Xavier

[Bearcat_NTS]

Also Xavier has covered 5 straight games and gone over the last 4 games.

[Doogle]

I'm not buying that XU is the overwhelming favorite that some are making it out to be. They have some impressive wins but I don't believe they've played a team of UC's caliber yet (Dayton is a good basketball team but they have their limitations). Regardless, the fact that the game is at that venom pit they call a home court gives them an advantage. I'm excited about the test and how our guys comport themselves.

Here's what grinds my gears about this game over the years. Have never felt like beating them has been any kind of feather in our cap while they've built their program on the foundation of beating some of our better teams. So for many of the past Shootouts, the game has only held negatives for me. Furthermore...say what you will about X's advantage over the last 15-20 years (they've won the majority of the games, give credit where it's due), but quite a bit of luck has been on their side. Why luck, you say? I can't imagine another "rivalry" where EVERY close game has gone to one team. Take a look:

Since 1988 (my first year at UC):
UC's margin of victory in 12 wins: 10, 13, 18, 11, 7, 9, 10, 20, 11, 10, 20, 15
X's margin of victory in 15 wins: 2 (OT), 6 (OT), 2, 20, 2, 2, 6, 2, 2 (OT), 5, 10, 4 (2 OT), 23, 17, 2

So of XU's 15 wins since 1988, 9 were by 2 points or in OT. 2 others were by 6 and 5 points respectively. UC's closest margin of victory in that time? A 7 point win in '94-'95.

Not only have they beaten us, they've done it in the most excruciating ways imaginable. 11 games by 6 or less, 9 by 2 points or in OT, with no comparable win swinging UC's way. One would think just by nature of close games that a shot or a break of the ball would go our way in 2 or 3 of those, but no. IT DEFIES FRIGGING LOGIC.

Anyhow, I'll go crawl under the bed and rock myself to sleep in the fetal position now. Go 'Cats.

[Bulldog01]

Originally Posted by UCalum08

I agree. I said earlier, who on our team is going to step up, keep our players heads up when X goes on a run? Or when the refs screw us over? Or when our players get in foul trouble. (It's going to happen) I'm just worried about it snow balling quickly. Who has that toughness on our team? I don't think anyone can point to one guy. Even Cronin hasn't even been able to name a player. He is asking each player what they bring to our team.

Evans is that guy. Anytime we need bucket he takes big shots

[ervins84]

Originally Posted by Doogle

I'm not buying that XU is the overwhelming favorite that some are making it out to be. They have some impressive wins but I don't believe they've played a team of UC's caliber yet (Dayton is a good basketball team but they have their limitations). Regardless, the fact that the game is at that venom pit they call a home court gives them an advantage. I'm excited about the test and how our guys comport themselves.

Here's what grinds my gears about this game over the years. Have never felt like beating them has been any kind of feather in our cap while they've built their program on the foundation of beating some of our better teams. So for many of the past Shootouts, the game has only held negatives for me. Furthermore...say what you will about X's advantage over the last 15-20 years (they've won the majority of the games, give credit where it's due), but quite a bit of luck has been on their side. Why luck, you say? I can't imagine another "rivalry" where EVERY close game has gone to one team. Take a look:

Since 1988 (my first year at UC):
UC's margin of victory in 12 wins: 10, 13, 18, 11, 7, 9, 10, 20, 11, 10, 20, 15
X's margin of victory in 15 wins: 2 (OT), 6 (OT), 2, 20, 2, 2, 6, 2, 2 (OT), 5, 10, 4 (2 OT), 23, 17, 2

So of XU's 15 wins since 1988, 9 were by 2 points or in OT. 2 others were by 6 and 5 points respectively. UC's closest margin of victory in that time? A 7 point win in '94-'95.

Not only have they beaten us, they've done it in the most excruciating ways imaginable. 11 games by 6 or less, 9 by 2 points or in OT, with no comparable win swinging UC's way. One would think just by nature of close games that a shot or a break of the ball would go our way in 2 or 3 of those, but no. IT DEFIES FRIGGING LOGIC.

Anyhow, I'll go crawl under the bed and rock myself to sleep in the fetal position now. Go 'Cats.

There's little I enjoy more than the look on a Xavier fan's face trying to comprehend how I don't care about this game nearly as much as they do.

Seeing it all laid out with the amount of close games all going their way is pretty hilarious to look back on. The really sad part is if you showed this to them, most would say something along the lines of how Xavier just knows how to win or UC doesn't. Meanwhile if that were true, why doesn't UC have a horrible record in close games vs everyone else? Or why doesn't X have an elite close game record vs everyone else?

Sometimes you just run good. Unfortunately for us, X runs hotter than the sun vs us.

On the bright side it doesn't have any real predictive value for Saturday's game.

[Bearcat_NTS]

Originally Posted by ervins84

There's little I enjoy more than the look on a Xavier fan's face trying to comprehend how I don't care about this game nearly as much as they do.

Seeing it all laid out with the amount of close games all going their way is pretty hilarious to look back on. The really sad part is if you showed this to them, most would say something along the lines of how Xavier just knows how to win or UC doesn't. Meanwhile if that were true, why doesn't UC have a horrible record in close games vs everyone else? Or why doesn't X have an elite close game record vs everyone else?

Sometimes you just run good. Unfortunately for us, X runs hotter than the sun vs us.

On the bright side it doesn't have any real predictive value for Saturday's game.

Stats may not back it up but those NCAA losses to Iowa St, West Virginia, the fact that we can't beat UConn in March, etc stick with fans more than the win over Purdue or Florida St

[Doogle]

Originally Posted by Bearcat_NTS

Stats may not back it up but those NCAA losses to Iowa St, West Virginia, the fact that we can't beat UConn in March, etc stick with fans more than the win over Purdue or Florida St

True...the excruciating losses resonate more than the wins. I remember Bill Walton saying after the Duke/UK game that as a player, when you win that game you let it go almost immediately. When you lose it, it stays with you forever. Same goes for fans.

There have been many close games over the years that have gone UC's way. I remember the Erik Martin layup to beat Marquette, Van Exel's shot to beat UAB, Kenyon's unreal stretch run to shock a good DePaul team, etc.

I'm not saying X hasn't earned some of those wins. They have. Whether they wanted it more, or executed better, some of those games broke their way because they made it happen. It's games like '88-'89 (Lou Banks out of bounds call) or even last year with the phantom foul at the end that really tear at you. I remember thinking after Cobb missed the shot at the end that if any Xavier player had taken that shot-ANY Xavier player-it would have fallen.

But those are the breaks, I suppose. Here's to our guys taking it to them tomorrow in their own gym.

[Doogle]

Originally Posted by ervins84

There's little I enjoy more than the look on a Xavier fan's face trying to comprehend how I don't care about this game nearly as much as they do.

Seeing it all laid out with the amount of close games all going their way is pretty hilarious to look back on. The really sad part is if you showed this to them, most would say something along the lines of how Xavier just knows how to win or UC doesn't. Meanwhile if that were true, why doesn't UC have a horrible record in close games vs everyone else? Or why doesn't X have an elite close game record vs everyone else?

Sometimes you just run good. Unfortunately for us, X runs hotter than the sun vs us.

On the bright side it doesn't have any real predictive value for Saturday's game.

It seems like, for whatever reason, the Shootout brings out Xavier's best and UC's worst. The only teams immune to that were the '92-'93 teams and maybe Steve Logan's teams. Those team had a chip on their shoulder and a swagger to match. I'm hoping that Caupain can galvanize this group in a similar way. Hearing Mick talk about what nice guys the seniors are is cool and all but I'd rather see some old-school Bearcat attitude on the court this season.

[jacobkdoyle]

Any other score predictions? I think more people have picked us to lose than win. That can't happen.

[jds513]

77-63 Cats

[bearcat jeff]

Xavier looks to be a better team and they've won like 14 in a row when the core is decided by 6 pts or less. Call it karma/prep but things generally go their way in close games. I'm worried about turnovers and giving up offensive boards. My head tells me 73-65 Xavier but something in my gut says something will happen late and UC will steal this one for a change, UC 67-64.