally provocative in order to attract interest from Xavier basketball followers. Actually I wanted to draw attention to the team’s tendency to ease up a bit when their opponent is “on the ropes.”
One of fellow XU fans used the phrase “the only reason to loosen your hold of the opponents throat is to get a better grip.”
Now one can see merit in such a stark approach.
Victory is assured only when an opponent’s hope to prevail & will to win is extinguished. For the 2018 Xavier team to become the National Champion such a mindset is required. I called it killer instinct for lack of a better term. No offense intended.
My dream for the NCAA Championship may be “irrational exuberance,” but why not? Stranger things have happened. You gotta have hope.
Go Muskies!

[Xavier2005]

I was in Saint Louis when Xavier lost to Wisconsin on a last second 3 point shot...X did not even make the Sweet 16 that year. Xavier had Wisconsin beat near the end of the game, but made mistakes and let Wisconsin back into the game and thus lost. If you have your foot on their throat....you do NOT let up for a better grip, ....you press harder. Never let the game be close....even the refs can steal a game from you, especially if they are bought or just do not like you,etc Take control, take command....yes, they need a killer instinct to be National Champs.

[Sonoma Muskie]

Xavier 2005, agree with your sentiments except about the refs. They are people who just love the game & want to do their to call the game right. They are not bought. They cannot be bought. They do not “like” or “dislike” one team or another. They are just people, often former athletes themselves, who have a strong sense of duty to call the game correctly so that the athletes can use their skills to perform at their best.
To think the refs have an agenda or personal feelings of like or dislike of one player, or team over another is simply false.