I'm just sick of these marginal losses. A loss is a loss. If it is 1 point or 100. It is the repetitive cycle of missing the win by that slimmest of margins which is so deflating. I hope we can flip the script and start winning these "winnable" games. Happy new year everyone
@Creighton, Tue., Dec. 31, 4p, PEACOCK
- Thread starter Knight
- Start date
Wild overreaction to this loss. I posted pregame this would be one of the toughest all season.
We beat them last year at MSG with Jenkins/Dingle going for 45 points combined on only one made 3 and not many FTs. Add in 10 off the bench from Wilcher and Alleyne (again no 3s). Most of that was in the mid-range, and McDermott said as much after the game.
Tonight our better midrange shooters didn't do damage there, and Kalk was able to impact folks like Kadary, RJ or Smith who like to get even a bit deeper into the midrange. Kalk's presence also impacted what we do best, which is get to the paint/rim and offensive rebound.
With all that, RJ still had a good look for the W that looked good off the finger tips and front-rimmed.
If we continue to play defense like we've been doing in the league thus far, this team will be more than fine and do damage.
And, yes, I still think the shooting will improve between Wilcher, Scott, RJ and perhaps others here or there, especially with Richmond in that midrange against most teams who don't have a guy like Kalk that is such a terrific, disruptive and disciplined defender.
We beat them last year at MSG with Jenkins/Dingle going for 45 points combined on only one made 3 and not many FTs. Add in 10 off the bench from Wilcher and Alleyne (again no 3s). Most of that was in the mid-range, and McDermott said as much after the game.
Tonight our better midrange shooters didn't do damage there, and Kalk was able to impact folks like Kadary, RJ or Smith who like to get even a bit deeper into the midrange. Kalk's presence also impacted what we do best, which is get to the paint/rim and offensive rebound.
With all that, RJ still had a good look for the W that looked good off the finger tips and front-rimmed.
If we continue to play defense like we've been doing in the league thus far, this team will be more than fine and do damage.
And, yes, I still think the shooting will improve between Wilcher, Scott, RJ and perhaps others here or there, especially with Richmond in that midrange against most teams who don't have a guy like Kalk that is such a terrific, disruptive and disciplined defender.
Silly Donovan
Well-known member
As the dust settles on this loss, I have to admit that I am less optimistic after a close win against a weak PC team and a loss to Creighton. And after PC’s loss at home to Marquette by 28 dispelling any falsehoods of their great home court advantage, I am actually concerned that if this group doesn’t figure out how to compensate for their shooting woes, they may be on the outside looking in come Dance time.
Of course I’ll keep rooting/hoping for a turn around but as someone already mentioned, shooting is a tough thing to fix at this point in the season. And while our defense has been our strong point, teams in the top half of the league are still going to score.and the Johnnie’s will need to hit a respectable percentage to stay in the game.
With few quality wins in the OOC schedule, this next stretch of Big East games will be necessary to keep our head above water.
Of course I’ll keep rooting/hoping for a turn around but as someone already mentioned, shooting is a tough thing to fix at this point in the season. And while our defense has been our strong point, teams in the top half of the league are still going to score.and the Johnnie’s will need to hit a respectable percentage to stay in the game.
With few quality wins in the OOC schedule, this next stretch of Big East games will be necessary to keep our head above water.
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Easy money was made on this game. Was hoping for a win but had a feeling we wouldn’t.
Silly Donovan
Well-known member
Which begs the question we have asked of other staffs, where are the sets to open people up?
carmineabbatiello
Well-known member
Our half court defense was lockdown awesome! For long spells it seemed like the Jays only scored on long rebound 3's when we were in an unset scramble or when we tripped over ourselves. As good as I've seen it and in a tough road environment. Forced 19 turnovers and their star into a 4 assist 10 turnover 33% shooting night.
Once again Sim's phony tough guy act costly in another game with no margin for error. Stupidity like this and vs. Baylor, I forget the 3rd game, lead to declined Nit bids. The 5 pt swing from his missed uncontested layup into the Ashworth 3 was brutal.
Once again Sim's phony tough guy act costly in another game with no margin for error. Stupidity like this and vs. Baylor, I forget the 3rd game, lead to declined Nit bids. The 5 pt swing from his missed uncontested layup into the Ashworth 3 was brutal.
Silly Donovan
Well-known member
I think that Smith among a few others that have better three point shooting stats than Brady.
Reasonable Gene
Silly Donovan
Well-known member
Or maybe Coach needs to follow the Marquette model, recruit high end HS kids and develop them so that every year is not starting over again with over priced transfers.
carmineabbatiello
Well-known member
Did you see when they showed the final sequence in last year's game? That sure was an interesting screw job.
MugCostanza
Well-known member
Does the SJU Moral Victory Police account on Twitter still exist
Larry Wright
Well-known member
The big problem is this team is not built to win close games. Can’t shoot the three, terrible foul shooting team and our top two ball handlers are turnover prone. We will blow out teams but will lose most close games. Again in now 2025 you can’t put a roster together without any 3 point shooters.
Buckle up, going to be a bubble season again. Hopefully they do right by HOF coach and sneak us in this time. Next year he has to find some shooters.
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think I saw them w/the sky is falling crew
This stuff is not accurate. There are ebbs and flows on a season. If the team learns and adapts to these lessons anything is possible. It can go any direction. One loss does define the whole season.
We should have learned & adapted from Baylor & Georgia to win a winnable game @ Creighton. We're essentially at halfway point of season and we haven't had a win that convincingly demonstates this team can beat other very good teams. We've beat avg teams closely and bad teams by a lot.
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Larry Wright
Well-known member
We going to suddenly shoot well? Shoot free throws better? I like Smith a lot actually, but historically he has been turnover prone. Kadary has to get better because not sure he could get worse.
These problems not going away.
I have no idea why RP hadn’t sought a real 3 point shooter somewhere . I guess he thought Dunlap was enough but , that hasn’t worked out and the kid is injured and out for who knows how long ?
If he thought Richmond or Scott , Smith was that type player , he was wrong .
Bringing in free agents like Kadary , Smith , Scott is always risky and so far ,,hasn’t resulted in big results . Team chemistry ? Where ? I didn’t see any . Smith , Richmond and Wilcher are not point guards . And , I’m not sure they are shooting guards either .
Scott has been awful of late . Bring back Glen.Taylor.
Pitino admits he has no 3 point shooters . Why didn’t he recruit one ? They are out there but , our Staff always misses them . Shame on Rick and staff .
Being Athletic in the BE doesn’t mean much . Nearly all the other teams have Athletes too. Creighton doesn’t have a lot of them but , they always find guys who can shoot . Why can’t Pitino ?
So what if our defense turned over Ashworth
10 times . He still scored 18 and made 4 3’s for 12 points . We had 6 from the whole team !
In Head to head , I would say Ashworth had a better game than Smith .
Rick , like his contemporaries , Coach K, Wright , Bennett , etc seem flummoxed by having to bring in kids who drift from school to school . And ,,let’s face it , none of these guys came for anything but $$$$.
It creates a dilemma for a guy like Pitino who wants to develop players ,, not try and change players who may be resistant to change in their game . Or , who have reached their level of play and that’s it ..
Rick had his Coach on the floor last yearwith Jenkins .. This year nobody .
Needed Walter Clayton Jr.
The right $ could have drew him from Florida.. instead we went all in on Richmond who clearly is not a player in the Pitino mold.
Could be Pitino's biggest miss.
The right $ could have drew him from Florida.. instead we went all in on Richmond who clearly is not a player in the Pitino mold.
Could be Pitino's biggest miss.
This team I’m afraid will end up just like last years team. Somewhere around 12-8 in conference, 20-21 wins, no signature except maybe Creighton at home , we’ll beat Seton Hall twice, DePaul twice, probably Providence twice. I don’t even think we sweep Xavier. But, the result will be the same no NCAA bid. I will keep rooting and I hope I’m wrong.