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

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[quote="SJU85" post=368349][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.[/quote]

If there isn't a chance he could play you would not have him make the trip.......... He would stay home and get rehab 24-7 so he is able to play against Butler.
 
The odds were long on having 10 OOC wins going into this game and rendering it truly house money.

All considered, even against a weaker schedule, really a pretty impressive OOC showing from this team thus far. Outside of second half letdowns against UVM (partially) and ASU (completely), and to a lesser extent the first half against UNH and second half of St. Peter's, they've played really good and perhaps more importantly consistent basketball. To be 12 games in to a brand new system, with new staff merging with new players, and to only be able to point to poor halves as opposed to games is unique.

Hopefully team caught some of SHU/Maryland after getting to SF yesterday, because that's the road to making tomorrow competitive. Seton Hall was everywhere defensively for 40 minutes to the point where a more talented Maryland panicked offensively. UA gets into a rhythm tmrw especially on the interior could be a long night. If they are stretched out and hurried we could make it interesting.

Come out healthy and get ready for Butler, if we can make it competitive or better tmrw it's all to the upside.
 
If the Johnnies come out with energy, and get to most of the 50/50 balls, they will find a way to win. Our guys are scrappy. I’m not as concerned with the size as I am Nico Mannon. Quick scoring point guards has been this teams kryptonite thus far this is season. If we can get to him, the rest of the team will wither.
 
[quote="SJU1512" post=368363]The odds were long on having 10 OOC wins going into this game and rendering it truly house money.

All considered, even against a weaker schedule, really a pretty impressive OOC showing from this team thus far. Outside of second half letdowns against UVM (partially) and ASU (completely), and to a lesser extent the first half against UNH and second half of St. Peter's, they've played really good and perhaps more importantly consistent basketball. To be 12 games in to a brand new system, with new staff merging with new players, and to only be able to point to poor halves as opposed to games is unique.

Hopefully team caught some of SHU/Maryland after getting to SF yesterday, because that's the road to making tomorrow competitive. Seton Hall was everywhere defensively for 40 minutes to the point where a more talented Maryland panicked offensively. UA gets into a rhythm tmrw especially on the interior could be a long night. If they are stretched out and hurried we could make it interesting.

Come out healthy and get ready for Butler, if we can make it competitive or better tmrw it's all to the upside.[/quote]

Odds were especially long getting to 10-2 considering at one point we were 4-2 and down 8 (I think?) in the second half to UMass. Amazing we were able to win that one, upset WVU, and beat all the [somewhat decent] mid-majors without any slip-ups.
 
[quote="Big Red" post=368365]If the Johnnies come out with energy, and get to most of the 50/50 balls, they will find a way to win. Our guys are scrappy. I’m not as concerned with the size as I am Nico Mannon. Quick scoring point guards has been this teams kryptonite thus far this is season. If we can get to him, the rest of the team will wither.[/quote]

I watched some of the Baylor/AZ game. I think you are basically correct in strategy. We can out hustle them and our strengths and weaknesses clash with theirs. For example they are exceptional passers with good hands so our strength of disrupting passing it will be a big challenge. If they try to out-size us too much that could work to our advantage like it did vs WVU. Where we don't have an answer is a lock down defender on their guards. I'm more optimistic about this game now than a few weeks ago but we will need to execute near perfection to keep the game close. Roberts needs to stay out of foul trouble and we'll need a lot of big shots falling because they are going to hit a ton.
I think the bottom line will end up being: We are not going to turn them over like we have done to everyone else. What else do we got?
 
Good D and not horrible shooting will keep us in the game, as always.
 
My guess is they will be favored around 12.5 points. That may even be on the lighter side. Any game within single digits should be seen as a good effort. Hoping for a tight affair!
 
I predict the line will be +9.5. Arizona is #14 in both NET and KenPom. Looking at their resume, especially their last few games, I don't think they're quite that good. Probably more around #25. Regardless, this will be an extremely tough game. Have to be happy that we're playing with house money. Losing this one by 10+ wouldn't hurt us. Just enjoy the game and hope we can pull off another Top 25 upset (yes, it's awesome seeing WVU in the Top 25 :)).
 
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[quote="AlexSTJ" post=368377]Anyone know if Mullin will be there? It'd be nice since the team is in CA.[/quote]
Mullin is doing tv commentary for the Warriors.
Certainly seems like he'd show up at Chase Center for the St John's Arizona game.
 
SJU press release

The Red Storm will hope to utilize that defensive pressure to contain an Arizona offense that ranks fifth in the nation averaging 85.1 points per game. The Wildcats shoot a blistering 49.9 percent from the floor, including a 37.6 percent success rate from three-point range, both of which ranks in the top 25 nationally. The Wildcats also do well to take care of the ball, surrendering just 11.7 turnovers per game on average.

Arizona boasts three players averaging double figures, all of whom are freshmen. Zeke Nnaji leads the team in both scoring in rebounding at 15.9 points and 7.6 boards per game. The 6-foot-11 forward has been highly efficient inside, converting on 68.6 percent of his field goal chances, a clip that ranks sixth in Division I. Nico Mannion and Josh Green, both of whom were top 10 recruits in the class of 2019 according to the ESPN Top 100, are averaging 14.3 points and 13.3 points per game, respectively, in the early going of their collegiate careers. Mannion is also dishing out 6.5 dimes per contest, good enough for 15th in the nation through games played on Thursday.

St. John’s and Arizona have met just once in the history of the two programs, as the Wildcats emerged victorious in the semifinal of the 2011 2K Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden. Moe Harkless, D’Angelo Harrison and Phil Greene IV all finished in double figures in the 81-72 loss against the nation’s no. 15 team while another freshman, Sir’Dominic Pointer, collected seven rebounds.
 
[quote="Adam" post=368387]I predict the line will be +9.5. Arizona is #14 in both NET and KenPom. Looking at their resume, especially their last few games, I don't think they're quite that good. Probably more around #25. Regardless, this will be an extremely tough game. Have to be happy that we're playing with house money. Losing this one by 10+ wouldn't hurt us. Just enjoy the game and hope we can pull off another Top 25 upset (yes, it's awesome seeing WVU in the Top 25 :)).[/quote]

The pg is a freshman, i say be physical with the kid, and bangnhim around a bit.
See if he can handle a physical game.
 
[quote="Tom H O'Toole" post=368393][quote="Adam" post=368387]I predict the line will be +9.5. Arizona is #14 in both NET and KenPom. Looking at their resume, especially their last few games, I don't think they're quite that good. Probably more around #25. Regardless, this will be an extremely tough game. Have to be happy that we're playing with house money. Losing this one by 10+ wouldn't hurt us. Just enjoy the game and hope we can pull off another Top 25 upset (yes, it's awesome seeing WVU in the Top 25 :)).[/quote]

The pg is a freshman, i say be physical with the kid, and bangnhim around a bit.
See if he can handle a physical game.[/quote]

Favre on Twitter is reporting that Heron is not playing. The guy usually has no inside info, but I think this is the likely scenario regardless.
 
[quote="AlexSTJ" post=368377]Anyone know if Mullin will be there? It'd be nice since the team is in CA.[/quote]

I would be shocked if he showed up.
 
[quote="Tom H O'Toole" post=368393][quote="Adam" post=368387]I predict the line will be +9.5. Arizona is #14 in both NET and KenPom. Looking at their resume, especially their last few games, I don't think they're quite that good. Probably more around #25. Regardless, this will be an extremely tough game. Have to be happy that we're playing with house money. Losing this one by 10+ wouldn't hurt us. Just enjoy the game and hope we can pull off another Top 25 upset (yes, it's awesome seeing WVU in the Top 25 :)).[/quote]

The pg is a freshman, i say be physical with the kid, and bangnhim around a bit.
See if he can handle a physical game.[/quote]

Think Tom is on to something here. I'd tell Rutherford, Dunn and Williams Jr to really get physical with Mannion and not worry too much about fouling out. Trust Anderson to game manage their fouls. If the refs are calling things tight or seem to be favoring Mannion because he's a national name then can always change strategy in game. Mannion is fast and plays with a flair. As much as we like an up and down game, I think it works in our favor to make this game ugly rather than let him get in a groove and start gaining confidence like he's one of the Showtime Lakers.

Also regarding Mannion...
He's a tough cover because he's fast and penetrates but you can't leave him open because he's a decent shooter (38% from 3 but that includes a terrible 1-10 in his last game against Gonzaga) You can't cheat with him. You just have to play very, tough honest defense and hope our guys are in shape enough to stay with him. This is where having Justin Simon would be really nice...
When he penetrates, it's really, important that our guys don't collapse and help unless the primary defender is obviously beat. He's really good at drawing other defenders and then giving the ball up to an open man around the rim for an easy basket. On that note when he penetrates our guys cannot watch. If you turn your back on your guy to watch the play when Mannion is in the lane, Arizona bigs are well coached to go to the hoop and their shooters (Smith, Baker Jr, Hazzard) know to drift out to the 3pt line because Mannion will get the ball to them. Keep your eyes on your defensive assignment even if they seem out of the play.
 
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[quote="James Ray Lamb" post=368391][quote="AlexSTJ" post=368377]Anyone know if Mullin will be there? It'd be nice since the team is in CA.[/quote]
Mullin is doing tv commentary for the Warriors.
Certainly seems like he'd show up at Chase Center for the St John's Arizona game.[/quote]

Warriors play tonight in SF and are off tomorrow. I can't think of an easier scenario that allows him to come and watch his Alma Mater play.
 
[quote="Paultzman" post=368392]SJU press release

The Red Storm will hope to utilize that defensive pressure to contain an Arizona offense that ranks fifth in the nation averaging 85.1 points per game. The Wildcats shoot a blistering 49.9 percent from the floor, including a 37.6 percent success rate from three-point range, both of which ranks in the top 25 nationally. The Wildcats also do well to take care of the ball, surrendering just 11.7 turnovers per game on average.

Arizona boasts three players averaging double figures, all of whom are freshmen. Zeke Nnaji leads the team in both scoring in rebounding at 15.9 points and 7.6 boards per game. The 6-foot-11 forward has been highly efficient inside, converting on 68.6 percent of his field goal chances, a clip that ranks sixth in Division I. Nico Mannion and Josh Green, both of whom were top 10 recruits in the class of 2019 according to the ESPN Top 100, are averaging 14.3 points and 13.3 points per game, respectively, in the early going of their collegiate careers. Mannion is also dishing out 6.5 dimes per contest, good enough for 15th in the nation through games played on Thursday.

St. John’s and Arizona have met just once in the history of the two programs, as the Wildcats emerged victorious in the semifinal of the 2011 2K Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden. Moe Harkless, D’Angelo Harrison and Phil Greene IV all finished in double figures in the 81-72 loss against the nation’s no. 15 team while another freshman, Sir’Dominic Pointer, collected seven rebounds.[/quote]



I am not so sure our pressure will affect Arizona, especially with their speedster, Mannion. And Nnaji, a 6' 11" forward, a man child, scares the hell out of me. Got to keep him off the boards. A good game for coach to give Marcellus mucho playing time.
Can't believe Miller is still able to coach after their scandal.
 
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