tom in salem
Well-known member
Crazy.
So much for a light weight schedule.
I believe this is the 4th game in which we've been the underdog.
Sorry St. John's
- Thread starter usfdons
- Start date
Crazy.
So much for a light weight schedule.
I believe this is the 4th game in which we've been the underdog.
Yeah, we could have our hands full again tonight. I thought it was a little bit soft too before the season, but that's not the case at all. Need to bring a much better overall game than we showed vs NJIT. I don't think the Dons have seen any real competition just yet though. Time to show them some tonight. Run em down.
tom in salem
Well-known member
It's more a testament that people don't feel this is a good team as opposed to playing a tough schedule.
You're probably right, but personally I think they are wrong about us. We're not a finished product by any means but when we play our game for 40 minutes, we'll be hard for anybody to beat. Obekpa and Sanchez are just starting to feel comfortable out there and this is an entire team of freshmen and sophs. We have performed quite well this early season for such a young team. We've seen a lot of past SJU teams that have performed a lot worse to inferior competition this early in the season. Personally I don't care how they feel about us now. I just want to keep winning and keep our RPI up. We will be in grest position IF we can enter Big East play with only 2 losses to Baylor and Murray State. Our destiny will be in our hands during Big East play.
westchesterjoe
Active member
I think the definition of mid major is often thrown out as a way to disparage a opponent or league.. Many times, without merit.
Gonzaga, St. Mary's undoubtedly have better records over the last 10 years than we do.Much of our reputation and career wins, etc were during our glory years, prior to the Jarvis, Kevin Clark and Roberts era. None of that means anything now, except it's part of our historical BBlegacy, of which, we are justifiably proud.
I haven't looked up all the WCC records over the past years but, USF has beaten Gonzaga and St. Mary's DURING THE LAST 10 YEARS.
The Lavin era is still a work in progress and while we all see signs the Program is revitalized and moving forward, the accomplishments of his teams are mixed. 1 Ncaa year, 1 losing year, albeit with nearly all frosh players.This year has been good but, we still don't scare anyone as a opponent. We lost two games we could have won, Murray State and Baylor for a variety of reasons.
I don't know but, if we had 2 NCAA Championships, regardless of when those championships occurred, I WOULD BE MIGHTY PROUD of my alma mater, as surely as SF fans are.. USF is not Ashville, NJIT, St. Francis or, the cupcake we so despise.
Our best efforts are a NCAA runner up in the 1950's and a final 4 in 1985.. SF has 2 titles which puts them in elite company historically.
I am looking forward to viewing the game tonite on SNY/Direct TV.
Gonzaga, St. Mary's undoubtedly have better records over the last 10 years than we do.Much of our reputation and career wins, etc were during our glory years, prior to the Jarvis, Kevin Clark and Roberts era. None of that means anything now, except it's part of our historical BBlegacy, of which, we are justifiably proud.
I haven't looked up all the WCC records over the past years but, USF has beaten Gonzaga and St. Mary's DURING THE LAST 10 YEARS.
The Lavin era is still a work in progress and while we all see signs the Program is revitalized and moving forward, the accomplishments of his teams are mixed. 1 Ncaa year, 1 losing year, albeit with nearly all frosh players.This year has been good but, we still don't scare anyone as a opponent. We lost two games we could have won, Murray State and Baylor for a variety of reasons.
I don't know but, if we had 2 NCAA Championships, regardless of when those championships occurred, I WOULD BE MIGHTY PROUD of my alma mater, as surely as SF fans are.. USF is not Ashville, NJIT, St. Francis or, the cupcake we so despise.
Our best efforts are a NCAA runner up in the 1950's and a final 4 in 1985.. SF has 2 titles which puts them in elite company historically.
I am looking forward to viewing the game tonite on SNY/Direct TV.
NorCal Johnny
Member
In the Bay area nobody cares about USF basketball. Cal is #1, followed by Stanford and St. Mary's. I'll be at the game tonite wearing red.
2 titles...in what years?! 49 and 50? Hey, that means the Jets won it all just yesterday in comparison. Jeez, the hoops people will jump through just to overhype an opponent on here. Did you really just say that USF has beaten Gonzaga in the past 10 years as if that's supposed to make us bow down? Line up the best teams we beat in the past 10 yrs vs. theirs and I guarantee ours is twice as long. Duke (twice), Pitt, G'Town, Nova, Cincy, ND, etc. (when these teams were all in the top 10 or top 20). San Francisco is NOT a major team...enough with that. They are as much a mid major as Texas Pan-American. Like I said, prior success does not change their classification. They did all their real damage in 1949-1950 ish and then once more in the 70's. SF can easily beat us just like any other upset game where we are off and the mid major school is hungrier. I hope we win, but if we lose and they storm the court which is very possible (see Fordham), then my point is proven that we were favorites all along. Some of you can make the Mets and the Jets seem like amazing franchises...jeez. "Well they had that one Superbowl win in 1969!", "The Mets also won in 1969 then 1986 so they are a great team!", "SF won in 1949-1950's so they are obviously amazing!". College basketball was nothing in those days. Totally different, not nearly the same recruiting, hype, talent, conferences, competition, etc. If we played their championship team today we would beat them easily because athletes today are no match for the ones back in the 40's and 50's in basketball save for a select few. This is a sport of what have you done for me lately, not what did you do after WWII. If you want to be a SF that's your choice...I'll remain a SJ fan. If our 3's fall at a rate of 45% or better tonight I think we win. If we have another awful day from 3 and get dominated on the boards, we lose...maybe even by double digits.
Joe, you are way off here. Those USF Don's teams would destroy today's team. Led by all time NBA great Bill Russell and KC Jones, you don't get much better than that. Russell is, even today, considered one of the top
3 basketball players of all time and won titles in every venue. Last time the Johnnie's were out there former Knick and Bull, Bill Cartwright and team beat them as I remember.
But as far as this year, I do believe the Johnnie's will beat them under normal circumstances.
Storm the Court? Are you crazy? We are not that good. Really, we aren't I know i sound like a bad fan here but i am honestly trying to be realistic, we are playing a team that is coming in with fans expecting to win this game. The student body of SF does not consider us a team to beat i guarantee it and you wanna know why? Because we really have not beaten anybody good
That is true we are from a major conference and of course they would like to beat us but they probably see us as bottom feeders of the BE Believe me when a bunch of California boys think BE they think Cuse, Pitt, L'Ville. WE don't scare them but hopefully we can change their opinion tonight
I stated earlier on this board that I think we are underdogs coming into this game, And I believe it, but we can still go out there and win this game. Some of you will be surprised by SF offense. They have a very good offensive game. They are going to control the boards on us unless Amir and Dom step it up. They are bigger and more experienced and also playing at home but as Joe3 says we are the more talented team. We need to use this, if we come out flat, we might not come back from it. Tough game tonight, but sure to be exciting!
we are 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 point under dogs in all of the betting lines today, i know that doesnt mean much but being an underdog to people that have money behind it, its not what i want to hear. Also most scouting reports have us loosing this game
We need to come out fired up and defend the perimeter if not this is going to be a very long long game.
We need to come out fired up and defend the perimeter if not this is going to be a very long long game.
westchesterjoe
Active member
I believe Bill Russel, KC Jones won back to back titles at USF IN 1955 AND 1956. This is hardly BB back in the days of WW2.. St John's , I think was National Runner up to either Kansas or NC also back in the 50's.. These accomplishments are noteworthy for both schools as they form part of each schools BB history. Downgrading the teams or players of that era or, any era does disservice to why they play the games and we watch.
Off hand, I would be hard pressed to name a NCAA Champion in the last 50 years that could have beaten Russell's USF Teams.I'm sure it would be fun to suggest teams that might have beaten those Dons but, it would be tough to do.Feel free to pose who might have done so.. UCLA, NC,G'TOWN,VILLANOVA, Kansas, Michigan, Kentucky,L'ville,Syracuse, Indiana? Good as any of those teams were, while winning their Championships, they would all be hard pressed to beat the Russell, Jones teams. Russell was like no other player ever and rebounded and blocked shots as no one had ever done so dramatically. His winning resume in College, Olympics and Celtics
will never be surpassed.
Knowledge of history and respecting it, even on entertainment like College BB, is important to the serious, knowledgeable fan.
Lastly, I'm a die hard REDMEN fan and never root for a opponent. USF HAS A SPECIAL HISTORY deserving of respect.That is all I'm saying.
Off hand, I would be hard pressed to name a NCAA Champion in the last 50 years that could have beaten Russell's USF Teams.I'm sure it would be fun to suggest teams that might have beaten those Dons but, it would be tough to do.Feel free to pose who might have done so.. UCLA, NC,G'TOWN,VILLANOVA, Kansas, Michigan, Kentucky,L'ville,Syracuse, Indiana? Good as any of those teams were, while winning their Championships, they would all be hard pressed to beat the Russell, Jones teams. Russell was like no other player ever and rebounded and blocked shots as no one had ever done so dramatically. His winning resume in College, Olympics and Celtics
will never be surpassed.
Knowledge of history and respecting it, even on entertainment like College BB, is important to the serious, knowledgeable fan.
Lastly, I'm a die hard REDMEN fan and never root for a opponent. USF HAS A SPECIAL HISTORY deserving of respect.That is all I'm saying.
Several of us fans are really doom and gloom with tonight's game. I don't see it. The only thing that keeps this game close is that it's on SF's home court. They have one rebounder and he's 6'7" and his numbers are against lousy opponents.
Regardless of the odds, I think we're up 8 at halftime and win this one by 12-15 with little concern down the stretch. Good road test for us and we come out just fine.
Regardless of the odds, I think we're up 8 at halftime and win this one by 12-15 with little concern down the stretch. Good road test for us and we come out just fine.