(POST GAME) Xavier (MSG), Mon. Feb. 17, 6:30pm, FS-1 / 970AM

At this point our best players are Earlington and Champ. They are getting better and better which is promising for next season, however that doesn't bode well for winning tough close games right now. LJ has peaked, don't think it's in either his or our best interest to come back. I like Dunn, think he serves a great role off the bench, but he's very shaky late in games when you need to settle team down and get a good possession.

What I really want to see going forward this season is for Greg to shoot the ball. He needs to get aggressive offensively. He took 4 shots last night.
 
What does next year have to do with this year? I take no solace in rationalizing blowing multiple games the way we have this year, in IMO underachieving this year, with the hope we will be better next year. Every year posters fall over themselves predicting the season record before a game is even played, defining pre-season what a “successful” season would be. I don’t, I want to see what the team is and has before setting a bar. In my mind, this team should have a better record and be a legitimate bubble team right now.
They certainly play hard the vast majority of the time and that is without question admirable, it obviously all starts there for any team. But to be able to build significant leads consistently only to fold down the stretch, especially at home, is inexplicable to me. People want to blame youth, yet Rutherford is a senior, Dunn and Figueroa juniors and Xavier had two freshman make huge baskets down the stretch. Sorry, I am tired of seeing SJU teams underachieve and then borrowing the old lament from “dem Bums”.
 
[quote="Logen" post=377774]What does next year have to do with this year? I take no solace in rationalizing blowing multiple games the way we have this year, in IMO underachieving this year, with the hope we will be better next year. Every year posters fall over themselves predicting the season record before a game is even played, defining pre-season what a “successful” season would be. I don’t, I want to see what the team is and has before setting a bar. In my mind, this team should have a better record and be a legitimate bubble team right now.
They certainly play hard the vast majority of the time and that is without question admirable, it obviously all starts there for any team. But to be able to build significant leads consistently only to fold down the stretch, especially at home, is inexplicable to me. People want to blame youth, yet Rutherford is a senior, Dunn and Figueroa juniors and Xavier had two freshman make huge baskets down the stretch. Sorry, I am tired of seeing SJU teams underachieve and then borrowing the old lament from “dem Bums”.[/quote]

Quite fair to conclude failure to finish games is not a talent issue and merits improvement from staff & players obviously. The stumbles down the stretch in close games is fair game to worry about & put bright light on imo. The team needs to play smarter to complement it’s obvious heart. On to the next one.
 
Am I happy? Absolutely not. Are there things I've seen that infuriate me? Absolutely.

That all being said its kind of crazy we are even where we are at this point. As my friend Logen points out how stats are overrated and on the surface you look at LJ and Heron and don't see a whole lot of regression in the big stats. LJ is actually averaging more pts than last year albeit slightly 14.6 to 14.4. However his shooting % is absymal compared to last year dropping from 51% to 38%. From 3 he's the same.

Heron averaged 1 ppg less than year. But again his % dropped from 44% to 38% and from 3 a slight drop from 40% to 38%.

Point being prior to the year they were both picked 2nd team BE so among the top 10-12 players in the League. I think we all expected they would step up and provide more (fans and coaches). But meanwhile they have proven to be Robin's and not Batman's. The fact that 2 Top 10-12 players in the League have underperformed like they have combined with 2 scholarship players not playing (Steere and McGriff) and in reality CMA having just 1 true HS recruit in Julian is kind of crazy all being considered.

I still have concerns about next year. I still wonder about many of the parts on the team and if they make sense moving forward. And I'm not out of line for that thinking as they are all pretty much from a previous regime. Caraher plays because there isn't many other options. We have 12 of 13 ships used. As mentioned Steere and McGriff aren't playing. Sears is barely playing. And to be fair Roberts is barely playing after the first TV timeout.

A lot needs to happen this spring. 4 solid pieces coming in I think. We still need 2 more at minimum.
 
I know Anderson is big on the juco guys but did he utilize sit out transfers at Arkansas? I’m thinking this late in the year sit out guys might be an option
 
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[quote="NCJohnnie" post=377672]This was toughest loss of the year for me, even worse than Gtown. We just played such exciting ball down the stretch and when Rutherford had that breakaway dunk I really thought we had it. LJ had no business taking those last two shots, one was worse than the other.[/quote]

The next time LJ squares his feet to the basket on his shot may be the first time he does it all year. It's impossible to be a consistent shooter if your feet aren't square and your not drifting. he needs to be at least facing the basket on some of these shots.
Do we lead the country in shots missed under 5 feet from the hoop? I mean layups, dunks, floaters etc..... UGH!!
 
[quote="Not an alum" post=377777]I know Anderson is big on the juco guys but did he utilize sit out transfers at Arkansas? I’m thinking this late in the year sit out guys might be an option[/quote]

A sit out guy doesnt do much IMO.
A JUCO makes the most sense. Older, stronger, mature etc. Plus it's only a 2 year investment. And the Hog fans can speak to how CMA does hit more often than not with JUCOs it seems

I'm a little leery on transfers until they open it up where they don't have to sit. Maybe its post traumatic Matt syndrome but after Steere and Caraher etc I'd rather not invest 2 years in hopes by the time they play they are half decent.
 
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“ Also, as an aside, the "no talent" thing would carry a lot more weight if:

1. Georgetown were not doing more with less talent then even we have ...”

Georgetown doesn’t have less talent than us. They have fewer players, but the players they do have are more talented.
 
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“ Georgetown showed Akinjo the door, and they appear to be a better team for it. Who's to say the same would not have happened with LJ?

Now, that being said, if he's following team rules (and I'm sure he is) we should keep him, but if he's going to go pro no matter what, then most of his playing time should go to people who will be here next year.”

That would be awful. What message does that send to the next top level JUCO we want to recruit?
 
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[quote="Proud Alumn" post=377782]That would be awful. What message does that send to the next top level JUCO we want to recruit?[/quote]

Huh?
 
[quote="Moose" post=377783][quote="Proud Alumn" post=377782]That would be awful. What message does that send to the next top level JUCO we want to recruit?[/quote]

Huh?[/quote]

Suggesting sitting LJ because he probably won’t come back next year anyway is a ridiculous notion.
 
Too bad we couldn't finish X off last night. They deserved that W. Just tired of so closes , we played them tough, teams won't want to play us come the B.E. Tourney, if only, injuries, under performing recruits, bad refs, etc.
That said....we were so close, played hard,and teams won't want to play us in the B.E. Tourney.
 
[quote="Proud Alumn" post=377784][quote="Moose" post=377783][quote="Proud Alumn" post=377782]That would be awful. What message does that send to the next top level JUCO we want to recruit?[/quote]

Huh?[/quote]

Suggesting sitting LJ because he probably won’t come back next year anyway is a ridiculous notion.[/quote]

Thanks for clarifying. I wasn't sure what you were referring to because there wasn't a quote.
 
Great, hard fought game. I feel bad for the kids on this one. We had that won. Poor offensive execution down the stretch which is no stranger to this squad.
 
[quote="Proud Alumn" post=377781]“ Also, as an aside, the "no talent" thing would carry a lot more weight if:

1. Georgetown were not doing more with less talent then even we have ...”

Georgetown doesn’t have less talent than us. They have fewer players, but the players they do have are more talented.[/quote] For the moment, McClung and Yurtseven are not playing. So, other then Blair, who do they have of comperable talent?
 
[quote="SJU61982" post=377788][quote="Proud Alumn" post=377781]“ Also, as an aside, the "no talent" thing would carry a lot more weight if:

1. Georgetown were not doing more with less talent then even we have ...”

Georgetown doesn’t have less talent than us. They have fewer players, but the players they do have are more talented.[/quote] For the moment, McClung and Yurtseven are not playing. So, other then Blair, who do they have of comperable talent?[/quote]

They won AT Butler without their two best players.
How many years since we last won at Butler?
 
[quote="Moose" post=377776]Am I happy? Absolutely not. Are there things I've seen that infuriate me? Absolutely.

That all being said its kind of crazy we are even where we are at this point. As my friend Logen points out how stats are overrated and on the surface you look at LJ and Heron and don't see a whole lot of regression in the big stats. LJ is actually averaging more pts than last year albeit slightly 14.6 to 14.4. However his shooting % is absymal compared to last year dropping from 51% to 38%. From 3 he's the same.

Heron averaged 1 ppg less than year. But again his % dropped from 44% to 38% and from 3 a slight drop from 40% to 38%.

Point being prior to the year they were both picked 2nd team BE so among the top 10-12 players in the League. I think we all expected they would step up and provide more (fans and coaches). But meanwhile they have proven to be Robin's and not Batman's. The fact that 2 Top 10-12 players in the League have underperformed like they have combined with 2 scholarship players not playing (Steere and McGriff) and in reality CMA having just 1 true HS recruit in Julian is kind of crazy all being considered.

I still have concerns about next year. I still wonder about many of the parts on the team and if they make sense moving forward. And I'm not out of line for that thinking as they are all pretty much from a previous regime. Caraher plays because there isn't many other options. We have 12 of 13 ships used. As mentioned Steere and McGriff aren't playing. Sears is barely playing. And to be fair Roberts is barely playing after the first TV timeout.

A lot needs to happen this spring. 4 solid pieces coming in I think. We still need 2 more at minimum.[/quote]

Good post moose.

That really is the problem on this team. No "Batman", too many "Robin's". It's really not an issue when we are running and gunning on offense for 75% of the game. But down the stretch of close games, when it becomes a half court game, we don't have the pieces to compete. No legit inside scoring threat. Our lead guard isn't a threat to shoot from 3 so it's harder for him to breakdown a defense late in games when they pack in the D. Our top scoring option can't beat anyone off the dribble when it matters, and settles for 28 foot 3's and 18 foot,1 handed floaters.

Next year at this time you'll have many more options. You'll have a PG in Posh who will force teams to defend him on the perimeter. Cole will pull the defense out to defend him as well. That will change our half court equation dramatically.
 
No one can put the ball in the ocean. Do you think there was ever a game where a team only committed 4 turnovers to the other team's 22 and lost?
 
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