By Steve DiMiceli
Hypothermia is a condition where the body temperature decreases below 95 degrees and it's effects can vary widely depending on severity. They range from shivering to hyperglycemia to blueness in extremities to loss of motor control and confusion. It can ultimately result in death as major organs begin to shut down and the brain functioning stops. The weird thing about hypothermia is that in about 20-50% of related deaths victims are found without any clothing on. This paradoxical undressing results from confusion and a giddy euphoria as body temperature continues to fall.
I'm not dying by any stretch of the imagination and I promise to show up to the Consol Energy Center with all by clothing on tonight. However, I've reach a similar paradoxical point where after suffering this past month mired in the coldest of cold streaks, my interest level in the team has strangely peaked again. Normally, after losses like the one against GW, I just want to hide. I avoid the message boards. It becomes more difficult to think of blog topics. I lose interest in attending games. Yet, my desire to talk Duquesne hoops is probably at its highest point since the WVU win. I must be freezing!
At the end of the day, the Dukes aren't too far off from where I expected them to be at this point in the season. Problem is I expected them to be in better shape to win a handful of games from here until the end of the season. Really, I thought they could win 4 of the last 8 and I didn't think they would lose to GW. The Colonials have really gelled and look a lot like the young 2010-2011 St Joe's team that started slow and knocked the Dukes out in the second round of the A-10 tournament. Of course, that was the first game the Dukes lost since Robert Morris that I expected them to win coming into the season.
It's gotten bad around these parts and it probably won't be much better the rest of the season. I guess I've really come to accept it. My long term outlook is not as troubling as most fan's. Maybe part of my interest in having a conversation about Duquesne these last few days has been about dispelling some of the negativity. Maybe it's fiery Coach Ferry getting me going again with his brutal but spot on rant following Wednesday's blow out. The funny thing is that I don't think I'm the only one whose interest has paradoxically returned.
**** Xavier Game Notes
Like GW, this is a game that I saw as a win heading into the season that I don't feel so hot about now. X is far more X like than I expected them to be. They're currently 5-3 in conference and number 81 in RPI. However, this is certainly the first time in a long while where Xavier appears to be truly rebuilding rather than reloading. They lost a ton of talent this offseason but thankfully they have a lot remaining.
Interior defense will be key for the Dukes today. Aside from two guys, Brad Redford and Dee Davis, the Musketeers haven't been a great 3 point shooting unit. Xavier's ball handlers are also young and inexperienced. Pressure applied to X's leading scorer and point guard Semaj Christon and Davis should result in some turnovers.
X has been vulnerable on the road this year so it's not out of the question that the Dukes pull off the minor upset. On the road, the Musketeers are 2-5 with wins coming against a down Purdue and in a tight game in Olean. The Dukes should expect a tough, physical game today and will need to step up their effort from previous outings if they hope to break the streak tonight.
