DePaul (UBS), Tue., Feb. 6, 6:30p, FS-1

[jerseyshorejohnny]

Latest From Zach:

Won't inundate everyone with thoughts from win over DePaul. Hard to take much out of it. That's the worst Big East team I've ever seen. One thing I will say, though, is I do think there is something to St. John's getting some confidence from seeing the 3-pointers fall. They simply can't survive shooting the way they have shot recently, and only attempting 16 3's per game. So with that in mind, yesterday was significant.


One other thought: Villanova at Xavier is a significant game for St. John's. You want Nova to get going so the two wins mean mor

 

[BrookJersey Redmen]

Not sure we had any Depaul fans at the game.

Not sure there are any DePaul fans. Maybe they masqueraded as empty seats, then they outnumbered us 5 to1.

I've never been to USB Arena as I live in NJ and only the Garden games are my thing except occasionally CA to see the 114 crew.

Barclays, let the ACC and A-10 have their Tournaments there, been there and even though I lived in that Borough for 25 years, I found Barclays soul less.

I can't comment on USB (done on purpose) since I haven't been there. From things 114 crew say, it is very nice. $45 parking if that is true is very steep. MJMJr do they have Bronx IPA, that makes all the difference?

Last night actual fannies in the seats from TV looked about 4,000, from just this site and Ticket Exchange fans couldn't give their tickets away, I am sure much of that was who we were playing, they are AWFUL.

I like Spanarkle as a color guy a lot, even though he went to Duke and is a Jersey City guy he likes the Johnnies, you can tell.

 

[Hardy]

whether we like UBS or not, seems the public (or lack thereof) has spoken on this one. clearly a failed experiment. I just hope we don't lose the SH game/tourney berth as a result.

 

[carmineabbatiello]

I feel like I am reading a dr suess book. As i have state before I wish he would feed Joel more and stop the dribble across 1/2 court and hoist up a 3.

Is it 'Cat in the Hat'? He doesn't do that. You should see Blake Hinson play.

 

[BrookJersey Redmen]

One more thing. Pitino after the DeP game gave high praise to Uconn's Spencer even comparing him to John Halicek (OMG).

Not for nothing, Havlicek was much better Bill Bradley but like Bradley, constantly, every single possession moving without the ball and getting back door layups or open jump shots. Never staying in one spot the entire 24 second clock.

CRP sounded like he wants Dingle to pattern his game after Spencer, Havlicek, (Bradley, another Ivy Leauger) and Cam Spencer. I couldn't believe how effusive Rick was over Spencer (portal possibility?)

 

[weathermannyc]

I think Ashe is more about the TV viewers than in-person attendees.

If St. John's can make it an annual event where we play a blue blood, I think it can be a huge TV rating hit. Duke, UCLA, Kansas, Kentucky, etc.

I like this idea. It would make it a unique marquee event that is centered around us. That is a brilliant marketing angle that gets people to start to think of us as the same as those other programs. Definitely a strong potential to raise the profile of the brand.

 

[dk423]

I like this idea. It would make it a unique marquee event that is centered around us. That is a brilliant marketing angle that gets people to start to think of us as the same as those other programs. Definitely a strong potential to raise the profile of the brand.

Yeah as long as the game's competitive. lol. With CRP, I have no doubt about it.

 

[monte]

All big east games should be played at MSG. There is no brand building at mom and pop CA arena. MSG should be a brand of SJU.

except we probably won't get more than 7k for a game against DePaul even at MSG. No point in that financially or otherwise

 

[monte]

Attendance will be Much better than yesterday for Seton Hall.

what's much better? I say 8k, maybe a little more.

 

[bucketshardy]

the empty space behind the hoops feels awkward for a bball game... not that there would have been bodies to sit in them last night... just amplifies the Hockey arena vibes

 

[OLV72]

Great to finally meet our resident elitist Maher and the 114 crew as well as fellow mod LMF.
Early flight back to Texas in the morning.

It was great seeing you, LMF and Jorge (regular visitor to 114). Mike might make it to bobble head status if he keeps up with pulling in so many guests this season. I am holding out hope for a visit by a charter member of section 114 - the Paultzman.

 

[Roamer]

except we probably won't get more than 7k for a game against DePaul even at MSG. No point in that financially or otherwise

Financially Hermes, Gucci and all the other luxury brands lose money having their retail stores in Manhattan but they keep it because of brand building. We need to align the program with MSG as much as possible even if some games are at a financial loss. No recruit cares about CA or UBS arena.

 

[monte]

Financially Hermes, Gucci and all the other luxury brands lose money having their retail stores in Manhattan but they keep it because of brand building. We need to align the program with MSG as much as possible even if some games are at a financial loss. No recruit cares about CA or UBS arena.

I hear what you're saying, and agree that our goal should be to play all our Big East games at MSG, but right now I think a packed CA is preferential to an empty MSG. You ain't inviting top recruits to watch us play a horrid DePaul team at an empty MSG anyways.

 

[carmineabbatiello]

what's much better? I say 8k, maybe a little more.

Well they announced 6000. I wasn't there but it looked like 1000 on the tele. I say announced 11k actual 9000.

 

[monte]

Well they announced 6000. I wasn't there but it looked like 1000 on the tele. I say announced 11k actual 9000.

People who were there said more like 4k. I assume they count sold and given away tickets, not actual fannies in the seats.

 

[anybody but a hoya]

I already asked but got no replies.

Bough on ebay for 28 dollars and 11 dollars shipping

 

[austour]

On the second one, the replay on the board at the arena showed Drissa (of all people based on his normal enthusiasm) had to pull Wilcher off the court and back towards the bench.

Similarly Brady was the most excited when Sim was taking threes. He jumped up at his first miss while the rest of the team continued sitting. Those two seem to have a deep friendship.

 

[austour]

As i have state before I wish he would feed Joel more and stop the dribble across 1/2 court and hoist up a 3.

True but you can't argue that at least he's getting better at initiating the offense as well. Seems RP has decided and gotten through that while he may need to be ball dominant at some points in the game it can't be his first option. When I turned on the game and the first thing I saw was a three of that ilk and also with him leaning 45 degrees to his left I was like ugh. But after that when the ball started moving around and they started to run actual offense he got his shots in the right position at the right time and made them. Also, two outliers means there's no outliers.. Hope he keeps it up.

Again, my outstanding issue is that even CA admits that while he may be this team's best player he's just fine. That's a team issue, not a Daniss issue. I feel like he's playing at his ceiling. Other guys have to continue to improve to be competitive. I want the best player to be better than fine, not closer to fine.

 

[jackfro]

I was one of them. I thought, pre-Pitino, that the situation might be forced on us by MSG, one day (I'm also of the mindset that MSG is an impediment to winning for us, right now, but that's for another thread).

I thought, if that happened, UBS would work as our "one-and-only" home court. Curtain off the entire upper bowl (which they've partially done for these games), and do something about the ridiculous parking fees for season ticket holders (I don't know what), and you'd have a home court, in a great location for most people (since Queens and Long Island make up most of the fanbase). You're also dealing with only one pro team rather than two, so more flexibility with scheduling (I hate all the noon starts, but that's just me).

However, it would probably take 2 or 3 years to build up that new home court advantage, and now that we've had a 2-game tease that didn't go well (crowd-wise), the reputation made proceed the place, for the fans, anyway.

I dispute the statement that Queens and L.I. make up the majority of the fanbase.

 

[austour]

Can't be mad at Pitino for the idea. If any of us complaining right now were sitting in a meeting with Pitino last March, and heard him go "we need to expand our reach, play more home games at MSG, and even a few games at UBS to maximize our LI alum base" we would all be nodding along. Cause the thought process behind it is smart. Thinking like a business man.

Unfortunately, you make a decision like that, you run the risk of it not working out. Especially in year one. The way I see it, games at a UBS are a nice treat for LI'ers, if the DEMAND to see St. John's is there. Right now, we haven't built that goodwill. I'd revisit the idea of playing at UBS after a couple sweet sixteen appearances, or one final four appearance, give or take.

Depaul was not the game to try that. Almost any other team would have drawn exponentially better. Depaul should have always and in the future be a CA game, or maybe a HS gym game, from here on out until they prove otherwise. Doesn't mean the idea of playing at USB was bad but the execution was horrid.