Big East Media Day
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[quote="fordham96" post=299084][quote="Paultzman" post=299075]No Heron on list, because votes were tallied before he was cleared.[/quote]
So I assume then the pre-season poll having SJU 4th was also PRIOR to Heron being cleared?[/quote]
Told yes, but have not seen anything official on that
So I assume then the pre-season poll having SJU 4th was also PRIOR to Heron being cleared?[/quote]
Told yes, but have not seen anything official on that
ESPN.com has questions for the Big East including how big a leap SJU makes this year:
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...12/three-preseason-burning-questions-big-east
3. It seems like we hear this every few years, but is St. John's about to take a big step up?
Borzello: Given that I put St. John's in my preseason top 25, I sort of hope so. The Red Storm's talent level has not been in question the past few seasons, but they just haven't been able to put it together consistently. Last year's season was a microcosm of that: consecutive wins over Duke and Villanova immediately following an 0-11 start in the Big East. With Auburn transfer Mustapha Heron eligible, Chris Mullin will have one of the most dangerous backcourts in the country with Heron, Big East Player of the Year favorite Shamorie Ponds and versatile Justin Simon. St. John's has its usual assortment of talented newcomers, so this will come down to whether they figure it out on the offensive end on a nightly basis. Too often last year, the offense boiled down to Ponds or Simon or someone else going one-on-one and hoping for the best. The talent is certainly top-25-worthy, though.
Gasaway: Ponds can play for my team any day of the week, Heron's a big addition, and anyway, the Johnnies are due for naturally occurring "improvement," assuming the Big East no longer hits 40 percent of its 3s against these guys. So why am I having to talk myself into buying the hype? Two concerns: St. John's was drop-dead awful on the glass at both ends of the floor in conference play last season, and Mullins' guys won't be confused with Villanova anytime soon in terms of accuracy from the floor. You can work around either of those issues, but when you carry both of them throughout the season, well, it's a concern.
Medcalf: I'm not sold on it. Heron made 33 percent of his 3-point attempts, and St. John's was one of the worst 3-point-shooting teams in America last season. And Heron didn't have a dramatic impact on Auburn's defense when he was on the floor, per hooplens.com. I think he's a phenomenal scorer. But St. John's had five double-digit scorers a year ago. I'm not convinced that Heron is the player who turns that program around.
Schultz: Yes, this is the breakthrough year for St. John's, thanks in large part to the electric Ponds, whom I watched more than hold his own this summer against prominent NBA players. Ponds, who last season led the Big East in scoring at 21.6 PPG, is the best guard in the country nobody knows about. Don't forget about him torching Duke for 33 points last season. Better yet, he has more help now, thanks to Heron, who led Auburn with a healthy 16.4 PPG scoring average last year. Heron and Ponds form the most dynamic backcourt not just in the league but perhaps in the entire country. They are the main reason Mullin will have the Johnnies dancing for the first time since 2015.
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...12/three-preseason-burning-questions-big-east
3. It seems like we hear this every few years, but is St. John's about to take a big step up?
Borzello: Given that I put St. John's in my preseason top 25, I sort of hope so. The Red Storm's talent level has not been in question the past few seasons, but they just haven't been able to put it together consistently. Last year's season was a microcosm of that: consecutive wins over Duke and Villanova immediately following an 0-11 start in the Big East. With Auburn transfer Mustapha Heron eligible, Chris Mullin will have one of the most dangerous backcourts in the country with Heron, Big East Player of the Year favorite Shamorie Ponds and versatile Justin Simon. St. John's has its usual assortment of talented newcomers, so this will come down to whether they figure it out on the offensive end on a nightly basis. Too often last year, the offense boiled down to Ponds or Simon or someone else going one-on-one and hoping for the best. The talent is certainly top-25-worthy, though.
Gasaway: Ponds can play for my team any day of the week, Heron's a big addition, and anyway, the Johnnies are due for naturally occurring "improvement," assuming the Big East no longer hits 40 percent of its 3s against these guys. So why am I having to talk myself into buying the hype? Two concerns: St. John's was drop-dead awful on the glass at both ends of the floor in conference play last season, and Mullins' guys won't be confused with Villanova anytime soon in terms of accuracy from the floor. You can work around either of those issues, but when you carry both of them throughout the season, well, it's a concern.
Medcalf: I'm not sold on it. Heron made 33 percent of his 3-point attempts, and St. John's was one of the worst 3-point-shooting teams in America last season. And Heron didn't have a dramatic impact on Auburn's defense when he was on the floor, per hooplens.com. I think he's a phenomenal scorer. But St. John's had five double-digit scorers a year ago. I'm not convinced that Heron is the player who turns that program around.
Schultz: Yes, this is the breakthrough year for St. John's, thanks in large part to the electric Ponds, whom I watched more than hold his own this summer against prominent NBA players. Ponds, who last season led the Big East in scoring at 21.6 PPG, is the best guard in the country nobody knows about. Don't forget about him torching Duke for 33 points last season. Better yet, he has more help now, thanks to Heron, who led Auburn with a healthy 16.4 PPG scoring average last year. Heron and Ponds form the most dynamic backcourt not just in the league but perhaps in the entire country. They are the main reason Mullin will have the Johnnies dancing for the first time since 2015.
[quote="Paultzman" post=299087]https://twitter.com/nypost_brazille/status/1055461459524763651?s=21[/quote]
"Buying?" They are picked to finish 4th in a 10 team league in what everybody agrees is a down year for the BE. that is "buying the hype."
Can't wait until the first time DePaul doesn't get picked for last place, say 8th.
"Buying?" They are picked to finish 4th in a 10 team league in what everybody agrees is a down year for the BE. that is "buying the hype."
Can't wait until the first time DePaul doesn't get picked for last place, say 8th.
SJ Player interviews
https://twitter.com/bigeastmbb/status/1055481566376398848?s=21
https://twitter.com/bigeastmbb/status/1055481566376398848?s=21
[quote="fordham96" post=299090][quote="Paultzman" post=299087]https://twitter.com/nypost_brazille/status/1055461459524763651?s=21[/quote]
"Buying?" They are picked to finish 4th in a 10 team league in what everybody agrees is a down year for the BE. that is "buying the hype."
Can't wait until the first time DePaul doesn't get picked for last place, say 8th.[/quote]
Didn't you already tell us that ranking was without Heron? Plus, how often in the past two decades was St John's picked in the top 5.
"Buying?" They are picked to finish 4th in a 10 team league in what everybody agrees is a down year for the BE. that is "buying the hype."
Can't wait until the first time DePaul doesn't get picked for last place, say 8th.[/quote]
Didn't you already tell us that ranking was without Heron? Plus, how often in the past two decades was St John's picked in the top 5.
[quote="Room112" post=299103][quote="fordham96" post=299090][quote="Paultzman" post=299087]https://twitter.com/nypost_brazille/status/1055461459524763651?s=21[/quote]
"Buying?" They are picked to finish 4th in a 10 team league in what everybody agrees is a down year for the BE. that is "buying the hype."
Can't wait until the first time DePaul doesn't get picked for last place, say 8th.[/quote]
Didn't you already tell us that ranking was without Heron? Plus, how often in the past two decades was St John's picked in the top 5.[/quote]
I agree. And we cannot analyze and get into the lateral meaning of every word. The media throws words around all the time. So they use "buying."
And if you think that the poll was conducted before Heron, then 4th is low. If they re-take it now, SJU may move up right behind Villanova.
"Buying?" They are picked to finish 4th in a 10 team league in what everybody agrees is a down year for the BE. that is "buying the hype."
Can't wait until the first time DePaul doesn't get picked for last place, say 8th.[/quote]
Didn't you already tell us that ranking was without Heron? Plus, how often in the past two decades was St John's picked in the top 5.[/quote]
I agree. And we cannot analyze and get into the lateral meaning of every word. The media throws words around all the time. So they use "buying."
And if you think that the poll was conducted before Heron, then 4th is low. If they re-take it now, SJU may move up right behind Villanova.