Shootout aftermath

It's a game for the underdog. Always has been. It's the best game around here every year, any sport, because it never fails to reveal truths about players and teams. It honors worthwhile cliches: Toughness and want-to, mostly. It makes every player nervous. Poor Adam H. looked fairly scared to death.

It's a game that should have had M. Cronin asking his players afterwards, where have YOU guys been this season?

It was a game where the XU PA announcer should have been embarrassed. He mispronounced A. Hrycaniuk's name all game, and referred to "Rasheed'' Bishop without ever correcting himself.

(And yeah, I'll call myself out, too. I used last week's rating for X. The X-Men are 17th, not 21st. Apologies.)

It was a game, again, where XU's inside presence lacked. This is a pretty good basketball team with lots of options, but if it doesnt rebound better and play better generally in the post, things could get disappointing. Only seen them in person twice, last night and at Miami. Tim Pollitz, 6-5, took it to them inside at Millett; John Williamson did it last night... even AH had nine rebounds.

Above all, the Shootout redeemed itself as our premier local event. The play was ragged. The theatre was magnificent.