Xavier versus Washington thread tonight on ESPN2 n Kentucky spectrum

[X-lucidity]

Not enough lipstick in the cosmetic section of Target to put on this pig. I believe we can all agree that was BRUTAL, with a capital B. Everything about the game kind of made sense to me, (the TO's, missed free throws, inability to make a big shot when down by 2 or 3, late & forced passes, excessive fouls), all of those are kind of expected and over time curable. Except one: Quincy O. My oh my, he is not what was advertised. He can make a 3 if wide stinking open but not when guarded, which is going to be most of the time. His attempts to drive are comical and result in embarrassing turn overs 78% of the time. Even if he gets a shot off it is an extremely low % attempt. I have seen this now for 3 games, so I have seen enough. He plays street ball, Steele would love him.... Sean sadly needs to fade him to a relegated role player. Not sure what the solution is. Maybe slide Des to the "2" and Gytis the "3" or Swain. But I have seen enough of Oli's act. Once again, the rest of last evening's slop is to be expected and is fixable - and I have every confidence Sean and staff will over the next 3 to 4 weeks.

[Anti-Homer]

Bad game. ugly game, by both teams. Refs wanting the spotlight was the cherry on the top. Steele's worst teams had better continuity.

The good:

Nemeiksa continues to be the best player on the team.

Djokovic showed why Miller and others are so giddy about him.

Ousame, Mcknight, and Olivari have no more years of eligibility beyond this year.

The bad:

Claude had an off-night shooting, which happens. However, his penchant for turnovers since hitting Victory Pwy continues, with three more last night. I have never seen a guy have so many unforced turnovers off the dribble, and often without pressure.

Ousame, McKnihgt, and Olivari. No commentary is needed. Conf USA calls this karma.

Free throws, especially Olivari. However, Wash missed almost as many.

Sean Freaking Miller. Great coach, but he screwed the pooch big time last night. When Mike Hopkins outcoaches you, you know you had a bad night. Case in point:

- He leaves Claude in the game with three fouls, only to pick up the fourth around the 13 minute mark, with a 5 point lead. He sat him 5 or 6 minutes and X lost the lead for the first time until SM brought him back,, only to have him foul out in a one-possession game. X does not have anyone else who can create like him, without playing like he is on roller skates (see Olivari).

-SM got cute playing Ducharme for three minutes. I think he would have preferred to hide somewhere in the stands. He is a freshman, but doesn't play like the others (Green, Swain, Ciani) He had one T.O. and was lost on defense. Wash defended him like he had leprosy. Those cute three minutes in sans Claude for probably 5-6 possessions could have made a difference. Odd, when X had 20 point leads last year, SM could never work his best shooter in Craft into the game.

- SM's annoying penchant for burning T.O.s early reared its ugly head again. He wasted them in his first tenure, and sadly, he hasn't lost that bad habit. He just had 12 minutes at halftime to talk to the team, then called a time-out after a bucket with 18 minutes to go. I liken it to an NFL football coach wasting one of his precious challenges in the 2nd quarter when the opposing runner gets a 5-yard carry on first down on his own 38, and the coach claims his knee hit at four yards. It came back to bite him in the rear, as X had a chance to tie with the guy who always has the ball in his hands at crunch time out (Claude). Result: Swain T.O. to Djokovich. Right pass, just a little wide. A set play called in a timeout would have been lovely. That is why you don't call a timeout up 5 or 6 with 18 minutes to go in the half.

Then, down 3 with 6 seconds, he has the best three-point shooter - Green (stats are lying now but will tell the truth as time goes on) on the bench. Olivari's trey hit a concession worker in the 4th row.

T.O.s cost X the game, with an assist from the esteemed Sean Miller. Redemption against an average St. Mary's Team comes Sunday.