(POST GAME) Georgetown (MSG), Sun. Feb. 2, 1p, CBS / 970 AM WNYM

Some observations:
Even without McClung the Hoya starting 5 was better than anyone we start.
*Proof of that is we lost.
*Yurtseven will be a long time player in the Turkish league.
*Ewing is a very smart coach.
*Again we lose a game on key missed bunnies and critical turnovers in the 2nd half.
*Heron is not a money player. I think he comes off the bench the rest of the season. He does not move well without the ball and has poor hands with the ball in his hands.  Imagine if he had just Dunn's drive ability.
His two missed open shots with a minute to go killed us.
*Dunn played well until the last possession. Unfortunate.
*Again coach Anderson is raising concerns over player substitutions and usage.  Using two 6'6 inch players against a skilled big like Yurtseven was a head scratcher.
You have 5 fouls to give if you use a big body like Steere to rough him up and you have him collect splinters on his ass?  Gtowns other big played 7 minutes and collected 5 rebounds.  What was Anderson's game plan to guard the interior?? The frosh Champagnie and Earlington?????
*Finally, a true point like McGriff who is a good passer with speed is obviously a big missing piece.
**The bottom line is we have players like Caraher, Sears and Rutherford that cannot compete at this level.  We have a mystery big being benched by this coach that equals the poor usage by Mullin of Roberts last year.  Finally, the Hoyas had more D1 players on the court at any given time and we had Dunn, Rutherford, Caraher who are mid major players. 
 
Got to love the play of Champagnie, a forward playing defense against a center. Going to be a helluva of four year Redmen. Has a nose for the ball, always keeps the ball alive.
Disappointed in the lack of preparation against G'town's zone press.
With 20 seconds remaining I was hoping coach would substitute Roberts against Yurtseven. Thought we could have used more height against him and a possible block.
Not excited about Anderson's substitutions. Obviously he believes in resting his starters because of their pressure defense, however I don't want to see Fiqueroa or Dunn sitting any length of time. They don't need to rest after all they are not playing 4 times a week.
When G'town broke our press they scored on fast break layups whereas we just got the ball up court setting up our offense.
Interesting starting lineup. Williams belongs there instead of Rutherford.Not going to get any offense from the latter..
 
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[quote="JohnnyFan" post=375492]Uhg......this one was painful. The final 15 minutes was slow motion torture. If you watched on TV, I can promise it was even worse live.

I thought one positive was Champagnie. He looked better than a freshman today.

I agree with much of what's been said, including our lack of talent and today not being CMA's best game. I will add that we continue to give up too many wide open 3-point attempts. Also, we may not make another Final Four before I die, but I sure hope we will have at least one legit big man before they close the coffin.

Lastly, perhaps the only misstep Mike Cragg has made since his arrival was prematurely hiking ticket prices. That decision is rearing its ugly head at MSG games. As said by all, this was not the year for a hike.[/quote]


Today the wide open threes resulted from our doubling and even triple teaming Yurtseven. Once again due to our lack of a big man. Unfortunately Steere has been a no show.
 
7000ish for a gtown St. John’s game. Sad

Thirty plus years ago. Those game got me hooked. Sold out garden

Two more trips to the garden
 
[quote="Monte" post=375461]Really bad lose today, but not sure what many of you expected from this team this year. Maybe because I went along with the pre-season predictions, and expected very little, I’ve actually enjoyed this season more than I anticipated. We are who we are; a little better then I expected but about as good (or bad) as our record says we are. I’ll continue to enjoy watching these kids for the rest of the season, and keep looking to the future.[/quote]

I agree. Doesn’t hurt to put a little cash on St. John’s losing also.
 
[quote="Phil G" post=375499]7000ish for a gtown St. John’s game. Sad

Thirty plus years ago. Those game got me hooked. Sold out garden

Two more trips to the garden[/quote]


Different teams then. Remember during the Mullin - Ewing days being offered $150 while riding the L.I Railroad plus fans waiting at the bottom of Penn Station's escalator looking to buy tickets.
 
Pathetic and incredibly predictable. Glad I wasn't able to attend.

Wonder what our record would be with 2 minutes remaining in games. I've been very unimpressed with the coaching given that we've lost the same exact way far too many times. Even our good wins were meltdowns like this one.
 
[quote="SJU61982" post=375457][quote="QueensBall" post=375449]
Also replying to Logen from the now locked thread...I'm still optimistic about Anderson long term but very much agree with you. I think he's been great at conditioning our guys and getting them to play harder than most coaches but his in-game coaching (especially since conference play) leaves much to be desired.[/quote]

I believe that Anderson was the best reasonable candidate we could have gotten. I wanted Cluess, but he hasn't been on the sidelines all season, and that was the first step towards torpedoing the Lavin era.

However, every complaint that the Arkansas people had about him is starting to show.

1. Too married to his system. I love the system, but it does have warts, especially with no big man. One of the reasons that Seton Hall and Georgetown came back on us with the press, is because they had a big guy in the back of it (on those occasions where we did get it past midcourt). We don't have that, so when it gets beat, like Georgetown did on the last possession, it's too easy for the other team to score.

2. Too passive with the officials. Yes, Mullin was too aggressive, but I believe the opposite can be true, too. I think we've lost a lot of 50/50 calls because of this (block/charges, out of bounds, foul/no foul etc.). Ironically, I don't think that was a factor today, but has been in some of the other games, IMO (Seton Hall most notably, and maybe Villanova too, WRT only shooting 4 free throws).

3. Doesn't get down and dirty WRT recruiting. Too early to tell on that. He's been a presence, but many feel he won't sell out legally (a la Kevin Willard) for someone, which ends up with us always finishing 2nd or 3rd for every great player. Time will tell on that one, obviously.

4. Halfcourt offense leaves a lot to be desired. I don't think I have to explain that one.

I believe that his ceiling here is about what Ed Cooley has done at Providence. That sounds great now, but 5 years down the road, what will that sound like?

That being said, he was probably still the best candidate, outside of pie-in-the-sky fantasies. The only way we could probably get a higher ceiling guy, is to take another Norm Roberts-like chance on a hotshot assistant, only have it work out this time. If it did though, the guy is probably gone for greener pastures in 4 or 5 years anyway, and it's back to square one.

So, it is what it is. We should be grateful to Anderson, for taking a chance on us, IMO.[/quote]

They could have had Pitino. After 20 yrs of losing they still cant make good choices
 
[quote="dee" post=375504][quote="SJU61982" post=375457][quote="QueensBall" post=375449]
Also replying to Logen from the now locked thread...I'm still optimistic about Anderson long term but very much agree with you. I think he's been great at conditioning our guys and getting them to play harder than most coaches but his in-game coaching (especially since conference play) leaves much to be desired.[/quote]

I believe that Anderson was the best reasonable candidate we could have gotten. I wanted Cluess, but he hasn't been on the sidelines all season, and that was the first step towards torpedoing the Lavin era.

However, every complaint that the Arkansas people had about him is starting to show.

1. Too married to his system. I love the system, but it does have warts, especially with no big man. One of the reasons that Seton Hall and Georgetown came back on us with the press, is because they had a big guy in the back of it (on those occasions where we did get it past midcourt). We don't have that, so when it gets beat, like Georgetown did on the last possession, it's too easy for the other team to score.

2. Too passive with the officials. Yes, Mullin was too aggressive, but I believe the opposite can be true, too. I think we've lost a lot of 50/50 calls because of this (block/charges, out of bounds, foul/no foul etc.). Ironically, I don't think that was a factor today, but has been in some of the other games, IMO (Seton Hall most notably, and maybe Villanova too, WRT only shooting 4 free throws).

3. Doesn't get down and dirty WRT recruiting. Too early to tell on that. He's been a presence, but many feel he won't sell out legally (a la Kevin Willard) for someone, which ends up with us always finishing 2nd or 3rd for every great player. Time will tell on that one, obviously.

4. Halfcourt offense leaves a lot to be desired. I don't think I have to explain that one.

I believe that his ceiling here is about what Ed Cooley has done at Providence. That sounds great now, but 5 years down the road, what will that sound like?

That being said, he was probably still the best candidate, outside of pie-in-the-sky fantasies. The only way we could probably get a higher ceiling guy, is to take another Norm Roberts-like chance on a hotshot assistant, only have it work out this time. If it did though, the guy is probably gone for greener pastures in 4 or 5 years anyway, and it's back to square one.

So, it is what it is. We should be grateful to Anderson, for taking a chance on us, IMO.[/quote]

They could have had Pitino. After 20 yrs of losing they still cant make good choices[/quote]

Pitino, IMO, was pie-in-the-sky, especially after he demanded that apology from the Southern District Court.

That was either a ploy for too much money, or he actually meant it, which wasn't happening, if that were to be the case.
 
[quote="Phil G" post=375499]7000ish for a gtown St. John’s game. Sad

Thirty plus years ago. Those game got me hooked. Sold out garden

Two more trips to the garden[/quote]

While I agree on the poor attendance you have to question the morons that scheduled the game late on Super Bowl Sunday. Not to mention St. John's has not assembled a price worthy team since the Jarvis era.
 
Two bad scheduled games thus season

New Year’s Eve. Lavin teams had a run
Pretty sure the game I was at when St. John’s beat pitt
 
Today's game was just a reflection of the whole season, a loss, a bad crowd and a usual last few minutes collapse. While the pre season hopes were never too high the number of big east losses and the way so many games ended has me looking for answers.
The fact SJU is such a bad shooting team is the main concern but the staff recognized this and the strategy to utilize a pressure defense was a way to offset the bad shooting. This strategy failed. Geo played five guys today for almost the whole game and they were just as fresh at the end of the game as SJU's nine. We were never able to wear any team down all year.
Perhaps that is because games seem to be going twenty minutes longer clock time than just a few years ago. I don't know if it is tv commercials or what but teams get much more rest as games take much longer.
The forty minutes of mayhem might not be a sound strategy any more. Any thoughts.
 
At least the women's team beat G'town today. 74-68.

Reflecting on the season so far, I am not nearly as annoyed as I've been the last few years. Team is missing pieces, lack talent etc. I like the kids and staff though. Really feel bad for Heron. Just thought he would have a solid year, be the leader everyone expected. Just doesn't seem to be that which he was cast to be. Can't imagine how he must be feeling thinking that everyone thinks he's been a let down. So, as frustrated as I am, I hope staff keeps the kids together to play as a unit and there best so these remaining games are close and not a repeat of past few seasons.
 
Watched until the lead was 12 and Champagnie at the line. Taped the rest, figuring the game was over. Georgetown was atrocious. they were like a fighter begging to be knocked out, and scouting the ring looking for a good place to fall. I do not have the stomach to watch them blow a lead like that against a depleted team. So I have no thoughts on what CMA did late in the game. I do know that watching Yurtseven reach gingerly over our guys for rebounds was really sad. Reminded me of playing the 18 year old guys in the park when I was 12.

CMA is the only thing we have that is of Big East level quality. The team plays with heart, but lacks Big East length, size, strength and skill. I don't know who would get significant minutes on any other Big East team except maybe Depaul. What's maddening is that the Vermont, Butler, Hall and Gtown games were there for the taking. Sometimes a lucky bounce works against you, but 0 and 4 in close games indicates more than that.

I believe Posh and Cole are serious talents. But they will not solve the need for greater length and size. Ultimately, CMA will be judged by his ability to recruit a full fledged Big East roster. That means a lot of holes to fill.
 
[quote="Monte" post=375461]Really bad lose today, but not sure what many of you expected from this team this year. Maybe because I went along with the pre-season predictions, and expected very little, I’ve actually enjoyed this season more than I anticipated. We are who we are; a little better then I expected but about as good (or bad) as our record says we are. I’ll continue to enjoy watching these kids for the rest of the season, and keep looking to the future.[/quote]

What I expected to see is what I said in preseason, a well-coached team that leaves it in the floor. If that is what you think you are seeing, enjoy. I see a team good enough to beat several good teams, get big leads on others, come back from big deficits, but then fold. Funny, none of you are interested in addressing how this team can do the things they have done with the talent on hand but are so poorly prepared in the half court and especially end games approach; not results, approach. Counting stretch time against Butler, The Hall, and Gtown, I don’t believe we had a single possession where you could say we ran something real and got a great shot. All hero ball and prayers. And frankly, I blamed the players and I now believe I was wrong. Anderson appears to be the one trick pony coach Arkansas fans complained about, I hope I am wrong. Hard worker, great man but.... This is not Lavin and his Hollywood focus, or Mullin and his Non focus, this is a career guy and it appears the press and one on one basketball is his style. Again, I hope I am wrong but you guys can’t have it both ways. We can’t have enough talent to get up in games, come back in games only to fold and then say it’s only talent. Only talent is Mullin’s first year, this is not that.
 
Can we just admit that sometimes the "depth issue" is just a BS excuse? I've watched for years now as we consistently get outplayed by teams that only play 5-6 guys. Can we also admit that just because you're in a rebuilding year doesn't mean that you should expect to lose almost every game? There's a middle ground. 6-12 can be a rebuilding year. No reason it has to always be 0-11, 2-8, 0-5, etc. etc. How can you blame anyone for not paying $30 roundtrip LIRR plus another $50+ fees for tickets + any drinks or food (easily $30+)? You expect fans to spend over $100 just to see us compete with DePaul for the basement for about the 4th time in 5 years? My biggest concern is that our failure and basement dwelling is now set in our psyche as a program and will be seen as the norm now. I want CMA to be the guy and he still has plenty of time to show what he can do with a real roster, but he was supposed to get much more out of this team so far in conference play with 2 legit starters back.
 
[quote="Mike Zaun" post=375525] I want CMA to be the guy and he still has plenty of time to show what he can do with a real roster, but he was supposed to get much more out of this team so far in conference play with 2 legit starters back.[/quote]


I think that is unfair. Everyone has different expectations, and some were raised during the OOC schedule, but I believe that while it was nearly universal that we hoped to be competitive most every night (and in fact we have been), no one thought that an NIT bid (let alone NCAA bid) was likely. Most thought this would be an ugly year.

I agree with your assessment as to the cost of going to games and not expecting a lot of non-committed fans to continue to do so under these circumstances.. (I would note that maybe Super Bowl Sunday had something to do with the particularly poor crowd, but the broader point is well taken anyway.)
 
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