Xavier (6) vs Villanova (17)

[Xudash]

I don't think reveled is the proper word either. Am I happy that VU won? Sure, I am always happy when VU wins. I was happy to the ball going in the basket from just about everywhere as that has happened much lately except the LaSalle game. But with Sumner out we certainly didn't see Xavier's best game so other than a W, I don't know that we learned much about VU playing against a high caliber opponent. I expected a close game, a single digit with for VU mostly due to playing at home. Nice win? Yes. Satisfying win? No, not really.

I've watched the replay a number of times and I don't think it was a dirty play. Hard foul? Absolutely. Sumner was going in for statement dunk after a steal and Jenkins and Booth wanted to prevent it. Am I looking at the replay through VU tinted blue glasses? Sure but being as objective as I can, I still don't see it as a cheap foul. Had Jenkins not landed on Sumner, which would be hard to plan, he likely would have fallen pretty awkwardly and possibly landed on his back or head. I have not seen anything from the CBB press (Dauster, Goodman, Parish, Katz, Seth G, etc.) on Twitter or on their respective web sites stating it was a dirty play.

I look forward to the rematch with both clubs at full strength and it would not surprise me at all if X wins. What would surprise me is an X player when after a VU player as payback and I doubt very much it will happen.

It's not our style to retaliate, so I wouldn't worry about that. But the Cintas Center will be loaded for bear when you guys come our way. That's a given.

[whiteandblue77]

Just want to say this game thread has been the best ever for HLOH, thanks to both teams for giving me something interesting to read, lots of drama, smartsmack galore and obviously anticipation for the next battle between X & V.

[ChestRockwell85]

Any word on Edmond Sumner and when he will return? Hoping he will be back to 100% soon!

[Xudash]

Any word on Edmond Sumner and when he will return? Hoping he will be back to 100% soon!

Apparently not in the concussion protocol.

Day to day as far as his return is concerned.

I'd guess highly doubtful for Butler.

Thanks for asking. Classy post.

[XUFan09]

Any word on Edmond Sumner and when he will return? Hoping he will be back to 100% soon!

Apparently not in the concussion protocol.

Day to day as far as his return is concerned.

I'd guess highly doubtful for Butler.

Thanks for asking. Classy post.

And that turned out to be coachspeak because Mack didn't want to give any info away to Butler. He was evaluated Saturday morning and entered concussion protocol then. I'm sure Mack knew he was going to, but since he had technically not begun it yet, he could make those claims.

[Schickrateez]

Just to be clear, there is no "Concussion Protocol" in college basketball. There are no milestones or tests that need to be passed before a player returns. It's really a decision thats left up to the medical and coaching staffs. That being said, in the past, Xavier has shown a tendency to be very conservative in returning players from a head injury. Dee Davis and Justin Martin injuries are a good example of this.

[ChestRockwell85]

I am guessing even if Sumner is feeling better for the St. John's game on Wednesday, Mack will probably keep him out until after that game anyway. No offense to The Johnnies, but this is probably a game X will win regardless, so no reason to rush Edmond back.

[pki1998]

I am guessing even if Sumner is feeling better for the St. John's game on Wednesday, Mack will probably keep him out until after that game anyway. No offense to The Johnnies, but this is probably a game X will win regardless, so no reason to rush Edmond back.

I have to assume Edmond takes the next two games of at least, not worth rushing him out for either St. John's or DePaul. If he is feeling better after that you can ease him back in against Marquette and Georgeton. So he is not rusty against Seton Hall and Providence

[ChestRockwell85]

I didn't realize X had DePaul after the Johnnies. You don't want to see a kid get hurt, but if Sumner has to sit out a few games, this is definitely the part of the schedule that you want him out for. Again, hoping he will be back to 100% ASAP!

[mpwalsh8]

Just to be clear, there is no "Concussion Protocol" in college basketball. There are no milestones or tests that need to be passed before a player returns. It's really a decision thats left up to the medical and coaching staffs. That being said, in the past, Xavier has shown a tendency to be very conservative in returning players from a head injury. Dee Davis and Justin Martin injuries are a good example of this.

And that is based on what? With amount of attention concussions have these days, that would surprise me and in fact, I don't believe it is accurate based on this page on the NCAA's web site.

Once diagnosed with a concussion, an athlete may not compete until they have returned to their baseline measurement. Two of my daughters have suffered concussions, one playing basketball, one playing soccer. Fortunately both had a concussion baseline (it is required by North Carolina High School and the soccer club my daughter played for also required it for their higher level teams) so there was no guess work. Take the test, fail and you are not cleared. Once you pass, there are steps and time between steps that must be met before re-entering play. The NCAA web site states something similar:

Once a student-athlete has returned to his/her baseline, the return-to-play decision is based on a protocol of a stepwise increase in physical activity that includes both an incremental increase in physical demands and contact risk supervised by a physician or physician-designee.12 Most return-to-play protocols are similar to those in the Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport guidelines,2 which outline a progressive increase in physical activity if the individual is at baseline before starting the protocol and remains at baseline throughout each step of the protocol. It is noteworthy that all return-to-play guidelines are consensus-based and have not been validated by evidence-based studies.14-15 McCrea and colleagues16 have reported that a symptom-free waiting period is not predictive of either clinical recovery or risk of a repeat concussion. Further, student-athletes have variable understanding of the importance of reporting possible concussion symptoms.8-9 In summary, it should be recognized that current return-to-play guidelines are based on expert consensus.

Having been through this with two of my kids, it can take a while to come back. Neither of my kids passed the concussion test the first time they were allowed to take it after their concussion. My daughter who got a concussion playing basketball missed almost three weeks but much of it was over the Christmas break so I think she only ended up missing three games (it was a year ago this time). My daughter who got a concussion playing soccer missed more than a month of the season and when she did come back, she was never at full speed and actually suffered a second concussion after which she decided to stop playing. My soccer daughter had two teammates who had pretty severe concussions. One missed a full calendar year of sports because she had multiple concussions in a short period, a couple months as I recall. The other ended missing an entire semester of school because she could not leave a dark room without incurring incredibly severe headaches.

As a parent it is pretty scary. I was at the game when my basketball daughter hit the floor and it sounded like a gun shot in the gym. My soccer daughter suffered her concussion at practice so we were not there. One of the things the concussion doctors we used enforced was no cell phone usage. No texting, Twitter, SnapChat, Facebook, etc. That was probably the hardest part of the recovery. Nothing like taking away a teenage girl's cell phone to create a little tension in the house.