(POST GAME) @Marquette, Sat., Mar. 5, 9p, FS-1

[Ray Morgan]

I appreciate honestly greatly and this is one of the most honest threads I have read in a while, no sugar coating, no wild speculation, no moving of goal posts or denial of facts. 
The experts rated us number 4 pre season and unless we win 3 or four more games this upcoming week the season has been a big disappointment, by far the worst in a long time. Why by far because we had expectations and valid expectations based upon the experts and our staff. Go back to last summer the staff was raving about Wheeler and Wusu, add those 2 to Posh and Champ and you have the making of a very good team. Add in a capable Soriano at the 5  and you have a very nice starting 5 with a deep bench. Well Wheeler and Wusu had to be the 2 most inconsistent players on the team. Wheeler was MIA, a complete bust, the first 12 games of the season until the lights went on. Unfortunately last night when we needed him to come up big he came up anything but big. Wusu is just a great kid  whom I love but game to game he is a radically different player. Last night he came up bigger and brighter than anyone else but where was he in our last few games. Now no one get me wrong, I am not crapping on the kids but rather their wild inconsistency  which I attribute to the staff and not the players. There is no valid reason that thirty games into the season, a group that has been together for the most part since May1, 2021 , over 9 months, generates such inconsistency. I have watched , studied and coached Bball over 50 years and never have I witnessed such an inconsistent team and players. 
Talk about winning a national championship is pure nonsense at this point, soon to start year 4 of CMAs tenure. We can’t make free throws, play proper D, run comprehensive offensive sets, run a proper play out of a time out , never mind consistent mediocre recruiting and the fact that certain players ignore the coach in the huddle. 
I am always hoping for the best as this is the only sports team I am invested in but right now I won’t be disappointed when this season ends. 
contrast same with Seton Hall who has greatly overachieved this season in spite of major injuries or Creighton that had to replace an entire team. Both of those teams will dance this year while the apathy among this die hard group of fans only increases. 

CMA  did not have a good season. No question about it.  But he is not responsible for missed foul shots and the inability to perform in the clutch.  While it's painful to say, the guy that was supposed to lead this team to a top 4 finish shot the ball poorly far too often.  He had good looks and plenty of plays were called for him and plenty of ISOs were given. 

As for the inconsistency, that's not surprising.  Everyone on the team was a good high school player, or proven at the mid major level.  But talent wins out, and the more talented players are not inconsistent. There is a reason Mathis went from starting to the bench.  Why Wheeler did not get a lot of playing time at Purdue. Why Smith and Coburn  could not come close to their mid-major numbers.  CMA did not become incompetent from one season to the next.  His failure to keep together a team that jelled late last season and failure to bring in enough quality transfers and freshman resulted in this disappointment. For that CMA is accountable.
 

 

[IDRAFT]

SJU Big East records since they fired Norm and rejoined college basketball.

12-6
6-12
8-10
10-8
1-17
7-11
4-14
8-10
5-13
10-9
8-11

Totals - 79 Wins and 121 losses.

That averages over eleven years to 7.2 wins and 11 losses per season and includes the best (12-6, Lavins first year) and the 1-17 debacle. This year was slightly below mediocre, 1-17 (I won't even get into that non-conference) is awful. Personally I'm not of the "the team needs to be in the Top 20" camp because I live in the present, am aware it's not 1960, 70, 80, etc. but 2022, and don't expect that of a non-football school. My thing is stay out of Wednesday night in the BE tournament, which seems like a fair goal as the league games are among schools (other than UCONN) of the same makeup as SJU. Mostly over this period this bar has not been met, including this year. As to how upset I am about it, well as a fan who wants that? But I expressed my displeasure here when the issue was happening in real time - when almost an entire team of players who came in fourth last year left the school. 

So, I didn't love the season, but logically I didn't expect much and it would be pretty weird to be all upset now. As far as I'm concerned the winters are cold in NY and going to SJU games still beats sitting at home waiting to die.

Maybe Cragg could use that as a marketing slogan!









 

 

[monte]

I appreciate honestly greatly and this is one of the most honest threads I have read in a while, no sugar coating, no wild speculation, no moving of goal posts or denial of facts. 
The experts rated us number 4 pre season and unless we win 3 or four more games this upcoming week the season has been a big disappointment, by far the worst in a long time. Why by far because we had expectations and valid expectations based upon the experts and our staff. Go back to last summer the staff was raving about Wheeler and Wusu, add those 2 to Posh and Champ and you have the making of a very good team. Add in a capable Soriano at the 5  and you have a very nice starting 5 with a deep bench. Well Wheeler and Wusu had to be the 2 most inconsistent players on the team. Wheeler was MIA, a complete bust, the first 12 games of the season until the lights went on. Unfortunately last night when we needed him to come up big he came up anything but big. Wusu is just a great kid  whom I love but game to game he is a radically different player. Last night he came up bigger and brighter than anyone else but where was he in our last few games. Now no one get me wrong, I am not crapping on the kids but rather their wild inconsistency  which I attribute to the staff and not the players. There is no valid reason that thirty games into the season, a group that has been together for the most part since May1, 2021 , over 9 months, generates such inconsistency. I have watched , studied and coached Bball over 50 years and never have I witnessed such an inconsistent team and players. 
Talk about winning a national championship is pure nonsense at this point, soon to start year 4 of CMAs tenure. We can’t make free throws, play proper D, run comprehensive offensive sets, run a proper play out of a time out , never mind consistent mediocre recruiting and the fact that certain players ignore the coach in the huddle. 
I am always hoping for the best as this is the only sports team I am invested in but right now I won’t be disappointed when this season ends. 
contrast same with Seton Hall who has greatly overachieved this season in spite of major injuries or Creighton that had to replace an entire team. Both of those teams will dance this year while the apathy among this die hard group of fans only increases. 

CMA  did not have a good season. No question about it.  But he is not responsible for missed foul shots and the inability to perform in the clutch.  While it's painful to say, the guy that was supposed to lead this team to a top 4 finish shot the ball poorly far too often.  He had good looks and plenty of plays were called for him and plenty of ISOs were given. 

As for the inconsistency, that's not surprising.  Everyone on the team was a good high school player, or proven at the mid major level.  But talent wins out, and the more talented players are not inconsistent. There is a reason Mathis went from starting to the bench.  Why Wheeler did not get a lot of playing time at Purdue. Why Smith and Coburn  could not come close to their mid-major numbers.  CMA did not become incompetent from one season to the next.  His failure to keep together a team that jelled late last season and failure to bring in enough quality transfers and freshman resulted in this disappointment. For that CMA is accountable.

 

Ray, last season  we lost 5 of our last 8 games and 3 of our last 4. All while we were on the bubble. This year we also kept hearing how CMA's teams gel/jell later in the season. Sorry man, but history and stats don't prove that to be true. 

 

[Vince100]

OP-ED:

Congratulations, Coach Anderson, on another winning season!! Due mainly to a cupcake pre-conference schedule, you squeezed another one out.
Meanwhile, your former school has made the NCAA tourney for the third consecutive year, while SJU is left scratching its head. Doesn’t that tell us something?….Well, for one thing, it shouts that no one rewards mediocrity!

 

[dee]

SJU Big East records since they fired Norm and rejoined college basketball.

12-6
6-12
8-10
10-8
1-17
7-11
4-14
8-10
5-13
10-9
8-11

Totals - 79 Wins and 121 losses.

That averages over eleven years to 7.2 wins and 11 losses per season and includes the best (12-6, Lavins first year) and the 1-17 debacle. This year was slightly below mediocre, 1-17 (I won't even get into that non-conference) is awful. Personally I'm not of the "the team needs to be in the Top 20" camp because I live in the present, am aware it's not 1960, 70, 80, etc. but 2022, and don't expect that of a non-football school. My thing is stay out of Wednesday night in the BE tournament, which seems like a fair goal as the league games are among schools (other than UCONN) of the same makeup as SJU. Mostly over this period this bar has not been met, including this year. As to how upset I am about it, well as a fan who wants that? But I expressed my displeasure here when the issue was happening in real time - when almost an entire team of players who came in fourth last year left the school. 

So, I didn't love the season, but logically I didn't expect much and it would be pretty weird to be all upset now. As far as I'm concerned the winters are cold in NY and going to SJU games still beats sitting at home waiting to die.

Maybe Cragg could use that as a marketing slogan!




I see other BE schools in the top 25. There is no reason to be defeatist we can do it. But not with this coach or the ones hired since Jarvis ( who didnt want to go to Harlem to watch prospective players) and not since Frascello. It is 20 years and the school still cant get it right. They messed up by passing Pitino and if we cant lure him from iona then maybe Tommy amaker? Something needs to give here. This program is all but dead





 

 

[Ray Morgan]

I appreciate honestly greatly and this is one of the most honest threads I have read in a while, no sugar coating, no wild speculation, no moving of goal posts or denial of facts. 
The experts rated us number 4 pre season and unless we win 3 or four more games this upcoming week the season has been a big disappointment, by far the worst in a long time. Why by far because we had expectations and valid expectations based upon the experts and our staff. Go back to last summer the staff was raving about Wheeler and Wusu, add those 2 to Posh and Champ and you have the making of a very good team. Add in a capable Soriano at the 5  and you have a very nice starting 5 with a deep bench. Well Wheeler and Wusu had to be the 2 most inconsistent players on the team. Wheeler was MIA, a complete bust, the first 12 games of the season until the lights went on. Unfortunately last night when we needed him to come up big he came up anything but big. Wusu is just a great kid  whom I love but game to game he is a radically different player. Last night he came up bigger and brighter than anyone else but where was he in our last few games. Now no one get me wrong, I am not crapping on the kids but rather their wild inconsistency  which I attribute to the staff and not the players. There is no valid reason that thirty games into the season, a group that has been together for the most part since May1, 2021 , over 9 months, generates such inconsistency. I have watched , studied and coached Bball over 50 years and never have I witnessed such an inconsistent team and players. 
Talk about winning a national championship is pure nonsense at this point, soon to start year 4 of CMAs tenure. We can’t make free throws, play proper D, run comprehensive offensive sets, run a proper play out of a time out , never mind consistent mediocre recruiting and the fact that certain players ignore the coach in the huddle. 
I am always hoping for the best as this is the only sports team I am invested in but right now I won’t be disappointed when this season ends. 
contrast same with Seton Hall who has greatly overachieved this season in spite of major injuries or Creighton that had to replace an entire team. Both of those teams will dance this year while the apathy among this die hard group of fans only increases. 

CMA  did not have a good season. No question about it.  But he is not responsible for missed foul shots and the inability to perform in the clutch.  While it's painful to say, the guy that was supposed to lead this team to a top 4 finish shot the ball poorly far too often.  He had good looks and plenty of plays were called for him and plenty of ISOs were given. 

As for the inconsistency, that's not surprising.  Everyone on the team was a good high school player, or proven at the mid major level.  But talent wins out, and the more talented players are not inconsistent. There is a reason Mathis went from starting to the bench.  Why Wheeler did not get a lot of playing time at Purdue. Why Smith and Coburn  could not come close to their mid-major numbers.  CMA did not become incompetent from one season to the next.  His failure to keep together a team that jelled late last season and failure to bring in enough quality transfers and freshman resulted in this disappointment. For that CMA is accountable.


 

Ray, last season  we lost 5 of our last 8 games and 3 of our last 4. All while we were on the bubble. This year we also kept hearing how CMA's teams gel/jell later in the season. Sorry man, but history and stats don't prove that to be true. 


It didn't seem like the season ended that badly, but stats don't lie.  My point is still the same.  Lesser talent is less consistent.  Look at the teams that finished ahead of us. Look at the teams at the bottom. Does anyone think it's an accident that the teams at the top recruit more 4 star players? That's the name of the game. It seems like nearly everyone here believes that a coach can overcome the talent gap.  Every great college coach starts with a lot of talent. You don't get to the hall of fame on the backs of 3 star recruits.
 

 

[Mullins Revenge]

OP-ED:

Congratulations, Coach Anderson, on another winning season!! Due mainly to a cupcake pre-conference schedule, you squeezed another one out.
Meanwhile, your former school has made the NCAA tourney for the third consecutive year, while SJU is left scratching its head. Doesn’t that tell us something?….Well, for one thing, it shouts that no one rewards mediocrity!

What an absolute joke that stat is.  It really should never be mentioned again.

 

[monte]

I appreciate honestly greatly and this is one of the most honest threads I have read in a while, no sugar coating, no wild speculation, no moving of goal posts or denial of facts. 
The experts rated us number 4 pre season and unless we win 3 or four more games this upcoming week the season has been a big disappointment, by far the worst in a long time. Why by far because we had expectations and valid expectations based upon the experts and our staff. Go back to last summer the staff was raving about Wheeler and Wusu, add those 2 to Posh and Champ and you have the making of a very good team. Add in a capable Soriano at the 5  and you have a very nice starting 5 with a deep bench. Well Wheeler and Wusu had to be the 2 most inconsistent players on the team. Wheeler was MIA, a complete bust, the first 12 games of the season until the lights went on. Unfortunately last night when we needed him to come up big he came up anything but big. Wusu is just a great kid  whom I love but game to game he is a radically different player. Last night he came up bigger and brighter than anyone else but where was he in our last few games. Now no one get me wrong, I am not crapping on the kids but rather their wild inconsistency  which I attribute to the staff and not the players. There is no valid reason that thirty games into the season, a group that has been together for the most part since May1, 2021 , over 9 months, generates such inconsistency. I have watched , studied and coached Bball over 50 years and never have I witnessed such an inconsistent team and players. 
Talk about winning a national championship is pure nonsense at this point, soon to start year 4 of CMAs tenure. We can’t make free throws, play proper D, run comprehensive offensive sets, run a proper play out of a time out , never mind consistent mediocre recruiting and the fact that certain players ignore the coach in the huddle. 
I am always hoping for the best as this is the only sports team I am invested in but right now I won’t be disappointed when this season ends. 
contrast same with Seton Hall who has greatly overachieved this season in spite of major injuries or Creighton that had to replace an entire team. Both of those teams will dance this year while the apathy among this die hard group of fans only increases. 

CMA  did not have a good season. No question about it.  But he is not responsible for missed foul shots and the inability to perform in the clutch.  While it's painful to say, the guy that was supposed to lead this team to a top 4 finish shot the ball poorly far too often.  He had good looks and plenty of plays were called for him and plenty of ISOs were given. 

As for the inconsistency, that's not surprising.  Everyone on the team was a good high school player, or proven at the mid major level.  But talent wins out, and the more talented players are not inconsistent. There is a reason Mathis went from starting to the bench.  Why Wheeler did not get a lot of playing time at Purdue. Why Smith and Coburn  could not come close to their mid-major numbers.  CMA did not become incompetent from one season to the next.  His failure to keep together a team that jelled late last season and failure to bring in enough quality transfers and freshman resulted in this disappointment. For that CMA is accountable.



 

Ray, last season  we lost 5 of our last 8 games and 3 of our last 4. All while we were on the bubble. This year we also kept hearing how CMA's teams gel/jell later in the season. Sorry man, but history and stats don't prove that to be true. 


It didn't seem like the season ended that badly, but stats don't lie.  My point is still the same.  Lesser talent is less consistent.  Look at the teams that finished ahead of us. Look at the teams at the bottom. Does anyone think it's an accident that the teams at the top recruit more 4 star players? That's the name of the game. It seems like nearly everyone here believes that a coach can overcome the talent gap.  Every great college coach starts with a lot of talent. You don't get to the hall of fame on the backs of 3 star recruits.

 

Agree completely. CMA was a good coach at his previous stops, getting good-very good talent. It's foolish to believe that he will be a good-very good coach here getting mediocre talent. If he cannot consistently get and retain better talent, he will not be successful here. Pretty simple if you ask me. 

 

[ghostzapper]

Ray Morgan Wrote: Before the game started, Marquette was leading 5 to 0. That's the number of 4* recruits Marquette plays compared to us. They have a 6th 4 star recruit that sits on the bench. Four star Justin Lewis was the best player on the court. He destroyed us.  We lost to Providence because 4 star Nate Watson overpowered out frontcourt. Same problem with the loss to UConn as 4* Adama Sanogo jumps over Wheeler for the offensive rebound when we had the game in the bag. Stars come through in the clutch. Stars do it night in and night out. Until St, John's figures out how to bring 4 star recruits here, the outcome will be the same every year. Yes, player development matters. Coaching matters. But nothing matters more than talent. We play nearly every conference game with less of it.

I too am disappointed with the results from this year and would have liked to have been better than 8-11 in conference. I don't think however that it was one of our most disappointing seasons ever. I say this because some of us had projected high expectations that were somewhat inflated because of last season's unexpected success. I agree with Ray Morgan that upgrading the level of our talent makes sense and is necessary. That said it is not a simple answer and the rotisserie league approach of getting recruits with more stars next to the name does not necessarily lead to success. It is far more complicated than that. If it were just about the number of recruiting stars next to a name coming out of High School than Champagnie would be a much less significant player for us than Mathis is.

In the 2018-2019 season we had five star Mustafa Heron (#25 Nationally class of 2016), four star Shamorie Ponds (#37 Nationally class of 2016), four star Justin Simon (#37 Nationally class of 2015), four star class of 2017 L.J. Figueroa and three star class of 2014 Marvin Clark II (who as a Freshman was a contributor and in the regular rotation for the 2014-2015 Michigan State Spartan team that went to the National Championship game). Despite that strong group of recruits and starting the season off looking good, we wound up going 8-10 in conference and finishing the season losing six of our last eight, playing really poorly and  looking both disorganized and uninspired on the court.  For my money that was a far more disappointing season than this one.

Finding the right formula for success is far more than just getting big deal (high star) recruits. Last year there was a gazillion page recruiting thread on this site about Jordan Riley who spurned us at the last hour for Georgetown. Despite the Riley recruiting coup and adding top 27 National recruit Aminu Mohammed to their team, Georgetown still wound up 0-19 in conference. Brad Stevens brought Butler to two straight national Championship games without the benefit of high star recruits filling up his roster. The same was true of Loyola Chicago's final four team. Before Gonzaga became Gonzaga they won consistently and beat good teams without high star recruits. 

I want desperately for us to be successful and we absolutely need to get better for sure. However at this point, and despite the disappointments of this year, I believe we could be in far worse shape than where we are currently. Julian aside, If we can retain most of our current roster (and that is a big if) and add a few strong pieces, then I believe we can be successful moving forward. I have to be hopeful about this because the alternative is too depressing for me to consider.

 

[Red Drum]

Since Louie left, the only coaches to get another job after leaving us were Fran and Jarvis, who went to a rink dink school. That says it all about our coaches.

 

[JohnnyFan]

Since Louie left, the only coaches to get another job after leaving us were Fran and Jarvis, who went to a rink dink school. That says it all about our coaches.

Could say something about our coaches and the job.

 

[BOB BARKER]

COULDN'T AGREE MORE EARLINGTON...... HOW COME THESE COACHES FROM LOU FORWARD SCHEDULE THESE CUPCAKES..IT IS AN INSULT TO THE PLAYERS,SAYING THEY NEED  TO BE SPOONFED..AND THE SCHOOL.. ALSO TO SEASON TICKET HOLDERS, IF THERE ARE ANY LEFT..PAYING TO SEE A GLORIFIED CLOWN PRACTICE... THE ONLY ONES WHO BENEFIT ARE THE OVERPAID COACHES WHO APPEAR TO BE PART OF AN INSIDERS CLUB.. .INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT  TRANSFERS  3 PT % AGST 200-300  RANKED SCHOOLS,HOW ABOUT FREE THROW PCT.?.WHY ARE WE ALWAYS RANKED AT THE BOTTOM..OR NEAR..IN FREE THROWS,WHICH ARE NOT FREE BUT VERY COSTLY..DONT TAKE SOME BUM, UNLESS HE CAN SHOOT FREE THROWS....THERES A GOOD REASON,WHY HE TRANSFERRED OUT..

 

[room112]

I appreciate honestly greatly and this is one of the most honest threads I have read in a while, no sugar coating, no wild speculation, no moving of goal posts or denial of facts. 
The experts rated us number 4 pre season and unless we win 3 or four more games this upcoming week the season has been a big disappointment, by far the worst in a long time. Why by far because we had expectations and valid expectations based upon the experts and our staff. Go back to last summer the staff was raving about Wheeler and Wusu, add those 2 to Posh and Champ and you have the making of a very good team. Add in a capable Soriano at the 5  and you have a very nice starting 5 with a deep bench. Well Wheeler and Wusu had to be the 2 most inconsistent players on the team. Wheeler was MIA, a complete bust, the first 12 games of the season until the lights went on. Unfortunately last night when we needed him to come up big he came up anything but big. Wusu is just a great kid  whom I love but game to game he is a radically different player. Last night he came up bigger and brighter than anyone else but where was he in our last few games. Now no one get me wrong, I am not crapping on the kids but rather their wild inconsistency  which I attribute to the staff and not the players. There is no valid reason that thirty games into the season, a group that has been together for the most part since May1, 2021 , over 9 months, generates such inconsistency. I have watched , studied and coached Bball over 50 years and never have I witnessed such an inconsistent team and players. 
Talk about winning a national championship is pure nonsense at this point, soon to start year 4 of CMAs tenure. We can’t make free throws, play proper D, run comprehensive offensive sets, run a proper play out of a time out , never mind consistent mediocre recruiting and the fact that certain players ignore the coach in the huddle. 
I am always hoping for the best as this is the only sports team I am invested in but right now I won’t be disappointed when this season ends. 
contrast same with Seton Hall who has greatly overachieved this season in spite of major injuries or Creighton that had to replace an entire team. Both of those teams will dance this year while the apathy among this die hard group of fans only increases. 

You've been one of the most level headed, knowledgeable and even positive posters on this board over the years. To see how your tone has changed this year is really a harsh dose of reality to how this program is not in a great place. Just like you, I hope for better days ahead.

 

[mjmaherjr]

COULDN'T AGREE MORE EARLINGTON...... HOW COME THESE COACHES FROM LOU FORWARD SCHEDULE THESE CUPCAKES..IT IS AN INSULT TO THE PLAYERS,SAYING THEY NEED  TO BE SPOONFED..AND THE SCHOOL.. ALSO TO SEASON TICKET HOLDERS, IF THERE ARE ANY LEFT..PAYING TO SEE A GLORIFIED CLOWN PRACTICE... THE ONLY ONES WHO BENEFIT ARE THE OVERPAID COACHES WHO APPEAR TO BE PART OF AN INSIDERS CLUB.. .INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT  TRANSFERS  3 PT % AGST 200-300  RANKED SCHOOLS,HOW ABOUT FREE THROW PCT.?.WHY ARE WE ALWAYS RANKED AT THE BOTTOM..OR NEAR..IN FREE THROWS,WHICH ARE NOT FREE BUT VERY COSTLY..DONT TAKE SOME BUM, UNLESS HE CAN SHOOT FREE THROWS....THERES A GOOD REASON,WHY HE TRANSFERRED OUT..

www.gofundmehelpbobbarkerturnoffcapslock.com

 

[Johnny Rapper]

OP-ED:

Congratulations, Coach Anderson, on another winning season!! Due mainly to a cupcake pre-conference schedule, you squeezed another one out.
Meanwhile, your former school has made the NCAA tourney for the third consecutive year, while SJU is left scratching its head. Doesn’t that tell us something?….Well, for one thing, it shouts that no one rewards mediocrity!

What an absolute joke that stat is.  It really should never be mentioned again.

Could it be that Cragg and Anderson put more emphasis on Anderson’s winning season profile then on a strong out of conference schedule that may actually lead to an invite to the Dance? I believe so. 

 

[Section3]

One thing Posh needs to stop is his selflessness to a fault on fast break opportunities. He has passed up layups (some uncontested) to pass to a teammate who trails him and doesn’t finish nearly as good as Posh does.

Posh finishes at rim, contested or uncontested, better than anyone on the team. Last night (and in the DePaul game) he passed up opportunities at critical moments. He is the guy I want going to the hoop. As I’ve said before, may not always be successful but will succeed or die trying.

Posh is the best finisher and the best offensive rebounder, following other's shots instinctively and getting good position before anyone else.

He does get his shot blocked too much IMO, but his decisions to the hoop are much better than say Mathis.

Mathis, more than anyone, has the ability to throw a great move on the way to the hoop, but is a poor finisher.   His decisions going to the basket are often poor, and I am guessing this was probably a reason why Rutgers gave up on him even though he was averaging 15 ppg.

Last night's game was lost because JC wasn't the dominant JC, and Posh was just another player.   In the closing minutes, Pinzon had 3 great looks from 3 and missed them all, also got fouled and missed the front end of a 1 and 1.   Wheeler also didn't finish on a layup, got fouled and bricked two free throws.   Wheeler may have missed a couple of shots from the outside also.

Winning D1 teams make open shots when it counts.  We rarely did this season.

If you are going to take it to the hoop, it takes focus to mentally be aware but also disregard that you get fouled, and finish the layup.  The goal isn't getting to the line, it's to score.   Instead of getting fouled, no call, then whining to the ref, our guys have to make layups and are only excused when absolutely hammered.

I was okay with 9-10.    8-11 is a disappointment to me, but not the devastating season some fans are making it out to be.  

Agree. We need to focus on the target and accept the consequences (block).
Pinzon was 3-6 and 2 of his jumpers were all but in and came out. I like the way he looks. Very natural and smooth for a freshman who has missed so much time. He will be a good one as will Stanley.

 

[usguard]

Agree,the season was not good or should I say bad but it comes down to what is the school going to do about it

 

[Delaware]

Some time ago Champ seemed to turn his less then stellar season around. He was posting up more (which he did a few times tonight successfully) looked to get more offensive rebounds and back doors. Tonight he reverted back to the three point air ball and the team lost.

I will be surprised if Posh is around next year. His body language in time outs etc. doesn’t look good. 

Posh does not want to play in Mike Anderson's offensive system anymore.  That much is obvious.  And can you blame him?

The only way Posh stays is if we bring a new coach and he re-recruits him.  Even that is a stretch.

If Mike A is back, Posh is gone.  Its official after tonight.

You are the master of outlandish prognostications. I guess if you throw enough against the wall, you'll be right one of these days. Do you have any inside info?

 

[beast of the east]

COULDN'T AGREE MORE EARLINGTON...... HOW COME THESE COACHES FROM LOU FORWARD SCHEDULE THESE CUPCAKES..IT IS AN INSULT TO THE PLAYERS,SAYING THEY NEED  TO BE SPOONFED..AND THE SCHOOL.. ALSO TO SEASON TICKET HOLDERS, IF THERE ARE ANY LEFT..PAYING TO SEE A GLORIFIED CLOWN PRACTICE... THE ONLY ONES WHO BENEFIT ARE THE OVERPAID COACHES WHO APPEAR TO BE PART OF AN INSIDERS CLUB.. .INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT  TRANSFERS  3 PT % AGST 200-300  RANKED SCHOOLS,HOW ABOUT FREE THROW PCT.?.WHY ARE WE ALWAYS RANKED AT THE BOTTOM..OR NEAR..IN FREE THROWS,WHICH ARE NOT FREE BUT VERY COSTLY..DONT TAKE SOME BUM, UNLESS HE CAN SHOOT FREE THROWS....THERES A GOOD REASON,WHY HE TRANSFERRED OUT..

Can you send me your address and I will send you a keyboard where the caps lock key isn't broken.

 

[Amaseinyourface]

I appreciate honestly greatly and this is one of the most honest threads I have read in a while, no sugar coating, no wild speculation, no moving of goal posts or denial of facts. 
The experts rated us number 4 pre season and unless we win 3 or four more games this upcoming week the season has been a big disappointment, by far the worst in a long time. Why by far because we had expectations and valid expectations based upon the experts and our staff. Go back to last summer the staff was raving about Wheeler and Wusu, add those 2 to Posh and Champ and you have the making of a very good team. Add in a capable Soriano at the 5  and you have a very nice starting 5 with a deep bench. Well Wheeler and Wusu had to be the 2 most inconsistent players on the team. Wheeler was MIA, a complete bust, the first 12 games of the season until the lights went on. Unfortunately last night when we needed him to come up big he came up anything but big. Wusu is just a great kid  whom I love but game to game he is a radically different player. Last night he came up bigger and brighter than anyone else but where was he in our last few games. Now no one get me wrong, I am not crapping on the kids but rather their wild inconsistency  which I attribute to the staff and not the players. There is no valid reason that thirty games into the season, a group that has been together for the most part since May1, 2021 , over 9 months, generates such inconsistency. I have watched , studied and coached Bball over 50 years and never have I witnessed such an inconsistent team and players. 
Talk about winning a national championship is pure nonsense at this point, soon to start year 4 of CMAs tenure. We can’t make free throws, play proper D, run comprehensive offensive sets, run a proper play out of a time out , never mind consistent mediocre recruiting and the fact that certain players ignore the coach in the huddle. 
I am always hoping for the best as this is the only sports team I am invested in but right now I won’t be disappointed when this season ends. 
contrast same with Seton Hall who has greatly overachieved this season in spite of major injuries or Creighton that had to replace an entire team. Both of those teams will dance this year while the apathy among this die hard group of fans only increases. 

CMA  did not have a good season. No question about it.  But he is not responsible for missed foul shots and the inability to perform in the clutch.  While it's painful to say, the guy that was supposed to lead this team to a top 4 finish shot the ball poorly far too often.  He had good looks and plenty of plays were called for him and plenty of ISOs were given. 

As for the inconsistency, that's not surprising.  Everyone on the team was a good high school player, or proven at the mid major level.  But talent wins out, and the more talented players are not inconsistent. There is a reason Mathis went from starting to the bench.  Why Wheeler did not get a lot of playing time at Purdue. Why Smith and Coburn  could not come close to their mid-major numbers.  CMA did not become incompetent from one season to the next.  His failure to keep together a team that jelled late last season and failure to bring in enough quality transfers and freshman resulted in this disappointment. For that CMA is accountable.



 

Ray, last season  we lost 5 of our last 8 games and 3 of our last 4. All while we were on the bubble. This year we also kept hearing how CMA's teams gel/jell later in the season. Sorry man, but history and stats don't prove that to be true. 


It didn't seem like the season ended that badly, but stats don't lie.  My point is still the same.  Lesser talent is less consistent.  Look at the teams that finished ahead of us. Look at the teams at the bottom. Does anyone think it's an accident that the teams at the top recruit more 4 star players? That's the name of the game. It seems like nearly everyone here believes that a coach can overcome the talent gap.  Every great college coach starts with a lot of talent. You don't get to the hall of fame on the backs of 3 star recruits.

 

Monte we lost 4 games in the last 13 of that season. 2-2 in last 4. Nothing to write home about but not what you made it seem. The first years ending seemed better in retrospect to some because it ended with a halftime lead and team playing well, and as St. John’s fans so eagerly do, the potential for success outweighed the reality of failure.