Xavier vs Nova

[kayako]

Nova hasn't lost 2 in a row since March of 2013 vs UNC. Got down by 20 early, came back to take the lead, close game rest of the way, but lost it in the final minute. It's a game I'd love to remove from my memory but just can't..

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket ... =330810153

[Wizard of Westroads]

Taking Nova. I think they'll lose one more game, and this isn't it.

What is?

One of the road games at SH and Creighton, or home against the Hoyas, who will have 6 days to prep. I think Nova can overcome the fatigue of playing shorthanded tomorrow because of the importance of the game, but I think they're susceptible to another letdown before Booth returns.

[Bill Marsh]

Taking Nova. I think they'll lose one more game, and this isn't it.

What is?

One of the road games at SH and Creighton, or home against the Hoyas, who will have 6 days to prep. I think Nova can overcome the fatigue of playing shorthanded tomorrow because of the importance of the game, but I think they're susceptible to another letdown before Booth returns.

So, you think the losses to St John’s and Providence represent let downs by Villanova? As Looie Carnesecca used to say after a loss when he coached at St John’s, “Give some credit to the other fellas.”

St John’s and Providence are 2 good teams who just outplayed Villanova on those 2 days, something which both are capable of doing under the right circumstances. What you see as a letdown, such as Nova’s poor 3 point shooting in Providence, I see as the Wildcats simply stepping into the Friars’ wheelhouse. They are really good at defending the 3. I’m sure you watched that game, so you had to see how good the PC defense was. And St John’s gave Nova all they could handle the first time around, so it should come as no surprise that they were able to win one from Noba.

[Bill Marsh]

Nova hasn't lost 2 in a row since March of 2013 vs UNC. Got down by 20 early, came back to take the lead, close game rest of the way, but lost it in the final minute. It's a game I'd love to remove from my memory but just can't..

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket ... =330810153

They suffered back-to-back losses 5 times that year and two of them were back-to-back-to-back.

[kayako]

They suffered back-to-back losses 5 times that year and two of them were back-to-back-to-back.

Something like that That season may have been the most dominant version of the Big East ever. 10 teams in the NCAA tournament (2 more in NIT) and 2 final four teams.

[Bill Marsh]

They suffered back-to-back losses 5 times that year and two of them were back-to-back-to-back.

Something like that That season may have been the most dominant version of the Big East ever. 10 teams in the NCAA tournament (2 more in NIT) and 2 final four teams.

Wasn’t that when the calls for Jay Wright’s head reached their peak? Don’t hear much from those critics since then.

[Wizard of Westroads]

So, you think the losses to St John’s and Providence represent let downs by Villanova? As Looie Carnesecca used to say after a loss when he coached at St John’s, “Give some credit to the other fellas.”

I guess letdown isn't the word to use. I think Nova's better than both of those teams and would win most times they play. But they didn't. I think they're better than their remaining 5 opponents, but I think they'll lose one of those and it won't be X. Just an opinion.

[XU85]

I'm not sure what to think about this game. For whatever reason, I would even be concerned about DudeAnon's Dayton Flyers coming to the Cintas Center if they were wearing Nova uniforms.

Oh well, Nova is down a man, I vote for the X-Men!

[kayako]

Wasn’t that when the calls for Jay Wright’s head reached their peak? Don’t hear much from those critics since then.

The "peak" was never that high imo, nowhere near Thompson III level, but it was probably around 2004ish. But thinking back even 5 years back, I don't really miss the 15 team Big East!

[Bill Marsh]

So, you think the losses to St John’s and Providence represent let downs by Villanova? As Looie Carnesecca used to say after a loss when he coached at St John’s, “Give some credit to the other fellas.”

I guess letdown isn't the word to use. I think Nova's better than both of those teams and would win most times they play. But they didn't. I think they're better than their remaining 5 opponents, but I think they'll lose one of those and it won't be X. Just an opinion.

Yes, winning most times, as you say, means you’ll lose some times. Providence had home court advantage, which made conditions right for them. St John’s only lost by 7 the first time around and Ponds went off for 43. Clearly they were capable of pulling off an upset, and the Duke win was a sigh that they were now on their game.

What I find interesting is that if these wins are seen more as about what PC and SJU did right than about what Nova did wrong, then it will be fun to see how Jay will make adjustments to what those teams did - especially if Nova should meet up against either of these teams again either in the BE or NCAA tournaments. The first obvious adjustment is to get people healthy. Paschall is back and Booth will apparently be back in another week or two.