Filter asked this question back in 2002. Where Do We Go From Here? was a minor hit for them and like a lot of early 2000s prog/alt rock sort of tried to make some deeper points without really coalescing into something more meaningful.
That is sort of where it seems like Xavier is right now. This team had been putting something together. Maybe not something incredible, but something none the less. They had dispatched their last five non-conference opponents, grabbed a Q2 win, and sort of, kind of, if
you squinted looked like maybe they could play their way into a decent spot in the Big East.
This morning they woke to a KenPom rating of 103rd, a NET of 137th, and the only squinting occurring was to see how exactly it was that Filip Borovicanin airballed a layup in the second half. The Musketeers have comprehensively played their way out of any sort of discussion of much of anything beyond whether they can beat DePaul out to not finish last in the conference. If that seems dramatic, please note that DePaul went to St. John’s and lost by 13 while Xavier was busy losing by 41 at home.
So, what now? While we all wait for the Borovicanin Files to explain how exactly one tosses the ball from one side of the rim to the other without hitting anything, Xavier needs to do something. Georgetown went to Marquette last night and won by nine. KenPom favors them to beat the Musketeers by four, though one wonders if the computer watched the last game. After all, both Xavier and Creighton took 66 shots last night, Creighton just found 41 extra points in there.
As Joel astutely pointed out, Xavier tends to falter offensively when they play a good offense. Working harder on defense leaves less energy for offense. Last night, the Musketeers shot their usual hilarious 42.9% inside the arc and 25% from deep. Obviously, that has to improve. In their last four games X has shot 31.2%, 21.4%, 40%, and 25% from behind the arc. 40% against Missouri St is good, though it papers over an awful first half, the other numbers are dreadful. Those aren’t even against particularly good offenses that would sap Xavier’s legs.
Part of the issue could be depth. Xavier is six guys deep right now. Anthony Robinson has fallen completely out of favor, Pape N’Diaye is not ready yet, Isaiah Walker is starting to play more but is shooting horribly, and Mier Panoam is but a rumor. That’s it from outside the top six. Walker and Robinson are averaging 13 minutes a game, no one else is even getting double figures. Are they not good enough? It’s hard to imagine they are worse than what happened last night. Some of them are returning from injury, or in the case of Gabriel Pozzatto still hurt, but someone has to step up and do something.
I don’t really know what is next. Shoot better? Bring in more guys who are good? Last night was not just a bad loss, it wasn’t even mildly entertaining to watch. This is evident by the fact that basically no one was in the Cintas to watch it and the few who did show left in plenty of time to get home and drown their sorrows. The good news is that there is always a chance to do better on Saturday and things surely have to improve.
Right?
