Up Next: Creighton

[paultzman]

I'm sorry, but I do have to laugh at all of the posters who actually believe this team is going to make a run in the Big East Tournament. Can we just face the fact that we are rooting for a below average team? They're 2-6 in conference play and their most impressive wins this season are against 12-8 Seton Hall and 11-9 Butler.

Listen, we can talk about blown charge calls, moving screens, and not closing out on the unanimous POY. But let's not forget the awful start to the second half that made it virtually impossible to win that game. Good basketball teams rarely are on the losing end of a 15-1 run. And there seems to be a story after every single game.

I'm not saying don't root for our team. Like most of you, I'll go to my fair share in February because I love this program. But it's time to accept the fact that our team just isn't very good and we probably shouldn't expect a reversal of fortunes anytime soon.

So often folks reference the fact we can beat anybody on a given day. Is the reverse not true? We could lose to any BE opponent and have proven that. As a passionate fan, I must also accept that our margin of error in any game is razor thin. Our ineptitude in the areas of perimeter shooting & half court offense always presents itself and results in scoring droughts. If we can only generate offense through turnovers, we remain very vulnerable and a team that is easy to prepare for. Take away our uncontested lay ups and we may be shooting at a scary %.

 

[Class of 72]

I'm sorry, but I do have to laugh at all of the posters who actually believe this team is going to make a run in the Big East Tournament. Can we just face the fact that we are rooting for a below average team? They're 2-6 in conference play and their most impressive wins this season are against 12-8 Seton Hall and 11-9 Butler.

Listen, we can talk about blown charge calls, moving screens, and not closing out on the unanimous POY. But let's not forget the awful start to the second half that made it virtually impossible to win that game. Good basketball teams rarely are on the losing end of a 15-1 run. And there seems to be a story after every single game.

I'm not saying don't root for our team. Like most of you, I'll go to my fair share in February because I love this program. But it's time to accept the fact that our team just isn't very good and we probably shouldn't expect a reversal of fortunes anytime soon.

So often folks reference the fact we can beat anybody on a given day. Is the reverse not true? We could lose to any BE opponent and have proven that. As a passionate fan, I must also accept that our margin of error in any game is razor thin. Our ineptitude in the areas of perimeter shooting & half court offense always presents itself and results in scoring droughts. If we can only generate offense through turnovers, we remain very vulnerable and a team that is easy to prepare for. Take away our uncontested lay ups and we may be shooting at a scary %.

Take away our uncontested lay ups and we may be the worst shooting team in the Big East. Our defense against the opposing team's best scorer is also atrocious. How many opposing players have had season highs against us? We are a lazy team on defense and without Jordan a me-first team on offense. Only a couple of new players can change that and we have none on the horizon.

 

[fuchsia]

And we are probably worse at shooting uncontested layups than any other D1 team.

 

[SJU1512]

We're getting there in terms of our macro issues (rotation, offensive fluidity, defensive pressure 94 feet). But we still make too many micro mistakes to win these kinds of games. Greene fouling 90 feet from the basket when they're in the bonus, critical missed free throws, somehow losing McDermott on the last play of the game. All in the last 5 minutes. This stuff adds up and is tough to overcome on the road against a Top 25 team.

The shame of it is if we had just taken care of the macro issues as of the DePaul/Providence games, we'd probably have won them despite needing to still fine tune the small stuff. We saw last night how good this team can be even when making those kind of mistakes, and that's against a great team. We'd be sitting here at 14-7, 4-4, talking about a great effort and a tough loss to a good team on the road. Don't have that luxury when you wait until late January to start playing.

How about those conversations over the summer about McDermott having problems with the length and athleticism of Sampson, Sanchez, and Obekpa? Wow.

 

[simplyred]

I'm sorry, but I do have to laugh at all of the posters who actually believe this team is going to make a run in the Big East Tournament. Can we just face the fact that we are rooting for a below average team? They're 2-6 in conference play and their most impressive wins this season are against 12-8 Seton Hall and 11-9 Butler.

Listen, we can talk about blown charge calls, moving screens, and not closing out on the unanimous POY. But let's not forget the awful start to the second half that made it virtually impossible to win that game. Good basketball teams rarely are on the losing end of a 15-1 run. And there seems to be a story after every single game.

I'm not saying don't root for our team. Like most of you, I'll go to my fair share in February because I love this program. But it's time to accept the fact that our team just isn't very good and we probably shouldn't expect a reversal of fortunes anytime soon.

Didn't we have a similar run against them when we came back to tie it. Not sure of the numbers but at some point it had to be at least 13-2. It happens even to good teams.

 

[Amaseinyourface]

Please read this with John Lennon's "Imagine" playing in your mind.
Imagine there's no defense planned for McDermott. 
Imagine allowing one player to beat you from beginning to the last shot.

Umm, the plan was to let him score and keep the other guys (Wragge) from going bonkers from three. The plan was fine, and if the refs don't call Jordan on that bullsh*t charge, we probably win. Again, they missed FTs at the end, which you can't blame on coach.

The crazy thing was that we didnt let McDermott beat us, with the exception of the last three I thought he earned almost every single one of his points.

 

[Pray4change]

A very predictable result against Creighton at home. Give credit to the team for fighting back and making it interesting at the end. Same problems for the team where they can't step up big when the game is on the line.. Playing small when big is needed.

We are in the thick of things now. Time for some fan support to help pull out the remaining home games. We'll need to win everyone of them to make a run which is not likely.

Appears just not in the cards this year for this team and the coaching staff.

 

[simplyred]

The game was fun and frustrating to watch. It was frustrating going down 12, but fun pulling back to within 4 at halftime. Frustrating when we went into our drought to start the 2nd half and going down 18. Fun seeing us come back to tie the game. Frustrating seeing McDermott hook CO to get to the basket and not getting a call. Frustrating when the ref calls a BS charge on Jordan. Fun seeing Jordan hit the two free throws. Frustrating seeing McDermott hit that big 3 like it was a layup. Damn, he's good!

All in all, I am proud of the effort. I hope Dlo can find his shot again---soon!
Jordan is really emerging as the player we expected. He has shown signs in the past but now you can see him really taking charge. Sanchez shows signs of his skills but he hasn't done nearly as much as I thought he would. I'm really disappointed in how little Sir'Dom has given us lately. CO had a great game...aside from the defensive breakdown at the end.

 

[Jack Williams]

It's amazing to me that branch made one bad play when he threw it off the backboard, and he didn't see the floor again. Nobody else on the team has that short a leash. Greene doesn't fight through a screen and ends up getting posted up on a center, and they get an easy bucket, but he gets to stay in the game.

 

[monte]

I'm sorry, but I do have to laugh at all of the posters who actually believe this team is going to make a run in the Big East Tournament. Can we just face the fact that we are rooting for a below average team? They're 2-6 in conference play and their most impressive wins this season are against 12-8 Seton Hall and 11-9 Butler.

Listen, we can talk about blown charge calls, moving screens, and not closing out on the unanimous POY. But let's not forget the awful start to the second half that made it virtually impossible to win that game. Good basketball teams rarely are on the losing end of a 15-1 run. And there seems to be a story after every single game.

I'm not saying don't root for our team. Like most of you, I'll go to my fair share in February because I love this program. But it's time to accept the fact that our team just isn't very good and we probably shouldn't expect a reversal of fortunes anytime soon.

The really hard part is we are just so very close to being not just a mediocre team, but a very good team. Most very good teams do not have so many guys who can hurt you in one way or another as St. John's. Many mediocre teams would be just fine with Greene and Branch as their starting backcourt. Or a two headed center in Obekpa/GG. Or three forwards the caliber of Sanchez/Pointer/Sampson. Most don't have a Harrison/Jordan backcourt pairing. Or a marquis coach who can recruit, as tarnished as his rep is on here. Over the past 6 weeks by various posters, each and every one of these guys has been singled out as terrible and a reason for our failures. We are just a little short - whether it be the team having to learn how to win, or being that one player short - either short a star or waiting for him to emerge. Soon, maybe soon.

IMO the difference between us being a bad to mediocre team, and us being a very good team is having someone who can step up and get things under control when needed. Someone who can calm things down when the wheels start to fall off. Someone who can take over(not necessarily score) in the last few minutes of a close game. Essentially a coach on the floor. With our team, when the going gets tough we unravel. When the pressure is on is when we seem to play our worst ball. Maybe Jordan becomes that guy, but he's not there yet. As much as I like D'Lo, I don't ever see him being that guy. His demeanor won't allow it. And frankly I'm not sure that D'Lo will allow anyone else to be that guy.

 

[1and1sju]

I'm sorry, but I do have to laugh at all of the posters who actually believe this team is going to
So often folks reference the fact we can beat anybody on a given day.

I know what you a trying to say Paultz, but I think this is the biggest myth going. When have we ever beaten a good team?
Everyone likes to say we're inconsistent, but the truth is we consistently never win big games. We might play them close, but nothing we have no track record of beating a good team, even the once in a blue moon mantra doesn't apply to us.

 

[doodyny33]

I'm sorry, but I do have to laugh at all of the posters who actually believe this team is going to make a run in the Big East Tournament. Can we just face the fact that we are rooting for a below average team? They're 2-6 in conference play and their most impressive wins this season are against 12-8 Seton Hall and 11-9 Butler.

Listen, we can talk about blown charge calls, moving screens, and not closing out on the unanimous POY. But let's not forget the awful start to the second half that made it virtually impossible to win that game. Good basketball teams rarely are on the losing end of a 15-1 run. And there seems to be a story after every single game.

I'm not saying don't root for our team. Like most of you, I'll go to my fair share in February because I love this program. But it's time to accept the fact that our team just isn't very good and we probably shouldn't expect a reversal of fortunes anytime soon.

The really hard part is we are just so very close to being not just a mediocre team, but a very good team. Most very good teams do not have so many guys who can hurt you in one way or another as St. John's. Many mediocre teams would be just fine with Greene and Branch as their starting backcourt. Or a two headed center in Obekpa/GG. Or three forwards the caliber of Sanchez/Pointer/Sampson. Most don't have a Harrison/Jordan backcourt pairing. Or a marquis coach who can recruit, as tarnished as his rep is on here. Over the past 6 weeks by various posters, each and every one of these guys has been singled out as terrible and a reason for our failures. We are just a little short - whether it be the team having to learn how to win, or being that one player short - either short a star or waiting for him to emerge. Soon, maybe soon.

Beast of the East, I just don't agree with you. I can't say that a team is on the cusp of being very good when they don't shoot, pass, rebound, or run any type of real offense very well. I get the fact that they've been in a lot of close games, but at the end of the day those go in the loss column. And at the end of the day when your best wins are against 12-8 Seton Hall and 11-9 Butler, that kind of sums up the season.

I agree that this team has a few talented players (namely Harrison, Sampson, and Jordan), but that doesn't mean much when we see the game mistakes game in and game out.

 

[Jack Williams]

No reason we can't win six straight.

Marquette
@ Providence
Creighton
@Seton Hall
Gtown
Butler


I think we win the latter three, winning at seton hall and beating Georgetown (with the revenge factor) and butler (considering we killed them in Indy.)

The first three will be difficult. Marquette can be beaten, we just need to make shots, and we will win. Providence is another game I think we can take with the revenge factor and also providences roll needs to come to an end.

Creighton, obviously, can be beaten.

Rattle off six straight and get back into this. No reason we can't, all these teams can be beaten, let's go out and get it done.

 

[Mean Gene]

The biggest issue in this game was the drought to start the second half. Again this team could not put together a full 40 minutes. I do believe if they can ever play a full 40 minutes on a consistent basis they can put together a nice run. I think if they are able to do that they can win the Big East Tournament. We can beat Creighton and Villanova at the Garden if we put forth that type of effort come Big East Tournament time and those are the two best teams. Let's see if they can get there.

 

[simplyred]

I'm sorry, but I do have to laugh at all of the posters who actually believe this team is going to make a run in the Big East Tournament. Can we just face the fact that we are rooting for a below average team? They're 2-6 in conference play and their most impressive wins this season are against 12-8 Seton Hall and 11-9 Butler.

Listen, we can talk about blown charge calls, moving screens, and not closing out on the unanimous POY. But let's not forget the awful start to the second half that made it virtually impossible to win that game. Good basketball teams rarely are on the losing end of a 15-1 run. And there seems to be a story after every single game.

I'm not saying don't root for our team. Like most of you, I'll go to my fair share in February because I love this program. But it's time to accept the fact that our team just isn't very good and we probably shouldn't expect a reversal of fortunes anytime soon.

The really hard part is we are just so very close to being not just a mediocre team, but a very good team. Most very good teams do not have so many guys who can hurt you in one way or another as St. John's. Many mediocre teams would be just fine with Greene and Branch as their starting backcourt. Or a two headed center in Obekpa/GG. Or three forwards the caliber of Sanchez/Pointer/Sampson. Most don't have a Harrison/Jordan backcourt pairing. Or a marquis coach who can recruit, as tarnished as his rep is on here. Over the past 6 weeks by various posters, each and every one of these guys has been singled out as terrible and a reason for our failures. We are just a little short - whether it be the team having to learn how to win, or being that one player short - either short a star or waiting for him to emerge. Soon, maybe soon.

IMO the difference between us being a bad to mediocre team, and us being a very good team is having someone who can step up and get things under control when needed. Someone who can calm things down when the wheels start to fall off. Someone who can take over(not necessarily score) in the last few minutes of a close game. Essentially a coach on the floor. With our team, when the going gets tough we unravel. When the pressure is on is when we seem to play our worst ball. Maybe Jordan becomes that guy, but he's not there yet. As much as I like D'Lo, I don't ever see him being that guy. His demeanor won't allow it. And frankly I'm not sure that D'Lo will allow anyone else to be that guy.

I agree. I hope Jordan becomes that guy. Dlo, in those moments, usually tries to right the ship by taking a long jumper. Unfortunately, he is a streaky shooter and it often does not help. We need a player to handle the ball and set up his teammates for an easy basket when we need it. Someone to handle the other teams pressure when we are pressed. Someone to break down the defense for an easy basket.

 

[MarkRedman]

The team played hard and, for the most part, pretty well, but the last play was a joke
It was very clear to anybody that saw the game that they were going to try to get the ball to McDermott
Why, oh why, would you have Obekpa guarding him on the perimeter?
To call it a coaching blunder is putting it mildly
Certainly, there were better options (ie: Pointer, for one)

 

[westchesterjoe]

A great comeback but, not to be. Just short , like the Syracuse,Nova,Providence, DePaul games. A close win over Seton Hall and a unexpected blow out of a equally desperate team, Butler. 2-6 in BE.

Branch 3 points 1-6 fg
Greene 4 points 2-6
Sanchez 2 points 1-4
Pointer 2 points 1-3

9 points from 3 starters, 2 more from a key reserve, Pointer.. This isn't going to win many games in any conference.

Branch is a PG who can't shoot. He penetrates well but, doesn't finish the lay up. His jumper is poor. Not being able to offer a outside shot, on a team full of poor outside shooting is not helping.
Greene is green
Sanchez is disappointing..
Pointer does the occasional nice play but, not enough. Poor court sense. Overrated defensively.

As summarized by a majority, we don't have enough offensive players to win in a tough conference. Too many gaps , droughts in scoring.

 

[MarkRedman]

No reason we can't win six straight.

Marquette
@ Providence
Creighton
@Seton Hall
Gtown
Butler


I think we win the latter three, winning at seton hall and beating Georgetown (with the revenge factor) and butler (considering we killed them in Indy.)

The first three will be difficult. Marquette can be beaten, we just need to make shots, and we will win. Providence is another game I think we can take with the revenge factor and also providences roll needs to come to an end.

Creighton, obviously, can be beaten.

Rattle off six straight and get back into this. No reason we can't, all these teams can be beaten, let's go out and get it done.

Let's get one in a row before we worry about running off six straight
Yes, we have the potential to win any/all of these games
But, all of these teams are good - to say there is no reason we can't win six straight is a bit presumptuous
Especially when your team has a record of 12-9

 

[logen]

I think we need more playing time for Hooper.

Are you nuts? Hooper cost us the game; he is the primary reason we are where we are. I say they just throw Hooper out of school before he does any more damage to the team.

You better check Harrison's play-by-play blunders in the first half and add Phil Greene's in the second half and Sanchez work slow down the entire game if you want to point fingers.

Uh, ....I was joking.

 

[MarkRedman]

A great comeback but, not to be. Just short , like the Syracuse,Nova,Providence, DePaul games. A close win over Seton Hall and a unexpected blow out of a equally desperate team, Butler. 2-6 in BE.

Branch 3 points 1-6 fg
Greene 4 points 2-6
Sanchez 2 points 1-4
Pointer 2 points 1-3

9 points from 3 starters, 2 more from a key reserve, Pointer.. This isn't going to win many games in any conference.

Branch is a PG who can't shoot. He penetrates well but, doesn't finish the lay up. His jumper is poor. Not being able to offer a outside shot, on a team full of poor outside shooting is not helping.
Greene is green
Sanchez is disappointing..
Pointer does the occasional nice play but, not enough. Poor court sense. Overrated defensively.

As summarized by a majority, we don't have enough offensive players to win in a tough conference. Too many gaps , droughts in scoring.

This shows that recruiting "stars" are not the be all and end all that many fans make them out to be
All of the guys you mentioned were 3 and 4 start prospects coming out of high school
But all of them have serious flaws in their game
And our cracker jack coaching staff doesn't seem capable of helping them shore up their deficiencies after being in the program for 3 years