I think they almost must use 2 bigs because GT does that a lot in the games I've seen.
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I think they almost must use 2 bigs because GT does that a lot in the games I've seen.
What if the referees had made the correct call on this play that was CLEARLY a foul?? We're playing either Western Kentucky or Texas A&M in the Elite Eight, and I think we would have crushed either one of them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW5QT70DHhI
I know one thing.
Xavier had better win BOTH these home games this week. If we lose one or both it's a loong season ending slog to infamy.
One thing that stuck in my head was reading Scruggs was working in the gym with a clear focus to improve his 3 point shooting... which he did.
Maybe if Q and Naji had followed his lead with the 3 point shooting, we would see better 3s from those two and maybe it would have lead to 4+ additional wins.
Now Jones had a clear goal to get leaner and improve his endurance... which he has achieved. But just maybe a top goal should have been to get better at defending without not fouling or to get 10+ rebounds a game... or even to work extra every day on improving his foul shooting technique/%.
Still, it is not too late. No, the team does not have quite the same level or depth of talent as last season, but it does have enough talent to play much better and win a lot of games in the process.
If the players and coaches are brutally honest about their shortcomings and can even make a little progress from here on out, they might surprise themselves. Five smarter passes. Seven more rebounds by boxing out bettr on defense so opponents don’t get all of those second and third chances. 2 more open looks for each Wealage, Scruggs and Harden... and anything could happen.
It sucks to suck at 3's which we still do even after GTown win. We get some 3's the old fashioned way being fouled on made layups - but even then you need to make the shot & the free throw. One goal under all our coaches the past 30 yrs is to make more FT than the other team attempts. We're close having made 243 to opponents 271 attempts. We need to keep driving to the hole & piling up fouls on the opponents. Teams jacking up 25 or so 3's a game usually don't get to the foul line as much since they don't take it to the hole as much. SNot all suck at 3's. Scruggs at 43%. Welage 42%. Harden 38%. Q, Naji, Castlin, Kennedy I think all under 25%. Kudos on the 4 turnover effort vs GTown & the 17-0 run we went on was fabulous. When Naji made steal to end half he might have outran Usain Bolt to the basket. We might suck at 3's all year, but the team can win quite a few on heart & hustle.
6 more home games and 7 road games.
It will be very very tough especially with no bench and no outside shooting.
Looks like X will survive making freethrows and fouling opponents out.
Playing better defense (A LOT) compared to last year. We shall see. 9 BE wins? 10? I hope