(EMPIRE Games @Barclays) Syracuse, Tue., Nov. 22, 9:30p, ESPN-2

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I learned something last night. After my usual screaming at the TV for boneheaded plays/shots during the Temple game, I just relaxed and enjoyed the Kaos and confusion. I was relatively calm and was just waiting for them to wear down cuse. Even when we let them score the last four to tie the game and send it into OT I was good. Our smothering defense in the last 15 minutes was FUN to watch. I didn't even mind Jones' 3 with about 30 sec. to go because I knew we had broken their will.

Everybody talks about how we wear other teams down, but the amazing thing to me is that we have starters who play 35+ minutes a game and a few subs and we don't wear down, even after back to back games. Last night those guys looked like they could have gone for another 10 minutes or so. Kudos to the guys and Coach for having that killer attitude. You could see it in the faces and body language of the temple and cuse players, they had been in an alley fight and we brought the brass knuckles.
Funny, I felt the exact same way the entire game, until the quick 3 by Jones. That one was ridiculous.
 
This team has GRIT. If there’s one thing we all can agree on it’s that grit is freakin awesome and it’s what has this team at 6-0!

Would we all love it if they could make 4-5 less uncontested passes into the tenth row? Sure! But our game plan is to be contagiously wild and eventually it causes our opponents to throw 7-8 passes into the stands and start making uncharacteristic mistakes.

If they can clean up some of the sloppiness this team will be top 3 in the BE.
That no doubt is high on mikes list. He has told us this is the most talent hes had. Sloppy gots to go.
 
We’ve also got away from the automatic switch which left Soriano miss matched vs a guard. Posh Andre Mathis and wusu have fought thru the screens this season
 
OMG! He ate the booger! During a presser! Oh the horror! Now I have this image ingrained in my mind as I prepare for my Thanksgiving feast. I know you’re not supposed to kill the messenger but Red.Fans I hate you just a little bit. Thanks for making me gag.

Boeheim should be fired for this it’s gotta be in the contract somewhere under conduct unbecoming or something to that effect.

He's been doing it for decades. The man is disgusting. I'm surprised when his finger is not up his nose.
 
I have no idea how this season will end up, but every reason to believe this team will get better. There are correctable mistakes being made, primarily in decision making with the ball.

On defense, everyone assigned to Girard stayed committed to the game plan of denying him open looks. Players many of us have knocked for low IQs hounded Girard and resisted the strong temptation to leave him attempting a steal or by double teaming the ball. That takes discipline, and both Mathis and Wusu showed it. This team has to win with team defense in the half court, as we are not turning over our opponents at a high rate. Excellent half court defense late in the game, playing hard for the entire shot clock. It would have been nauseating watching Syracuse and their annoying orange clad fans celebrating in our town.
They Simon-ized Girard… a term that should have been created as a tribute to Justin Simon’s ability to routinely shut down the opposition’s best scorer.
 
Loved Team Chaos last night. Was glad to see Belo have a great scoring night after all the grief he has taken here (read the Temple game thread). There is a difference between him and Posh. Posh is the meat and potatoes guy, nothing fancy just does the dirty work. Belo, to remember Al McGuire is the French Pastry guy, a lot of show time and he is fun to watch.

As to CMA versus Jimmy Boy; CMA has managed to change things around during games whereas Cuse was a one trick pony, stay in the zone. Maybe they are not getting the players to make it work. Our helter skelter requires a lot of stamina and that seems to show late in games. Watching Mintz, albeit a frosh, he was dragging his butt for the 10/15 minutes. PS--who ever thought Joel would EVER play 37 minutes in a game. Joel has really emerged as a leader of this team (see the locker room snippet above). Now time to eat turkey and await the battle of the Vincentians.
 
St. John's went into Brooklyn and knocked off Temple and Syracuse to win the Empire Classic last night! I went through both games, what these two wins say about this team & why so much of the 6-0 start can be credited to August.

I know it's a holiday tomorrow so if you're traveling, need some Johnnies content or just have some time to kill before the next game on Saturday I hope you join me for a few minutes and re-live that awesome Monday and Tuesday!


 
Exactly. It gets real tiresome real fast. One of the reasons why I've stayed away from this forum. Even after a 6-0 start, and a nice comeback last night, there are still guys here who focus on all the negatives and see nothing positive. I think I'll stay away for a while longer.
I was not able to follow the game last night but I read the thread as I walked to work this morning. Some of the comments levelled against our players were just down right nasty and uncalled for. You would think we are ranked 363 out of all college teams. Belo sucks and should ride the pine, I see why Illinois let him go, Wusu is the worst player ever to play for SJU and I could continue. And then of course there is the anger towards the coach which I have no clue as to where it comes from. If you reread the game thread you would think we have a bi polar fan base.
All I know is that Soriano went from a slow overweight player to a serious double double man on a nightly basis. He has become a beast.
Belo had a career night with 23 points. Stanley continues to play above his rankings, Posh continues to play very good ball while not scoring at a high clip, Dylan is an outstanding defender I can go in and we are 6-0.
Some of you can complain all you want but I am enjoying this team and coach , warts and all.
Let’s go 7-0.
 
RMN,

Great post. I can see us in a worst case scenario finishing 6th or 7th and missing the dance but feel it way more likely we finish 4th or 5th and make it with a chance to win our first NCAA game in ages. These kids and coach are easy to root for. Some folk are more comfortable always finding fault. Bless their hearts as we say down here in the south.
 
I was not able to follow the game last night but I read the thread as I walked to work this morning. Some of the comments levelled against our players were just down right nasty and uncalled for. You would think we are ranked 363 out of all college teams. Belo sucks and should ride the pine, I see why Illinois let him go, Wusu is the worst player ever to play for SJU and I could continue. And then of course there is the anger towards the coach which I have no clue as to where it comes from. If you reread the game thread you would think we have a bi polar fan base.
All I know is that Soriano went from a slow overweight player to a serious double double man on a nightly basis. He has become a beast.
Belo had a career night with 23 points. Stanley continues to play above his rankings, Posh continues to play very good ball while not scoring at a high clip, Dylan is an outstanding defender I can go in and we are 6-0.
Some of you can complain all you want but I am enjoying this team and coach , warts and all.
Let’s go 7-0.
While I agree with most of your post, I think it is fine for people to point out the poor play of Wusu, the out of control portion of Curbelo's game, The extensive number of shots that Jones takes, some boneheaded and out of rhythm with the offense, also the poor performance of out half court offense, and coaching decisions which are at times head scratching. Hopefully these things will be corrected as the season goes on. These are all concerns that posters who don't wear rose colored glasses have every right to point out, but there are many good things about this team also that you have rightly pointed out. Happy Thanksgiving.
 
This team wins ugly, but there is no quit and it has talent. Like previous years, coach MA is incorporating new players into his system. Based on my short experience with coach, this team should be more cohesive and the offense should begin to gel by late January to early February. I think this will be a fun team to watch come tournament time.
 
Very true ..Mintz wasn’t the same in the 2 nd half but , tell me you wouldn’t want a freshman PG like him on your team .
Send him video all season of Boeheim eating boogers during the presser and maybe we get him when he transfers. I would. Couldn't play for the booger man. I showed my wife that video and she bolted and ran towards the bathroom. Normal human reaction.
 
This team wins ugly, but there is no quit and it has talent. Like previous years, coach MA is incorporating new players into his system. Based on my short experience with coach, this team should be more cohesive and the offense should begin to gel by late January to early February. I think this will be a fun team to watch come tournament time.
I hope he gets the bench incorporated too. Only 4 points vs Syracuse. David Jones played 45 minutes. I have never seen a CMA player play 40 minutes so that stat astonished me. Posh played 43 minutes, Soriano 37, Curbelo 40. It defied logic from where I sat because I was sure the bench would be the deciding factor in a game where 'Cuse had went to overtime the night before.

The bench players have to take a big step forward for this team to reach its full potential and that's where these "cupcakes" should come in handy for players like Storr and also Pinzon and Nyiwe who are coming back into the rotation. Wusu isn't too far off right now, blocked layups notwithstanding, but the others have something to prove. Mainly that they can step in and contribute with minimal drop off when the starters need a breather. Not there yet.
 
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