Who ya' got: Muskies or Wildcats?

Going strictly with my heart on this one....Xavier continues their hot streak with a 67-65 win.

I'm taking Arizona by 3.

With apologies to MTGL the Wildcats take this one.

With apologies to MTGL the Wildcats take this one.

No need to apologize, I agree with you. Xavier "can" win, but they would need the confluence of a lot of things to go their way. Namely, Xavier would have to make a high percentage of their threes, as well as NOT turning it over 10+ times. I think Xavier will win the glass, but if they don't shoot it well, and / or they turn it over a bunch, the rebounding edge won't be enough.

 

Still...been a good run with a fairly limited bunch.

As mentioned, X needs a lot of things to go right. It just feels like they have it in them. X by 6.

As mentioned, X needs a lot of things to go right. It just feels like they have it in them. X by 6.

 

No predictions here. Vegas odds are 100 to 1 that X wins it all.

No need to apologize, I agree with you. Xavier "can" win, but they would need the confluence of a lot of things to go their way. Namely, Xavier would have to make a high percentage of their threes, as well as NOT turning it over 10+ times. I think Xavier will win the glass, but if they don't shoot it well, and / or they turn it over a bunch, the rebounding edge won't be enough.

 

Still...been a good run with a fairly limited bunch.

 

Also I think tempo is huge in this game.

Also I think tempo is huge in this game.

Help me out VOR, what am I missing? Arizona averages 66 possessions, Xavier averages 67, but I assumed your point was you thought Arizona wanted to push and Xavier would want to grind it?

Arizona 76-70.

Gameday. Lets go X!!

 

Help me out VOR, what am I missing? Arizona averages 66 possessions, Xavier averages 67, but I assumed your point was you thought Arizona wanted to push and Xavier would want to grind it?

 

Yes. The more possessions each team has in the game the more it favors Arizona in my opinion. Fewer possessions and slower tempo favors Xavier. I say that because it seems to me Arizona has more offensive weapons then Xavier does. Also, fewer possessions and slower tempo should mean fewer turnovers.

Yes. The more possessions each team has in the game the more it favors Arizona in my opinion. Fewer possessions and slower tempo favors Xavier. I say that because it seems to me Arizona has more offensive weapons then Xavier does. Also, fewer possessions and slower tempo should mean fewer turnovers.

 

Both teams play the slow grind it out half-court style...

Both teams play the slow grind it out half-court style...

 

Yes, I see that. So let me put it this way. Xavier needs to out grind Arizona. Perhaps you know this number. What are the offensive efficiency numbers for each team? My guess is Arizona is more efficient on offense especially with Sumner gone for Xavier. Therefore if AZ gets more possessions and more shots they will win the game.

 

Side note, after I posted my thoughts I heard Seth Greenberg on Mike & Mike and when asked about this game he said one of the key factors for Xavier to win was going to be tempo. I'm not saying he is a guru of any sort but I am not out on a limb by myself and clueless on this view either.

Yes, I see that. So let me put it this way. Xavier needs to out grind Arizona. Perhaps you know this number. What are the offensive efficiency numbers for each team? My guess is Arizona is more efficient on offense especially with Sumner gone for Xavier. Therefore if AZ gets more possessions and more shots they will win the game.

 

Side note, after I posted my thoughts I heard Seth Greenberg on Mike & Mike and when asked about this game he said one of the key factors for Xavier to win was going to be tempo. I'm not saying he is a guru of any sort but I am not out on a limb by myself and clueless on this view either.

 

You can say tempo matters all you want. Fact is, both teams want to play a half-court grind it out game. When both teams want to play at the same tempo, not sure how you can say the tempo is the key factor.

 

Don't know the exact efficiency numbers, but I'm pretty sure they're both in the 15-30 range, so not much separation.

 

Seth Greenberg....:lol2: Same dude that said Duke was gonna win it all and also thinks teams should try new defenses they've never used in the Sweet Sixteen.