For those who missed it….Xavier was up 2 points in the waning seconds against Notre Dame. Notre Dame guard Eric Atkins was at the line shooting a one and one. Atkins made the first free throw but official Michael Stuart ruled that Jerian Grant left his position behind the 3-point arc too early as he ran in for a rebound, giving the ball back to Xavier.
Now as we know from the UNC Asheville – Syracuse game the violation occurs because the player crosses the 3-point arc before the ball hits the rim. According to the rules, the right call.
But is this really the “right” call.
In the case of Notre Dame – Xavier, Jerian Grant was going to have no play on the ball, he was still behind the free throw line when the ball swished through the net. So even though we know what the rule states, sometimes it’s good to just use a little common sense. It’s kinda like when there’s a holding penalty called on a great run but 40 yards behind the play.
Hey, the referee’s could have even warned the players before the shot in such a big moment of the game….What a great idea.
Or we could just insert ourselves directly into the outcome of an exciting and hard fought game….Yep let’s go with that one.
The city of Cincinnati has suffered its fair share of atrocities over the years.
There was The Great Flood of 1937 — which turned streets into Venetian canals, sans the gondola romance. In 1999 a mammoth tornado left many homeless. In 2010 lightning rained down from the heavens and set fire to Solid Rock Church’s Touchdown Jesus. These are just three examples of catastrophes the Queen City has endured and recovered from.
The streets were drained, houses were built, and a new statue was set to be erected. Very tragic incidences were eventually met with plans of recuperation.
The 2011 Crosstown Shootout Brawl is certainly not in the same category as any natural disaster. They are obviously two completely separate occurrences, and the events of natural disasters are clearly more surreal and terrifying than a fight at a basketball game. Times of despair like the Great Flood or a tornado will always take precedent over a sporting event.
But to the city of Cincinnati the possible cancellation of the Shootout would, unlike any weather wonder, leave a void in the hearts of many Cincinnatians that could never be filled.
Full story on Midwest Sports Fans
Xavier coach Chris Mack injured his knee during practice at Fordham, a day before the Rams were set to host the Musketeers, accroding to ESPN’s Dino Gaudio.
Mack was in the layup line during a drill, taking shots with the players when he came down funny on his second attempt.
He was treated at a local hospital and is expected to have knee surgery sometime early next week after returning to Cincinnati. He will still coach the game tomorrow.
Repercussions from last month’s ugly on-court brawl between cross-town rivals Xavier and Cincinnati still are being felt.
Check below, courtesy of Banners on the Parkway, where you will see a copy of a letter sent to Xavier students who are being held accountable for their behavior – such as expletives and objects thrown onto the court – that contributed to the heated nature of that game.
Dean of Students Dr. Luther Smith has mandated that students who were at the “Crosstown Shootout” attend a reflection session – akin to driver retraining, if you will – before he or she can return to another Musketeer basketball game.
Wrote Smith: “As a Jesuit, Catholic university, the behaviors demonstrated are not becoming of its students and is in conflict with the mission, values, and standards of Xavier University.”
Sessions are Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, January 8-10, and the letter states that attendance will be taken at the sessions.
CINCINNATI (AP)—An Ohio prosecutor said Monday he will consider criminal charges in the aftermath of a brawl at the end of the Cincinnati-Xavier basketball game, as stunned fans and school officials pondered the tarnishing blow delivered to one of the city’s most eagerly anticipated annual events.
Hamilton County prosecutor Joe Deters said in a statement that his office would determine whether any criminal charges were appropriate. He declined further comment.
Deters didn’t specify what charges would be considered, but possible charges could include assault and battery or disorderly conduct. A spokeswoman said he hadn’t set a timetable for a decision.
A Xavier spokeswoman said it would be premature to comment on Deters’ investigation. The UC athletic department didn’t comment immediately, but scheduled an afternoon news conference to discuss the brawl.
Criminal prosecutions from player confrontations during sports events are rare. A handful of National Hockey League players have been charged with assault over the years. Detroit Red Wings forward Todd Bertuzzi pleaded guilty to assault after he, while playing for Vancouver in 2004, sucker-punched Colorado’s Steve Moore on the ice. No one was charged after a 2010 baseball brawl in Cincinnati in which St. Louis Cardinals catcher Jason LaRue suffered a career-ending concussion after being kicked in the head by Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto.
Officials and coaches for both universities have offered apologies and expressed embarrassment. Each team also suspended four players.
Cincinnati’s Yancy Gates received the longest suspension, six games. Gates punched Xavier’s Kenny Frease, causing a gash that left him bleeding below his left eye, and hit at least one other Xavier player during the fracas.
Frease also was kicked as the two teams converged on each other. X-rays of Frease after the game were normal.
Xavier guard Tu Holloway, who acknowledged making comments directed at UC’s team right before the brawl, caused a stir by later describing his team’s toughness as “a whole bunch of gangsters.” Holloway, suspended for one game, said Sunday he regretted using the term “gangsters.”
Xavier, ranked No. 8, won the game on its home court, 76-53, but the focus after the “Crosstown Shootout” was on the brawl, which was televised live on ESPN and has been reshown a myriad of times on TV and online.
“It’s literally and figuratively a black eye,” said Raymond Buse, a veteran publicist here. “I was in disbelief that this was happening in Cincinnati. Typically, this is great spirited, one of the greatest rivalries in college basketball.
“Now the national public just sees our 15 seconds of infamy.”
UC’s basketball program had past image issues with off-court incidents involving players and the 2004 drunken-driving arrest of coach Bob Huggins that culminated in Huggins’ ouster. Xavier has largely avoided negative publicity while building its basketball program into a national power.
“We are not the only ones something like this has happened to, but it was definitely a new experience for Xavier,” said Paul Ruppe, a 1992 Xavier graduate who gathered with some 60 other alumni in Chicago to watch the game on TV. “For the image we try to maintain and uphold, it was disappointing, let’s put it that way.”
“It doesn’t make Xavier look very good, and it doesn’t make UC look very good. It’s kind of ridiculous, honestly,” said Brandon Henson, a Bearcat fan. “I guess Xavier fans used to say UC recruits these kinds of players; guess what, Xavier does, too.”
UC president Gregory Williams said in a statement: “We hold our student-athletes to a high standard and this behavior will not be tolerated.”
Xavier said that the “unsportsmanlike events” Saturday don’t reflect the Jesuit Catholic school’s value and traditions, and it pledged to work to “make things right.” The statement said University president Michael Graham has been in touch with Williams to discuss how the schools can work together to promote cooperation and sportsmanship.
2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Week 6 Rankings – USA Today Coaches Poll
1 Syracuse (28) 10-0 746
2 Ohio State (2) 8-1 671
3 Kentucky 8-1 665
4 Louisville 9-0 658
5 Duke 9-1 618
6 North Carolina 8-2 608
7 Baylor 7-0 539
8 Missouri 9-0 512
9 Xavier 8-0 503
10 Connecticut 8-1 485
11 Marquette 9-0 466
12 Kansas 7-2 441
13 Florida 7-2 418
14 Pittsburgh 9-1 356
15 Wisconsin 8-2 317
16 Mississippi State 9-1 251
17 Georgetown 8-1 246
18 Michigan 7-2 185
19 Illinois 10-0 182
20 Indiana 9-0 171
21 Alabama 8-2 143
22 Texas A&M 8-1 108
23 Michigan State 8-2 107
24 Creighton 7-1 54
25 Vanderbilt 6-3 51
Others receiving votes: Harvard 43, Murray State 42, California 29, Memphis 27, San Diego State 26, Purdue 14, Gonzaga 13, Virginia 12, UNLV 9, Saint Louis 9, Saint Mary’s 5, Stanford 5, Saint Joseph’s 5, Oklahoma 4, Northern Iowa 3, Northwestern 3
Dropped from rankings: Memphis 20, Gonzaga 22, Harvard 24
2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Week 6 Rankings – AP Top 25
1 Syracuse (51) 10-0 1,607
2 Ohio State (7) 8-1 1,478
3 Kentucky (4) 8-1 1,468
4 Louisville (2) 9-0 1,374
5 North Carolina (1) 8-2 1,373
6 Baylor 7-0 1,284
7 Duke 9-1 1,273
8 Xavier 8-0 1,122
9 Connecticut 8-1 1,087
10 Missouri 9-0 1,030
11 Marquette 9-0 988
12 Kansas 7-2 945
13 Florida 7-2 891
14 Wisconsin 8-2 728
15 Pittsburgh 9-1 696
16 Georgetown 8-1 602
17 Mississippi State 9-1 574
18 Indiana 9-0 462
19 Illinois 10-0 375
20 Michigan 7-2 354
21 Michigan State 8-2 310
22 Texas A&M 8-1 270
23 Alabama 8-2 204
24 Murray State 10-0 93
25 Creighton 7-1 88
25 Vanderbilt 6-3 88
Others receiving votes: Harvard 73, San Diego State 59, Virginia 57, UNLV 41, Stanford 39, Saint Louis 26, Gonzaga 25, Memphis 13, Northern Iowa 7, Cleveland State 7, Arizona 5, California 3, Long Beach State 3, Northwestern 2, Wichita State 1
Dropped from rankings: Memphis 21, Gonzaga 23, Harvard 25
2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Week 5 Rankings – Coaches Poll
1 Kentucky (19) 8-0 763
2 Ohio State (11) 8-0 754
3 Syracuse (1) 8-0 713
4 Louisville 7-0 654
5 Duke 7-1 611
6 North Carolina 6-2 594
7 Baylor 7-0 582
8 Xavier 6-0 538
9 Connecticut 7-1 533
10 Missouri 7-0 511
11 Marquette 7-0 468
12 Florida 5-2 419
13 Kansas 5-2 385
14 Pittsburgh 7-1 359
15 Alabama 7-1 326
16 Wisconsin 6-2 306
17 Creighton 7-0 222
18 Mississippi State 8-1 208
19 Michigan 6-2 164
20 Memphis 4-2 154
21 Georgetown 7-1 136
22 Gonzaga 5-1 96
22 Illinois 8-0 96
24 Harvard 8-0 95
25 Texas A&M 6-1 79
Others receiving votes: UNLV 62, Vanderbilt 61, California 32, San Diego State 30, Michigan State 29, Indiana 23, Saint Louis 18, Northwestern 8, Murray State 8, Stanford 7, Kansas State 4, Purdue 4, Saint Mary’s 4, Virginia 4, Washington 3, Cincinnati 3, Cleveland State 3, Tulane 2, Arizona 2, George Mason 1, Northern Iowa 1
Dropped from rankings: Vanderbilt 19, UNLV 20, California 23, Saint Louis 25
2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Week 5 Rankings – AP Top 25
1 Kentucky (47) 8-0 1,606
2 Ohio State (18) 8-0 1,575
3 Syracuse 8-0 1,491
4 North Carolina 6-2 1,328
5 Louisville 7-0 1,325
6 Baylor 7-0 1,283
7 Duke 7-1 1,264
8 Xavier 6-0 1,133
9 Connecticut 7-1 1,120
10 Missouri 7-0 1,009
11 Marquette 7-0 982
12 Florida 5-2 923
13 Kansas 5-2 833
14 Wisconsin 6-2 665
15 Pittsburgh 7-1 660
16 Alabama 7-1 635
17 Mississippi State 8-1 493
18 Georgetown 7-1 491
19 Creighton 7-0 352
20 Michigan 6-2 312
21 Memphis 4-2 216
22 Texas A&M 6-1 199
23 Gonzaga 5-1 197
24 Illinois 8-0 193
25 Harvard 8-0 191
Others receiving votes: UNLV 188, Vanderbilt 141, Michigan State 135, San Diego State 50, Virginia 26, Saint Louis 25, Stanford 23, Purdue 12, California 11, Cleveland State 9, Florida State 7, Kansas State 6, Arizona 5, Indiana 4, Murray State 2, Northern Iowa 2, Oregon State 2, UC Santa Barbara 1
Dropped from rankings: UNLV 18, Vanderbilt 20, Saint Louis 23, California 24
The Xavier Musketeers have lots of experience. They also have experienced guards in senior Tu Holloway and junior Mark Lyons.
Holloway scored 10 of his 24 points in overtime after Lyons tied it up in the final seconds of regulation, and No. 11 Xavier rallied from 10 down to beat Vanderbilt 82-70 on Monday night.
This was the first game against a ranked opponent for both Vanderbilt and Xavier, the five-time Atlantic 10 champ.
Story from ESPN.com
2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Week 3 Rankings – ESPN/USA Today Poll
1 North Carolina (30) 3-0 774
2 Kentucky (1) 4-0 732
3 Ohio State 3-0 708
4 Connecticut 4-0 668
5 Syracuse 4-0 652
6 Duke 4-0 640
7 Louisville 3-0 555
8 Memphis 1-0 497
9 Florida 2-1 480
10 Baylor 3-0 443
11 Wisconsin 3-0 438
12 Xavier 3-0 394
13 Alabama 5-0 379
14 Kansas 1-1 327
15 Michigan 3-0 288
16 Pittsburgh 2-1 252
17 Marquette 4-0 241
18 California 3-0 216
19 Gonzaga 3-0 208
20 Florida State 4-0 189
21 Missouri 3-0 181
22 Vanderbilt 3-1 179
23 Arizona 4-1 134
24 Texas A&M 3-1 65
25 Creighton 4-0 62
Others receiving votes: Mississippi State 58, Purdue 48, Villanova 48, Texas 31, UNLV 23, Cincinnati 23, Northwestern 22, Temple 20, Cleveland State 20, Saint Louis 12, Michigan State 12, George Mason 10, Illinois 8, Long Beach State 8, San Diego State 8, Saint Mary’s 6, Oklahoma State 6, Washington 3, Virginia 2, Indiana 2, Marshall 1, Harvard 1, Notre Dame 1
2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Week 3 Rankings – AP Top 25
1 North Carolina (62) 3-0 1,621
2 Kentucky 4-0 1,528
3 Ohio State (1) 3-0 1,493
4 Connecticut (2) 4-0 1,426
5 Syracuse 4-0 1,353
6 Duke 4-0 1,305
7 Louisville 3-0 1,186
8 Memphis 1-0 1,123
9 Baylor 3-0 1,079
10 Florida 2-1 998
11 Wisconsin 3-0 916
12 Xavier 3-0 912
13 Alabama 5-0 820
14 Kansas 1-1 717
15 Michigan 3-0 587
16 Marquette 4-0 558
17 Pittsburgh 2-1 524
18 Vanderbilt 3-1 468
19 Gonzaga 3-0 454
20 California 3-0 420
21 Missouri 3-0 327
22 Florida State 4-0 323
23 Arizona 4-1 273
24 Mississippi State 4-1 215
25 Texas A&M 3-1 108
Others receiving votes: Cleveland State 94, Michigan State 58, Creighton 48, Cincinnati 30, Washington 27, UNLV 23, Villanova 18, Temple 14, San Diego State 12, Saint Mary’s 9, Oregon State 7, Kent State 7, Belmont 6, Saint Louis 6, Purdue 4, New Mexico State 4, Notre Dame 4, Long Beach State 4, Texas 4, Harvard 3, Illinois 2, Georgetown 2, Middle Tennessee 2, Minnesota 1, Marshall 1, West Virginia 1
2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Week 2 Rankings – ESPN/USA Today Poll
1 North Carolina (30) 2-0 774
2 Kentucky (1) 1-0 732
3 Ohio State 1-0 701
4 Connecticut 1-0 669
5 Syracuse 1-0 654
6 Duke 2-0 632
7 Louisville 2-0 538
8 Florida 1-0 519
9 Pittsburgh 2-0 502
10 Memphis 0-0 452
11 Kansas 1-0 393
12 Baylor 2-0 390
13 Wisconsin 1-0 359
14 Xavier 1-0 333
15 Alabama 1-0 261
16 Arizona 3-0 254
17 Michigan 1-0 240
18 Texas A&M 2-0 218
19 Marquette 1-0 182
20 Cincinnati 1-0 176
20 Vanderbilt 1-1 176
22 California 2-0 145
23 Gonzaga 1-0 126
24 Florida State 1-0 103
25 Missouri 1-0 88
Others receiving votes: Texas 80, Purdue 55, Temple 54, Washington 49, Villanova 34, New Mexico 27, Creighton 23, UNLV 21, Michigan State 20, Cleveland State 13, George Mason 11, Georgetown 10, UCLA 10, West Virginia 10, St. John’s 8, Oklahoma State 8, Saint Mary’s 6, Butler 6, Drexel 5, Long Beach State 3, Virginia Commonwealth 3, Wichita State 1, Brigham Young 1
2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Week 2 Rankings – AP Top 25
1 North Carolina (62) 2-0 1,620
2 Kentucky 1-0 1,519
3 Ohio State (1) 1-0 1,486
4 Connecticut (2) 1-0 1,429
5 Syracuse 1-0 1,358
6 Duke 2-0 1,274
7 Florida 1-0 1,132
8 Louisville 2-0 1,122
9 Pittsburgh 2-0 1,084
10 Memphis 0-0 1,017
11 Baylor 2-0 962
12 Kansas 1-0 835
13 Xavier 1-0 806
14 Wisconsin 1-0 801
15 Arizona 3-0 607
16 Alabama 1-0 497
17 Michigan 1-0 475
18 Vanderbilt 1-1 454
19 Texas A&M 2-0 444
20 Cincinnati 1-0 410
21 Marquette 1-0 406
22 Gonzaga 1-0 311
23 California 2-0 295
24 Missouri 1-0 200
25 Florida State 1-0 132
Others receiving votes: Temple 79, Michigan State 78, Washington 47, Cleveland State 43, New Mexico 34, UCLA 34, Belmont 21, Creighton 19, Villanova 19, Texas 18, Drexel 13, UNLV 9, Saint Mary’s 6, Purdue 5, San Diego State 3, George Mason 3, Harvard 3, Butler 3, Long Beach State 3, Utah State 3, Illinois 2, Marshall 1, Minnesota 1, Akron 1, West Virginia 1
2011 NCAA Basketball Rankings Preseason – AP Top 25
1 North Carolina (62) 0-0 1,620
2 Kentucky 0-0 1,501
3 Ohio State (1) 0-0 1,482
4 Connecticut (2) 0-0 1,433
5 Syracuse 0-0 1,338
6 Duke 0-0 1,301
7 Vanderbilt 0-0 1,120
8 Florida 0-0 1,086
9 Louisville 0-0 1,055
10 Pittsburgh 0-0 1,027
11 Memphis 0-0 997
12 Baylor 0-0 892
13 Kansas 0-0 755
14 Xavier 0-0 747
15 Wisconsin 0-0 720
16 Arizona 0-0 616
17 UCLA 0-0 404
18 Michigan 0-0 401
19 Alabama 0-0 395
20 Texas A&M 0-0 357
21 Cincinnati 0-0 353
22 Marquette 0-0 335
23 Gonzaga 0-0 283
24 California 0-0 230
25 Missouri 0-0 139
Others receiving votes: Florida State 131, Michigan State 128, Temple 69, Washington 44, New Mexico 33, Butler 25, Texas 21, Villanova 14, Creighton 12, Purdue 10, Belmont 8, Drexel 8, UNLV 7, Saint Mary’s 6, George Mason 5, West Virginia 4, Long Beach State 3, Miami (FL) 3, Harvard 2, Illinois 2, Marshall 1, Minnesota 1, San Diego State 1
Dropped from rankings: San Diego State 6, Texas 8, Purdue 13, West Virginia 22, Washington 23
NEW YORK (AP) — Xavier is the preseason favorite in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
The Musketeers, who have clinched at least a share of the regular-season title the last five years, received 18 first-place votes on Thursday from the league’s head coaches and members of the media.
Temple, which has won three of the last four A-10 tournaments, was second with the other four first-place votes.
Saint Louis was third followed by St. Bonaventure, Richmond, Dayton, St. Joseph’s, George Washington, Duquesne, Rhode Island, Charlotte, Massachusetts, La Salle and Fordham.
The preseason first-team is all seniors: Xavier’s Tu Holloway, last season’s player of the year, St. Bonaventure’s Andrew Nicholson, Temple’s Ramone Moore and Juan Fernandez, and George Washington’s Tony Taylor.