We played USM in their game of the year at Hattiesburg. They played great, we played great and a tornado chased us out of their with the win.

Xavier's only hope is to win the tournament, they have 2 more big games in conference. They have a starter questionable for tonight.

Southern Miss now has a 34 RPI, Xavier a 95.

I think I'll say the Golden Eagles are tougher and the Tiger prevail tonight.

I think we'll be really up for the game tonight.

USM, by pretty much all metrics.

We will be able to judge better after tonight.

According to KenPom:

55 S. Miss
85 Xavier

Sagarin:
61 S. Miss
78 Xavier

Doesn't matter though. ANY team can lose away to a top 100 team.

I'm going to go against the trend. We have a big size advantage over USM and they had to adjust to account for that, which gave us opportunities to exploit. With Xavier, I don't think we have that same size advantage (although I do feel we have an overall advantage) and they will be able to play us more straight-up without bringing their perimeter players too far inside to help on the interior.

Like I said, I think we should still win, but don't think we'll be able to exploit any huge discrepancy to run Xavier out of the gym.

(02-26-2013 09:56 AM)MemphisTigerPawr Wrote:  We will be able to judge better after tonight.

BINGO ...

(02-26-2013 10:00 AM)99Tiger Wrote:  I'm going to go against the trend. We have a big size advantage over USM and they had to adjust to account for that, which gave us opportunities to exploit. With Xavier, I don't think we have that same size advantage (although I do feel we have an overall advantage) and they will be able to play us more straight-up without bringing their perimeter players too far inside to help on the interior.

Like I said, I think we should still win, but don't think we'll be able to exploit any huge discrepancy to run Xavier out of the gym.

Everyone has a big size advantage on Southern Miss though. That doesn't seem to factor into the games. Marshall is one of the tallest and most athletic teams in the country, and USM beat them by 56 points.

As for Xavier, they're tall, but not heavy, and their post players will have trouble with Black and Shaq on defense.

We just need to watch out for early fouls; the rest of the matchup really favors us.

(02-26-2013 09:55 AM)MemphisCanes Wrote:  USM, by pretty much all metrics.

By metrics USM, but Xavier has a real home court, a team used to big games & a crowd that will really support them. This makes Xavier a very dangerous team this time of year & a real test for our Tigers. I am confident we prevail but it may be a real struggle.

The name across the jersey says Xavier is better. That is all the media and casual fans will know.

Yep

USM is the better team but nobody in the country will believe it. We will come out motivated tonight. Tigers by 15.

(02-26-2013 10:11 AM)Atlanta Wrote:  

(02-26-2013 09:55 AM)MemphisCanes Wrote:  USM, by pretty much all metrics.

By metrics USM, but Xavier has a real home court, a team used to big games & a crowd that will really support them. This makes Xavier a very dangerous team this time of year & a real test for our Tigers. I am confident we prevail but it may be a real struggle.

They've lost to Vanderbilt and Wofford on that home court this season.

Xavier is a fringe top 100 team, like Harvard, UTEP, Tulane and Ohio. We shouldn't be losing to teams like this at this point in our season.

(02-26-2013 10:19 AM)MemphisCanes Wrote:  

(02-26-2013 10:11 AM)Atlanta Wrote:  

(02-26-2013 09:55 AM)MemphisCanes Wrote:  USM, by pretty much all metrics.

By metrics USM, but Xavier has a real home court, a team used to big games & a crowd that will really support them. This makes Xavier a very dangerous team this time of year & a real test for our Tigers. I am confident we prevail but it may be a real struggle.

They've lost to Vanderbilt and Wofford on that home court this season.

Xavier is a fringe top 100 team, like Harvard, UTEP, Tulane and Ohio. We shouldn't be losing to teams like this at this point in our season.

Very true.

Would be the worst to lose of the road games, only because of the name "Xavier" on the jersey. That would prove (?) to the talking heads that Memphis is no good because every NAME they have faced (they will conveniently dismiss TN) Memphis has lost. Therefore Memphis is a fraud.

...and, conversely, when Memphis wins, they will dismiss it as "well Xavier sucks anyway.."

(02-26-2013 10:13 AM)salukiblue Wrote:  The name across the jersey says Xavier is better. That is all the media and casual fans will know.

Bingo......that's why this game is huge. We will either be the new "dark horse team" or we are crap.

(02-26-2013 09:48 AM)cmt Wrote:  We played USM in their game of the year at Hattiesburg. They played great, we played great and a tornado chased us out of their with the win.

Xavier's only hope is to win the tournament, they have 2 more big games in conference. They have a starter questionable for tonight.

Southern Miss now has a 34 RPI, Xavier a 95.

I think I'll say the Golden Eagles are tougher and the Tiger prevail tonight.

I think we'll be really up for the game tonight.

USM is stubborn and decided to play our style although we have better players...

Xavier plays a slower more deliberate style...More about matchups/styles than who is better. We should still win though.

There is a different reason in each case; but we can't afford to lose any games.

I think Xavier will be playing with a lot of pride. It's their home court and a big game. While USM's a better team, I don't think we'll win as big over Xavier as we did USM, twice.

If Dee Davis plays....it will be very tight.
If not, it will be a tough game but Memphis should win handily, IMO.

We better not come out flat or it could be a long night