(PRE-GAME) #16 Arizona (Chase Ctr), Sat. Dec. 21, 10p, ESPN-2, 970 WNYW

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This one is going to be really tough. The cheating fooks have a talented roster. On top of that they’re real big up front. Happy to have Steere back even for a big body and 5 fouls in this one because without him we are really small. That said, we will need a big effort and to bully them if possible like we did WVU. Arizona is all around more talented though. If we hang in and press them, I’m hoping we can at least make it interesting but not getting my hopes up here. They’re bery talented. This is one of those games where their talent might just be too much, especially if we don’t have Heron. Let’s see what Anderson has in his bag of tricks for this one.
 
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All true, yet think of what an unexpected win would mean? It would mean that we could be in for a better season that we had any right to imagine. Not expecting such, and happy with a competitive game, but …..?
 
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[quote="redmanwest" post=368242]All true, yet think of what an unexpected win would mean? It would mean that we could be in for a better season that we had any right to imagine. Not expecting such, and happy with a competitive game, but …..?[/quote]

It’s a tall task without a healthy Heron. It would be huge and maybe we catch them on a bad day or something. We are overmatched here but we play hard. Their depth is very good too. Will be fun regardless and zero to lose here, only to gain.
 
Anyone know if Heron traveled with team? It would not make sense for him to travel cross country if there isn't a possibility he will play.
 
Hopefully, as our fortunes rise in the conference and nationally, we will be able to afford a charter with a better carrier than Allegiant. Their planes are ancient.
 
[quote="Porgyman" post=368268]Hopefully, as our fortunes rise in the conference and nationally, we will be able to afford a charter with a better carrier than Allegiant. Their planes are ancient.[/quote]

I wonder how the U of A travels?
 
Got a Big Team ahead of us.

Jeter, 6'10", 245 lbs. 9.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg
Nnaji, 6'11", 240 lbs. 15.9, 7.6
Koloko, 7', 215 lbs. 2.0, 2.3
 
More important than the size advantage AZ will have , I believe will be how they shoot threes. SJU will have to play pressure defense because that is what fuels their offense and that will almost always result in some open outside shots for Az. How they shoot these threes will probably decide the game.
The recent St. Peter's and Brown games had the SJU pressure cause all sorts of problems for the opposition in the first halves but they adjusted in the second half and started making shots.It didn't seem that SJU let up but both opponents seemed more relaxed in the second half and once they made a few shots they seemed to get on a roll. Hopefully Az doesn't have the personnel to combat the pressure.
 
[quote="MCNPA" post=368243][quote="redmanwest" post=368242]All true, yet think of what an unexpected win would mean? It would mean that we could be in for a better season that we had any right to imagine. Not expecting such, and happy with a competitive game, but …..?[/quote]

It’s a tall task without a healthy Heron. It would be huge and maybe we catch them on a bad day or something. We are overmatched here but we play hard. Their depth is very good too. Will be fun regardless and zero to lose here, only to gain.[/quote]

Gotta be like the yanks last year, one gets injured and it's next man up.

I really want this game, and let the nay sayers know we are going blow for blow with any opponent. Wvu, zona, and the entire.B.E.

Lets get this one.
 
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Defense needs to be at the level it was last night. Don't see how we're competitive otherwise with how we shoot. We also need one of our stars (LJ, Dunn, perhaps Heron if available) to step up and have a big-time performance that we're yet to see from any of them this season. LJ struggled last night but he strikes me as a prideful guy and has a knack for showing up in big games. He had 17 in the 1st half against West Virginia before fouls took him out of it. I really like and appreciate all of them but we need the 3 guys who are taking the majority of the shots to be better.
 
[quote="Porgyman" post=368268]Hopefully, as our fortunes rise in the conference and nationally, we will be able to afford a charter with a better carrier than Allegiant. Their planes are ancient.[/quote]

They got rid of their old birds. Problem there is the maintenance.
 
[quote="Freeball" post=368336][quote="Porgyman" post=368268]Hopefully, as our fortunes rise in the conference and nationally, we will be able to afford a charter with a better carrier than Allegiant. Their planes are ancient.[/quote]

They got rid of their old birds. Problem there is the maintenance.[/quote] hopefully not a 737
 
[quote="Manhattan1" post=368265]Anyone know if Heron traveled with team? It would not make sense for him to travel cross country if there isn't a possibility he will play.[/quote]

I would assume so as he is not physically unable to travel.
 
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I fear with the massive size advantage and shooting ability that we may get run out of the gym here honestly. You can get away with pressuring poor teams leading to open shooters since they may not make them. A team like Zona will make most of those open 3's you give them. Seems like it's always in the corner some guy is so open no defender is within 8 ft if not more. To win IMO we would need to really get up in their faces to prevent easy 3's, however that gives them the option to dump down low to their giants for easy points. The good news is we are playing with house money, so even if we lose by 20, whatever...move on to conference play and get Heron healthy. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have this game obviously and there's still an outside chance I suppose especially if SHU can beat #7 Maryland without their 2 best players. Historically, if we are able to get 1 really nice OOC win like #25 WVU, we rarely get several. Maybe that's part of my worry. The big difference though this season is, I know if we get blown out it's because the talent/size discrepancy is just too much right now. But not for lack of heart or effort.
 
Not expecting a win here (that would be gravy on the biscuits AND icing on the cake) but am very hopeful to stay competitive. To me, the most important aspects are to get Heron healthy (even if that means he does not play) and get Steere in the game and prepped for BE play. Just hope it is not a blow-out, and not expecting one. Parenthetically, I agree that the size could be a real issue, but we'll see.

[quote="Mike Zaun" post=368350]I fear with the massive size advantage and shooting ability that we may get run out of the gym here honestly. You can get away with pressuring poor teams leading to open shooters since they may not make them. A team like Zona will make most of those open 3's you give them. Seems like it's always in the corner some guy is so open no defender is within 8 ft if not more. To win IMO we would need to really get up in their faces to prevent easy 3's, however that gives them the option to dump down low to their giants for easy points. The good news is we are playing with house money, so even if we lose by 20, whatever...move on to conference play and get Heron healthy. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have this game obviously and there's still an outside chance I suppose especially if SHU can beat #7 Maryland without their 2 best players. Historically, if we are able to get 1 really nice OOC win like #25 WVU, we rarely get several. Maybe that's part of my worry. The big difference though this season is, I know if we get blown out it's because the talent/size discrepancy is just too much right now. But not for lack of heart or effort.[/quote]
 
I'll be satisfied if St John's is competitive and fights hard. The team comes away with valuable experience and confidence that they'll get better later in the season.

A upset win would be a nice surprise and boost for the program. A loss against Arizona isn't that bad unless it's a total rout. I don't expect that to happen. St John's players have played hard for Mike this season.
 
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