Providence game thread

[muskieman]

Where: Amica Mutual Pavilion (Formerly known as the Dunkin’ Donuts Center) Providence, R.I.

When: Wednesday, February 12, 8 p.m.


TV: Peacock with play-by-play from Justin Kutcher and analysis from Tim Welsh.
Xavier Radio: 700 WLW-AM also available on the Varsity Network and on Sirius XM.

*Bryce Hopkins and Jabri Abdur-Rahim are out for the season with injuries. Wes Cardet is listed as day-to-day.

Providence holds a 12-14 record all-time versus X. The Friars have posted an 8-4 record all-time against Xavier in Providence, a 3-10 record versus the Musketeers at Cintas, and a 1-0 mark on a neutral court. The Friars are 11-11 versus the Musketeers since joining the BIG EAST.

The Friars are 75th in rebounding in the nation, and the Musketeers are 291st.
The Musketeers post 6.2 more points per game (76.5) than the Friars give up (70.3).

[skyhops]

Many questions for the rest of season:

1) Is our PG still afraid to shoot
2) Can Conwell break out of his slump
3) Is Swain feeling better
4) Can someone besides a 6'4 player lead us in rebounding
5) Will Hughley and Hunter ever score again
6) Will we win a road game

[oldhoopster]

IMO, Xavier must win all remaining road games and all home games except maybe Creighton. The cannot lose to the weaker BE teams left on the schedule or they’re NCAA hopes are done. Run the table may still require a tournament win or two. The inconsistency of this team makes me doubt this is can happen. Stranger things have happened.

[muskieman]

I don't know the magic formula for a return to the NCAA Tourney, but I hope the turnaround begins tonight. I want Zach to get to the NCAA in his last year because he deserves it after all the grief he received until last year.

[Kevin Reilly]

Maddox with 16 points, Conwell with 8 points and 7 rebounds an Freemantle wit 12 points and a Laettner buzzer beater. It is against the Providence JV but I'll take it

[muskieman]

I don't know what to say about that first half. Providence was playing 2 walk-on and came out hot, but thanks to a technical by English, which was probably a bad call, X took the ball and scored the next 22. With a 13-point lead, a toss to the three-point line saw Zac hit a Christian Laettner 2 with seconds on the clock. Maybe a run of good luck is due the guys.

All I can say Is that the second half is the same as the first without the Providence run.

I was hoping for a Nova loss against St Johns, but they disappointed me and won.

[connecticut72]

We should be able to beat Providence B team even if we are on the road. I respect Sean but I do not think he ever really got the rotations correctly this year. Maddox had to play more. I know Sean did not like his defense but we needed scoring. Maddox could have been a real killer for us off the bench with the green light but Sean killed his confidence. I saw him play at Toledo and he was a stud scorer. That was what he could have been for us.

[connecticut72]

No defense. We just stopped playing. Awful. Where is XU pride guts. Just awful.

[muskieman]

We should be able to beat Providence B team even if we are on the road. I respect Sean but I do not think he ever really got the rotations correctly this year. Maddox had to play more. I know Sean did not like his defense but we needed scoring. Maddox could have been a real killer for us off the bench with the green light but Sean killed his confidence. I saw him play at Toledo and he was a stud scorer. That was what he could have been for us.

X lead by 26 and they are trying to prove you wrong as they now lead by 14. 16-5 run by Providence. Make that 18-5 no 20-5

Sean wake them up

[muskieman]

these assistant coaches are better than English and showing they can match Sean. Sean has to light a fire under them, or this game might be a coffin nail. Stop Joseph and Pierre