Providence BE Tournament Game thread 03/09/2018

[mumuskie87]

This is why I said I preferred to play Creighton.
Cooley is a damn good coach.
But X should have won the game.
You don't let 17 point leads disappear in the 2H.

a tre blown layup in regulation would have changed everything. 2-14 from Tre spells trouble but Naji with only 4 points and 2-9. Just shaking my head
had they had Scruggs and Kanter's line we would be smiling. After shooting 50=% in second half to wind up at just under 37% is just sad.

Yes, the missed bunny was a crusher. Like you said, he could have dribbled around and gotten fouled and make a couple of FT's and iced the game
Game should not have gone to OT.
Probably will be a 2 seed out West

[X-Expert]

Missed lay-ups. Other than Kanter, Sr’s were not good. SOM looked like he did when he was a Fr/Soph; Bluitt couldn’t hit shots tonight and two missed layups that would have been difference makers. Macura hustled but he should have passed to Goodin for an easy lay-up. Hate the finish but X is entitled to a real bad game. Better now than in NCAA.

My worry now are Marshall and Goodin. Marshall is a stud on D and rebounding but his decision making needs to improve. He is a down hill player who will shoot when in the paint even if defended. Missed several defended shots. However, he gives so much on D and the glass. The big issue is Goodin. He had an out of body experience for about 10 games and was shooting well and now cant shoot again. The problem is other teams know it and are giving him space. He beats them into paint then turns to pass out. These two are absolutely critical for X to go deep in tourney. Bluitt will get worse looks if Goodin and Marshall cant hit a shot. Gates also seemed to have his out of body experience yesterday and returned to his form for last 10 games (since Creighton). Don't know if he just lost his confidence but as you saw yesterday, they are so much better when he can contribute offensively. He is however a good defender.

[KC Muskie]

Just a different level of player. Nova with a 17 pt 2nd half lead, game over. X with a 17 pt 2nd half lead-still a game. Trevon and J.P. absolutely soiling themselves in the big moment. You are what your record says you are, and Xavier is at historic levels, but they just can’t seem to embrace how good they can be and take it to the next level. Of course PU played out of their minds in the 2nd half.

[X-Expert]

This is why I said I preferred to play Creighton.
Cooley is a damn good coach.
But X should have won the game.
You don't let 17 point leads disappear in the 2H.

a tre blown layup in regulation would have changed everything. 2-14 from Tre spells trouble but Naji with only 4 points and 2-9. Just shaking my head
had they had Scruggs and Kanter's line we would be smiling. After shooting 50=% in second half to wind up at just under 37% is just sad.

Yes, the missed bunny was a crusher. Like you said, he could have dribbled around and gotten fouled and make a couple of FT's and iced the game
Game should not have gone to OT.
Probably will be a 2 seed out West

I think X will be a one seed out west or a 2 seed in midwest or east. They will be the 4th 1 seed or 1st 2 seed-at least they deserve that

[muskieman]

Missed lay-ups. Other than Kanter, Sr’s were not good. SOM looked like he did when he was a Fr/Soph; Bluitt couldn’t hit shots tonight and two missed layups that would have been difference makers. Macura hustled but he should have passed to Goodin for an easy lay-up. Hate the finish but X is entitled to a real bad game. Better now than in NCAA.

My worry now are Marshall and Goodin. Marshall is a stud on D and rebounding but his decision making needs to improve. He is a down hill player who will shoot when in the paint even if defended. Missed several defended shots. However, he gives so much on D and the glass. The big issue is Goodin. He had an out of body experience for about 10 games and was shooting well and now cant shoot again. The problem is other teams know it and are giving him space. He beats them into paint then turns to pass out. These two are absolutely critical for X to go deep in tourney. Bluitt will get worse looks if Goodin and Marshall cant hit a shot. Gates also seemed to have his out of body experience yesterday and returned to his form for last 10 games (since Creighton). Don't know if he just lost his confidence but as you saw yesterday, they are so much better when he can contribute offensively. He is however a good defender.

Gates only took 3 shoots tonight. The problem is all were 3s and he seemed to drift out to the line tonight which has always been my beef. He could have gotten more rebounds on the O boards for some points. When he does his game opens up all over.

[Anti-Homer]

Missed lay-ups. Other than Kanter, Sr’s were not good. SOM looked like he did when he was a Fr/Soph; Bluitt couldn’t hit shots tonight and two missed layups that would have been difference makers. Macura hustled but he should have passed to Goodin for an easy lay-up. Hate the finish but X is entitled to a real bad game. Better now than in NCAA.

My worry now are Marshall and Goodin. Marshall is a stud on D and rebounding but his decision making needs to improve. He is a down hill player who will shoot when in the paint even if defended. Missed several defended shots. However, he gives so much on D and the glass. The big issue is Goodin. He had an out of body experience for about 10 games and was shooting well and now cant shoot again. The problem is other teams know it and are giving him space. He beats them into paint then turns to pass out. These two are absolutely critical for X to go deep in tourney. Bluitt will get worse looks if Goodin and Marshall cant hit a shot. Gates also seemed to have his out of body experience yesterday and returned to his form for last 10 games (since Creighton). Don't know if he just lost his confidence but as you saw yesterday, they are so much better when he can contribute offensively. He is however a good defender.

X-Pert,

Spot on re: Goodin. They gave him more room than Muskieman going thru the buffet line, b/c he has reverted back to his former shooting stroke. However, do you always have to be so negative? Gates missed 3 treys, per the sets run for him by CM, and was hitting 40% from 3 point land before tonight's game. Even CM has said he is the best shooter on the team. Kind of makes one scratch one's head as to why he pulled him when they needed a trey at the end of the game, however. Hey, like players, coaches are entitled to have clunkers. Unfortunately, 2 of those times this year have come against Providence. Good news is I took them and Nova in a parlay. I thought X would win by 4-5, then by 12-14 when they took a 17 point lead. However, the bright lights made some pee down their legs. I still say X is FF bound.

[Anti-Homer]

Missed lay-ups. Other than Kanter, Sr’s were not good. SOM looked like he did when he was a Fr/Soph; Bluitt couldn’t hit shots tonight and two missed layups that would have been difference makers. Macura hustled but he should have passed to Goodin for an easy lay-up. Hate the finish but X is entitled to a real bad game. Better now than in NCAA.

My worry now are Marshall and Goodin. Marshall is a stud on D and rebounding but his decision making needs to improve. He is a down hill player who will shoot when in the paint even if defended. Missed several defended shots. However, he gives so much on D and the glass. The big issue is Goodin. He had an out of body experience for about 10 games and was shooting well and now cant shoot again. The problem is other teams know it and are giving him space. He beats them into paint then turns to pass out. These two are absolutely critical for X to go deep in tourney. Bluitt will get worse looks if Goodin and Marshall cant hit a shot. Gates also seemed to have his out of body experience yesterday and returned to his form for last 10 games (since Creighton). Don't know if he just lost his confidence but as you saw yesterday, they are so much better when he can contribute offensively. He is however a good defender.

Gates only took 3 shoots tonight. The problem is all were 3s and he seemed to drift out to the line tonight which has always been my beef. He could have gotten more rebounds on the O boards for some points. When he does his game opens up all over.

Once again,

My mentor redeems himself. Color me overwhelmed once again.

[X4LIFE]

Still pi$$ed. Missed layups. Goodin missed front end of a 1 and 1, Macura missed layup (a fake to Goodin would have left him an easy layup). Too many mistakes and potential Final Four teams do not play like that. Cooley gets the last laugh on Mack. And X limps into the NCAA with hopes of a Final Four but a Sweet 16 is more realistic. Too many exploitable weaknesses for this team. Hope I’m wrong but, I don’t think I am.

[X4LIFE]

Watching the way Villanova is crushing Butler early maybe I’m not so sure I would rather X get embarrassed by Nova.That is the way championship teams handle themselves. They go out and take care of business. X may have won the regular season title but Nova is still the Big Dog in the Big East.
You know the worst part? I have to spend my weekend with X sucking the way they did.

[Anti-Homer]

Still pi$$ed. Missed layups. Goodin missed front end of a 1 and 1, Macura missed layup (a fake to Goodin would have left him an easy layup). Too many mistakes and potential Final Four teams do not play like that. Cooley gets the last laugh on Mack. And X limps into the NCAA with hopes of a Final Four but a Sweet 16 is more realistic. Too many exploitable weaknesses for this team. Hope I’m wrong but, I don’t think I am.

It's great having someone like Tre, who despite going into slumps, usually hits the big shots. However, he is a great defensive liability as well, that when X takes leads into the 2nd, they need to sub him out offense for D. He can't help it. He's a 6'5" slower, unathletic wing. He tries his damned best, but it's obvious how much other teams run sets towards his man. CM does it for JP, who is actually a better defender.

Like Lavin said two weeks after I originally did: No one has a better 9 than X. I think CM sometimes struggles with rotations, especially in mid-late game situations. My mom was right. There can be a negative side to having too many toys. However, X4LIFE, my so-called Board friend: Don't look for my hand to hoist you up when you want to jump back on the bandwagon. We're going to the FF, and AH will be there in person.

Sorry for fanning the flames fellow mods, but it had to be said.