(PRE-GAME) @Villanova, Sat., Jan. 29, 4:30p, FOX

[L J S A]

=13pxOne good performance does not erase a half season of ineptitude.  People are going a little overboard after last nights performance. 

I probably expected to be 14-4 at this point, so definitely disappointed, but calling 11-7 a half season of ineptitude is probably a bit much. . .

It's weird to me that our best game of the season is our most recent game, but people are still complaining. Maybe try to enjoy it until we next have reason to be pissed?

 

[jsk68/73]

Good point. Let’s stay with the Team!

 

[SJU Double Alumn]

The key to our chances against Nova is to force Gillespie to give up the ball
He is their glue guy 
When Gillespie is not in control of the offense, their well oiled machine is not so well oiled

Agree & to me a key is how much the refs allow physical play v CG, as well as his ability to draw fouls through headiness and of course his flopping “A Game”.

Nova putting us in foul trouble and controlling boards have often been to our detriment. Must say, they always defend well. Can we rattle them w pressure? Always a tough ask at their place especially, but let’s get it on!


 

Nova has no second ball-handler, Dixon is an effective post player but does not present an Obiagu-Sanogo-Watson sort of problem, and our collection of wings matches up well with the rest of their roster.  This Nova team likes to pound it down low on an iso and then kick it out if they can't score or get fouled in the post.  So LMF keys to the game:

1.  Make life miserable for Gillespie and force the ball out of his hands if possible.
2.  Get back on defense if the press isn't there because if Nova consistently beats the press it could be an ugly game for us.
3.  Defend the post without the perimeter D collapsing and giving up open looks from 3.

Likely to come down to our pressure defense versus Nova's execution. 

To me the X-factor for Nova is Jermaine Samuels.  We have a bunch of potential X-factors, the question is who steps up.

Very well stated!

Number 3 is pretty much every defense goal in every game. Much easier said than done.

 

[BrookJersey Redmen]

Look at the films from last year's games and do what it took to tie up Gillespie and win that first game like we did. Look at the second game to counter Nova's adjustments to the first one.

I know we don't have the same team we had last year, but we can employ the same principles as that first win. We do have the core three from last year's team that beat Nova handily once.

 

[gregbodkin]

If I remember correctly, CMA's teams always have a January slump and then rebound for February and March. This game could be the beginning of our coming back. ;-)

 

[monte]

I'm assuming we will be pretty sizeable underdogs in this one, 10 points at least. So I'm going to take my usual approach and assume the worst but hope for the best!

Id say 12-14 point dog, but ya never know after our last performance. Could be lower. I'll probably stay away.  No read one way or the other on this one. 

 

[lawmanfan]

 

 

3.  Defend the post without the perimeter D collapsing and giving up open looks from 3.

 

Number 3 is pretty much every defense goal in every game. Much easier said than done.

True but it related to the earlier points - Dixon should be manageable one-one-one by any of our bigs, and with Nova's penchant to pound the ball into the post with a variety of players our guys are going to have to be prepared to stand their ground one-on-one with limited help because if you help Nova will kill you from 3.

It isn't a matchup like Providence where you know going in that you will have to commit extra resources to the paint to stop Watson.  In this game if everyone competes defensively with whoever they're assigned to when Nova tries to post up, it will also shut off their kick-and-rotate game and that is hugely important.  If we have to play too much help defense in the post against this particular team, it's going to be a problem.

 

[Amaseinyourface]

Surprised no mentions of Moore. He’s the one I’m most worried about. We’ve got guys like Mathis and Wusu to match him physically, but damn he is good. 

For us this will be the Stef Smith game. His turn. 

 

[NCJohnnie]

Moore is indeed good and imho not a bad option to have as a secondary ball handler.

 

[lawmanfan]

Surprised no mentions of Moore. He’s the one I’m most worried about. We’ve got guys like Mathis and Wusu to match him physically, but damn he is good. 

For us this will be the Stef Smith game. His turn. 
 

Moore is very good but having seen Nova in person a couple of times this season and more on TV, he just seems overly committed to playing an iso post-up game.  We should be able to handle that physically with the players we have. 

Of course the problem is he does have more to his game than that and if he changes gears then we are going to have to be prepared.  But if Nova does what I've seen them do much of the season, which is throw the ball to Dixon down low, have Gillespie try to dribble into the post and back his man down as though he's Mark Jackson, iso Moore for the same thing, it seems to me that we have the personnel to manage that.

Completely agree with you that this could be a Stef Smith game.  Setting aside the Hall game, our offensive efficiency has not be awesome when we can't get turnovers and runouts.  Assuming we don't succeed in boat racing Nova the way we did to the Hall, and that it is more like the UConn game or the first Hall game, we will need Smith to hit shots.

 

[BrookJersey Redmen]

I have seen Gillespi do his Mark Jackson impression - - -  it is pretty good. Very good against inferior competition. I think we defend that move pretty well, and take that out of their arsenal.

 

 

[Mug Costanza]

Let's not forget as Posh did win the first meeting with Gillespie, Gillespie easily won the 2nd meeting going 5-8 for 14 points with 5 Assists and 2 TOs. He knows what he's in for as does Jay Wright. Hope they are cold from outside and Julian finds his game and is the best player on the court.

 

[usguard]

Knight,can’t see that happening ovenight just hoping we play good and they don’t.  Champ has hurt his chances  for NBA 
unless he can pull off a great game and carry us forward. His weakness is creating his own shot andthats what he will need at the next level. Loohslike teams have played fough D on him and his shots have been cotested. Think the team has to set more picks from which he can shoot. Frankly,can not believe how he could shoot so bad for so many games But as I said,team has to do a better job for him, he is the key to victory, like to see him get 25 

 

[Amaseinyourface]

 Not to veer off topic but Spacing the floor as a catch and shoot guy with limited creation ability is actually a pretty valuable commodity in the NBA. Lots of guys aren’t asked to creat shots for themselves with stars doing more and more of the heavy lifting. It’s not his lack of creation that will hinder him it’s whether or not he can provide enough as a defender IMO. He knows where to be and can pick up steals and blocks as a help defender but will he be able to guard perimeter players in space. 

 

[NCJohnnie]

Blame this post on my having a slow morning waiting for it to warm up enough here for me to go for a run. Being bored, I was looking at the ESPN team stats for us & Nova. I'll preface it by saying stats are usually deceiving and especially these stats in our case because there are no defensive stats other than steals (defensive rebounds not tracked separately) and some of our offensive stats are inflated due to our pace and the opposite is true for Nova,but thought it interesting anyway. Below is our BE rank and Nova's in the categories ESPN tracks:
Scoring - SJU 2, Nova 8
Rebounds - SJU 7, Nova 10
Assists - SJU 1, Nova 8
FG PCT. - SJU 2, Nova 7
3 PT FG PCT - Nova tied for 2nd, SJU 4
Steals - SJU 1, Nova 7
Free throw PCT - Nova 1, SJU 11  

Two takeaways which many have already pointed out. Nova is great at shooting the three and that is a weakness of ours and Nova is also great at hitting their free throws so critical that we don't commit silly reach in fouls and get a fair whistle. No reason we can't hold our own inside against these guys.   

 

[Mean Gene]

 Not to veer off topic but Spacing the floor as a catch and shoot guy with limited creation ability is actually a pretty valuable commodity in the NBA. Lots of guys aren’t asked to creat shots for themselves with stars doing more and more of the heavy lifting. It’s not his lack of creation that will hinder him it’s whether or not he can provide enough as a defender IMO. He knows where to be and can pick up steals and blocks as a help defender but will he be able to guard perimeter players in space. 

Braun from Kansas and O’Connell From Creighton basically took his lunch money out there. If he can’t guard those guys how will he guard guys with NBA athleticism? Not that Braun and O’Connell are not good players , they are, but the NBA is another level entirely.

 

[Amaseinyourface]

 Not to veer off topic but Spacing the floor as a catch and shoot guy with limited creation ability is actually a pretty valuable commodity in the NBA. Lots of guys aren’t asked to creat shots for themselves with stars doing more and more of the heavy lifting. It’s not his lack of creation that will hinder him it’s whether or not he can provide enough as a defender IMO. He knows where to be and can pick up steals and blocks as a help defender but will he be able to guard perimeter players in space. 

Braun from Kansas and O’Connell From Creighton basically took his lunch money out there. If he can’t guard those guys how will he guard guys with NBA athleticism? Not that Braun and O’Connell are not good players , they are, but the NBA is another level entirely.

Yea he’s not the best on ball defender and that could hurt his potential like I said. Braun tho is an absolute stud, no shame in that.

 

[beast of the east]

Blame this post on my having a slow morning waiting for it to warm up enough here for me to go for a run. Being bored, I was looking at the ESPN team stats for us & Nova. I'll preface it by saying stats are usually deceiving and especially these stats in our case because there are no defensive stats other than steals (defensive rebounds not tracked separately) and some of our offensive stats are inflated due to our pace and the opposite is true for Nova,but thought it interesting anyway. Below is our BE rank and Nova's in the categories ESPN tracks:
Scoring - SJU 2, Nova 8
Rebounds - SJU 7, Nova 10
Assists - SJU 1, Nova 8
FG PCT. - SJU 2, Nova 7
3 PT FG PCT - Nova tied for 2nd, SJU 4
Steals - SJU 1, Nova 7
Free throw PCT - Nova 1, SJU 11  

Two takeaways which many have already pointed out. Nova is great at shooting the three and that is a weakness of ours and Nova is also great at hitting their free throws so critical that we don't commit silly reach in fouls and get a fair whistle. No reason we can't hold our own inside against these guys.   

I'm glad I'm not a coach because I look at things very simplistically.   Take Nova out of their comfort zone, make them work for everything and don't allow them to get on a roll.     If you take the steam out of an opponent, our relentless pressure and racehorse basketball becomes tiresome.  If you allow their crowd to become a factor, they will stay energized and can really give us a drubbing.    We must cover the three AND defend the paint.   Even a very good team like Nova can lose composure and Jay knows we are well capable of doing that.   

If we do what we do well, we can give them a good game, and beat them.   If we don't play well, it hardly matters what they do - they will win.   So you see, it's simple - play well and give them a game, or go home.

 

[Dan V]

 Not to veer off topic but Spacing the floor as a catch and shoot guy with limited creation ability is actually a pretty valuable commodity in the NBA. Lots of guys aren’t asked to creat shots for themselves with stars doing more and more of the heavy lifting. It’s not his lack of creation that will hinder him it’s whether or not he can provide enough as a defender IMO. He knows where to be and can pick up steals and blocks as a help defender but will he be able to guard perimeter players in space. 

Was thinking the same thing glad you said it. Not sure if this makes him a good enough defender but he leads the team in defensive win shares. Surprising because he’s not considered the best defender on this team. Regardless his value is his size and shooting ability, think of a guy like Reggie Bullock who has made a career with that profile without being an elite defender. Saddiq Bey seems to be doing just fine with similar traits.

 

[Mullins Revenge]

 Not to veer off topic but Spacing the floor as a catch and shoot guy with limited creation ability is actually a pretty valuable commodity in the NBA. Lots of guys aren’t asked to creat shots for themselves with stars doing more and more of the heavy lifting. It’s not his lack of creation that will hinder him it’s whether or not he can provide enough as a defender IMO. He knows where to be and can pick up steals and blocks as a help defender but will he be able to guard perimeter players in space. 

Braun from Kansas and O’Connell From Creighton basically took his lunch money out there. If he can’t guard those guys how will he guard guys with NBA athleticism? Not that Braun and O’Connell are not good players , they are, but the NBA is another level entirely.

He wont be drafted nor play in the nba.  He is not athletic, explosive or quick enough.  Hes not even a good college player right now.  In 4 of the 7 big east games this year, he has been bad.