To a degree, I think SH being shorthanded contributed to a bit overconfidence - hence the sloppy play and turnovers. Once we reached the half, I told my friend that we would get it done in the 2nd half. And, although it wasn't easy, we got it done
Take a deep breath - this is getting interesting
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To a degree, I think SH being shorthanded contributed to a bit overconfidence - hence the sloppy play and turnovers. Once we reached the half, I told my friend that we would get it done in the 2nd half. And, although it wasn't easy, we got it done
Funny post; we don't have Branch and that hurts but SHU plays without TWO senior starters but still has enough talent to beat anyone? One would think they are a national powerhouse!! Look, we won and that is by far the most inportant thing (the only thing really) but we played with little intensity and focus and that has to be a concern. If we come out like that Sunday it is another Gtown whupping on us. Hopefully, we don't but we shall see. I know you analyze stats and nothing the matter with that but here's one a basketball junkie friend of mine pointed out - had Creighton and SHU shot as they normally do from the line we are 0-2 and crying in our beer (at least Mjmaher is). They didn't so we are still alive but WE made the game ugly not SHU by not coming to play.
I don't think you understood me. I do not think SH is a great or even a good team. I am just saying that they have a few very talented but inconsistent guys that can give a good team a loss on any given night. Losing Branch hurts us badly because we have to rely more on Dom. I am very happy that Teague and Oliver didn't play...believe me. As for if those teams "shot as they normally do" arguments. The game is a back and forth. You react to what your opponent did, not what they usually do. If they missed eight straight shots and you find yourself with a ten point lead, most teams run clock and don't have the same sense of urgency. It seemed like one of those game SJU was going to win close...whether SHU scored 35 or 95.
I certainly understand the ebb and flow of a game and the misunderstanding runs both ways. All I am saying is (and you are perfectly entitled), the analysis of games, stats, history, etc. either before or after a game , is interesting but largely meaningless because every game, every possession, is different. We haven't beaten Gtown in how long, means we are due for a whupping, no it menas we are due for a W, who knows? To say this game is an easy win or I fear this opponent more menas nothing because of the very essence of the beauty of sport "on any given night." The foul shot analysis by my buddy was just meant to convey the fine line between winning and losing at this level and the meaningless of stats. That's why I largely look at a game in its entirety and you know what, against SHU we just didn't play hard. Rebounding, loose balls, defense, we were going through the motions. You want to know the biggest play of the game the other night IMO, Jordan's head fake before he threw the ball to Obekpa; he got all the SHU defenders looking high and threw a perfect bounce pass. He doesn't throw the fake, the lane doesn't open, we don't score, OT. Then who knows???
Can't say I noticed the head fake. I thought the drive by Sina set up the final play. When Jordan had the ball at the top of the key, I thought he was gonna take it to the basket again. I think the SHU defense thought the same thing because the man guarding CO came off him to help take the driving lane away. In that split second, Sheed threw the beautiful pass to an open CO. Btw, that is a pass that, a few weeks ago, CO probably wouldn't have expected and might not hav caught. He did a gret job getting it and going up strong. The defender never made a play on the ball but, insted, pushed CO in the back. That should have been an intentional. Two shots and the ball.
beast of the east
Active member
With Jordan's ability to break down a defense, he was going do SOMETHING. The thing I absolutely love is that in the closing seconds of a game and the ball in Jordan's hands, any single player can get the ball in position to make the game winning shot. That fact keeps defenses honest, and Jordan can make you pay with a single lapse. For the Hooper/Marco fans out there, perhaps that means at some point that one of those guys gets a second life because of the way Jordan splits defenses.
I was thinking that the start time (9 pm), the weather outdoors, the tiny crowd, and perhaps the temperature inside the arena contributed to the sluggish play. Can anyone there comment on whether the arena was colder because it was near empty? Game to game any good team will have flat performances. It's a good team that figures out a way to win. Right now we are a good team.
Like your friend, Logen, I'm also a basketball junkie (more so, high school and college). I guess he forgot to tell you that Sterling Gibbs has been very, inconsistent from the FT line for a few games. So, his FT shooting against us wasn't an aberration. It's becoming the norm for him of late.
I guess your friend also forgot to tell you that Devin Brooks and Grant Gibbs of Creighton aren't particularly good FT shooters. They were the players for Creighton who stunk it up at the FT line against us. I could also mention how Creighton were able to set screens carte blanche.
There is a football coach (I forget his name now) whose occasionally a guest on one of the local radio shows in my area (during the football season). He was once an assistant football coach for the Gamecocks, and he's made stops (as, an assistant) at other colleges and, even the professional (NFL) ranks. He hated when people would call in, and talk about "if" their team did this or "if" they did that. His belief is it happened, and there could've or might've been reasons certain things happened during a game.
Hey! We all can participate or even have participated in the "if" game. Heck! I can "if" the Johnnies to 20 wins already. But it doesn't matter because we obviously didn't do enough to have 20 wins at this point. Similarly, to the Hall and Creighton didn't do enough (or, we did enough) to win.
Ray Morgan
Well-known member
There are no teams that come to play every game. That's normal. That's why good teams get upset. The key is being able to win when you don't bring your A game. We took part of the night off, understandable when you just had your biggest win of the season. Yet we still won. A sign of maturation and improving play. Can't get away with that most nights. It's out of our system, with a win.
For MJMAHERJR:
For your finance'
Chocolates from CVS: $10.50
Dinner at Keen’s: $200.00
Luxury Box with the lady for the SJU/G-Town game: Priceless.
For your finance'
Chocolates from CVS: $10.50
Dinner at Keen’s: $200.00
Luxury Box with the lady for the SJU/G-Town game: Priceless.