BET-Marquette, Wed. Mar. 9, 9:30 pm, FS1 & 970 AM

We definitely need to work on our D. But our TO,s led to easy fast break points. At one point Raftery said we would be better off throwing the ball out of bounce, at least then our D could get set. Plus every time a player was touched a foul was called, which resulted in more points.
 
I guess i should just be glad it's over, but the season was mostly like watching a George Chuvalo fight. It was painful just to watch and you mostly wanted to turn your head away.

"In the clearing stands a boxer..."

Beast, just for clarification, do those points count towards CJ's BE averages? ;)

If the two game killing turnovers do.

Good for him to have a mostly really strong game.

All in fun respect your opinion as always
 
Putting this season behind us is prudent, but Maher is spot on re the defense being a horror. LoVett and some new guys will certainly help on the offensive end, but the need to value the ball & avoid senseless turnovers has to also be a point of emphasis.

A young team next year, with more offensive pieces hopefully, will still have to reduce turnovers, rebound better & stop allowing easy buckets.

IMO, staff has a lot of work to do to ensure SJU competes & reasonably succeeds next season. Go to it, clock is ticking.


Still need to have very reasonable expectations next year. 15-17 wins is all I think will happen. Year there is when I expect the jump to happen.

Concur, 15 would be great next year & year three could be fun.

Am a Mullin supporter, but think this staff has not yet evidenced ability to "'steal games" as they say. Perhaps that is unfair, because this year the roster certainly sucked. That said, I just don't feel confident about the staff out coaching most peers to this point. In fairness to CM & comrades it is obviously early in his coaching development. Let's hope both the players and staff are on a positive plane of development. Only heading to year two in this total rebuild, so patience & reasonable expectations seem in order.

I really don't think the failure to win the end game is on the staff, especially last night. Good players bear down and make plays when it matters most. We don't have that type of talent yet. Staff saved 3 timeouts while Wojo
had none. We couldn't just foul because they were lights out from the line. Mullin threw some full court presses at them, but every foul was being called. Within a minute or 2, Ellenson left wide open from 3, and CJ spins and misses from 6 feet, next possession gets stripped and loses the ball, and then makes an out of control drive that looked like he was given the ball on 4th and goal and was heading for the end zone. The way he played, the team gave it to the right guy. CJ took it to the basket, but Marquette's guys made plays while we didn't.

The last "4th and goal" play, how was that a no call? I mean two guys were there trying to take a charge on CJ and the second one came in way late. Your gonna call 60 fouls throughout a game and tell me that that is a no call? BS
 
3 thoughts:

- - Next season Mully and staff will begin to stand or fall with their own players so discussion regarding how good of a job will be clearer..

- - Christian Jones developed into a solid player this season with an ability to put the ball on the floor which many players his size don't have.

- - Hopefully last evening someone had an opportunity to introduce Christian Jones to the TV Announcer who seemingly did not know Jones while he was serving as the coach at StJohn's.


Christian Jones may have worked his way into next years starting lineup. Unfortunately he screwed up at the end of the game but certainly improved 100%. Speaking of not knowing Raftery kept referring to this being Jones' last season.
 
2nd half was semi enjoyable. The ref's sucked and made a lot of it unbearable.

Would have liked the win but also glad the season is over. Jones played real good.

All I'm going to say is this. I can get over turnovers and I can get over missed shots and even missed ft's.

BUT whoever is responsible for teaching defense you flat out did a horrible job doing it and Mullin as our CEO needs to take a hard look at the moving parts of the program and needs to see what worked and what didn't work because an influx of talent won't be just the recipe for good defense. You need to teach these kids how to play defense and we sucked just as much the last game of the season as we did in the beginning of the season

No free passes next year and a lot of people need to do some soul searching and not just think influx of talent will solve everything because look at teams like LSU



Agree with your comments regarding the lack of defensive coaching. Besides Marquette easily driving past our defenseless squad, how does one leave Ellenson alone in the corner to pop a three pointer and put Marquette back in the lead again. Oh, I must have forgotten we fall into the middle instead of staying with their best shooter/player.
 
I don't think there was anymore we could have done on Offense.



Oh yes. Don't let Balamou play most of the first half and part of the second. Ellison sat out the first half after throwing away another pass. In the second half he and Mussini penetrated the Marquette's defense, both going to the foul line and getting us back in the game.
 
You watch the game and think great effort and then realize SJU gave up 50 at the half and 75 by the 8 or 9 minute mark of the second half. The combination of Marquette probably relaxing and SJU making its foul shots prevented the game from being the usual big east blowout.
SJU players commit so many touch fouls ten to twenty feet away from the basket and never seem to foul to prevent a layup.
 
I guess i should just be glad it's over, but the season was mostly like watching a George Chuvalo fight. It was painful just to watch and you mostly wanted to turn your head away.

"In the clearing stands a boxer..."
Great boxing reference. Was a big Jerry Quarry fan and was at ringside with my Dad at MSG and we had a friendly bet on the fight. Quarry beats George pillar to post for the better part of 7 rounds when Chavalo connects and sends Quarry to the canvas. Jerry is on one knee and looks to be able to rise but was waiting for the count to reach eight. Garden was so loud he doesn't hear the count and is counted out for a Chavalo KO win and my Dad smacks me on the back so hard I got mad at him (LOL).
 
You watch the game and think great effort and then realize SJU gave up 50 at the half and 75 by the 8 or 9 minute mark of the second half. The combination of Marquette probably relaxing and SJU making its foul shots prevented the game from being the usual big east blowout.
SJU players commit so many touch fouls ten to twenty feet away from the basket and never seem to foul to prevent a layup.
EXACTLY What many perceive as our great comebacks is the other team blowing out to a 20 point lead, losing intensity, and coasting and then when it comes to crunch time and the opponent ups it's game again we fold. Take last night. M'Voika hits a 3 to put us up one with 3 minutes to go and we lose by 8 meaning in last 3 minutes we were out scored by 9 points.
 
Putting this season behind us is prudent, but Maher is spot on re the defense being a horror. LoVett and some new guys will certainly help on the offensive end, but the need to value the ball & avoid senseless turnovers has to also be a point of emphasis.

A young team next year, with more offensive pieces hopefully, will still have to reduce turnovers, rebound better & stop allowing easy buckets.

IMO, staff has a lot of work to do to ensure SJU competes & reasonably succeeds next season. Go to it, clock is ticking.

Still need to have very reasonable expectations next year. 15-17 wins is all I think will happen. Year there is when I expect the jump to happen.

No way do i see 17 wins next year, and trust me I hope I'm wrong, I love to eat sweet crow.
I'm going light on Mullin next year and saying 13-14 wins, and no matter what they better f'ing show improvement from November to March. They actually looked like they regressed this year, I stayed mute this year since we were giving Mullin a pass.

So next year 13-14 wins (yeah, that still sucks but atleast it's alittle improvement, improvement is all I want.).
In 2 years the NIT, then finally in 3 years then NCAA, and never look back.

Yeah, I'm as impatient as anyone, and want the process to move along quicker but it is what is it.
Hopefully we get some 5star immediate impact players to help the process go quicker.
 
Putting this season behind us is prudent, but Maher is spot on re the defense being a horror. LoVett and some new guys will certainly help on the offensive end, but the need to value the ball & avoid senseless turnovers has to also be a point of emphasis.

A young team next year, with more offensive pieces hopefully, will still have to reduce turnovers, rebound better & stop allowing easy buckets.

IMO, staff has a lot of work to do to ensure SJU competes & reasonably succeeds next season. Go to it, clock is ticking.

Still need to have very reasonable expectations next year. 15-17 wins is all I think will happen. Year there is when I expect the jump to happen.

Concur, 15 would be great next year & year three could be fun.

Am a Mullin supporter, but think this staff has not yet evidenced ability to "'steal games" as they say. Perhaps that is unfair, because this year the roster certainly sucked. That said, I just don't feel confident about the staff out coaching most peers to this point. In fairness to CM & comrades it is obviously early in his coaching development. Let's hope both the players and staff are on a positive plane of development. Only heading to year two in this total rebuild, so patience & reasonable expectations seem in order.

Good post.

A long time ago, I remember a game where the Knicks were playing the Celts. Starks was killing the Celtics, and midway through the 4th quarter was on the foul line for a couple of FTs with the Knicks up by about 10 points. In the silence that often occurs when guys line up, Larry Bird leans in and says, "Hey John! Great game tonight! But the rest of the game is mine." Bird took control from thereon out, and the Celts won by about 15.

That game reminds me of our season. On a lot of occasions, we hung close, but the outcome was never in doubt. Our opponents merely stepped on the gas when they had to, and we folded, the way inferior squads often do.

We never had a go to guy. That makes a big difference, because on good teams there are one or two guy who want the big shot and can make the big shot. Even looking back, I don't think our most knowledgeable fans would have a consensus on who we would want that guy to be. Neither did the team I guess.

Part of a coaching staff's responsibility is to instill confidence for these moments. Draw a play, or call timeout, and simply let the go to guys know that they WILL knock down a shot when they get an open look. I never thought our staff showed that kind of confidence in the players. More often than not, a sad resignation that we were getting pounded, and nothing they could do about it.

It's often said that playing good defense often just takes strong desire to do so as the most important attribute. We could have worked hard to be a team that even as inferior no one wanted to face because we'd make them work their butts off to get a good shot, and stay in their jocks and faces all game. It didn't happen, and 101 points last night was the result.

Better days ahead. Perhaps in a couple of years our squads will have the demeanor of Larry Bird, and our teams of old, that invariably took control confidently in the last 7-8 minutes, and pull out victory after victory.
 
Putting this season behind us is prudent, but Maher is spot on re the defense being a horror. LoVett and some new guys will certainly help on the offensive end, but the need to value the ball & avoid senseless turnovers has to also be a point of emphasis.

A young team next year, with more offensive pieces hopefully, will still have to reduce turnovers, rebound better & stop allowing easy buckets.

IMO, staff has a lot of work to do to ensure SJU competes & reasonably succeeds next season. Go to it, clock is ticking.


Still need to have very reasonable expectations next year. 15-17 wins is all I think will happen. Year there is when I expect the jump to happen.

Concur, 15 would be great next year & year three could be fun.

Am a Mullin supporter, but think this staff has not yet evidenced ability to "'steal games" as they say. Perhaps that is unfair, because this year the roster certainly sucked. That said, I just don't feel confident about the staff out coaching most peers to this point. In fairness to CM & comrades it is obviously early in his coaching development. Let's hope both the players and staff are on a positive plane of development. Only heading to year two in this total rebuild, so patience & reasonable expectations seem in order.

I really don't think the failure to win the end game is on the staff, especially last night. Good players bear down and make plays when it matters most. We don't have that type of talent yet. Staff saved 3 timeouts while Wojo
had none. We couldn't just foul because they were lights out from the line. Mullin threw some full court presses at them, but every foul was being called. Within a minute or 2, Ellenson left wide open from 3, and CJ spins and misses from 6 feet, next possession gets stripped and loses the ball, and then makes an out of control drive that looked like he was given the ball on 4th and goal and was heading for the end zone. The way he played, the team gave it to the right guy. CJ took it to the basket, but Marquette's guys made plays while we didn't.

I was not commenting on last night, just the season in general. Your points about last night at crunch time are quite fair IMO. Players have to execute. We just did not seize critical opportunities, can't fault staff on those.

Btw, I doubt Odell B of NY Giants could have caught that rocket from Jones. :)

lol did you see the look Yakwe gave Jones while both on the floor?
Gave him a look like wtfffffffff
 
I am more optimistic on next season and the future. Think we will be better than expected. Atlantis will help. Playing a true road game early (Carrier Dome?) will help.

I don't know I think we will be good. I am already excited
 
Sima, who I still think by his junior year will be very good;

"Probably the toughest season of my life comes to an end. Many ups and downs in a single season, a injury that kept me out for 7 games..."
 
Sima, who I still think by his junior year will be very good;

"Probably the toughest season of my life comes to an end. Many ups and downs in a single season, a injury that kept me out for 7 games..."

groin pull ? :)
 
I don't think there was anymore we could have done on Offense.



Oh yes. Don't let Balamou play most of the first half and part of the second. Ellison sat out the first half after throwing away another pass. In the second half he and Mussini penetrated the Marquette's defense, both going to the foul line and getting us back in the game.

If I remember correctly, Ellison picked up two quick first-half fouls.
 
I don't think there was anymore we could have done on Offense.



Oh yes. Don't let Balamou play most of the first half and part of the second. Ellison sat out the first half after throwing away another pass. In the second half he and Mussini penetrated the Marquette's defense, both going to the foul line and getting us back in the game.

If I remember correctly, Ellison picked up two quick first-half fouls.

Yes, and after we fell behind by double digits, he came back in, and later picked up a third.
 
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