Game Thread: Xavier vs. Butler (January 13, 2019)

[94GRAD]

whoever gets the last run is winning this game.

soothsayer!

[XUOHTX]

This was how I watched the last half of the game. From the Chase Bridge seats in MSG. Others around me were confused when I was cheering but not for the Knicks.

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[MHettel]

Wow. those Q game stats....

-Q averaged 30 minutes a game last year.
-First 21 games last year Q was 3-26 from 3. Thats .115% Thats more than half a season and he had 3 threes.
-The next 8 games, he GOT HOT, hitting 14 of 23 for .608%. By this point, his season average was up to .347%
-The last 6 games he went 2-14, or .143%.
-He finished the year 19 of 63 for .302%.
-He averaged 1.8 attempts per game.
-He had 2 games where he had 5 or more attempts.
-He had 9 games with zero attempts.
-He took 91 FTs.

THIS YEAR
- His minutes are increased to 34 per game.
- He's taken 66 3's in 14 games, for an average of 4.7 per game.
- He's made 18, and is shooting .273% for the year.
- He's attempted 3 more, and made 1 less already this year than he did all of last year.
- He's taken 5 or more 3's in 8 of 14 games. He took zero 3's in one game.
- He's taken 64 FTs.

Is he just taking the 3's that used to be there for JP and Tre? Even when he got hot last year, he didn't really take more 3's per game, he just MADE more than usual.

Last year his FT to 3PA ratio was about 1.5:1. This year it's running at 1:1. I'd like to see that ratio becopme 2:1. I'd like Steele to tell Q that he need to take 2 FTs for every one 3PA. Put him on a shot restriction. Then I want Q to ATTACK the rim, and still find a way to take 3.5 3s a game, which means he's taking 7 FTs.....

[xudash]

I just watched the game again from the 4:00 minute mark remaining in the second half.

The key observation I offer, at least my opinion anyway, is that these guys have gelled as a team; they really like and support each other. There was pure joy on that sideline during that run and after the game. Q was cheering them on and supporting them from the bench.

Steele is very engaged. I only write that in here, because I believe there has been way too much questioning of his coaching ability. After Butler called their last timeout to set-up their desperation inbounds play at 70 - 69, down one, Steele let them set up and then called his own timeout to set up his counter response. But, in the timeout, he initially huddled with his coaching staff. They talked it through and then he went into the team huddle to explain the plan.

Steele bested Patrick during a big comeback run. He just took down Laval.

Lastly, I'm enjoying the New Butler Way: folding under intense pressure.

[Xville]

I just watched the game again from the 4:00 minute mark remaining in the second half.

The key observation I offer, at least my opinion anyway, is that these guys have gelled as a team; they really like and support each other. There was pure joy on that sideline during that run and after the game. Q was cheering them on and supporting them from the bench.

Steele is very engaged. I only write that in here, because I believe there has been way too much questioning of his coaching ability. After Butler called their last timeout to set-up their desperation inbounds play at 70 - 69, down one, Steele let them set up and then called his own timeout to set up his counter response. But, in the timeout, he initially huddled with his coaching staff. They talked it through and then he went into the team huddle to explain the plan.

Steele bested Patrick during a big comeback run. He just took down Laval.

Lastly, I'm enjoying the New Butler Way: folding under intense pressure.

Agree with all of this. I like the fire that Steele has brought in the last two games and I hope that continues. Mack drove me nuts with his horrible suits, but mostly with his very stoic nature. I really do believe that Steele is going to end up being the best coach Xavier has ever had...I know I keep beating that drum, but I firmly believe it.

[SemajParlor]

This was how I watched the last half of the game. From the Chase Bridge seats in MSG. Others around me were confused when I was cheering but not for the Knicks.

x_msg.jpg

Wow! Another Knicks - Xavier fan like myself? I was at the Garden the other night and can confirm cheering for Knicks play is hard to come by these days.

[MITTENMUSKIE16]

Wow. those Q game stats....

-Q averaged 30 minutes a game last year.
-First 21 games last year Q was 3-26 from 3. Thats .115% Thats more than half a season and he had 3 threes.
-The next 8 games, he GOT HOT, hitting 14 of 23 for .608%. By this point, his season average was up to .347%
-The last 6 games he went 2-14, or .143%.
-He finished the year 19 of 63 for .302%.
-He averaged 1.8 attempts per game.
-He had 2 games where he had 5 or more attempts.
-He had 9 games with zero attempts.
-He took 91 FTs.

THIS YEAR
- His minutes are increased to 34 per game.
- He's taken 66 3's in 14 games, for an average of 4.7 per game.
- He's made 18, and is shooting .273% for the year.
- He's attempted 3 more, and made 1 less already this year than he did all of last year.
- He's taken 5 or more 3's in 8 of 14 games. He took zero 3's in one game.
- He's taken 64 FTs.

Is he just taking the 3's that used to be there for JP and Tre? Even when he got hot last year, he didn't really take more 3's per game, he just MADE more than usual.

Last year his FT to 3PA ratio was about 1.5:1. This year it's running at 1:1. I'd like to see that ratio becopme 2:1. I'd like Steele to tell Q that he need to take 2 FTs for every one 3PA. Put him on a shot restriction. Then I want Q to ATTACK the rim, and still find a way to take 3.5 3s a game, which means he's taking 7 FTs.....

I remember him significantly cooling the last handful of games last year, and I appreciate your going back to confirm this. Overall, agree with everything you’ve said. He needs to get to the line at that ratio, and he will become a much more effective player. However, he’s only shooting 69% from the FT line right now. Overall, he just needs to get better.

[X-band '01]

It's also a good week to get a midweek bye - that's why we saw both Scruggs and Marshall play 40 minutes apiece in both the Georgetown and Butler games. Welage was the only bench player to get any minutes of significance yesterday; Harden and Kennedy had extremely limited minutes.

[chico]

The effort this team has shown the last two games is impressive. I think Steele may have finally realized he needs to be the one to light the fire under these kids - he can't just sit back like he's still the number 2 guy. He's done a very nice job coaching the last 2 games. It's not hard to out-coach Ewing, but Jordan is a good coach and Steele bested him the last 4 minutes.

The best part of the game yesterday, though, was after Castlin hit the 3 to tie it up. Butler called their time out, and Castlin was absolutely mugged by his teammates, even the managers got in on the act. Was a cool scene to see the team rally around him like that, and it tells me that these guys are putting the team first.

[Jumpin_Jamal_Forever]

[QUOTE=MHettel;637354]Wow. those Q game stats....

-Q averaged 30 minutes a game last year.
-First 21 games last year Q was 3-26 from 3. Thats .115% Thats more than half a season and he had 3 threes.
-The next 8 games, he GOT HOT, hitting 14 of 23 for .608%. By this point, his season average was up to .347%
-The last 6 games he went 2-14, or .143%.

Perhaps it is too small a sample size to provide meaningful information. But, if the metrics are available (depending on what shooting metrics X may track), wouldn't you love to know if the characteristics of those three point attempts (when Q was 14/23) were somehow different than his other attempts? Did they come early or late in the game, when Tre and J.P. were both in the game or on the bench, did they arise from a certain area of the floor, against certain opponents, home or away, whatever. I'm interested in knowing because the results stand out so differently (and clearly much better) than his historical three point record.