Georgetown game thread

[Jesseandrippers]

GT has a lot of guys that transfer out after a year or two... hope Spears decides to transfer because he would look good in a X uniform and could be a Souley 2.0

PG’s who can’t hit 3’s become very one dimensional as the defense can back off and eat up driving and passing lanes. Spears is a 26% shooter this year. Also, a bit of a turnover machine. He had a great night but not sure he is what we need.

[Anti-Homer]

I think Boum is tired. This is the third game in a row that he is invisible in the first half. Jones looks heavy legged on defense too. Seems like every game we make somebody look like a All American. Maybe sub more or play some zone. The starters are playing a lot of minutes. I think that is why we lost the DePaul game. Guys are tired. Georgetown looks so much quicker than us. Give Craft and Edwards a chance. Freemantle had a great first half. We shot 63% in the first half and are only up by 6 against a horrible Georgetown missing a couple of starters. We need to lengthen the bench.

Yup. Major blind spot with our stellar coach.

[Anti-Homer]

Our perimeter defense is dreadful. Neither Jones or Claude could Spears who is basically the only player you have to worry about. We will not win another road game with this defense. Free has probably been our all around best player this year. Nunge played like he was 6’ tall.

The same theme all year. X has the most, aesthetically pleasing and efficient offense in CBB. They are the Gonzaga of previous years, with the exceptions of the fat that the Zag's teams played better D, and also played more than seven guys.

[Anti-Homer]

Free has been incredible this year. A few bad games but mostly great ones. He is a different person than in years past.

Nunge struggled offensively today but still had some nice contributions with blocks, tip outs and rebounds.

Great passing on offense lead to very efficient scoring. Team shot poorly from the FT line but luckily didn't need it.

Defense needs work but it wasn't as bad as the score indicates. Georgetown hit some tough, well defended shots. There were very few easy shots at the rim and not that many wide open shots either. Officials also made defending more challenging with some very questionable calls when guys were vertical.

Glad miller gave Tandy another chance. Would be great if we could get 1 more body out there, especially a potential scorer off the bench. Edwards will probably be fine if he is needed. There is something about the way he plays that requires less in game experience than most. It is tough to get him into the lineup when Nunge and Free are so dominant most games. Add Hunter playing at a high level and there are only so many minutes to go around. Playing 3 bigs is an option but Jones is generally playing well so sitting him extended minutes isn't a great option. He is typically our best defensive option too.

Great to get back to winning.

Defense needs work but it wasn't as bad as the score indicates

Really? GTown, missing two of their top three scorers and two best three-point shooters by far, still scored 11 above their average. They let a guy who averages 15 a game, shoots 42/27% respectively from 2 & 3-point range, shoot 50% for the game, and almost score 40 points. Even the two best perimeter defenders couldn't contain him. I think my eyes and the stats say differently. I'd hate to see what poor defense looks like if this wasn't it.

Most of their poor defense has to do with personnel, particularly Zac and Kunkel, players wearing out late in games, and also SM's bizarre reluctance to mix in some zone. It's why teams whom they've built 20-point leads on come back within striking distance. Miller would probably play man to man on the KC WR and leave them on an island.

Great coach, but having zoom webinars with Tony Bennett wouldn't hurt.

[Anti-Homer]

Where on that bench can we find a GOOD Defensive player? Sean must be beside himself with the D and the foul shooting.

Spears vs Zack We know Spears had more points but both were 4-6 from the line, Spears had 6 TOs to 2 for Zack. Zack had 11 rebounds to 3 for Spears. Spears had 11 assists and Zack had 7.

We are impressed with Spears, for good reason, but he is all they had today. GT played four bench players while X played 33 Kyky is being given chances but scoring 2 points and giving up 4 on his dumb 3 point foul and one of his two fouls in 2 minutes is not getting it done. I don't want him to sit I want him to play smart.

Craft is the mystery. Maybe he is too slow, but a Consensus four-star recruit who was ranked #65 The quote on him was "Kam is a college-ready scorer. He has a knack for getting his shot, whether it's in transition or creating in the half-court. You can run a lot of stuff through him. He is a very mature kid on and off the court." Last year he shot 44 from the three and 7% from the line. So why can't he get in the lineup? He could do any worse than Kyky. I know college and the BE are different than AAU and High school ball but is he so bad that he gets no minutes?

NEXT UP @ UConn on 25th, @ Creighton on the 28th, Providence on 0n the 1st and St Johns on the 4th... the road doesn't get easy.

Dammit, my mentor nailed it again with some excellent points. I keep hearing how SM is beside himself about the D, but when you make precious few adjustments, especially with the scheme, there is plenty of blame to go around.

Great comment on bench players. Tandy didn't help himself again fouling yet another three-point shooter, but me remembers Kunkel doing that in a very tight game twice (Creighton I believe), in a span of about 8 minutes. I also remember X losing a great recruit - shooter in Wilcher, and I just hope Kraft doesn't follow suit. I think he would struggle on D, but he does shoot almost 40% from three. Similarly, Claude is great on D, but an awful offensive player, and has the 5th or 6th highest T.O. rate amongst the seven who play, but is the apple of Sean's eye. Even Tandy's and possibly Mile's ball security is statistically better. Bob Nunge's is worse, however.

X had an 18-point lead against St. John's and sixteen point lead against GTown, yet somehow SM couldn't sneak in a few minutes to develop the younger players like Kraft and Edwards. If they don't come out of the gate ready next year, it will be hard to blame them. I hope Christopher knew I was joking when I told him to give SM a one-year contract, b/c he is coaching like that is what it is.

I still think he is doing a really good job, so Sean, sleep well knowing where I stand overall.

[Anti-Homer]

9 rebounds and 1 block is not typical of a 6' guy. Maybe you are referring to his 2 steals?

Xavier will win road games. I doubt they win every road game but they should win several. X usually gets more favorable officiating on the road so that should help. Teams will not always knock down tough shots consistently.

X usually gets more favorable officiating on the road so that should help.

What???

[Anti-Homer]

Looking ahead I can see us going 7-4 ( 6th seed ) or 5-6 ( 8th seed ).Not sure we can win two games in the NCAA tournament with that defense. Next season I see Hunter, Jones, Green, Claude and Edwards starting. Jones if he stays would be the number one option on offense. His 3 point shooting has improved a lot but his defense and rebounding have tailed off. No doubt he can play in the NBA next season but I hope he stays. He's a much better prospect than Marshall was. Hoping Miller can pull in a couple Big transfers to help out on the boards. Hoping Miller can coach em up down the stretch.

Jones is gone, and if the others mentioned are four of the five starters..... X is in big trouble. Hunter is great as a complementary player, but not a high-usage one. None of the others are proven. Due to the lack of development with the highly ranked underclassmen, I suspect X will hit the transfer portal hard this spring-summer. Very hard.

I love Colby, but Marshall is a much better pro prosepct than Jones, who will also play in the league. Marshall is the prototypical 3D guy in the NBA, and and 6'7" and 225 lbs, can guard 1-4. Jones is a very good college player, but not as good a defender, rebounder, or offensive force in the open court that Marshall was. Unfortunately, he didn't have a coach who knew how to utilize him and instead watched him shoot about 8 NBA treys a game at a 30% clip. I don't watch much NBA, but my son does, and I also read and watch highlights. Marshall has had a very nice NBA career to start and is averaging 10 pts and 4 boards a game. I wish the same for Jones.

[Anti-Homer]

GT has a lot of guys that transfer out after a year or two... hope Spears decides to transfer because he would look good in a X uniform and could be a Souley 2.0

PG’s who can’t hit 3’s become very one dimensional as the defense can back off and eat up driving and passing lanes. Spears is a 26% shooter this year. Also, a bit of a turnover machine. He had a great night but not sure he is what we need.

I don't disagree. A lot of guys seem to have career games against X. Fortunately, they are one of, if not the best offensive team in the country.

[Kevin Reilly]

Marshall was not drafted and is having a good NBA season. In Marshalls last year he averaged 16 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4 assists. Jones is averaging 14 points , 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Pretty close in stats. I have to admit I did not think Marshall would play in the NBA. I think Jones is a better all around player. Hope Jones stays and I hope Jones makes the NBA.

[muskieman]

GT has a lot of guys that transfer out after a year or two... hope Spears decides to transfer because he would look good in a X uniform and could be a Souley 2.0

PG’s who can’t hit 3’s become very one dimensional as the defense can back off and eat up driving and passing lanes. Spears is a 26% shooter this year. Also, a bit of a turnover machine. He had a great night but not sure he is what we need.

I don't disagree. A lot of guys seem to have career games against X. Fortunately, they are one of, if not the best offensive team in the country.

it is a curse every Cincinnati-based team deals with ask the Reds and Bengals.