Xavier (6) vs Villanova (17)

[xu2002]

Edmond Sumner has been released and is heading home with the team. WAHOOO!

Him being healthy is the only thing that matters right now. X is 12-1, which anyone would have been thrilled with before the season, and the one loss was on the road against the pre-season 1st place pick with the random Sumner injury. X will be fine and move on.

[NovaBall]

https://mobile.twitter.com/RobDauster/status/682609860098273280/video/1

If that's a basketball play then they should be wearing shoulder pads. That is excessive, on not one but two players. I get not giving players an easy basket, but that's bullsh-- on novas part. And then to see crap like Archie slapping away our players hands when we try to help him up, just bullsh--.

Actually looked a lot harder in real time. Hart goes straight up and Jenkins is heading towards the back board. Pretty routine play, sumner just fell awkwardly.

Shame too. I would have rather he played. Nova needs to play against each team's best to help,prepare for march.

[NovaBall]

Man, it'd be nice for the Big East if Villanova would play like this in big games in March instead of continued early exits.

Well according to the narrative a lot of people are spewing, Nova pisses down their leg ANYTIME they play someone really good, heard that a lot following the Oklahoma and Virginia games. If you follow that narrative, maybe X just isn't ...

I been rooting for Nova for two consecutive years. But Nova makes it hard to root for them when they have two consecutive 2nd round (Round of 32) exits. I mean c'mon. I even chose them to go the Final Four two years ago in my bracket. I chose them against my team Connecticut and they choked hard against Uconn that year (Uconn went on to win it all)

Nova needs to show up in big NCAA games if they want to shed that reputation

I won my office pool in 2009 riding nova to the final 4. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, it's a single elimination tourney.

[DudeAnon]

https://mobile.twitter.com/RobDauster/status/682609860098273280/video/1

If that's a basketball play then they should be wearing shoulder pads. That is excessive, on not one but two players. I get not giving players an easy basket, but that's bullsh-- on novas part. And then to see crap like Archie slapping away our players hands when we try to help him up, just bullsh--.

Actually looked a lot harder in real time. Hart goes straight up and Jenkins is heading towards the back board. Pretty routine play, sumner just fell awkwardly.

Shame too. I would have rather he played. Nova needs to play against each team's best to help,prepare for march.

I think it was the guy that fell on Sumner that caused the injury.

Also, quote from Goodman

Mack said beyond relieved that Sumner is OK, and it puts the blowout loss to Nova in perspective. "I am not worried about that. That was the hardest thing I've ever gone through. I had the worst thing going through my mind when he wasn't responding right away. I am just so happy Ed is OK."

[kmacker69]

Good to hear that Sumner will be riding home with the team... Good news!

[ChestRockwell85]

Listen, what happened to Sumner was unfortunate and tough to watch regardless of who your team is, it was a hard foul but it was that and only that. No technical or intentional or anything called because of that. I think Xavier would have done better with him on the court but very few teams were going to beat Villanova the way they played today. End of discussion.

Also, Sumner was released from the hospital and will be traveling home with Xavier. This is wonderful news.

I am no idiot, I know Villanova does live by the 3, and die by the 3, and today was an example of what happens when we are on, but we scored in a VARIETY of a ways. Don't ignore that. I think we scored close to 40 in the paint today.

I feel for Xavier fans, I know next time we play you it will be a lot closer, but watching Villanova vs. Oklahoma this year, I know what it feels like when the other team can't miss and it is certainly frustrating. Xavier is a very tough team and I look forward to playing you guys again on your home court.

By the way, Jay Wright tweeted this, "The Nova Nation prayers are with @edmondsumner a true warrior!" He is a classy guy. He gets his players to play hard and play tough, but he does not get his players to play dirty. Again, very tough to watch Sumner going down like that, but Villanova is not the type of team to go out there and try to hurt somebody. Jay Wright doesn't run that type of program.

[anXUfan]

It didn't look like an extraordinary foul to me.

On Arch angrily pushing away Macura's offered hand, Macura seems to have that effect on a of of opposing players.

I'm glad X gets another chance to play Nova this season. They weren't themselves today.

[NovaBall]

.

Funny coming from a team that's only one game over .500 in BE play since they joined. How about X show up for league play? So you're saying X isn't really that good then? We're pretty much the same group that shot 39% last year, so yeah today's shooting isn't a surprise at all.

And oh yeah, 0-6

Well first of all, Nova is shooting 31% from 3 this year.... today they shot 52%..... but that performance "isn't a surprise at all" to you?

Secondly, why are you concerned about Xavier "showing up for league play"? They showed up enough to get a 6 seed, and then carry on to the Sweet 16.

I am glad Nova shows up for league play.... wish they would do it in March when it actually matters. 2 seed and goes down in the first weekend of the tournament. Not good for Nova and certainly not good for Big East.

You can say 0-6 all you want. I don't really care that much about Xavier-Villanova games during regular season. Since Nova has been to the Sweet 16 last, Xavier has 4 Sweet 16's. I've rooted for Nova the past 2 years.... hopefully this is the year they can actual do something in March and do their part to legitimize the Big East.[/quote]

Sorry, but I'm not sure winning 2 tourney games as a 6 seed that was borderline top 25 all year helps the league more than only winning 1 tourney game as a 1 seed that was top 5 all year. I don't think nova going to the sweet 16 as an underdog in 2008 did more for the program than the two years of national recognition despite the early exits. Not even close really.

You think that one extra win against Georgia state is better than a 32 win season? Maybe because you have never been the big dog with the protected seed, so you think being Cinderella is better? But now you are in the big east you will probably start seeing better seeds, and sometimes you will win, and sometimes you will advance, and you will understand what I am saying.

[DudeAnon]

Xavier's women team just beat Nova, so does that even things out?

[XU85]

Let's let cooler heads prevail. No need to be sore losers (or sore winners). Not sure where some of these X-fans are coming from disparaging Nova.

The foul on Sumner was nothing more than a hard foul.

Give credit where credit is due. Nova played a helluva game. If we had to lose, at least it was to another Big East team.