Coaching staff grade for Northeastern game......

[we are sju]

FWIW I thought Northeastern was a fine team that was coached very well and that played very well. Their conference is not a bad conference (VCU, anyone?). They came in prepared to play, showed no fear whatsoever, and took it to SJU in every phase of the game. At halftime we had something like 5 offensive boards to something like 18 for NE. They were probably taller than us at every position, but more than that they hit the boards hard on both ends of the floor. They were able to find their shooters (as many teams do against us) and their shooters were hot (also as often happens against us). I frankly enjoyed watching them play.

I tend to disagree that this was a coaching issue in terms of game strategy. My sense watching the game was that we would have gotten beaten by about the same score whether they played man or zone. If you want to criticize the staff, then perhaps the criticism would be that the team was not ready to play this opponent. They were apparently expecting a repeat of the St. Francis game, and Northeastern was a whole different level.

However, I think that is more on the players than the staff, and it's part of the learning process for this group that they can't take any game for granted.

I frankly think the staff has a tough job here. You knew (or should have known) coming in that they did not have enough experience, height, or depth. Their job has gotten tougher as it has turned out that the player they expected to be their star cannot dominate on the offensive end because he doesn't have a jump shot and doesn't have a PG mentality. So a half-dozen games into the season they have already had to make a switch at point guard to a player with a lot less experience who is still feeling his way around the position. It's the same thing up front, where the big man they hoped would be serviceable pulled a vanishing act for 3 and half games (although he stepped it back up in the second half yesterday). Meanwhile their other big, who is probably their most talented player is still trying to figure out where he fits in on both ends of the floor.

You all need to relax and enjoy what there is to enjoy, which is watching this group develop. Yes, they're only going to win 11 games. This year, the wins and losses aren't what it's about. If they are better individually and as a team in February, then the season has been a success, and next year you can start worrying about the record.

 

WOW
I actually agree 100% with this post. In fact I think this post should just be resubmitted whenever someone starts bitching about the coaching or a loss this season. 

 

[mkras99]

You all need to relax and enjoy what there is to enjoy, which is watching this group develop. Yes, they're only going to win 11 games. This year, the wins and losses aren't what it's about. If they are better individually and as a team in February, then the season has been a success, and next year you can start worrying about the record.

 

This.

 

[newsman13]

i have all the confidence in the world in our coaches ... and the new players are talented and for the most part, fun to watch.

you have to admit it's disheartening to lose to a mid major that won only eleven games last year.

 

[Moose]

i have all the confidence in the world in our coaches ... and the new players are talented and for the most part, fun to watch.

you have to admit it's disheartening to lose to a mid major that won only eleven games last year.

 

I wouldn't go off what they did last year. Players return and improve. We seem to be playing a lot of upper class heavy teams.

Also someone somewhere in some thread pointed out losing to them isnt as bad as some other BE losses. Cincy for one.

 

[lawmanfan]

i have all the confidence in the world in our coaches ... and the new players are talented and for the most part, fun to watch.

you have to admit it's disheartening to lose to a mid major that won only eleven games last year.

 

RPI of SJU opponents so far (per Sportsline):

Arizona = 38
Northeastern = 51
Texas A & M = 121
Lehigh = 159
St Francis = 285
UMBC = 317
Wm & Mary = 338

For those who don't know, Northeastern's conference includes VCU, ODU, Georgia State, George Mason, and James Madison. At the moment they're in first place in that conference.

They lost to UMass (RPI 105) and beat Southern Illinois (RPI 178), BU (RPI 201) and SJU (RPI 239).

3 of their top players are juniors.

This wasn't an awful loss. Right now, they are just better than we are. By the end of the season it may be different.

 

[Class of 72]

i have all the confidence in the world in our coaches ... and the new players are talented and for the most part, fun to watch.

you have to admit it's disheartening to lose to a mid major that won only eleven games last year.

 

RPI of SJU opponents so far (per Sportsline):

Arizona = 38
Northeastern = 51
Texas A & M = 121
Lehigh = 159
St Francis = 285
UMBC = 317
Wm & Mary = 338

For those who don't know, Northeastern's conference includes VCU, ODU, Georgia State, George Mason, and James Madison. At the moment they're in first place in that conference.

They lost to UMass (RPI 105) and beat Southern Illinois (RPI 178), BU (RPI 201) and SJU (RPI 239).

3 of their top players are juniors.

This wasn't an awful loss. Right now, they are just better than we are. By the end of the season it may be different.

 

It was not an awful loss....it was a bad loss.
RPI is valid at selection time but in November it is just a number amongst many different ranking sources.
SOS for St. John's is 11th nationally while Northeastern's is 88th. In the POM rankings, NE is 114 while SJ is 121.
Yes, they had three experienced juniors but SJ and its coaches let one run wild and score a personal best.
Good defensive adjustments recognize the greatest threat and attempt to neutralize it......SJ made a poor attempt at guarding NE's best player and made him look like an All-American. Smith may not have a better game all year. Therer is no sugar-coating that.
The SJ team came out flat on its home court and stayed that way the enti game. The zone made three guys lazy on defense while the two up front were chasing their tails. The coaches failed to mix up the defensive assignments and our offense was disorganized. Kudos to NE for winning but they were playing 4 freshmen on holiday.

 

[beast of the east]

FWIW I thought Northeastern was a fine team that was coached very well and that played very well. Their conference is not a bad conference (VCU, anyone?). They came in prepared to play, showed no fear whatsoever, and took it to SJU in every phase of the game. At halftime we had something like 5 offensive boards to something like 18 for NE. They were probably taller than us at every position, but more than that they hit the boards hard on both ends of the floor. They were able to find their shooters (as many teams do against us) and their shooters were hot (also as often happens against us). I frankly enjoyed watching them play.

I tend to disagree that this was a coaching issue in terms of game strategy. My sense watching the game was that we would have gotten beaten by about the same score whether they played man or zone. If you want to criticize the staff, then perhaps the criticism would be that the team was not ready to play this opponent. They were apparently expecting a repeat of the St. Francis game, and Northeastern was a whole different level.

However, I think that is more on the players than the staff, and it's part of the learning process for this group that they can't take any game for granted.

I frankly think the staff has a tough job here. You knew (or should have known) coming in that they did not have enough experience, height, or depth. Their job has gotten tougher as it has turned out that the player they expected to be their star cannot dominate on the offensive end because he doesn't have a jump shot and doesn't have a PG mentality. So a half-dozen games into the season they have already had to make a switch at point guard to a player with a lot less experience who is still feeling his way around the position. It's the same thing up front, where the big man they hoped would be serviceable pulled a vanishing act for 3 and half games (although he stepped it back up in the second half yesterday). Meanwhile their other big, who is probably their most talented player is still trying to figure out where he fits in on both ends of the floor.

You all need to relax and enjoy what there is to enjoy, which is watching this group develop. Yes, they're only going to win 11 games. This year, the wins and losses aren't what it's about. If they are better individually and as a team in February, then the season has been a success, and next year you can start worrying about the record.

 

WOW
I actually agree 100% with this post. In fact I think this post should just be resubmitted whenever someone starts bitching about the coaching or a loss this season. 

 

If Northeastern as a mid major goes something like 24-7 I'd be inclined to agree. My opinion is that we have vastly superior athletes and there aren't 3 guys on that roster that LAvin would have recruited - maybe not 1. So, if this is a great upperclassmen team at the end of the season, I'll retract that. Until then I'd say we got our shorts handed to us by a mediocre mid major squad.

 

[malone611]

 You guys are so stupid. St. John's is extremely short handed this year. They have no size and they have trouble hitting foul shots. St. John's could still finish as high as six in the Big East. Cincy lost at home to Presbyterian and Marshall. Seton Hall went to OT with St. Francis (NY). Providence is terrible this year. They got destroyed on aneutral court to an average Iowa State team and Northern Iowa. ND lost to a terrible Georgia team with Abromaitis. Now he is out for the year, how bad are they going to be? Pitt lost at home to a decent Long Beach State team and beat a bad LaSalle team by 4. South Florida lost to one of the worst teams in the country in Penn State on a neutral court. Villanova looks bad as they were deominated by St. Louis and blew a 7 point lead in the last two minutes to Santa Clara and lost the game. West Virginia squeaked by Oral Roberts and lost at home to Kent State. Lets see how good they are tonight as they are a 10.5 point favortie at home against Akron. Rutgers lost a wire-to-wire game against Illinois State who was picked to finish 8th or 9th in the MVC ahead of a terribled Southern Illinois team and and awful Bradley team. Oh, by the way Rutgers was dominated by Richmond who returned one starter from last year. DePaul has been a little better than I thought they were going to be but what they have really done besides lose a double digit lead to Minny and beat Texas Tech and Arizona State, two terrible teams. Even UConn lost as a 7 point favorite to Central Florida.

But I understand what you are saying, Jay Wright, Mick Cronin, Bob Huggins, Ed Cooley, Mike Brey, Jamie Dixon, and Coach Rice from Rutgers, they are all terrible coaches Sometimes the team just does not play well. They have seven scholorship players that play. The former walk-on that got one doesn't play. By not qualifying academically JaKarr Sampson and Norvell Pelle really hurt this team. But they don't care, they are thinking about the NBA.

 

[beast of the east]

Not that I don't like this team very much, because I do think it's a great start to what will be a very solid team in years to come, BUT, i do take exception to you categorizing long term fans as "stupid", so lets make a deal.

6th place in the Big East will take 11 or 12 wins. Last season, the 6th and 7th place team had 11 wins. If this team finishes 6th place and wins 11 or more games in conference, I'll not only publicly declare my stupidity, but in a bet, give you say $500. Would you do the same if they don't finish 6th or higher?

This is a building year with short handed kids learnign to play together. That doesn't preclude the fact that IMO the coaching staff gets this "L", the same way they deserved the "L" by allowing Fordham to creep back into last years game by staying in zone.

 You guys are so stupid. St. John's is extremely short handed this year. They have no size and they have trouble hitting foul shots. St. John's could still finish as high as six in the Big East. Cincy lost at home to Presbyterian and Marshall. Seton Hall went to OT with St. Francis (NY). Providence is terrible this year. They got destroyed on aneutral court to an average Iowa State team and Northern Iowa. ND lost to a terrible Georgia team with Abromaitis. Now he is out for the year, how bad are they going to be? Pitt lost at home to a decent Long Beach State team and beat a bad LaSalle team by 4. South Florida lost to one of the worst teams in the country in Penn State on a neutral court. Villanova looks bad as they were deominated by St. Louis and blew a 7 point lead in the last two minutes to Santa Clara and lost the game. West Virginia squeaked by Oral Roberts and lost at home to Kent State. Lets see how good they are tonight as they are a 10.5 point favortie at home against Akron. Rutgers lost a wire-to-wire game against Illinois State who was picked to finish 8th or 9th in the MVC ahead of a terribled Southern Illinois team and and awful Bradley team. Oh, by the way Rutgers was dominated by Richmond who returned one starter from last year. DePaul has been a little better than I thought they were going to be but what they have really done besides lose a double digit lead to Minny and beat Texas Tech and Arizona State, two terrible teams. Even UConn lost as a 7 point favorite to Central Florida.

But I understand what you are saying, Jay Wright, Mick Cronin, Bob Huggins, Ed Cooley, Mike Brey, Jamie Dixon, and Coach Rice from Rutgers, they are all terrible coaches Sometimes the team just does not play well. They have seven scholorship players that play. The former walk-on that got one doesn't play. By not qualifying academically JaKarr Sampson and Norvell Pelle really hurt this team. But they don't care, they are thinking about the NBA.

 

 

[beast of the east]

They lost 20 games last year

i have all the confidence in the world in our coaches ... and the new players are talented and for the most part, fun to watch.

you have to admit it's disheartening to lose to a mid major that won only eleven games last year.

 

I wouldn't go off what they did last year. Players return and improve. We seem to be playing a lot of upper class heavy teams.

Also someone somewhere in some thread pointed out losing to them isnt as bad as some other BE losses. Cincy for one.

 

 

[fun]

 You guys are so stupid.

You had me at hello. 

 

[Moose]

I don't mean for this to sound condescending but did you follow them last year? Maybe a key player missed a bunch of games? Or they played nightmare schedule? Just not right to throw a blanket statement out there especially since the RPI this year shows something different.

They lost 20 games last year

i have all the confidence in the world in our coaches ... and the new players are talented and for the most part, fun to watch.

you have to admit it's disheartening to lose to a mid major that won only eleven games last year.

 

I wouldn't go off what they did last year. Players return and improve. We seem to be playing a lot of upper class heavy teams.

Also someone somewhere in some thread pointed out losing to them isnt as bad as some other BE losses. Cincy for one.

 

 

 

[beast of the east]

I do know they ended the season by winning 7 out of 11.

"The way players developed last year will lessen the effect of losing one of the school’s best players of all-time, Chaisson Allen. This was especially true with juniors Joel Smith and Jonathan Lee."

The scouting report shows optimism, but their own coach says,

“We understand what the end goal is and that’s to be competitive in the CAA,” Coen said.

Does that sound like a program ready to knock off Big East competition?

The best thing you can hope for is that this game was an aberration and the team will improve as the season goes on.

I don't mean for this to sound condescending but did you follow them last year? Maybe a key player missed a bunch of games? Or they played nightmare schedule? Just not right to throw a blanket statement out there especially since the RPI this year shows something different.

They lost 20 games last year

i have all the confidence in the world in our coaches ... and the new players are talented and for the most part, fun to watch.

you have to admit it's disheartening to lose to a mid major that won only eleven games last year.

 

I wouldn't go off what they did last year. Players return and improve. We seem to be playing a lot of upper class heavy teams.

Also someone somewhere in some thread pointed out losing to them isnt as bad as some other BE losses. Cincy for one.