Game Thread: Xavier v. Creighton (January 11, 2019) Big East Conference Gane

[Lloyd Braun]

You can press. You can half court trap. You can play super aggressive man to man. You can pressure the ball over the whole court. You can try a 1-3-1. We've done nothing.

These are things coaches do to create offense when their offense is lacking. This team absolutely has the right personnel to try it. In fact, I think they'd be very good at.

They are already gassed by mid 2nd half, can’t imagine what pressing would do. Worth trying I suppose but I think we know how it ends. They play too skittish to expect it to go real well.

[IM4X]

In your last few posts you’ve written that Miles could average 4 blocks a game (which would be within fractions of leading the nation), average close to double digit rebounds along with 6-8 points and help this team win a lot more games. There is absolutely nothing “very reasonable” about that, and that’s before we even get into the reasonableness (or extreme lack thereof) of burning a redshirt in January.

I was suggesting Miles could make some key blocks in some key games in the post that the other new bigs were unable to do (which unfortunately resulted in easy baskets for the opponent) - I wasnÂ’t trying to sUggest he would average 4 block in every game he played. second, I never suggested Miles would average double digit in rebounds - just that he could possibly grab more per minute than either Carter to Freemantle are doing right now (Miles would not likely be averaging more than 17 min a game).

I also wasn’t suggesting he would average 8 points a game... though again I absolutely could see him contributing a few key buckets a game and having games where he scored 8 points. To those points, what I am suggesting is in fact “very reasonable.”

[waggy]

IMO redshirting Miles was a bad call. You can't coach size. But at this point after two really bad home loses, reactivating a redshirt just reeks of desparation.

The seniors need to lead this team. They are going to have win with defense.

[IM4X]

I always find interesting the argument that "the guy who isn't playing is the guy who could REALLY be helping the team. Just give him a chance. He'll show you."

I also find it interesting when certain fans like to say, “Well, he is not playing now, therefor it is absurd to even suggest he might be able to help the team” and then feel obliged to chime in on how dumb it is for anyone to think otherwise.”

I wonder how Dontarius James feels about it.

[GoMuskies]

Assuming you are including Marshall and Scruggs with the "seniors", I agree. Only that group can save this team. Everyone else is just playing a supporting role.

[waggy]

Assuming you are including Marshall and Scruggs with the "seniors", I agree. Only that group can save this team. Everyone else is just playing a supporting role.

The actual seniors especially though, they need to produce more, and more efficiently. They need to lead.

Schematically, and I might be way out in left field on this, but I would look at Tandy instead of Carter.

[XUBison]

They are already gassed by mid 2nd half, can’t imagine what pressing would do. Worth trying I suppose but I think we know how it ends. They play too skittish to expect it to go real well.

Yep. I expect a turnover whenever we play fast, and then it usually happens.