Quinnipiac, Mon., Nov. 3, 6:30p, FS-1

[bucketshardy]

So saying Ayo is like smoking pot?

Yayo for Ayo... eh... wrong context lol...

What an Opening night! banners - rings - blow out... solid

What hasn't been said... this team is UBER Talented...anyone of our top 8-9 guys could try and "get theirs"... i dont mind Ayo coming in and hunting for 3s...

that said... really hope "ego" issues dont get in the way of what can be a real special season. Think Zuby/Dillon/Sellers solve that with their maturity...

Chances we keep Sanon 1 more year...? please....

 

[dk423]

Yayo for Ayo... eh... wrong context lol...

What an Opening night! banners - rings - blow out... solid

What hasn't been said... this team is UBER Talented...anyone of our top 8-9 guys could try and "get theirs"... i dont mind Ayo coming in and hunting for 3s...

that said... really hope "ego" issues dont get in the way of what can be a real special season. Think Zuby/Dillon/Sellers solve that with their maturity...

Chances we keep Sanon 1 more year...? please....

It's a loaded draft class. Him and Jackson may be competing for late first round pick. Stay one more year, work on their all around game and on court IQ....they could be lottery picks in a much weaker '27 draft

 

[Marillac2]

It's a loaded draft class. Him and Jackson may be competing for late first round pick. Stay one more year, work on their all around game and on court IQ....they could be lottery picks in a much weaker '27 draft

I know it's early and I know Pitino is in his psychology phase, but it's really hard at this moment to see a path for either of these guys to do enough to get drafted after this season.

Compare them to Philon and Pettiford who will be the backbones of their respective teams. We've got so many 2/3's and neither of them can really play the 1. Plus, Sellers is really good.

 

[dk423]

I know it's early and I know Pitino is in his psychology phase, but it's really hard at this moment to see a path for either of these guys to do enough to get drafted after this season.

Compare them to Philon and Pettiford who will be the backbones of their respective teams. We've got so many 2/3's and neither of them can really play the 1. Plus, Sellers is really good.

In a less loaded draft, I think Sanon has a more straightforward path as a sniper. But it'd require him shooting over 40% from three consistently.

I know both thought they'd be one and done, but a seven figure pay day next year can pay huge dividends for them down the line.

 

[Amaseinyourface]

I know it's early and I know Pitino is in his psychology phase, but it's really hard at this moment to see a path for either of these guys to do enough to get drafted after this season.

Compare them to Philon and Pettiford who will be the backbones of their respective teams. We've got so many 2/3's and neither of them can really play the 1. Plus, Sellers is really good.

Annnnd are you ready to relent to the fact Mitchell and Hopkins will be playing together plenty?

 

[paultzman]

 

[paultzman]

 

[bucketshardy]

In a less loaded draft, I think Sanon has a more straightforward path as a sniper. But it'd require him shooting over 40% from three consistently.

I know both thought they'd be one and done, but a seven figure pay day next year can pay huge dividends for them down the line.

A Darling / Jax / Joson would be a real nice start to the 26-27 season...

i know i know... relax everyone... i can enjoy the season while thinking ahead as well...lol

 

[lawmanfan]

Annnnd are you ready to relent to the fact Mitchell and Hopkins will be playing together plenty?

Given that the entire backcourt is, to put it charitably, a work in progress at this point, if Rick wants to win games he HAS to go with the 3-big lineup.

I think he would clearly prefer to go with the 3 guard lineup and rotate the bigs, but he just can't do that at the moment. It may take some time to get there.

The Bama game will be a good yardstick and then it will be back to glorified practice for a couple of weeks - which this team needs.

 

[Amaseinyourface]

Given that the entire backcourt is, to put it charitably, a work in progress at this point, if Rick wants to win games he HAS to go with the 3-big lineup.

I think he would clearly prefer to go with the 3 guard lineup and rotate the bigs, but he just can't do that at the moment. It may take some time to get there.

The Bama game will be a good yardstick and then it will be back to glorified practice for a couple of weeks - which this team needs.

What makes you say Clearly?

 

[Marillac2]

Annnnd are you ready to relent to the fact Mitchell and Hopkins will be playing together plenty?

The issue with that is the guard play. I still think that only way works consistently against good teams is if Darling is one of the guards. Our front court can overwhelm lesser teams, but I still see a deficit in the back court without Darling. Maybe Sellers and Jackson?

 

[Amaseinyourface]

The issue with that is the guard play. I still think that only way works consistently against good teams is if Darling is one of the guards. Our front court can overwhelm lesser teams, but I still see a deficit in the back court without Darling. Maybe Sellers and Jackson?

I think it has as much to do with the talent of the 3 front court guys as it does the issues with any guard play. But if Jackson or Sanon at their same size, we’re even Dlo level on the boards it would be a different story. Dlo was a really good rebounder, just mean he did it with less size and athleticism than both.

 

[Gabelmc]

I think it has as much to do with the talent of the 3 front court guys as it does the issues with any guard play. But if Jackson or Sanon at their same size, we’re even Dlo level on the boards it would be a different story. Dlo was a really good rebounder, just mean he did it with less size and athleticism than both.

One observation from last night’s game:
Talented depth + full-throttle pace = worn-out opponents.

 

[lawmanfan]

What makes you say Clearly?

See, Marillac and I are mostly back on the same page!

IIRC he ran out the 3-guard lineup for Towson. Then he moved to the 3-big lineup for Michigan. IDK whether that was because he wasn't happy with the production vs Towson (my assumption at the time) or because he wanted more length against Michigan (which may be the real answer). He stuck with it early against Quinnipiac, a team whose strength is its frontcourt.

I just think that he envisions platooning Mitchell and Hopkins if he can get production and rebounding out of his guards (a point he's made) because that will allow him to play a 3 guard lineup which I think he prefers. But I could be wrong - you are correct it is definitly not "clearly."

 

[logen]

One pumping of the brakes post; not going to say one negative word on the Johnnies game, everyone played hard and fast team ball, BUT IMO, Quinnipiac played like an overly confident playground team intent on out-talenting a less than respected opponent, which was absurd.
Looked for very quick one on one shots, many of them horrible so the game quickly became a walk in the park. Were those same shots taken deep in the shot clock I would concede that due to great defense, but they weren’t.
None of that is a knock on SJU, they played a really good game, the talent showed but so did team chemistry amid a very definite team approach. Frankly, they played better in that aspect than I had expected.
On to Alabama……

 

[MugCostanza]

Impact chart for this game. Tiny sample size in a game I personally take nothing from, but could interest some

 

[dk423]

See, Marillac and I are mostly back on the same page!

IIRC he ran out the 3-guard lineup for Towson. Then he moved to the 3-big lineup for Michigan. IDK whether that was because he wasn't happy with the production vs Towson (my assumption at the time) or because he wanted more length against Michigan (which may be the real answer). He stuck with it early against Quinnipiac, a team whose strength is its frontcourt.

I just think that he envisions platooning Mitchell and Hopkins if he can get production and rebounding out of his guards (a point he's made) because that will allow him to play a 3 guard lineup which I think he prefers. But I could be wrong - you are correct it is definitly not "clearly."

I also wonder if the continued Hopkins alpha digs are because Pitino wants him to have the ball in his hands more on offense. He can surely initiate and help play-make enough for enough minutes in the games to spell Mitchell for that regard as well.

I'm no longer really worried about the first 35 minutes of the game. Still unsure who the primary ball handler is with 5 minutes to go against a top notch team. But, it's the first week of November, we have a lot of depth/high end talent, and Pitino. It'd be kind of crazy if it didn't sort itself out

 

[Amaseinyourface]

 

[hardytime]

One pumping of the brakes post; not going to say one negative word on the Johnnies game, everyone played hard and fast team ball, BUT IMO, Quinnipiac played like an overly confident playground team intent on out-talenting a less than respected opponent, which was absurd.
Looked for very quick one on one shots, many of them horrible so the game quickly became a walk in the park. Were those same shots taken deep in the shot clock I would concede that due to great defense, but they weren’t.
None of that is a knock on SJU, they played a really good game, the talent showed but so did team chemistry amid a very definite team approach. Frankly, they played better in that aspect than I had expected.
On to Alabama……

On Quinnipiac, agree with everything you said. I will also say this about them: I can see why they were picked to win that league, and Monroe didn't even have a good game last night. Watching them compared to bits a pieces of a few other MAAC teams I caught a bit last night, and Quinnipiac looks like it is playing in a different league than those teams from a personnel and talent standpoint (haven't seen Siena though who I believe is preseason 2).

 

[lawmanfan]

I also wonder if the continued Hopkins alpha digs are because Pitino wants him to have the ball in his hands more on offense. He can surely initiate and help play-make enough for enough minutes in the games to spell Mitchell for that regard as well.

I'm no longer really worried about the first 35 minutes of the game. Still unsure who the primary ball handler is with 5 minutes to go against a top notch team. But, it's the first week of November, we have a lot of depth/high end talent, and Pitino. It'd be kind of crazy if it didn't sort itself out

That is the other possible/probable expectation for the 3-guard look vs Towson, that Rick was trying to light a fire under Hopkins butt, which he has made no bones about doing.

I thought Hopkins was far too passive in the first half last night. And I think Rick had something to say to him about it at halftime, because Hopkins came out much more assertively - but unfortunately not much more productively - in the second half.

Good point.