Sweet 16 Xavier discussion thread

Gilbertcat · Post by **Gilbertcat** » Tue Mar 24, 2015 2:15 pm

Its a distraction in any case. The media day shifts from Miller and how do you beat the cats to why is the kid playing and what did he do?

azgreg · Post by **azgreg** » Tue Mar 24, 2015 2:20 pm

HiCat wrote:Haven't seen Xavier play. How deep is their bench...how many guys do they play.

Over the last 3-4 games they have 7-8 guys getting double digit minutes, but 8-10 guys see the floor each game.

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Tue Mar 24, 2015 3:14 pm

No stars. Scoring spread throughout the roster. Myles Davis likes to improvise.

Puerco · Post by **Puerco** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 3:01 am

Posted this in the other Xavier thread, but probably better here:

I watched the Xavier - Providence game from late Feb. last night. Xavier's got some talent, but they played a little out of control, at least in that game. Lots of turnovers from lazy passes. TJ and Stanley could have a feast if they play that way against us.

That being said, it was just one game, and despite the TO's and otherwise sloppy play, Xavier was the better team for 80% of the game. X's point guard, Dee Davis, is pretty good at 6 apg with > 2:1 A:TO, so maybe the sloppiness was uncharacteristic.

Xavier's got some good bigs between Boobs Stainbrook and Blackeye Reynolds. Stainbrook doesn't do a lot from more than about six feet out, but he establiushes position inside six feet a lot. Nova's undersized compared to UA, but Stainbrook is crafty, and I'm sure he'll be able to do the same occasionally against us. Reynolds is a really good looking player. He's averaging 10 and six, but from watching that one game I'd have thought he was a 20-10 guy. Big, muscular, and quick with some nice moves around the rim as well. Hard to tell from Nova is he's any good defensively.

I didn't really focus on Bluiett, but he's obviously a threat.

Speaking of defense, Xavier was shifting between man and zone that night. I don't know why you would choose to zone a team like Nova, but it seemed to work. I noticed Nova's shooters getting more free when X was in man coverage, so maybe X was playing a zone scheme I'm not familiar with. No expert here. I think we should expect X to be in mostly zone against us because that's what the textbook says to do and because they're comfortable playing it.

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 8:47 am

Nice observations, Puerco. I watched and re-watched the Big East tourney championship game against Villanova.

Xavier is just a better team than Ohio State and poses more of a challenge for Arizona. You'll hear about Xavier's size, but everyone will want to watch for Stainbrook in particular. He's really big and really good. A strong, immovable presence with good hands, and a really good passer. Then again, his legs are about three inches long and are incapable of propelling his large frame to wherever it needs to be on the court. He's always the last man back on defense, leaving 4 on 5 scoring opportunities. If Arizona gets out in transition and the game gets too fast, he'll have to sit.

Xavier will start in a man-to-man but then quickly switch to a 1-3-1 to make up for Stainbrook's inability to move on defense. I think TJ would have trouble penetrating and finding his open pull-up jumper and have trouble locating Rondae at the top of the paint, but doing so is pointless in any case because the 1-3-1 completely opens up the wing for uncontested 3-pointers by Stanley, York, and Pitts. Unless all three go completely cold, Xavier will have to bench Stainbrook and go small with man-to-man, in which case Arizona gains its size advantage and can wear Xavier down.

Also in the 1-3-1, Tarc and Ashley can shoot mid-range jumpers all day long. This is an advantage Arizona doesn't have in a 2-3 zone, which bothered Tarc and Ashley against Ohio State. If Stanley, York, Pitts, Ashley, and Tarc are all just inexplicably ice cold and Xavier can stick with Stainbrook in the 1-3-1, then Arizona has to try to win with harassing defense to speed up the game and open things up in transition.

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 8:54 am

A center who can't run in transition is a nice opportunity for Zeus. Zeus can run.

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 9:06 am

I've seen Stainbrook compared to Karnowski, and that's a good comparison in terms of size, strength, and soft touch, but Stainbrook is a bit more like a 6'10" Barney Rubble. He even does that thing when Barney Rubble runs, where his short little legs have to run in place with that thumping sound for about three seconds before he can get moving. Not quick.

But he can box out and grab boards, and he really does catch that entry pass into the block, and which point he posts up his man and banks in a bunny and/or draws the foul. His rebounding can potentially keep Xavier in this game if other things aren't going well for Arizona.

rgdeuce · Post by **rgdeuce** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 9:12 am

Haven't seen these guys play at all this year which makes me a little uneasy, thanks for the observations guys.

ANGCatFan · Post by **ANGCatFan** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 9:15 am

Jason Scheer and 97Cats (who does most of the talking) have an outstanding podcast on Arizona heading into the sweet 16.

Biggest surprise in the podcast - Coach Miller got Thad Motta to agree to do some scouting for this next week (or two).

My expectations for this week were high before listening to the podcast, now my expectations are so high they are approaching Sean Miller's ceiling.

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 9:36 am

What? Matta scouting his conference affiliate? That won't go over well with Wisconsin should they beat NC

CalStateTempe · Post by **CalStateTempe** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 9:49 am

Fuck the Badgers. Love the Miller Matta couch surfing friendship.

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 9:55 am

Matta and Sean Miller both used to work for Herb Sendek. Herbie has plenty of time now to help with scouting.

azgreg · Post by **azgreg** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 10:47 am

cpt · Post by **cpt** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 11:09 am

Here's my analysis: The Big East sucked this year. Really sucked. Villanova was grossly overrated all year and they won the league. Xavier came in 6th. I'm as confident as I can be about a Sweet 16 game.

ZONACAT · Post by **ZONACAT** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 12:07 pm

CalStateTempe wrote:Fuck the Badgers. Love the Miller Matta couch surfing friendship.

Matta played North Carolina this year, probably doing the scout on them also.

azgreg · Post by **azgreg** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 12:44 pm

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 12:51 pm

So did Wisconsin get the Lakers/Clips locker room as the highest seed?

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 1:56 pm

ANGCatFan wrote:Jason Scheer and 97Cats (who does most of the talking) have an outstanding podcast on Arizona heading into the sweet 16.

Biggest surprise in the podcast - Coach Miller got Thad Motta to agree to do some scouting for this next week (or two).

My expectations for this week were high before listening to the podcast, now my expectations are so high they are approaching Sean Miller's ceiling.

This is really good. None of the "ums" and "uhs" you'd expect from amateur broadcasters.

John and Jason, bravo!

Love the point about Arizona usually not being bad at the same thing in consecutive games. so expect better shooting. Plus, John's confidence is infectious.

It is time!

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 2:05 pm

So what are we supposed to do for the next 24 hours? This is getting intolerable. I have no fancies.

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 2:13 pm

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 2:29 pm

Longhorned wrote:So what are we supposed to do for the next 24 hours? This is getting intolerable. I have no fancies.

Listen to the podcast over and over.

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 2:34 pm

Merkin wrote:

By the way, that was awesome. I wish I could say encounters like that happen in my place of work.

Post by **UAdevil** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 3:07 pm

Longhorned wrote:So what are we supposed to do for the next 24 hours? This is getting intolerable. I have no fancies.

Drink heavily, masturbate...the usual stuff.

Lute4God · Post by **Lute4God** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 5:50 pm

OMG great podcast:

http://s36.podbean.com/pb/fd6cc5216116b ... odcast.mp3

Now i have to figure out how to put money into an off shore acct!

Post by **UAdevil** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 6:17 pm

Lute4God wrote:OMG great podcast:

http://s36.podbean.com/pb/fd6cc5216116b ... odcast.mp3

Now i have to figure out how to put money into an off shore acct!

5dimes.eu

ecurbh · Post by **ecurbh** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 6:51 pm

Lute4God wrote:OMG great podcast:

http://s36.podbean.com/pb/fd6cc5216116b ... odcast.mp3

Now i have to figure out how to put money into an off shore acct!

Wow, that was fabulous!

PieceOfMeat · Post by **PieceOfMeat** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 10:52 pm

Nobody has said it yet?

hrm...

100-0

azgreg · Post by **azgreg** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 5:49 am

Lute4God wrote:OMG great podcast:

http://s36.podbean.com/pb/fd6cc5216116b ... odcast.mp3

Now i have to figure out how to put money into an off shore acct!

That John dude is fired up.

Bear Down Vegas · Post by **Bear Down Vegas** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 6:58 am

Game Day!!!

Bear Down, Go Cats!

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 8:10 am

PieceOfMeat wrote:Nobody has said it yet?

hrm...

100-0

Must sweep.

azgreg · Post by **azgreg** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 8:37 am

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketba ... psets-duke

8. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson's 18 points/10 rebounds/5 assists/3 steals/2 blocks outing keys Arizona’s win against Xavier: The Chris Mack vs. Sean Miller matchup will be the headline entering this game. But Hollis-Jefferson will be the headline after the game. He won’t do it alone. He won’t have to. Look for the talented sophomore, however, to put together one of the best all-around performances of the NCAA tournament thus far as Arizona advances to the Elite Eight and a rematch with Wisconsin.

HiCat · Post by **HiCat** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 8:42 am

espn on Xavier Arizona now

Frybry02 · Post by **Frybry02** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 10:20 pm

Why the hell did Mack go man to man late 2nd half? The whole game my buddy who is an IU fan is wondering why we weren't attacking Stainbrook to get him into foul trouble? I kept saying Xavier is hiding him the zone all night long. Then behold, they finally switch to man to man with Stainbrook in the game and he picks up 3 quick ones. I was baffled and Arizona had the momentum from then on.

WildcatStunner · Post by **WildcatStunner** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 10:26 pm

dirtbags · Post by **dirtbags** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 10:30 pm

Frybry02 wrote:Why the hell did Mack go man to man late 2nd half? The whole game my buddy who is an IU fan is wondering why we weren't attacking Stainbrook to get him into foul trouble? I kept saying Xavier is hiding him the zone all night long. Then behold, they finally switch to man to man with Stainbrook in the game and he picks up 3 quick ones. I was baffled and Arizona had the momentum from then on.

Arizona began hitting the glass and i'm guessing that mack didn't want to concede any more rebounds

Olsondogg · Post by **Olsondogg** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 10:56 pm

So Chris Mack had a post game quote about the world seeing that they were the tougher team:

"Regardless of the outcome, regardless of the score, the only thing I wanted was people from California all the way to Florida to watch our game...and at the end of the game to say that we were the tougher team. I told our guys in the locker room, I don't know if they'd say that, but I also know that they wouldn't say Arizona was the tougher team."

Hey Chris, you are flying back to Cincinnati...as a loser. Be tough when you cry thinking about that.

pokinmik · Post by **pokinmik** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 10:57 pm

AZ was as tough as can be when it counted at the end. They were tough for a little while, good for them.

thenewazcats · Post by **thenewazcats** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 1:17 am

I think Mack is saying that they didn't lose because they didn't play hard and physical, that they matched our toughness. And that's probably a fair statement. That was one hell of a game. Xavier was as physical a team as we will see.

Puerco · Post by **Puerco** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 2:53 am

Stay classy ODogg. Mack was saying that his kids played at least as tough as Arizona. You disagree?

CalStateTempe · Post by **CalStateTempe** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 4:02 am

zip em up, zip em up, put em in the bag.

Chris Mack Thug ball.

Bangkok Wildcat · Post by **Bangkok Wildcat** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 4:40 am

Puerco wrote:Stay classy ODogg. Mack was saying that his kids played at least as tough as Arizona. You disagree?

Agree with Puerco here....although Reynolds was borderline on some plays, they played hard, physical ball.....the kind of ball that those pussy Pac12 Refs don't prepare us for! I got to see the frickin' game this time (thanks to all who helped me on the VPN route) and they damned near beat us......we are blessed to have CSM make this team so mentally tough to be able to win this game on a night with some offensive woes.

Damn, I love Miller's consistency here with the NCAA's......Also, I have huge respect for Xavier after tonight and damned happy to survive and advance. We better improve our play of we want to beat Wiscy though......they are frickin' good. However, I believe we will Bear Down and win this time!

Enjoy the ride folks........

HiCat · Post by **HiCat** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 5:25 am

Whew..what a game. Cats showed a lot of toughness in the end. Bring on Wisconsin ..been waiting a long time for this one. Rock n roll baby.

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 7:50 am

Olsondogg wrote:So Chris Mack had a post game quote about the world seeing that they were the tougher team:

"Regardless of the outcome, regardless of the score, the only thing I wanted was people from California all the way to Florida to watch our game...and at the end of the game to say that we were the tougher team. I told our guys in the locker room, I don't know if they'd say that, but I also know that they wouldn't say Arizona was the tougher team."

Hey Chris, you are flying back to Cincinnati...as a loser. Be tough when you cry thinking about that.

X was definitely tough, but the thug play of Reynolds sure put a damper on that.

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 7:55 am

thenewazcats wrote:I think Mack is saying that they didn't lose because they didn't play hard and physical, that they matched our toughness. And that's probably a fair statement. That was one hell of a game. Xavier was as physical a team as we will see.

Exactly. Season is over. Proud of his team.

But nobody battles harder than O-dogg. Game over, and he's still fighting. Probably pissed with post-game handshakes, too.

threenumberones · Post by **threenumberones** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 8:02 am

gumby wrote:
thenewazcats wrote:I think Mack is saying that they didn't lose because they didn't play hard and physical, that they matched our toughness. And that's probably a fair statement. That was one hell of a game. Xavier was as physical a team as we will see.
Exactly. Season is over. Proud of his team.

But nobody battles harder than O-dogg. Game over, and he's still fighting. Probably pissed with post-game handshakes, too.

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 8:06 am

CalStateTempe wrote:zip em up, zip em up, put em in the bag.

Chris Mack Thug ball.

Finally play a team with Miller-like toughness and ... thug ball! From whom do you suppose Mack learned how to instill toughness?

PieceOfMeat · Post by **PieceOfMeat** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 8:14 am

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 8:16 am

Jalen Reynolds = Thug

On and off the court.

Chicat · Post by **Chicat** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 8:22 am

gumby wrote:
CalStateTempe wrote:zip em up, zip em up, put em in the bag.

Chris Mack Thug ball.
Finally play a team with Miller-like toughness and ... thug ball! From whom do you suppose Mack learned how to instill toughness?

Nastiness is required.

Olsondogg · Post by **Olsondogg** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 8:26 am

gumby wrote:
thenewazcats wrote:I think Mack is saying that they didn't lose because they didn't play hard and physical, that they matched our toughness. And that's probably a fair statement. That was one hell of a game. Xavier was as physical a team as we will see.
Exactly. Season is over. Proud of his team.

But nobody battles harder than O-dogg. Game over, and he's still fighting. Probably pissed with post-game handshakes, too.

How dare I post a quote and a comment. Shoulda included a fantastic pun.

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