Can we start talking about Xavier as a title contender?

X-Fan · 12-13-2015, 06:49 AM

Originally Posted by nasdadjr

The great things I see are this...
1. Trevon played horrible and we still were a dominate team. It's a great thing knowing our best player can be off against a legitimate top 25 team ( UC is one even though they will fall out this week... They will be back in soon) and we can still play like that.

2. Horrible second half but when needed our guys will step up and play defense to win a game which is beyond awesome for such an offensively gifted team.

3. Outside of butler this will be the best defense we see this year. With that said sumner handled the pressure better than I thought he would. He still has much to learn but I am half surprised sumner was not a turnover machine in this one like I thought may happen.

4. When uc made their run the guys didn't panic they just played ball and reasserted themselves as the better team.

So with these things being true right now I think we definitely are title contenders. First thing is first though and that is how about we finally beat Villanova for once

It will be interesting to see as the season develops more, but right now Butter is givinging up a ton of points on average. And yes, can we please finally beat Nova!!!!

XUFan09 · 12-13-2015, 07:11 AM

Originally Posted by X-Fan

It will be interesting to see as the season develops more, but right now Butter is givinging up a ton of points on average. And yes, can we please finally beat Nova!!!!

Yeah, Butler is not strong defensively this year. Villanova will be the best defensive opponent this year.

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XfansinKy · 12-13-2015, 07:14 AM

I don't know. After the first game, I pointed out how many really good players we had n how good this team would be and I basically was told to chill. Hmm...

Michigan Muskie · 12-13-2015, 07:28 AM

To the people saying no: Why? If not, then who is? And why? What am I missing here? The team is 10-0 and nine of the wins are double digits. We're not talking about 10 wins against NJIT and South-North Wyoming Tech either.

Again, the question isn't asking if you are predicting X to win the national championship. The question is only if they, right now, are a legitimate contender. I don't know how anyone who follows college basketball can answer no to this, especially a Xavier fan who ostensibly watches the team play.

I get the feeling those who are saying NO are of the same mentality of those who urge other message board members to "not look ahead" and "take it one game at a time." As if the attitude/comments of Internet chatter has even a smidge of impact on the outcome of anything that happens on the court.

Here is my Christmas present to my fellow X fans -- you are permitted to enjoy this. Embrace the fact that you are cheering on one of this year's elite basketball teams and don't be afraid to admit you truly believe they can make a run at this thing. If things change (injuries or whatever) then they change. But as of today, December 13, 2015, the Xavier Musketeers are unquestionably contenders for the title. And that decks my halls and jingles my bells. Fa la la la freakin la, baby!

**UCGRAD4X** · 12-13-2015, 07:28 AM

Apparently, we can.

And we are.

So....yes!

XUFan09 · 12-13-2015, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by Michigan Muskie

To the people saying no: Why? If not, then who is? And why? What am I missing here? The team is 10-0 and nine of the wins are double digits. We're not talking about 10 wins against NJIT and South-North Wyoming Tech either.

Again, the question isn't asking if you are predicting X to win the national championship. The question is only if they, right now, are a legitimate contender. I don't know how anyone who follows college basketball can answer no to this, especially a Xavier fan who ostensibly watches the team play.

I get the feeling those who are saying NO are of the same mentality of those who urge other message board members to "not look ahead" and "take it one game at a time." As if the attitude/comments of Internet chatter has even a smidge of impact on the outcome of anything that happens on the court.

Here is my Christmas present to my fellow X fans -- you are permitted to enjoy this. Embrace the fact that you are cheering on one of this year's elite basketball teams and don't be afraid to admit you truly believe they can make a run at this thing. If things change (injuries or whatever) then they change. But as of today, December 13, 2015, the Xavier Musketeers are unquestionably contenders for the title. And that decks my halls and jingles my bells. Fa la la la freakin la, baby!

There are no elite teams this year, but that's what makes this such a good opportunity for X. Agreed with everything else. This is most definitely a title contender. Early on, there was the potential that a good team just had a really good ten-day period. Now, that question is laid to rest.

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**XUGRAD80** · 12-13-2015, 07:38 AM

In the immortal words of Sheriff Buford T Justice....."you can think about it, buuuuut don't do it".

Truthfully, X winning the NC has never ever been anymore than a pipe dream to me....kind of like wondering what I would do if I ever won a Power Ball. But getting to the F-4? I think about it every year. I've talked it over with my wife and when it happens, I WILL be there. Some people have bucket lists that have world trips, or sky diving, or some such thing in them. Mine has two....X goes to the final four and I am there, is first. Second is the Bengals make it to a super bowl and WIN.

Could both happen in 2016? Or is that too much to even dream about?

Michigan Muskie · 12-13-2015, 07:48 AM

Originally Posted by XUFan09

There are no elite teams this year ...

I use "elite" in relative terms. This year's "elite" teams may not be as good as last year's, but they are still elite when compared to the rest of the field.

xuwin · 12-13-2015, 07:49 AM

Originally Posted by xu82

So, we're Champs! Cool! If you think we're going to run the table... well, I'll give you enough credit to know we won't. There will be a day when it all goes south for some reason. Then you get into tourney time and everything changes. One bad day and you go home. I believe we are working towards a very high seed, but there's a lot of ball to be played. I LOVE the way this team is put together, but I'll wait and see what happens when some adversity (or.... yikes...injury?) arises. We have not even begun BE play. Runs can be good or bad. I think we're too talented for a long bad spell. I think we'll do great, but how far do we get??? Don't know.

Unlike teams of the past it would take more than one injury to devastate this team. There is quality depth at every position. Xavier can go big, they can go small or any combination in between. The biggest problem so far is not being able to give all of the talent enough playing time to develop to their fullest.

jhelmes37 · 12-13-2015, 08:47 AM

By the third game it was obvious to me this was the best X team ever assembled.

I've been watching 25 years, which isn't a lot by the standards of some of the dinosaurs around here, but still is a pretty long time.

I got lots of shit for saying this team was the best X team ever. Lots of "08 was better" talk.

Nah. This team would light them up. Too much firepower and size. Just too much. So many weapons it makes your head spin.

If we didn't have Xavier on our jersey - if we were a real blue blood at 10-0 with our resume (already), there would be NO DOUBT we would be ranked in the top 3. EVERYONE would be calling us a title contender.

And we are saying "no" to this thread?

YES, 100%, ABSOLUTLEY, BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT WE ARE A TITLE CONTENDER.

As Mich Muskie said - enjoy, everyone. It may be a once in a lifetime chance.