Who Else Has a Nova-X National Championship?

[Eldon]

You heard it here first.



mmmmm tourney credit$$$

[TallTitan34]

BIG EAST PRIDE!!!!

But no.

[Goose]

X is my NC team. I decided in late December they were my team if they stayed healthy.

[TallTitan34]

I'll go with Nova but I don't trust X to make it there.

[GooooMarquette]

I would love to see that, but first Nova has to beat Seton Hall in one national semifinal and Xavier has to beat Creighton in the other.

[tower912]

We've been told that Xavier is overrated.

[wadesworld]

Xavier's going to have a tricky second round game if Mizzou gets through and Michael Porter can get his feet under him over the next week.  I think Mizzou and then Gonzaga are bigger challengers to them than whoever comes out of the bottom of that bracket.

I like Nova to win it all.  I think they're the most well rounded team in the country.  But it's far from a sure thing this year.

The potential of both Kentucky vs. Arizona and and Arizona vs. Virginia could be awesome games.  Really hoping both of those matchups happen.  UVA going through the regular season and tournament in the ACC with just 1 loss is pretty remarkable.  They're legit.

But that's the fun of the one and done format.  It takes one night for a team to fall.  Run into the wrong team or just have a cold game on the wrong night and you're going home.

[BM1090]

I have Nova to win it all and will pick them in my bracket. I like their path.

I do not have X in the final four but I put some $ on them at 80/1 at the beginning of the year so I'll be rooting for them.

[Billy Hoyle]

I would love to see that, but first Nova has to beat Seton Hall in one national semifinal and Xavier has to beat Creighton in the other.

Creighton is 18% against Q1, 0-7 (0%) on the road against Q1.  They'll be fortunate to make it to Sunday, and if they do, UVA will poleaxe them

[Lennys Tap]

We've been told that Xavier is overrated.

True. Analysts who actually use science have told it to you. Pomeroy, Sagarin and every rating system that uses advanced metrics says they are but what's that compared to everyone's Big East colored eye test? According to KenPom, every 1, 2 and 3 seed is better than them as is 4th seeded Gonzaga and 5th seeded W Virginia. Doesn't mean they can't win it all, of course - only that it's less likely than 13 other teams.

Edit: I misspoke somewhat - because they have a much easier path (first game lay up, 2nd vs 8/9 winner), their chances of going all the way are likely better than at least #5 seed WVU, #4 Gonzaga and a couple of the 3s.

[Eldon]

Welp.

Xavier overrated?

[GB Warrior]

*humblebrag* I had them losing this game

But that was gut not hope. Disappointing for the Big East

[chapman]

mmmmm tourney credit$$$

We'll just have to make our own.  NIT credits still worth about 2% as much as NCAA?   

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

Maybe blueitt should have touched the ball in the last 5 minutes?  Of all BE teams i dont like them the most.
Team looked scared

[Goose]

That is wrap for my bracket. Dr. Blackheart called it early. I'm not sure overrated, but sure looked scared late in the tilt.

[AlumKCof93]

Bluiett played poorly, never got in the flow and made some bad turnovers.  Madura stepped up but had to be taken out at 9 minute mark due to foul trouble even though fouls 3 and 4 were horrible calls.  Number 5 was iffy as well.

When your best player hurts your cause, your 2nd best player is in foul trouble and you miss your free throws, you lose in the NCAA tournament

[wadesworld]

Marshall being unable to play in the second half with the ankle injury was a back breaker given the foul trouble Xavier faced.

[Lennys Tap]

Marshall being unable to play in the second half with the ankle injury was a back breaker given the foul trouble Xavier faced.

Yep, that's the reason they blew a 12 point lead and let FSU finish the game on a 18-4 run.

[nyg]

Marshall being unable to play in the second half with the ankle injury was a back breaker given the foul trouble Xavier faced.

Yes and might have stopped Blueitt, then Macura, then Blueitt, then Blueitt again just handing or throwing the ball to FSU in last four minutes. 

[rocky_warrior]

Of course I didn't have a Nova-X Championship.  That would be stupid!

I smartly had Virginia beating X. 

Gulp.

[TallTitan34]

I'll go with Nova but I don't trust X to make it there.

#NonHumbleBrag

[BM1090]

Yep, that's the reason they blew a 12 point lead and let FSU finish the game on a 18-4 run.

No, but Macura's foul trouble that came on terrible calls definitely was a huge part. They don't lose that game with JP

[Eldon]

No, but Macura's foul trouble that came on terrible calls definitely was a huge part. They don't lose that game with JP

Not only did it put him on the bench, but Macura was off to the races for an additional 2pts, which would have furthered X's momentum.

Sigh.

[wadesworld]

Yep, that's the reason they blew a 12 point lead and let FSU finish the game on a 18-4 run.

So you don't think being a starter down when 3 of your other starters are going into the second half with 2 fouls made a difference in the second half?

Interesting take there Lenny.

[CTWarrior]

Bluiett played poorly, never got in the flow and made some bad turnovers.  Madura stepped up but had to be taken out at 9 minute mark due to foul trouble even though fouls 3 and 4 were horrible calls.  Number 5 was iffy as well.

When your best player hurts your cause, your 2nd best player is in foul trouble and you miss your free throws, you lose in the NCAA tournament

I don't usually have much to say about the refs, but they without question cost Xavier that game.  I didn't care who won, but I really thought X got screwed.  Not only were fouls 3 and 4 against Macura brutal bad calls, in one case they gave FSU 2 points and in the other they gave FSU 2 while taking 2 from X on a what would have been a breakaway layup.  And his fifth foul was iffy, but that is called a block way more often than a charge.  Without Macura, X was lost. 

Also, Scruggs killed them with countless ill-advised drives and misses against 2 and 3 bigger players that led to easy breakouts for FSU.