Silly Donovan
Well-known member
Disagree re. casual fans but we’ll see Hope u r right.
#11 Marquette (MSG), Tue., Feb. 4, 6:30p, FS-1
- Thread starter Knight
- Start date
Silly Donovan
Well-known member
Disagree, this is the most important game of the year to date.
Silly Donovan
Well-known member
Again, here’s where I disagree, for the reasons I stated above. This is the most important game of the season to date. Why are you all so afraid to call the team to task.
Silly Donovan
Well-known member
The point is Jack, if we are having the type of season we claim to be having we must win these big games at home.
Agree completely. It would be a bummer if we lost the next two to Marquette and UCONN. Losing one of those two does zero to dull the luster of this great year to date.
There’s a difference between a big game and a must-win game. The must-win nonsense is so tired on this board.
Yup, the 5 game BE gauntlet awaits, but imo w Pitino and this humble, hard working group will at least win three. Btw, I am sure they will learn from this near fatal collapse today. Rest assured Marquette, UConn and Creighton are still taking Johnnies quite seriously and expect a physical war. Kadary’s productivity and making big plays in clutch of late will not go unnoticed either.
I think all of January's games were much more of a must win than this game against Marquette. The reason is because we now finally have some margin of error built up. We need to eventually beat the Marquette/UConn/Creighton grouping, but the order doesn't matter.
Our resume is paper thin and can be flipped extremely quickly.
We will be a very tough matchup against Marquette, but we will have to up our game to win it. Excited to be there.
Our resume is paper thin and can be flipped extremely quickly.
We will be a very tough matchup against Marquette, but we will have to up our game to win it. Excited to be there.
Silly Donovan
Well-known member
Here’s what’s puzzling to me. For those that don’t feel this is an important must win. If you all claim to be the fans you say you are, and claim this team to be as good as you say, why not hold the team to a high standard. I expect this to be a win and will be very dissapointed if they don’t. I don’t expect wins on the road at Marquette or even UConn but why shouldn’t we expect a win at home?
And that my friends, is not “silly” at all it’s having confidence in the product on the floor.
And that my friends, is not “silly” at all it’s having confidence in the product on the floor.
I agree in the sense that we've avoided any bad losses to date.
Yeah, Smith will still have a little rust and wish he had more time prepare. I am not counting on him to hit many jumpers, but I still think he can help set tempo, stay on the ball defensively and rebound. Sim, as Mug has noted well, really has to step up and nail some “good look” jumpers to keep opponents honest. He has had his moments, but not consistency offensively. Be nice for him to play at that level Tuesday. All three guards and RJ really have to value ball v Marquette’s band of “pickpockets” and lane jumpers.
We're now basically in the clear, except for a Q4 (!) game against Seton Hall. Everything else is Q2 and above. During this stretch, for comparisons sake, four of the games were Q3. Those losses are killer if you aren't going to have multiple signature wins.
Everyone I know not on this board is talking or texting about St Johns. I have clients calling me after every game I had people at JFK last week rooting for St Johns when they put the game on for me. One of my friends that I brought to the msg open practice before the season started is all in and has been to bunch of games this year and I'm sure next year he will be season ticket holder ( he was at the game today )
My buddy from work who sits with us in 114 last game he walks into a bar in Del Ray Florida and they had the St Johns game on before he got there and the place was going nuts
We ended up at a Casino sports bar in Peru today trying to see the game they couldn't get it although somehow they had motorcycle racing on one of the tvs ( Ironically a racer named MMar in 2nd place and crapped the bed and fell to 12th ) but the Peruvian Manager of the place was frantically trying to get the game for us and he knew all about St Johns and Pitino and knew that we were playing Marquette next and already guaranteed us they will have that game on for us. He even knew Zuby
Luckily Nat signed up for some fubo thing so we watched it from her iPad there with the manager.
Lavin had huge Buzz that first year. Ironically it was about this time Lavin's first year where we started to build momentum but the Pitino buzz is on a different level not just NYC
NYC is ready to next level explode if we keep this up
We are having a great season. We are having a great season at 19-3, and we’d still be having a great season if that becomes 19-4.
Where are we if we lose a close one to Marquette but go into Storrs and win? Is this still not a great a season because we lost a home game? I agree this game Tuesday is massive, but it’s not a must win in any way.
It can’t be, not with the other Q1 opportunities we have ahead of us moving forward. I think what you’re pinpointing is you’d start to doubt if we’re “that good” if we lose. That doesn’t make it a must win realistically though
For anyone attending this game, prior to the game, the Big East road trip will be on site before the game, although I'm not sure the exact location, but must be somewhere near the arena.
Silly Donovan
Well-known member
I don’t think it’s a must win for the rankings, Dance invite etc. I think it’s a must win mostly from the PR aspect of it, the NY fan base, the casual fans and the “name brand”. Here in Florida, people don’t know St Johns unless they are trsnsplanted New Yorkers, but they do know UConn, Marquette and Nova. And why cause they have win some big games. If the Johnnies can beat a top 10 team who knows. Also, as I mentioned above, as of now we have a chance to win the league. Not beating Marquette at home will make that a very difficult task.
That’s where I also disagree. I mean honestly in terms of PR I’d say winning @Uconn would make a bigger statement to casual fans, because casual fans know UConn won the last two championship (and is a shoo in for the 3peat according to some
) and that game is on a Friday night on Fox so likely more people would take notice of it
To me these games this week are both equally huge. If we go 0-2, I think id definitely start to flirt with games becoming must wins from a PR and season standpoint. Im def not there yet
Jaden Daly noted
“Now furthering its best start to a Big East season since the storied Final Four run in 1985, St. John’s now prepares for a Marquette team that could very well maintain its Top 10 ranking when it comes to New York on Tuesday. The Red Storm has not faced an opponent ranked that high while also being a Top 15 team itself since 1998-99, but the numbers next to the names are irrelevant, says Richmond.”
“There’s always room for improvement,” the senior point guard cautioned. “We’re not overlooking anybody, we’re not looking ahead. We’re just taking it a game at a time and whoever we got next is who we got next. We’re gonna prepare the same way.”
“Now furthering its best start to a Big East season since the storied Final Four run in 1985, St. John’s now prepares for a Marquette team that could very well maintain its Top 10 ranking when it comes to New York on Tuesday. The Red Storm has not faced an opponent ranked that high while also being a Top 15 team itself since 1998-99, but the numbers next to the names are irrelevant, says Richmond.”
“There’s always room for improvement,” the senior point guard cautioned. “We’re not overlooking anybody, we’re not looking ahead. We’re just taking it a game at a time and whoever we got next is who we got next. We’re gonna prepare the same way.”