Syracuse GAME Thread

I think the team is obviously improving. The issue with losing both games to Wisconsin and Syracuse is that, in previous years if we lost to a non conference ranked team, in the old Big East there were at least 5 or 6 ranked teams ranked high in the conference so there were plenty of opportunities for us to beat ranked teams. With this new Big East, Villanova is the only ranked team right now so our opportunities to play and beat ranked teams are not as prevalent in the new conference set up. Now we really have to clean up in conference to get ourselves noticed and lock up an NCAA bid. I think we have to go 12 - 6 or 13 - 5 and make it to at least the Big East Championship game for us to be a lock for a bid. Otherwise we'll be on the fence. That being said, the way we played Syracuse, and if we continue to improve, we have as much talent as anyone and if it everything comes together we can win this league. IMHO.
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RPI plays a role, as well. I haven't checked the RPI rating of the teams in the conference, but I saw gman post the Big East is the #3 rated conference, per RPI, at the moment. I don't know, whether we'll (the conference) be able to sustain that particular ranking or not, but that serves well for our conference if the RPI ranking holds steady.

If we can somehow go 2-1 or (even, better) 3-0 at the start of the conference season, then that'll do wonders for us. Getting out to a good start against some solid opponents (Xavier, G'town, and Villanova) could do wonders for confidence (and perception).
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First, we have to win these next 3, if we drop anyone of these games then to me the pre season is a big failure at 8-4.

At the very worse I`d like to start the season at 2-1, can`t lose both at X and PC. I`d like to have the first New BE gam,e at the Garden too.
Looking at the B.E. schedule we need to sweep a few teams, DePaul and SHU are there for the taking. We can`t be swept by anyone and hope we atleast split with Creighton, Nova, G-Town, Marq, and Butler. That puts us at 9-5.
Then there`s PC and X. 2-2 against those 2 only put us at 11-7 which I don`t feel comfortable with, I like 12-6 much better so we need to sweep one of them too. Hey if they want in the tourny then they better put in the work, it`s all on them.
 
The opinions on this thread concerning losing to Syracuse, and the attendance at MSG basically verify one thing: Most basketball fans and sports fans in general are fans of WINNING. Most fans don't care to come out and watch a work-in-progress, and be happy that a team shows signs of being competitive, and in our case, rising from the ashes. If we crack the top 25 this year, some more fans will start to come out. If we break the top 15, a lot more. IF we go deep into the NCAA tourney, all of a sudden, the whole city will be buzzing with fans professing their allegiance through bad times and good. The reality is most fans can only accept a top program, and anything else is worth bitching about and staying home.
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You`re absolutely right, I want to win and make the tourny this year, and don`t give me that "work in progress" bd man. We been "a work in progress" the last 12-13 years with one exception (Lavins first year). You see teams every year constantly do good for the last 15-20yrs. When I see big time games, and the fans going crazy, I always wonder if SJU will ever be in a game like this. It really burns inside me to be on top of NY again (screw cuse). We sucked for to freaking long, so you`re damn freaking right, IT`S HAS TO BE OUR TIME NOW.

Does that mean we gotta be #1 (like we were at one point in 85), and win the NC? Nah, not this year.
I however would love 21 wins, 2 more in the BE tourny to get to 23, and make it to the 2nd weekend in the NCAA. Would that be reasonable enough?
Then big time BBall next year (would be our senoirs last chance at beating those SOBs from upstate).

Uhhh who said (oh you can`t accept a loss to the #2 team in the country"? Might have been simply but not 100% sure. To me that statement is for losers. Me personally, I`ll never ever accept a loss against any damn team. They bleed red just like anyone else. You think I`ll going to a game against a top team saying to myself: " oh i hope we could beat them but if not then I`ll just accept"? Nahhh that`s not gonna happen with me.
Am I happy that we finally went toe to toe with them, HELL YES, no more 20+pnts beatdown and laughing at us anymore.
Am I satisfied with the outcome? HELL NO, if we didn`t choke we could have won. (and yes forcing up bad shots and committing turnovers is choking so don`t kid yourself.) Sir Dom is correct: "we still have some growing up to do.

Bottom line, the season isn`t isn`t over, gotta put the Cuse game behind you or you`ll make yourself sick.
Keep improving as the conf play nears. Would love to see them take it to a whole new level (even bigger then the Syracuse game), and just put it on every damn team in the new BE.
AND NEVER EVER ACCEPT A LOSS. NOVA is a top10 team, do we have to accept a loss against them???
BS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Watched the 2nd half on DVR last night, and wanted to point out that the students sections seemed even more outstanding on TV than they did live. Place was no doubt electric during the comeback, but sometimes it's tough to tell how loud it is during big SJU moments because I'm screaming my face off myself. The chants were really audible on FS1 and it sounded like the place was going off - excellent work from the students. Band did a nice job drowning out a few Let's Go Orange attempts as well, the only one they REALLY got was on the Grant volleyball block.

I know Cuse is a big draw for obvious reasons (for all fans not just the students), but I hope they bring those kind of numbers at that kind of energy to our other BE games at the Garden as well. You could tell the team was feeding off of it, and if we can get that kind of fan energy coupled with the way Lavin has gotten less talented teams than this to play at the Garden, I could see it turning into a big home court advantage for us this year (ala 2010/2011).
 
Disagreeing about basketball is one thing but no one should try and boost themselves up by saying they go to the games. You don't know what's going in people's lives and you don't know why they can or can't go to games. So don't try to make yourself seem like a better fan by saying you go, that's really low.
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Jack, when we urge fans (students and alums) to attend the games it is in the spirit of supporting our players and our school. Obviuosly we have fans in many parts of the country that would be at the games if they lived in the NY area and it is those NY area students and alums (over 50,000 combined) that may be basketball fans that are the focus. Forgetting the casual SJU fans that are not students or grads, just 20% of that group would fill over 10,000 seats at MSG alone and sell out CA. Few of us expect the other 80% to be interested enough in the sport given the multitude of entertainment options in NYC. NYC is an expensive entertainment venue so you need a compelling product and hopefully we are moving in a positive direction to stimulate interest. In NYC it is called winning.
UCLA, one of the top 5 names in the history of the sport and one that has a quality product every year suffers the same lack of interest in Tinsle Town. Unless they are a top 10 team, Pauley is never sold out, unlike at Kansas where it is the only game in town. Life and college basketball is tough in the big cities.
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So are you saying that only students and alumni are fans of the basketball team?
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NO! I mention the "casual fan" not affiliated with the school. You cannot "quantify" that number. I have friends that went to CUNY and non basketball schools that pull for SJU. How many are there out there? Your guess is as good as mine!
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I am one of them but there were a whole lot more in the 1980's.
 
I thought the enthusiasm was great. What I find disappointing is the attendance at the on campus games prior to league games in Jan. I attended SJU games at MSG in the fifties while a high school student for fifty cents. Why don't SJU set aside some sections in the nose bleed areas for local high school students at five bucks apiece for the Nov. Dec. games. They are always empty and it is also a way of building fan support.. High school kids tend to cheer a lot louder than alumni.
 
Disagreeing about basketball is one thing but no one should try and boost themselves up by saying they go to the games. You don't know what's going in people's lives and you don't know why they can or can't go to games. So don't try to make yourself seem like a better fan by saying you go, that's really low.
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Jack, when we urge fans (students and alums) to attend the games it is in the spirit of supporting our players and our school. Obviuosly we have fans in many parts of the country that would be at the games if they lived in the NY area and it is those NY area students and alums (over 50,000 combined) that may be basketball fans that are the focus. Forgetting the casual SJU fans that are not students or grads, just 20% of that group would fill over 10,000 seats at MSG alone and sell out CA. Few of us expect the other 80% to be interested enough in the sport given the multitude of entertainment options in NYC. NYC is an expensive entertainment venue so you need a compelling product and hopefully we are moving in a positive direction to stimulate interest. In NYC it is called winning.
UCLA, one of the top 5 names in the history of the sport and one that has a quality product every year suffers the same lack of interest in Tinsle Town. Unless they are a top 10 team, Pauley is never sold out, unlike at Kansas where it is the only game in town. Life and college basketball is tough in the big cities.
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So are you saying that only students and alumni are fans of the basketball team?
Click to expand...

NO! I mention the "casual fan" not affiliated with the school. You cannot "quantify" that number. I have friends that went to CUNY and non basketball schools that pull for SJU. How many are there out there? Your guess is as good as mine!
Click to expand...

I am one of them but there were a whole lot more in the 1980's.
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Being a top 10 team with names like Mullin, Berry, Jackson and Wennington created many many casual fans in the 80's that are still fans today.
I was hoping Lavin was going to recruit one or two big names every couple of years to get us up in the rankings again to entice the average NYC BB fan but it has not happened. Had Harkless stayed and had Nurideen Lindsey not been a total bust and had Sampson been a future mini LeBron SJU would own this town. Bad luck has been our constant companion.
Now if Max Hooper starts to shoot and play like Chris Mullin..........never mind!
 
The big east is currently #3 in the rpi? Why do people think only 3 teams are going to make the tournament?
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I think four will and a fifth will be in a dangerous bubble.
 
Disagreeing about basketball is one thing but no one should try and boost themselves up by saying they go to the games. You don't know what's going in people's lives and you don't know why they can or can't go to games. So don't try to make yourself seem like a better fan by saying you go, that's really low.
Click to expand...

Jack, when we urge fans (students and alums) to attend the games it is in the spirit of supporting our players and our school. Obviuosly we have fans in many parts of the country that would be at the games if they lived in the NY area and it is those NY area students and alums (over 50,000 combined) that may be basketball fans that are the focus. Forgetting the casual SJU fans that are not students or grads, just 20% of that group would fill over 10,000 seats at MSG alone and sell out CA. Few of us expect the other 80% to be interested enough in the sport given the multitude of entertainment options in NYC. NYC is an expensive entertainment venue so you need a compelling product and hopefully we are moving in a positive direction to stimulate interest. In NYC it is called winning.
UCLA, one of the top 5 names in the history of the sport and one that has a quality product every year suffers the same lack of interest in Tinsle Town. Unless they are a top 10 team, Pauley is never sold out, unlike at Kansas where it is the only game in town. Life and college basketball is tough in the big cities.
Click to expand...


So are you saying that only students and alumni are fans of the basketball team?
Click to expand...

NO! I mention the "casual fan" not affiliated with the school. You cannot "quantify" that number. I have friends that went to CUNY and non basketball schools that pull for SJU. How many are there out there? Your guess is as good as mine!
Click to expand...

I am one of them but there were a whole lot more in the 1980's.
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I gua-ran-damn-tee you that once we take this to a whole other level and we are on top blasting those boys from upstate and others, that they`ll be back. The new generation will become SJU as well, and before you know it the sea of red (like it was on the 80s will be back at MSG).

I`m gonna look up "old school chants for ST. John`s"
 
Roger Rubin ‏@RogRubin 16m
Jimmy V Classic starts shortly at the garden with Pitt v. Cincinnati. There are fewer than 1500 people in the seats right now.
 
Roger Rubin ‏@RogRubin 16m
Jimmy V Classic starts shortly at the garden with Pitt v. Cincinnati. There are fewer than 1500 people in the seats right now.
Click to expand...

Bet Jermaine Lawrence is having a blast……….
 
Roger Rubin ‏@RogRubin 16m
Jimmy V Classic starts shortly at the garden with Pitt v. Cincinnati. There are fewer than 1500 people in the seats right now.
Click to expand...

Bet Jermaine Lawrence is having a blast……….
Click to expand...

His "handler" has a nice seat though.
 
Roger Rubin ‏@RogRubin 16m
Jimmy V Classic starts shortly at the garden with Pitt v. Cincinnati. There are fewer than 1500 people in the seats right now.
Click to expand...

Bet Jermaine Lawrence is having a blast……….
Click to expand...

His "handler" has a nice seat though.
Click to expand...

She has a whole row, maybe a whole section
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HaHa! Maybe that's why he didn't come here. Those plastic seats at CA wouldn't accommodate her rear end!
 
Roger Rubin ‏@RogRubin 16m
Jimmy V Classic starts shortly at the garden with Pitt v. Cincinnati. There are fewer than 1500 people in the seats right now.
Click to expand...

Bet Jermaine Lawrence is having a blast……….
Click to expand...

His "handler" has a nice seat though.
Click to expand...

She has a whole row, maybe a whole section
Click to expand...

HaHa! Maybe that's why he didn't come here. Those plastic seats at CA wouldn't accommodate her rear end!
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You mean her ass is wider than mine? :manga:
 
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