Bracketology

[jacobkdoyle]

Out of hand in which direction?

Our fans are OBSESSED with them. It's disgusting.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

its just going to happen in a season like this where both are fighting for the same seed line and it being a top 3 seed.


and with both teams doing it in very different ways its an interesting topic.

Gross

 

[cincrulz11]

A team is allowed to be both good and lucky. Those aren't mutually exclusive things.

Xavier is 9-0 in games decided by 7 points or less. That is fluky.

They aren't the first team in history to have a great player, a good X and Os coach and good free throw shooters. There is a randomness element to any two minute stretch of basketball no matter the two teams playing. Xavier has come out on the right side of every single one of those scenarios.

That's not to say Xavier isn't a very good team, I think they are. But, all the predictive metrics have them as a low 2 seed at best. By resume just based on wins and losses, yes they probably deserve a one seed, but I know I would love to have X as UC's one seed.

the thing is the fluke can last for an entire season. we were on the opposite side of that all year in 2016 and that season ended as painfully as it started in close games.



but yes all teams would love to have x as their 1 seed. all teams want whoever that 4th 1 seed is, nobody wants a piece of the top 3 right now.

 

[sedziobs]

If coaching had a significant impact on the "luck" stat, then it would probably be somewhat consistent from year to year. In 2015 they were #317 and in 2013 they were #303. Seems more likely to be random variation, which is what your average statistician will consider "clutch" to be anyway.

 

[sedziobs]

Our fans are OBSESSED with them. It's disgusting.

Uh. Ok. I wasn't aware it was disgusting to often discuss a rival team.

 

[UCalum08]

Our fans are OBSESSED with them. It's disgusting.

You should have seen it at the game last night. Three guys infront if me had the gamecast going on their phone, the guys next to me, the same, the Braxton biergarden in the arena was packed with people watching the game during the second half.

I'm not saying it's right or wrong, I get both sides, especially with our game completely out of hand. But it's evident there were a lot of Butler fans at the game last night...that were ultimately let down by Butler lol.

 

[justinhub2003]

Our fans are OBSESSED with them. It's disgusting.

Im obsessed with College basketball. I watched nearly every Xavier, UC, UK and basically every other game on TV I can.

And because they are a team ahead of us, I think it makes sense to talk about them. I think it would be more disgusting if we talked about Xavier if they were having a down year and we weren't.

You can be a UC fan, Hate Xavier but also still acknowledge they are a good team and will be (IMO) one of the toughest outs in the tourney.

When I look at teams, I try to take my personal Bias out and just look at them as any other team. Xavier is lucky, but like they mentioned on the Skinny podcast, what you do with that luck is what makes you a good team. They capitalize on every ball that bounces their way.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

Uh. Ok. I wasn't aware it was disgusting to often discuss a rival team.

DISGUSTING! #Disgusting

 

[justinhub2003]

You should have seen it at the game last night. Three guys infront if me had the gamecast going on their phone, the guys next to me, the same, the Braxton biergarden in the arena was packed with people watching the game during the second half.

I'm not saying it's right or wrong, I get both sides, especially with our game completely out of hand. But it's evident there were a lot of Butler fans at the game last night...that were ultimately let down by Butler lol.

I'll admit it.

I watched the game on Fox Sports Go while UC pounded UCF. Our game was mostly boring and the X-Butler game was exciting. Butler disappointed me. Mack owns them too.


I also sat in post game traffic and watched UK lose, Tennessee did not disappoint.




Also this is not a one way street. Xavier fans tend to show up in high numbers on the reddit game thread every time we are losing a game. They were ready to pounce on us during the Houston game and then we turned it around and they went away. We can pretend we don't care, but we do. I hope they lose every game and I'd enjoy every minute of it

 

[jacobkdoyle]

I have to wear gloves and a smog mask to come into this thread!

 

[waterhead]

The Xavier talk is getting out of hand again. Smh. So disappointing...

Good lord...I think this is partially my fault. I thought I was responding to a different post when I agreed. The post I actually responded to was not the one I wanted to nor do I agree or support it.

My bad

 

[jacobkdoyle]

Good lord...I think this is partially my fault. I thought I was responding to a different post when I agreed. The post I actually responded to was not the one I wanted to nor do I agree or support it.

My bad

Haha I'm just messing with everyone.

 

[cincrulz11]

I have to wear gloves and a smog mask to come into this thread!

i do try to get all my posting about them done quickly so i can run to the shower and get the filth off

 

[jacobkdoyle]

i do try to get all my posting about them done quickly so i can run to the shower and get the filth off

We should open a Xavier Recovery Thread and have people come in for counseling after they expose themselves to this stuff.

 

[david aka the TYZ]

I bleed Red and Black so I have a built in immunity from all the Xavier talk. It's better and more effective than a flu shot. No gloves, no shower needed, the good Lord provides me sterility against the evil of Xavier.

 

[Jon Rycek]

Lunardi tweeted out yesterday "Xavier must win at Butler, otherwise Auburn is next in line for a No. 1 seed. Cincinnati is next in line for a No. 2 seed if either Michigan State or Kansas loses."

I'm more shocked Kansas is still ahead of use for the 2 spot as of right now...

Yeah they've lost 3 times at home this year, what a joke

 

[Jon Rycek]

I don't know...but X has been pushed to the brink in a lot of games this year. Their luck factor on Kenpom is #8. Yes, they can pull out some games in the end but they are very susceptible to lower quality teams. We have pulled out a couple of close games. Our luck factor is #191.

I don't know who to put in as the last 1 seed...but I don't think they are a 1 seed. I guess we will find out with the remaining games.

Like blueitt getting a four point play with 20 seconds left to tie it up. Eye roll

 

[Jon Rycek]

There is no luck factor when you have a killer like Trevon Blueitt and a play caller like Chris Mack.


Look I hate Xavier, but they create their own good luck.

Mack is one of the best play designers in basketball. He also seems to call the right plays to get his best players open.

And Trevon Blueitt is absolutely clutch in big games. He won them the game against Butler and it was exceptional play calling that got him open.

They suck on defense. And they basically mirror what Duke is; elite on offense and bad on defense, but the difference is; X has multiple older players who make smart plays at the end of games that make up for their defensive problems. Duke doesn't.


If Xavier is within 5, in the last 2 minutes, they will win. Its that simple. And they are getting battle tested for the tourney, unfortunately we aren't. Our 37 point domination of UCF did nothing to make us a better team. but Xavier winning back to back OT games does.

In a normal year, Xavier would be a 2 or 3 seed but this season, they absolutely deserve a 1 seed at this point.


Also, do not be surprised to see UC ahead of Michigan state this sunday when they announce the top 16 seeds.

Lol. I love when people call playing down to lesser team "battle tested"

 

[waterhead]

We should open a Xavier Recovery Thread and have people come in for counseling after they expose themselves to this stuff.

Eggsavier will be exposed in tourney more times than JP Manicura has exposed himself in Norwood bars. Trevon Blowit will really really enjoy the "D league". Xavier girls will lose the beer goggle challenge. Chris Mack will get a nice gig with hair club for men...and have a cat named Mr Bigglesworth.

 

[justinhub2003]

Lol. I love when people call playing down to lesser team "battle tested"

Call it whatever you want.


Your homerism makes feel like I have to defend Xavier. But I won't. IF you think Xavier is just lucky and not very good, then I don't know what to tell you.

Either way, I'm done talking about them. They are good. We are good. And I'd like our chances if we played them on a neutral.

When I watched sportscenter this morning, they highlighted the Xavier-Butler game and I don't even think they mentioned us playing. In fact, we've been a top 10 team for a few weeks and it feels like none of our games get any play on Sportscenter anymore. This conference sucks and the opponents suck.


When Xavier barely beats Georgetown and St Johns, it creates a narrative of "the big east is really tough". When we beat UCF by nearly 40 points, it creates a narrative that the "AAC really sucks". US destroying our league is both positive for us but very bad for the overall perception of this league.