Big game from Xavier Johnson - IU now almost certainly in

[whirlybird optio]

17-8-7 against Michigan today. Good for him.

Michigan very likely now to Dayton.

That’s also a very bad result for Wake, Xavier Musketeers etc.

 

[pittjas]

Fun run down the stretch for IU.

Happy to see X doing well and going to the tourney. Talented player who got unfairly bashed to some degree here.

 

[pittchagg]

Fun run down the stretch for IU.

Happy to see X doing well and going to the tourney. Talented player who got unfairly bashed to some degree here.

Xavier would have been the player we hoped we were getting with Josh Newkirk had Xavier come here in the Dixon years. No disrespect to Newkirk, but Xavier’s just the more talented version of that skillset.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

17-8-7 against Michigan today. Good for him.

Michigan very likely now to Dayton.

That’s also a very bad result for Wake, Xavier Musketeers etc.

I think Indiana is probably in but if they lose tomorrow, they're going to be sweating it out especially if we have bid stealers in the A10 and some other leagues.

 

[whirlybird optio]

I think Indiana is probably in but if they lose tomorrow, they're going to be sweating it out especially if we have bid stealers in the A10 and some other leagues.

Michigan is 17-14. Three games over .500.

I think I agree with you but I think Indiana probably moves ahead of Michigan right now and if so, is it Michigan or Indiana on the chopping block?

Again, I think both are in, and Xavier and Wake, BYU etc fall below them.

 

[33pitt99]

Two huge FTs with <10 seconds left. Impressive.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Michigan is 17-14. Three games over .500.

I think I agree with you but I think Indiana probably moves ahead of Michigan right now and if so, is it Michigan or Indiana on the chopping block?

Again, I think both are in, and Xavier and Wake, BYU etc fall below them.

I think IU gotta be in over Michigan but at 17-14, I think Michigan may be out, maybe IU too. Wake's resume is weak but 23-9, hard to leave them out.

If anyone wins the A10 but Davidson, the A10 gets 2 and knocks someone out.

 

[PittMan2003]

I was guilty of being too hard on X. I didn’t realize how bad capel was early on. It’s crystal clear now.

 

[BTisinDC]

I think IU gotta be in over Michigan but at 17-14, I think Michigan may be out, maybe IU too. Wake's resume is weak but 23-9, hard to leave them out.

If anyone wins the A10 but Davidson, the A10 gets 2 and knocks someone out.

SMF logic: if A10 gets two and it knocks Wake out, then Wake isn't a good team, but if Davidson wins and Wake gets in, they're a good team. Brilliant.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

SMF logic: if A10 gets two and it knocks Wake out, then Wake isn't a good team, but if Davidson wins and Wake gets in, they're a good team. Brilliant.

Correct. If you're not one of the 45 best teams in the country, you're mediocre. Good teams don't miss the NCAA Tournament.

 

[sonofabit]

…and if VaTech does the destiny thing in Brooklyn? Bye Wake I’m guessing. I always guess wrong, so nevermind.

 

[PittPharm2002]

They go through unc and Duke - they get the auto bid

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

They go through unc and Duke - they get the auto bid

What if VT gets to the Final? Is that enough?

 

[Fsgolfdr]

The good X is exceptional player and if he had found a way to only be the good X he’d have left Pitt for the NBA after his sophomore yr .

 

[whirlybird optio]

What if VT gets to the Final? Is that enough?

I don’t really think so. Maybe if they were on the top of the bracket and beat Duke to get there. But ND and UNC wins, then lose to Duke….eh. Maybe? Better OOC than Wake but they lost every good team they played, also lost to Wake head to head.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

The good X is exceptional player and if he had found a way to only be the good X he’d have left Pitt for the NBA after his sophomore yr .

Same as Pitt, when he's on, he's as good as anyone but when he's bad, he's as bad as anyone. He has been more consistent this year but it helps to have a real coach plus an elite player to pass to. On the whole though, he's basically an average P6 PG.

 

[TheSpecialSauce]

What if VT gets to the Final? Is that enough?

If VA Tech makes the Finals, then their NET ranking will be in the 28-32 range. They will be in the tournament if they make the Finals. Tonight’s game is huge for VT and ND. The loser is probably on the outside looking in.

 

[sonofabit]

They go through unc and Duke - they get the auto bid

Well I know that. I’m looking at the dominoes.

 

[Chescat]

Same as Pitt, when he's on, he's as good as anyone but when he's bad, he's as bad as anyone. He has been more consistent this year but it helps to have a real coach plus an elite player to pass to. On the whole though, he's basically an average P6 PG.

True about good and
bad X. He also had an
even better game a few
nights ago against highly
ranked Purdue. 18 pts,
12 assists, against only
2 TO's, along with 3 steals
and 5 rebounds. Those are
not "good" stats, they're
great stats, and are far
from "average." As many
of us on here have pointed
out, his lack of consistency
and on court maturity are
as you pointed out, reasons
for his good as anyone" and
"bad as anyone." This has
been a turn around year
for him. IMO his IU coach
made the difference in his
game this year.
IMO he's a pro in Europe's
leagues.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

True about good and
bad X. He also had an
even better game a few
nights ago against highly
ranked Purdue. 18 pts,
12 assists, against only
2 TO's, along with 3 steals
and 5 rebounds. Those are
not "good" stats, they're
great stats, and are far
from "average." As many
of us on here have pointed
out, his lack of consistency
and on court maturity are
as you pointed out, reasons
for his good as anyone" and
"bad as anyone." This has
been a turn around year
for him. IMO his IU coach
made the difference in his
game this year.
IMO he's a pro in Europe's
leagues.

Well, yea, and he had great games like that at Pitt. He's been more consistent this year but he's a senior, with a good coach on a team with an elite player.

 

[upj87]

Fun run down the stretch for IU.

Happy to see X doing well and going to the tourney. Talented player who got unfairly bashed to some degree here.

Bashing was quite fair..

 

[Parkview57]

Talented player who got unfairly bashed to some degree here.

I never bashed him, but he was out of control, no understanding of the way to win at the college level and learned nothing from season 1 to season 2.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I never bashed him, but he was out of control, no understanding of the way to win at the college level and learned nothing from season 1 to season 2.

or to season 3. He has only improved slightly from Year 1 to Year 4.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

or to season 3. He has only improved slightly from Year 1 to Year 4.

Of course you are someone who thinks that Ithiel Horton with his 37.9% three point shooting is an elite shooter, but Xavier Johnson with his 38.8% three point shooting is too inconsistent to be a good player.

 

[PittPharm2002]

Of course you are someone who thinks that Ithiel Horton with his 37.9% three point shooting is an elite shooter, but Xavier Johnson with his 38.8% three point shooting is too inconsistent to be a good player.

There ya go confusing with his own logic

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Of course you are someone who thinks that Ithiel Horton with his 37.9% three point shooting is an elite shooter, but Xavier Johnson with his 38.8% three point shooting is too inconsistent to be a good player.

First of all, I said Horton was near an elite level. And Johnson is shooting 37%, not 38.8%. And there is more to basketball than 3 point shooting. He is the PG of a team with an elite player and he has cost his teams several wins.....and also was a main factor in several big wins. He's very inconsistent.

 

[Chescat]

First of all, I said Horton was near an elite level. And Johnson is shooting 37%, not 38.8%. And there is more to basketball than 3 point shooting. He is the PG of a team with an elite player and he has cost his teams several wins.....and also was a main factor in several big wins. He's very inconsistent.

Isn't this what many of
us have been saying for
years....there's Good X and
Bad X. His inconsistency
"has cost his teams wins,
and also been a main
factor in several big wins."
Yes, he now has an "elite
player" as a tream mate,
but he also has a coach
who IMO has made a huge
difference. These last few
games proves that. Those
recent stats are great,
regardless who the pg is.

Now with that said, and you
can tell I recognize his very
obvious talent, he just might
resort back to Bad X, and
do the opposite of his last
few outings. We'll see.

 

[Chescat]

Today IU beats Ilinois,
65-63. X had 13 pts,
second highest for IU.
More importantly an
Assist/TO ratio of 6/1.
THAT is what a pg is
supposed to do. By
contrast Illinois guard
had a 6/3 ratio. with O
steals and 1 rebound.
X with 4 rebounds and
2 steals.

Lately more Good X as
opposed to Bad X.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

And Johnson is shooting 37%, not 38.8%

He was 33-85 coming into today. Go and get your calculator and punch those numbers in and then get back to me.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

And there is more to basketball than 3 point shooting.

There certainly is. Is Horton better than Johnson at any of it? Hell, Horton's turnover rate isn't much better than Johnson's and considering that Johnson handles the ball a hell of a lot more you can't even really argue that he's better at not turning the ball over.

 

[Ski11585]

First of all, I said Horton was near an elite level. And Johnson is shooting 37%, not 38.8%. And there is more to basketball than 3 point shooting. He is the PG of a team with an elite player and he has cost his teams several wins.....and also was a main factor in several big wins. He's very inconsistent.

In what universe is Horton a “near elite shooter?”

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Today IU beats Ilinois,
65-63. X had 13 pts,
second highest for IU.
More importantly an
Assist/TO ratio of 6/1.
THAT is what a pg is
supposed to do. By
contrast Illinois guard
had a 6/3 ratio. with O
steals and 1 rebound.
X with 4 rebounds and
2 steals.

Lately more Good X as
opposed to Bad X.

I watched the 2nd part of the 2nd Half. He had a bad turnover and missed a potential dagger jumper but also had an important steal. He didn't really do anything else in the last part of the game but his team won and he didn't lose it.

 

[Chescat]

I watched the 2nd part of the 2nd Half. He had a bad turnover and missed a potential dagger jumper but also had an important steal. He didn't really do anything else in the last part of the game but his team won and he didn't lose it.

Look at the stats, they
are objective, 6 assists
1 TO. Your comment is
totally subective. 1 TO
no matter how you slice
and dice it is 1 and only
1 TO in 36 minutes of
play. This is damn good
for a pg especially when
you look at his 6 assists,
2 steals 4 rebounds,
and 13 pts.

Listen, you know very well
that I've posted over and
over that he's been
inconsistent in his career.
Right now IU is advancing
to semi final play in Big 10
tournament. He's the on
floor QB and intrumental
in what they're doing. Of
course it doesn't fit your
repeated narrative re X.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Look at the stats, they
are objective, 6 assists
1 TO. Your comment is
totally subective. 1 TO
no matter how you slice
and dice it is 1 and only
1 TO in 36 minutes of
play. This is damn good
for a pg especially when
you look at his 6 assists,
2 steals 4 rebounds,
and 13 pts.

Listen, you know very well
that I've posted over and
over that he's been
inconsistent in his career.
Right now IU is advancing
to semi final play in Big 10
tournament. He's the on
floor QB and intrumental
in what they're doing. Of
course it doesn't fit your
repeated narrative re X.

He has played well in their wins, no doubt.

 

[Chescat]

He has played well in their wins, no doubt.

Ok, I'll offer you some
common ground on this
issue. A week or so ago
in a two point loss to
highly ranked Purdue, he
made a few costly errors
at the end of the game
that really hurt IU. If that's
all one sees, then it gets
missed that he had 18 pts,
12 assists, and only 2 T0's.
At the same time in 34 min.
he had 5 rebounds and
3 steals. I watched this game
and he basically carried the
team on his back. His critics
only saw the two crucial
errors. That alone reinforces
the inconsistent label that
has followed him through out
his college career.

My two cents?.....yup he's been
inconsistent, but X for sure,
has undeniable talent.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Ok, I'll offer you some
common ground on this
issue. A week or so ago
in a two point loss to
highly ranked Purdue, he
made a few costly errors
at the end of the game
that really hurt IU. If that's
all one sees, then it gets
missed that he had 18 pts,
12 assists, and only 2 T0's.
At the same time in 34 min.
he had 5 rebounds and
3 steals. I watched this game
and he basically carried the
team on his back. His critics
only saw the two crucial
errors. That alone reinforces
the inconsistent label that
has followed him through out
his college career.

My two cents?.....yup he's been
inconsistent, but X for sure,
has undeniable talent.

I didn't watch Purdue but I heard he had a good game.

I have said a million times that Johnson has talent and can be as good as anyone when he's good. He has been more consistent this year but not to the point where he's anything more than a league-average guard IMO but. The coaches may agree with me but the B10 media doesn't. But he's done enough to get to the NCAAT

 

[PittPharm2002]

Smf
You don’t have to keep talking about this
We all know you don’t actually understand basketball or anything

 

[Ski11585]

Iowa gets bailed out with a heave but X was huge down the stretch. 2 clutch FTs, helps force a turnover and scores the game tying bucket.

But SMF prefers Femi.

 

[BballinsiderfromPitt]

20/9/4/2. Played insane. I’d kill to have a PG like him

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Iowa gets bailed out with a heave but X was huge down the stretch. 2 clutch FTs, helps force a turnover and scores the game tying bucket.

But SMF prefers Femi.

If I was a team like Indiana, I would take Johnson. However, if I was a bad team like Pitt, I'd take Femi or almost anyone over Johnson. He can't be the best team and playmaker for your team. He's awful in that role.