Bear Down Wildcats

And another Xavier matchup.

First, all respect to St. Mary's. They gave us a tremendous game. Survive and advance, though. It just feels great to be moving on.

The gauntlet of North Dakota, St. Mary's, Xavier, and probably Gonzaga.

Is that what it will take SM to finally make a final four???

WVU vs Gonzaga is going to be a fun game. Can you speed Williams-Goss and Perkins up?

Xavier stopped FSU with the zone, completely shut them down. Get ready to see the zone.

But important to note, Leonard Hamilton is a terrible coach

A great test and another chance to cut down some nets

Next week can't get here soon enough

NYCat wrote:Xavier stopped FSU with the zone, completely shut them down. Get ready to see the zone.

But important to note, Leonard Hamilton is a terrible coach

Sure, but Gonzaga play West Virginia and we play Xavier. Do you want to trade opponents with Gonzaga? I sure don't.

Rawle's 3 ball will be in question.

dovecanyoncat wrote:Rawle's 3 ball will be in question.

At least he will get to practice.

On an unrelated note: it does my heart good to see Virginia being bitch slapped by 30 or so.

I feel like we beat our God Shamgodd of this year tonight.

Am really enjoying this after a hard fought game and a scary first half....Sweet 16 Baby!!!!!! #SavageLife

BTFD

This was a great win but I seriously don't want to see WVU. That speed, quickness and press are killer.

4 Assists, though = a bad team chemistry night. 19 points at the FT line sure helped.

Gladiator Cat wrote:This was a great win but I seriously don't want to see WVU. That speed, quickness and press are killer.

I'd love to put our four-guard lineup with Lauri against that.

it's time to ban this clown. we don't need this shit during the ncaa tournament

basketballgod wrote:The gauntlet of North Dakota, St. Mary's, Xavier, and probably Gonzaga.

Is that what it will take SM to finally make a final four???

this guy, obviously...

dovecanyoncat wrote:4 Assists, though = a bad team chemistry night. 19 points at the FT line sure helped.

If truth be told from here on out driving to the rim and drawing fouls and making FT's is going to butter our bread.

Everyone from here on out is on par with our talent for the most part. The teams that can knock down FT's will advance.

Didn't play our best but still gritted one out. God, do I love this team.

Longhorned wrote:

Gladiator Cat wrote:This was a great win but I seriously don't want to see WVU. That speed, quickness and press are killer.

I'd love to put our four-guard lineup with Lauri against that.

Well ya never know LH. It would be one hell of a game for sure.

dcZONAfan wrote:it's time to ban this clown. we don't need this shit during the ncaa tournament

Oh stop being so sensitive. What does anything that is said on this forum have to do with the what happens on the court?

What the fuck are you babbling about? Did I say something about your dumbass comments relating to what happens on the court? Am idiot AND no reading comp?! This dude's an ASU fan, guys!

dcZONAfan wrote:What the fuck are you babbling about? Did I say something about your dumbass comments relating to what happens on the court? Am idiot AND no reading comp?! This dude's an ASU fan, guys!

So what's the big deal?

Just FYI, this win gave us as many tournament wins this year as ASU has had in the last 20 combined.

Xavier looked very good. How bad does their fan base want this game? Wonder if they are still pissed about that car analogy?

Going to be a tough game. Xavier is better than Saint Mary's and we wont have the benefit of facing a man to man the whole game. They are going to zone the crap out of us like they did FSU

rgdeuce wrote:Going to be a tough game. Xavier is better than Saint Mary's

Not according Kenpom, Sagarin, or BPI.

rgdeuce wrote:Going to be a tough game. Xavier is better than Saint Mary's and we wont have the benefit of facing a man to man the whole game. They are going to zone the crap out of us like they did FSU

WHISTLE!

Foul on rgdeuce! Worrying about an 11-seed's strengths in the Sweet 16! Back the other way...

UAEebs86 wrote:

rgdeuce wrote:Going to be a tough game. Xavier is better than Saint Mary's

Not according Kenpom, Sagarin, or BPI.

Not according to me either. St. Mary's has better players at just about every position.

I was nervous. Went to a viewing party were a random tempe St fan was cheering until half and shut up. Why go to am az fan as an irrelevant tempe fan. Dumb move and glad to link his tears.

I was all over the place, but we got the job done. 2 down, 4 to go

Xavier depends on the three...it could be Oreageddon II or it could be Ucla when we beat them twice...EXCEPT they have no cold blooded Brooks and no see the whole court, shoot from the hip Lonzo...so tkae Brooks off the ducks and whadda ya get? (including the missing Boucher) Take Ball off of fucla and whadda ya got...Xavier...thats what.

rgdeuce wrote:Going to be a tough game. Xavier is better than Saint Mary's and we wont have the benefit of facing a man to man the whole game. They are going to zone the crap out of us like they did FSU

Why are you so worried about an 11 seed? (whereas we shouldn't be worried about Wisky as a 8 in the FF)

Does Arizona have a ticket allotment? Or am I stuck using stub hub. Any tips from the pros around here how to find a signal ticket to the thursday sessions?

Im not worried, just pointing out it is going to be a tough game. And it will. We forgetting our matchup w Xavier two years ago? You think it wont be a dogfight this go round? Regardless of FSUs flaws, Xavier manhandled them today. Xavier had a lot of speedbumps during the regular season, but they spent much of it in the top 25, were ranked as high as 7th and are WAY more battle tested than St Marys.

Tonight was my fifth time watching St Marys this year and I still dont think as highly of them as you guys do. They are a very good mid major team with solid fundamentals who dont beat themselves. And while some credit is due to them for that first half, we played like dogshit for 15 minutes of it, Trier was scoreless, Lauri only took two field goal attempts, and Rawle was in the locked room for most of it and we were only down 1 at the half w them shooting 50 pct and Landale doing whatever he wanted. Had we even been average we win that game by 12-15 points, easily. And we did next to nothing special on Landale in the second half. Lauri played him straight up most possessions and skunked him.

Or maybe just im just catching the right xavier games, but I do think they are the better and more dangerous team. Not taking anything away from our guys and tonights win, thats still a tough 2nd round game and a great win, thats just not a team that is going to beat Arizona unless Arizona beats itself. Xavier may not have the consistency thing SM has, but on a given night they can be dangerous.

CalStateTempe wrote:

rgdeuce wrote:Going to be a tough game. Xavier is better than Saint Mary's and we wont have the benefit of facing a man to man the whole game. They are going to zone the crap out of us like they did FSU

Why are you so worried about an 11 seed? (whereas we shouldn't be worried about Wisky as a 8 in the FF)

People are freaking out about Wisky when Duke is awaiting them. In most cases, talent level overcomes all. Duke is loaded w NBA talent and has multiple guys that can win them the game. Wisky has one guy like that.

I missed the FSU-Xavier game, but is Mack still doing that 1-3-1 thing? Seems like a decent offense should be able to get weak-side open looks from 3 and offensive boards even without busting the zone.

Hopeful thoughts are:

1. That strong, athletic, tough power forward on Xavier two years ago is elsewhere (I forgot his name)
2. We have at least one 7-footer who can be counted on to grab offensive rebounds
3. Trier, Alkins, Allen, PJC, and Markkanen really will kill you with open-look 3's

Longhorned wrote:I missed the FSU-Xavier game, but is Mack still doing that 1-3-1 thing? Seems like a decent offense should be able to get weak-side open looks from 3 and offensive boards even without busting the zone.

Hopeful thoughts are:

1. That strong, athletic, tough power forward on Xavier two years ago is elsewhere (I forgot his name)
2. We have at least one 7-footer who can be counted on to grab offensive rebounds
3. Trier, Alkins, Allen, PJC, and Markkanen really will kill you with open-look 3's

Jalen Reynolds was that PF's name and yes he is no longer on the team.

Xavier's strength is they have big guards. Starting backcourt is 6'5 & 6'6 and their 3 man is 6'6 as well. There is absolutely nothing scary about their post play this time around.

CalStateTempe wrote:Does Arizona have a ticket allotment? Or am I stuck using stub hub. Any tips from the pros around here how to find a signal ticket to the thursday sessions?

Call the ticket office first thing Monday unless you can find a good deal on stub hub. I would doubt there are tickets for sale through the office though being in the West region. I would bet all the UA tickets were already given out/assigned to Wildcat Club members who requested them.

Sometimes you find diamonds in the rough on Stub Hub. Got tickets center court for asu in Tempe for sixty under face through stubhub this year.

I'm in the camp too that being the 2 seed was the better draw. West Viriginia is very tough team, and it's going to be an exhausting battle if Gonzaga is going to take them out. Will help to wear the Zags out for the Elite 8 game, if they win. Xavier won't be a cakewalk, but at least Miller knows what they do, they don't have any players who can't be dealt with, and we've got experience all year playing against what they normally do on defense. Their coach has been trying some new things the past few weeks, that's about the only thing that will get us if they play like some 1-4 zone or something really weird that makes our guys freak out.

thrilled we got Xavier!!

three time zones on the way to San Jose -- f*ck you West Virgina

Go Gonzaga!!

97cats wrote:thrilled we got Xavier!!

three time zones on the way to San Jose -- f*ck you West Virgina

Go Gonzaga!!

The three time zones is not a big deal going West - it's going East that is the killer....

Sweet 16 is a magic round. A huge weight gets lifted off your shoulders as a fan. You are in the safe zone of not getting creamed with "choke" and "overrated comments," and you have nearly a week to relax and enjoy being in that spot. Win the sweet 16 game, we have a whole new hell to deal with knowing we are one game away from getting to that final four that has eluded us for seemingly forever. Lose that one, it's back to dealing w the comments

So correct although I could care less what others say with an E8 loss. Its damn hard to get to that point in a one and done tourney. Its the personal torment it causes, the what ifs and nightmares

I cant take another elite 8 loss to be honest. Like u said, the being so close is what kills me. Personally, I think an elite 8 loss is still a great loss, just doesnt feel like it when you have lost six (?) of those in a row. The comments themselves dont bother me, but it pains me when Miller gets them

rgdeuce wrote:I cant take another elite 8 loss to be honest. Like u said, the being so close is what kills me. Personally, I think an elite 8 loss is still a great loss, just doesnt feel like it when you have lost six (?) of those in a row. The comments themselves dont bother me, but it pains me when Miller gets them

I think it's only 5 (and 6 out of 7), but yeah it sucks.

UAEebs86 wrote:

rgdeuce wrote:I cant take another elite 8 loss to be honest. Like u said, the being so close is what kills me. Personally, I think an elite 8 loss is still a great loss, just doesnt feel like it when you have lost six (?) of those in a row. The comments themselves dont bother me, but it pains me when Miller gets them

I think it's only 5 (and 6 out of 7), but yeah it sucks.

'03, '06, '11, '14, '15

Level of brutal, from worst to least:
'06
'14
'03
'15
'11

dcZONAfan wrote:

UAEebs86 wrote:

rgdeuce wrote:I cant take another elite 8 loss to be honest. Like u said, the being so close is what kills me. Personally, I think an elite 8 loss is still a great loss, just doesnt feel like it when you have lost six (?) of those in a row. The comments themselves dont bother me, but it pains me when Miller gets them

I think it's only 5 (and 6 out of 7), but yeah it sucks.

'03, '06, '11, '14, '15

Level of brutal, from worst to least:
'06
'14
'03
'15
'11

Huh. I think you mean '05