NCAA Tournament S16 Game Thread: Xavier v Texas (3/24/2023)

**OTRMUSKIE** · 03-25-2023, 12:23 AM

Anybody but Texas and Hurley. Great season and I knew this would be it. I mean we beat the old commissioner of baseball and an above avg pitt team. The fact we made it thus far is amazing. Why do players need to lose eligibility anyway? Lets these guys all get doctorates! It’s already become a professional sport. Student Athlete has been gone for 30 years. Let’s watch Nunge raise a family in an X uniform

IM4X · 03-25-2023, 01:54 AM

Originally Posted by drudy23

I think most of us knew we were playing with house money about half way through the year.

With the draw we got, I think we ended where we should have. In saying that, I would have hoped for a competitive game. X was completely out athleted.

We need some beef, we need some athletes, we need more shooters. Really hope Sean can get us there.

I don’t want to make any excuses. We were running into a tough team no matter who we faced in the Sweet Sixteen. We had plenty of good shooters tonight. We have one of the best 3 point shooting teams in the nation- They just all sucked from behind the arc (except Kunkel). We definitely could have used Fremantle, but we had enough shooters and talent to make this a good game.

Our players were not prepared for what this Texas team threw at them and they didn’t play with constant relentlessness like the Texas players did. X players quickly settled for shity. low percentage, finesse shots that they were given, instead of working it inside or moving the ball around quickly until a better option opened up. Colby, Souley and Nunge looked flustered and uncomfortable for much of the game. I don’t know why that was. We’ve seen this team flying around, helping each other out in the BE tournament Creighton game. Often X players were standing around and out of position to grab rebounds or get steals. Texas stretched out defense and picked us apart and we had no answers.

Why did our best players look like they were in a fog for the entire first half and much of the second? Sean has to own some of the lack of readiness of our players. Why did Sean never try to press? Gotta try something different, early enough in the game when things aren’t going right to try to create a spark and momentum shift that could lead to player more confidence and more fight in your guys.

I don’t know if X could have won tonight- Texas played extremely well- but I feel confident that X could have made it a game had all the X players played harder and closer to their potential - like Kunkel did. How is it that Kunkel can get his threes off in the last two games and hit a good percentage of them, but Nunge, Boum and Colby continue to be off for 4 straight games?

Still very happy Sean and X were able to get back to the dance and reach the Sweet Sixteen. Just thought this was not a good way to go out- playing some of your worst ball of the year.

IM4X · 03-25-2023, 02:04 AM

Originally Posted by Masterofreality

Gotta say Derrick Brown, man

Agree. D Brown could do it all.

IM4X · 03-25-2023, 02:14 AM

Originally Posted by SemajParlor

Seems like one of those nights where everything went wrong for us and everything went right for Texas.

Disappointing end to a really great and memorable season. This team will always be special and I'll miss watching these guys a lot.

Agree. While this final performance was frustrating and disappointing, I am very grateful to this team and this coach for giving us a heck of good season that was fun for us fans.

**American X** · 03-25-2023, 05:01 AM

Kam Craft got a Club Trillion to end the season! Cesare did not tackle anyone! Claude really shared the ball! The future is bright!

Craft, Kam		1	0-0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

**paulxu** · 03-25-2023, 05:59 AM

I think our guys were tired; or at least it looked that way.
Clanking foul shots off the rim, coming up short on so many layups.
The close to the first half with that ridiculous 3 was a crusher, and probably set the tone for how we mostly played all night.
Even though we outscored them in the second half, you don't come back in the S16 down 20 when you're gassed.

Congratulations to Adam Kunkel. Went out like a champ with a great game.
Thanks to all the guys for a wonderful season, and a return to what we all love about Xavier basketball. Hold your heads high.
Can't wait for next year.

xukeith · 03-25-2023, 06:09 AM

Originally Posted by IM4X

I don’t want to make any excuses. We were running into a tough team no matter who we faced in the Sweet Sixteen. We had plenty of good shooters tonight. We have one of the best 3 point shooting teams in the nation- They just all sucked from behind the arc (except Kunkel). We definitely could have used Fremantle, but we had enough shooters and talent to make this a good game.

Our players were not prepared for what this Texas team threw at them and they didn’t play with constant relentlessness like the Texas players did. X players quickly settled for shity. low percentage, finesse shots that they were given, instead of working it inside or moving the ball around quickly until a better option opened up. Colby, Souley and Nunge looked flustered and uncomfortable for much of the game. I don’t know why that was. We’ve seen this team flying around, helping each other out in the BE tournament Creighton game. Often X players were standing around and out of position to grab rebounds or get steals. Texas stretched out defense and picked us apart and we had no answers.

Why did our best players look like they were in a fog for the entire first half and much of the second? Sean has to own some of the lack of readiness of our players. Why did Sean never try to press? Gotta try something different, early enough in the game when things aren’t going right to try to create a spark and momentum shift that could lead to player more confidence and more fight in your guys.

I don’t know if X could have won tonight- Texas played extremely well- but I feel confident that X could have made it a game had all the X players played harder and closer to their potential - like Kunkel did. How is it that Kunkel can get his threes off in the last two games and hit a good percentage of them, but Nunge, Boum and Colby continue to be off for 4 straight games?

Still very happy Sean and X were able to get back to the dance and reach the Sweet Sixteen. Just thought this was not a good way to go out- playing some of your worst ball of the year.

Key to beating X was getting in Boum's face and making him uncomfortable and not letting Jones drive so easily. Making life for Nunge also uncomfortable was probably the easiest Texas duty. Nunge needs to be a finesse player. He can't get very physical.

Great year. 3 seed is way better than expected. X needs to ramp up recruiting athletes and shooters who can play defense consistently.

N67ER · 03-25-2023, 06:57 AM

Originally Posted by stammina0721

Just not there. I think with about 8-9 minutes in the first half to go it was like 20-14. If it's just 20-20 the whole vibe is different.

That is how I see it as well. If we hit our shots early it changes the dynamics of the game completely. Our players get a confidence boost, the rims get bigger for us and smaller for Texas. Little things matter. Hunter catching a viscous elbow early didn’t help either. He never really recovered and we really needed him to play well.

**UCGRAD4X** · 03-25-2023, 07:28 AM

I seem to recall X teams where "if you don't play defense, you don't see the court."

Didn't really have much of a choice this year.

Really had no competition for playing time.

Hope to get back there.