Creighton Game thread

[Anti-Homer]

Omaha News Quote from McDermott…..I guess he saw what we saw! Nice set plays, Travis. It was a “set” play. Everything doesn’t have to be a five pass, triple back screen Auburn Shuffle to be called a set play.

I thought we defended them great in the first half," CU coach Greg McDermott said. "But they went to some isolation stuff, started picking on some of our young guys. And we probably didn't handle that very well."

It was senior guard Paul Scruggs initially, just backing down defenders and scoring in the lane. Then the versatile 6-foot-7 Colby Jones took over. Bigs Zach Freemantle and Jack Nunge got free around the rim, too.

I'm not commenting here on whether the point you are making is right or wrong but trying to validate it with quotes from an opposing coach is pretty weak, imo. How many times have you seen a coach in the BE be overly effusive of another after pummeling them (see Jay wright presser after EVERY game)? I I think it is 103% of the time. I think Steele is a great offensive coordinator. I completely disagree with his philosophy of allowing anyone shooting any shot from any place, anytime (ie. end of half quick three by Jerome Hunter at the end of the half. Poor shot, and gave Creighton a full 30 to score, which they did). Examples include: Nunge two treys from the wing, Free shooting a trey from the wing out of halftime, Hunter four threes in the first half, etc. X has a lot of good shooters, but guys are taking shots they don't typically make. If it is one or two guys, I would think it was them going a little rouge. However, EVERYBODY has had a green light in his tenure for three plus years (see Q, Marshall, Carter, Hunter, Nunge, Free........). I think their team's three point average would be 5 percentage points higher if Steele had a more disciplined philosophy and demanded more accountability.

With that said, I do think he did a really good job of changing defenses and changing lineups until he settled on six guys in the last ten minutes. I loved the subbing of offense for D with Kunkel and Odom but was perplexed why he didn't do the same with Hunter and Free at the end. Regardless, they beat a good team, in a brutal league who will get 7 teams in the tourney this year. Okl St beating Baylor helps their resume as well.

[X-lucidity]

Gutty win. I was leery of being a bit flat the 1st half with possibly a touch of a Nova emotional loss as the backdrop. So pleased with the 2nd half explosion. Especially pleased with the energy and D efforts the entire game. That is a solid sign of a good locker room, which is what we have suspected anyway. 50/50 balls were usually ours yesterday and that dog will hunt. Having no insider info at all, I ask this panel, is Nate losing minutes at key junctures due to poor D, riding the hot hand, or some undisclosed minor injury? Nate was not among the 6-man rotation Steele used practically the entire final 7 minutes. Seems to me that we could work harder to free him up for more perimeter shots here & there, replacing those errant 4 to 6 3's hoisted each game by Jack & Zach, Just ruminating - while basking in the victory...

[Anti-Homer]

Gutty win. I was leery of being a bit flat the 1st half with possibly a touch of a Nova emotional loss as the backdrop. So pleased with the 2nd half explosion. Especially pleased with the energy and D efforts the entire game. That is a solid sign of a good locker room, which is what we have suspected anyway. 50/50 balls were usually ours yesterday and that dog will hunt. Having no insider info at all, I ask this panel, is Nate losing minutes at key junctures due to poor D, riding the hot hand, or some undisclosed minor injury? Nate was not among the 6-man rotation Steele used practically the entire final 7 minutes. Seems to me that we could work harder to free him up for more perimeter shots here & there, replacing those errant 4 to 6 3's hoisted each game by Jack & Zach, Just ruminating - while basking in the victory...

I think Steele was just going with the lineup who started moving the needle on both ends. Johnson didn't play badly (he never does) but couldn't get many shots off, and Kunkel provided a spark offensively.

[muskieman]

Travis playing the bigs, Jack and Zach together created a problem for CU as they sealed off the two big Ks for CU and made driving lanes for X in the second half. Gone were the numerous blocks that made X tentative in the first half. CU was ranked 300th in turnovers before yesterday's game so turning them over 21 times also gave X more chances and in the second half and they took advantage of them. X scored 19 points off CU turnovers.

While some are always screaming for Hunter to never take a three his two threes toward the end of the second half kept CU from maybe having a double-digit lead going into halftime and he had 10 of the 29 points in the half. He has scored in double figures in 2 of the last three games.

Zach played a typical double-double 13 points and 11 rebounds game that he played last year and might mean he is really back which is great news for X. I know he frustrates everyone with his lack of D but yesterday he played much better and active D than he has played since returning to the active lineup which also may be a sign of better things to come. He was able to switch on ball screens and helped hold Kalkbrenner under his average for the season. The Jack and Zach show changed the game and it allowed Xavier to take control in the second half. They rebounded better and from a 10 rebound deficit in the first half, they improved to within one rebound deficit for the game. If X can get a consistent Freemantle to play like last night there is no telling how high the ceiling will be for the season.

Good news X had SIX players in double figures and X has had nine different starters and seven different leading scorers this season. They scored 51 points in the second half as they found their scoring groove led by Jones and Scruggs.

Now can X's Defense and Offense travel because 3 of the next four are on the road. And Wednesday is a good chance to get a W

[skyhops]

Tough upcoming schedule for X where they will have to play two complete halves vs one as they have the last two games. As Byron mentioned before the Creighton game it is time for Freemantle and Scruggs to step up to 1st team BE level and play complete games (Paul did for 1/2 and Freemantle played well on offense). Our soft play inside will have to change as well on the road.

[longliveskip]

Tough upcoming schedule for X where they will have to play two complete halves vs one as they have the last two games. As Byron mentioned before the Creighton game it is time for Freemantle and Scruggs to step up to 1st team BE level and play complete games (Paul did for 1/2 and Freemantle played well on offense). Our soft play inside will have to change as well on the road.

our next several games are at DePaul, at Marq, Prov, at Creighton, Butler, DePaul

not exactly murderers row there but as i've said before, we are capable of beating any team in our league but they are all also good enough to beat us on any given night.

besides a few pick and rolls in the first half, this was the best defense Free has played all year. that's part of why Steele kept him and Nunge in together - it wasn't just the OFFENSE. the defense with both of them in was pretty good as well.

[joeabe]

News flash....We are a totally different and better team with Free playing like his previous self. It was fun watching he and Nunge in the lineup together. It looked like they worked together well and fed off one another's energy. I totally loved the bounce in their step. Defense travels even when the shooting disappears. Before its over I believe the O and D will get on the same page for both halves of games and we will be some dangerous come March....

[muskieman]

News flash....We are a totally different and better team with Free playing like his previous self. It was fun watching he and Nunge in the lineup together. It looked like they worked together well and fed off one another's energy. I totally loved the bounce in their step. Defense travels even when the shooting disappears. Before its over I believe the O and D will get on the same page for both halves of games and we will be some dangerous come March....

I agree but what happens when one of them(Zack and Jack) needs a rest? This is where, I think, Miles could come into play subbing out Nunge and Free might be subbed out with Jones but we become smaller and less beef. I think if Stanely ever gets back from his ACL he might be the guy who could play with Miles or Nunge. I hope Ben can make it back even if it is only for 5-10 minutes.

[olsingledigit]

I liked the switch form o to do with Kunkel and Odom. Me hard was giving us trouble until Travis put Odom on him.

[Anti-Homer]

Travis playing the bigs, Jack and Zach together created a problem for CU as they sealed off the two big Ks for CU and made driving lanes for X in the second half. Gone were the numerous blocks that made X tentative in the first half. CU was ranked 300th in turnovers before yesterday's game so turning them over 21 times also gave X more chances and in the second half and they took advantage of them. X scored 19 points off CU turnovers.

While some are always screaming for Hunter to never take a three his two threes toward the end of the second half kept CU from maybe having a double-digit lead going into halftime and he had 10 of the 29 points in the half. He has scored in double figures in 2 of the last three games.

Zach played a typical double-double 13 points and 11 rebounds game that he played last year and might mean he is really back which is great news for X. I know he frustrates everyone with his lack of D but yesterday he played much better and active D than he has played since returning to the active lineup which also may be a sign of better things to come. He was able to switch on ball screens and helped hold Kalkbrenner under his average for the season. The Jack and Zach show changed the game and it allowed Xavier to take control in the second half. They rebounded better and from a 10 rebound deficit in the first half, they improved to within one rebound deficit for the game. If X can get a consistent Freemantle to play like last night there is no telling how high the ceiling will be for the season.

Good news X had SIX players in double figures and X has had nine different starters and seven different leading scorers this season. They scored 51 points in the second half as they found their scoring groove led by Jones and Scruggs.

Now can X's Defense and Offense travel because 3 of the next four are on the road. And Wednesday is a good chance to get a W

You think Hunter shooting four threes trailing in a game is a good recipe for success? Law of averages will eventually catch up. Its always a dilemma for me when Hunter makes a trey: it obviously helps the team, but will encourage him to shoot more. Sadly, regardless of the outcome of his next ten treys, Steele won't switch the light to red, or even yellow.