[QUOTE=49RFootballNow;438629]Really? Maybe I was odd in this respect but the second I heard the announcement that we were leaving CUSA for the A-10 I said âOH **** NO!â The A-10 was really good that next year (believe it was St. Joeâs final four year). The last thing you want, even as a good team, is to move into a brand new conference with really good teams. You are bound to struggle learning new coaches and their teamsâ playing styles. Then the geography issue hit. Had this been a move from the A-10 to the BE it would have been the same footprint of recruiting, but moving from a southern conference to a northeastern one, plus being the southern most outpost, thatâs never going to go well right away.
Weâre heading into year 5 of the A-10 and from this point coach and his staff will no longer get the benefit of the doubt that the complete upheaval of the eastern seaboard that was the ACC Raid has provided. Theyâve had time to get to know the recruiting area and the high schools, itâs time to be âALL INâ.[/QUOTE]
SJU lost in the Elite 8 as did Xavier that year.
Our first year in the A10 was pretty rough for the conference. We finished second and were an NIT team that got bounced in the second round. GWU went undefeated in the conference (the infamous Leemire punch) and was a weak performer in the big dance.
[QUOTE=CharSFNiners;438603]When I said âplayâ I meant legitimate minutes. Not seeing 10-12 a game max. Iâd say the onl place X has outperformed them is in the postseason. Duke just chokes in the tourney similar to how the Dolphins did yesterday against the SaintsâŚ[/QUOTE]
I disagree, Duke performs better in what regard? They are ranked higher?
[QUOTE=Powerbait;438659]I disagree, Duke performs better in what regard? They are ranked higher?[/QUOTE]
Really⌠higher RPI numbers, rank, play in a higher rated conference. I gave you the post-season, but [B][U]AT BEST[/U][/B] Xavier recently has been equivalent in the regular season.
They play in the ACC vs the A-10, of course their RPI and rank are going to be higher.
Thatâs like the argument against Utah last year. They are in the MWC. They still beat the snot out of alabama when it mattered. I would say Duke and Xavier are on the same level recently. That means that Xavier is only inferior to one team in the ACC. So, I would say that Xavierâs players could play for any team in the ACC, save maybe Chapel Hill.
I didnât include bad conference losses in our CUSA days. The difference then was that when we were in CUSA we could afford a couple of bad losses in non-conference because we could make those up in conference with big wins against [B][U]insert team here [/U][/B](Cincy, Louisville, Memphis, Marquette, etc.) Harder to do that in the A-10.[/QUOTE]
As you can see from my post (that you referenced) I was referring to our poorer conf. foes and the point was if you play a team enough (ie; conf. opponent) you will lose to almost anyone every once in a while. In other words, check our overall records against those poor conf. opponents. I guarantee we have a fairly impressive winning % against them.
[QUOTE=Powerbait;438698]They play in the ACC vs the A-10, of course their RPI and rank are going to be higher.
Thatâs like the argument against Utah last year. They are in the MWC. They still beat the snot out of alabama when it mattered. I would say Duke and Xavier are on the same level recently. That means that Xavier is only inferior to one team in the ACC. So, I would say that Xavierâs players could play for any team in the ACC, save maybe Chapel Hill.[/QUOTE]
Didnât Duke beat the crap out of Xavier just last season?
[QUOTE=CharSFNiners;438716]It wasnât in the tourney. I tried to be nice and leave that out⌠and it was more like a mother****ing schlacking.
Iâm sorry youâre not a fan of the RPI, but it is what it is. I can only use numbers that Iâm given. The eye test isnât always going to work.[/QUOTE]
No, youâre right, Duke drilled them in the tournament. I was surprised you didnât mention that. And I am a fan of the RPI. I do think Duke has been better in the last 10 years by a significant margin. Recently, I think Xavier has been on par. I think XU is comparable with any other program in the ACC over the last 10 years though.
[QUOTE=Powerbait;438722]No, youâre right, Duke drilled them in the tournament. I was surprised you didnât mention that. And I am a fan of the RPI. I do think Duke has been better in the last 10 years by a significant margin. Recently, I think Xavier has been on par. I think XU is comparable with any other program in the ACC over the last 10 years though.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Powerbait;438722]No, youâre right, Duke drilled them in the tournament. I was surprised you didnât mention that. And I am a fan of the RPI. I do think Duke has been better in the last 10 years by a significant margin. Recently, I think Xavier has been on par. I think XU is comparable with any other program in the ACC over the last 10 years though.[/QUOTE]
The game was in December. Duke was up 31 pts at halftime and won 82-64. I know it was only one game, but that result doesnât suggest the two are âon parâ.
[QUOTE=VA49er;438733]The game was in December. Duke was up 31 pts at halftime and won 82-64. I know it was only one game, but that result doesnât suggest the two are âon parâ.[/QUOTE]
Clemson drilled Duke that year too. Are you saying that means Duke isnât as good as Clemson?
[QUOTE=Powerbait;438735]Clemson drilled Duke that year too. Are you saying that means Duke isnât as good as Clemson?[/QUOTE]
Like I said, it was just one game. But, according to anyone outside the A10, it only furthered the assumption that Duke, even in âdown timesâ is head and shoulders above the best the A10 has to offer.
[QUOTE=VA49er;438749]Like I said, it was just one game. But, according to anyone outside the A10, it only furthered the assumption that Duke, even in âdown timesâ is head and shoulders above the best the A10 has to offer.[/QUOTE]
Do you believe that? I mean, I think Xavier would be a consistent top 3 team in the ACC with the talent level and coaching they have had. I think they are equal to Duke over the last 5 or so years.
[QUOTE=CharSFNiners;438751]And Clemson barely escaped from Halton? Hence, why I never really cared to bring up the woodshed whipping X got.[/QUOTE]
yeah, I think weâre on the same page. I think the gap between the two programs is minimal recently. If Xavier had the benefit of playing the ACC, I think they probably get the same rank/RPI as Duke.
[QUOTE=Powerbait;438753]yeah, I think weâre on the same page. I think the gap between the two programs is minimal recently. If Xavier had the benefit of playing the ACC, I think they probably get the same rank/RPI as Duke.[/QUOTE]
Weâll never know. And not to sound preachy, but with this yearâs class and next yearâs possible class, that gap is gonna get bigger.
[QUOTE=CharSFNiners;438755]Weâll never know. And not to sound preachy, but with this yearâs class and next yearâs possible class, that gap is gonna get bigger.[/QUOTE]
Maybe. But Duke has underperformed based on recruiting classes while Xavier has exceeded their expectations.