Wagner Game

[thetux1]

Good win tonight (any win is good in my book, even if you don't play well). Team played 20 good minutes, IMO, the first 17 and the last 3. Going to need more then that in the future, obviously.

Guy who really played well tonight, IMO, was Sanchez. Guy can do a little bit of everything on the floor. Unfortunately, I think we are going to need more points from him and Jordan (he'll be better, I have no doubt). Someone has to step up as the consistent 3rd scorer behind D'Angelo and Jakarr. It needs to come between the two guys I mentioned, and Sir Dom, and I don't think it can be by committee. Someone needs to step up on a consistent basis.

I like what Obekpa brings to the table. It's another element obviously, but I don't think he'll ever be a great rebounder. His hands are just too small, IMO, and that's something that obviously does not get better.

Would like to see Hooper play more obviously, but we also played mostly man-to-man tonight, and if we stick with that, not sure he can keep up.

Free throw shooting as a team has improved, and I think there are two reasons for this. 1. Sanchez has a good stroke, and 2. Garrett's gone. I think he was around a 50% free throw shooter last year, and never recovered from that game where he missed 8 or 9 in a row. A third reason would be Obekpa playing less.

Yes, we need to get better in quite a few areas, but I'm not as down on this team after tonight as most people on here seem to be.

Sanchez made a really good post move to start the game, about the best post move Ive seen by a St Johns player since Tyrone Grant. The footwork, the head fakes, he did it all. But we never saw him fed the ball in the post the rest of the game. He is a willing passer. Post him up, if he gets double teamed Harrison and Hooper? Bourgault? should get some great looks. We need a 3 pt game.

 

[Class of 72]

The biggest upset in basketball history taking place on the big ten network right now

I'm watching it, as well.

I guess Izzo had his team unprepared.

Columbia is up 44-38 on Michigan State with 11 minutes remaining.

The Lions will lose but play great team ball. SJ would be down 20.

Give it up. This is boring.

You are starting to remind me of the kid in high school who volunteered to be a hall monitor every year so he could give the other kids orders. Stop telling others to "stop thinking or saying what they say". That is boring. As a long suffering fan that has seen around 5 good seasons in 20, I have earned my right to sarcasm, especially after over 35 years of season tickets rather than doing my analyses from my living room couch.
Fly up for a few games for Christ sake like a real fan! I want to buy you a few drinks Dink!!!

 

[MJDinkins]

The biggest upset in basketball history taking place on the big ten network right now

I'm watching it, as well.

I guess Izzo had his team unprepared.

Columbia is up 44-38 on Michigan State with 11 minutes remaining.

The Lions will lose but play great team ball. SJ would be down 20.

yes they do and I think I jinxed them

I never thought Columbia would win (although, it's a tie ballgame with 7 minutes remaining), but they are giving good effort.

Columbia will be another difficult game for St. John's on there non conference schedule.

That's fine, if they are a difficult game. Tough games can build character.

But if you're saying that because of Columbia's play tonight, then that doesn't hold water.

They lost to Manhattan the other day by 1, who is pretty good. They hit three's which we can't defend and anyone who can play even with MSU for 35 minutes has to be pretty good.

IMO, they are on the level of Manhattan.

They slowed the game down tonight (basically, taking the shot clock down to the last few seconds before attempting a shot), and stuck to it due to getting out ahead of Michigan State. Good job and effort. They played soundly.

Like I said, if they are a difficult game, then that is fine with me (they'll probably play us tough). Just as long, as we get the win.

Their play versus Manhattan or Michigan State doesn't necessarily mean they'll go toe-to-toe with us, though. I've watched sports long enough to know that isn't always how it works.

Dink, you are a freakin genius! Why, living in South Carolina, I expected you to say they used the four corner Frank McGuire stall game to lead the number one team in America most of the game! LOL!
Hint, there is no slowing down a game with a 35 second shot clock! There is smart, controlled execution however and that is what Columbia did. What the Lions also had was a perimeter game. Yeah, they played "good". Nice understatement!

:ngrin: I'm sure they would've installed the four corners, if they could've done so.

Frankly, one can slow the game down to a grind match by running the shot clock down to the final seconds before attempting a shot. It doesn't matter that the shot clock is 35 seconds. C'mon, dude! That's just silly!

The Lions executed their gameplan, which nearly thwarted the future #1 team in the nation. The Lions only had one player (Maodo Lo) who were hitting treys (Lo went 4-5 from downtown) 'til the last 7 or so minutes of the game, when Meiko Lyles hit his first trey of the night.

Regardless, my point is one or two games doesn't make a season nor does it mean they'll go toe-to-toe with us due to their play the past two games.

By the way, this Sparty beat writer wrote (he must've read my post, lol):

But the Lions, slowing the game to a grinding halt by often waiting until the final seconds before the shot clock elapsed before putting up a shot, kept it close and within one possession until Payne threw down an alley-oop dunk with 1:14 left.

http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2013/11/no_2_michigan_state_survives_u.html

 

[MJDinkins]

The biggest upset in basketball history taking place on the big ten network right now

I'm watching it, as well.

I guess Izzo had his team unprepared.

Columbia is up 44-38 on Michigan State with 11 minutes remaining.

The Lions will lose but play great team ball. SJ would be down 20.

Give it up. This is boring.

You are starting to remind me of the kid in high school who volunteered to be a hall monitor every year so he could give the other kids orders. Stop telling others to "stop thinking or saying what they say". That is boring. As a long suffering fan that has seen around 5 good seasons in 20, I have earned my right to sarcasm, especially after over 35 years of season tickets rather than doing my analyses from my living room couch.
Fly up for a few games for Christ sake like a real fan! I want to buy you a few drinks Dink!!!

Sometimes, I can't tell whether you're being sarcastic or serious, as I know you occasionally like to clown around. Remember, we're on a message board, and not face to face.

Sure! A few posters have asked me to fly up for a game. Appreciate it! Drinks on you all night.... Seriously (not sarcastically).

 

[Class of 72]

The biggest upset in basketball history taking place on the big ten network right now

I'm watching it, as well.

I guess Izzo had his team unprepared.

Columbia is up 44-38 on Michigan State with 11 minutes remaining.

The Lions will lose but play great team ball. SJ would be down 20.

yes they do and I think I jinxed them

I never thought Columbia would win (although, it's a tie ballgame with 7 minutes remaining), but they are giving good effort.

Columbia will be another difficult game for St. John's on there non conference schedule.

That's fine, if they are a difficult game. Tough games can build character.

But if you're saying that because of Columbia's play tonight, then that doesn't hold water.

They lost to Manhattan the other day by 1, who is pretty good. They hit three's which we can't defend and anyone who can play even with MSU for 35 minutes has to be pretty good.

IMO, they are on the level of Manhattan.

They slowed the game down tonight (basically, taking the shot clock down to the last few seconds before attempting a shot), and stuck to it due to getting out ahead of Michigan State. Good job and effort. They played soundly.

Like I said, if they are a difficult game, then that is fine with me (they'll probably play us tough). Just as long, as we get the win.

Their play versus Manhattan or Michigan State doesn't necessarily mean they'll go toe-to-toe with us, though. I've watched sports long enough to know that isn't always how it works.

Dink, you are a freakin genius! Why, living in South Carolina, I expected you to say they used the four corner Frank McGuire stall game to lead the number one team in America most of the game! LOL!
Hint, there is no slowing down a game with a 35 second shot clock! There is smart, controlled execution however and that is what Columbia did. What the Lions also had was a perimeter game. Yeah, they played "good". Nice understatement!

:ngrin: I'm sure they would've installed the four corners, if they could've done so.

Frankly, one can slow the game down to a grind match by running the shot clock down to the final seconds before attempting a shot. It doesn't matter that the shot clock is 35 seconds. C'mon, dude! That's just silly!

The Lions executed their gameplan, which nearly thwarted the future #1 team in the nation. The Lions only had one player (Maodo Lo) who were hitting treys (Lo went 4-5 from downtown) 'til the last 7 or so minutes of the game, when Meiko Lyles hit his first trey of the night.

Regardless, my point is one or two games doesn't make a season nor does it mean they'll go toe-to-toe with us due to their play the past two games.

By the way, this Sparty beat writer wrote:

But the Lions, slowing the game to a grinding halt by often waiting until the final seconds before the shot clock elapsed before putting up a shot, kept it close and within one possession until Payne threw down an alley-oop dunk with 1:14 left.

http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2013/11/no_2_michigan_state_survives_u.html

LOL! That Sparty beat writer must have expected the Lions to get into a running game! LMAO!!!
Columbia executed their game plan. Period. If not for the turn overs in the last 2 minutes, it would have been an historic win and that beat writer's satisfaction would have come from beating his meat instead of making excuses for the Spartans.
BTW, do you remember the previous seasons when we all complained about passing the ball around for 35 seconds?
In the stands my buddies and me call it the Phil Greene play.

 

[MJDinkins]

:ngrin: I'm sure they would've installed the four corners, if they could've done so.

Frankly, one can slow the game down to a grind match by running the shot clock down to the final seconds before attempting a shot. It doesn't matter that the shot clock is 35 seconds. C'mon, dude! That's just silly!

The Lions executed their gameplan, which nearly thwarted the future #1 team in the nation. The Lions only had one player (Maodo Lo) who were hitting treys (Lo went 4-5 from downtown) 'til the last 7 or so minutes of the game, when Meiko Lyles hit his first trey of the night.

Regardless, my point is one or two games doesn't make a season nor does it mean they'll go toe-to-toe with us due to their play the past two games.

By the way, this Sparty beat writer wrote:

But the Lions, slowing the game to a grinding halt by often waiting until the final seconds before the shot clock elapsed before putting up a shot, kept it close and within one possession until Payne threw down an alley-oop dunk with 1:14 left.

http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2013/11/no_2_michigan_state_survives_u.html

LOL! That Sparty beat writer must have expected the Lions to get into a running game! LMAO!!!
Columbia executed their game plan. Period. If not for the turn overs in the last 2 minutes, it would have been an historic win and that beat writer's satisfaction would have come from beating his meat instead of making excuses for the Spartans.
BTW, do you remember the previous seasons when we all complained about passing the ball around for 35 seconds?
In the stands my buddies and me call it the Phil Greene play.

Maybe, the beat writer has gone blind, per the act you mentioned. But he saw the same thing I saw tonight.

I doubt he thought they'd try to run with Michigan State, but they probably didn't expect stall ball, either.

Like I said earlier, they had a good game plan, and played soundly. Kudos!

 

[L J S A]

The biggest upset in basketball history taking place on the big ten network right now

I'm watching it, as well.

I guess Izzo had his team unprepared.

Columbia is up 44-38 on Michigan State with 11 minutes remaining.

The Lions will lose but play great team ball. SJ would be down 20.

Give it up. This is boring.

You are starting to remind me of the kid in high school who volunteered to be a hall monitor every year so he could give the other kids orders. Stop telling others to "stop thinking or saying what they say". That is boring. As a long suffering fan that has seen around 5 good seasons in 20, I have earned my right to sarcasm, especially after over 35 years of season tickets rather than doing my analyses from my living room couch.
Fly up for a few games for Christ sake like a real fan! I want to buy you a few drinks Dink!!!

Sometimes, I can't tell whether you're being sarcastic or serious, as I know you occasionally like to clown around. Remember, we're on a message board, and not face to face.

Sure! A few posters have asked me to fly up for a game. Appreciate it! Drinks on you all night.... Seriously (not sarcastically).

Come up for Columbia or Youngstown State and I'll come in as well.

 

[TX Redman]

I think we improved a bit since the Badger game and not just because we won. We seemed more in control and not forcing things as much.

But so reliant on Harrison - scary to think what might happen if he gets injured / suspended again. Sanchez looks great but need to get him more involved inside. Crying out for help from the 3 - do not understand why again Hooper gets only one shot.

We were lucky that Wagner missed 16 of their 23 three's - to be honest, I did not see much improvement on our 3 pt defense.

Our FT shooting continues to be a strong point - not so long ago it was an achilles heel. This was a good test though and more lessons learned.

 

[lawmanfan]

I think we improved a bit since the Badger game and not just because we won. We seemed more in control and not forcing things as much.

But so reliant on Harrison - scary to think what might happen if he gets injured / suspended again. Sanchez looks great but need to get him more involved inside. Crying out for help from the 3 - do not understand why again Hooper gets only one shot.

We were lucky that Wagner missed 16 of their 23 three's - to be honest, I did not see much improvement on our 3 pt defense.

Our FT shooting continues to be a strong point - not so long ago it was an achilles heel. This was a good test though and more lessons learned.

We are reliant on Harrison because that's most of the offensive game plan. It's the same as the Dwight Hardy team's game plan. Score in the open court, if you can't do that then take 25 seconds off the clock, give the ball to your best scorer, and let him create for you. Hooper and Bourgault don't play because there is no role in what we do for players who cannot create for themselves. It's really a pity because this is a team that could have multiple scoring options and run a number of different sets effectively with the personnel we have. But at the moment it looks like as Harrison goes, so will go the team.

It was good to see the adjustment to man defense.

This team still has a long way to go, but it has a bunch of games to get there.

 

[redstorm80]

The biggest upset in basketball history taking place on the big ten network right now

I'm watching it, as well.

I guess Izzo had his team unprepared.

Columbia is up 44-38 on Michigan State with 11 minutes remaining.

The Lions will lose but play great team ball. SJ would be down 20.

yes they do and I think I jinxed them

I never thought Columbia would win (although, it's a tie ballgame with 7 minutes remaining), but they are giving good effort.

Columbia will be another difficult game for St. John's on there non conference schedule.

That's fine, if they are a difficult game. Tough games can build character.

But if you're saying that because of Columbia's play tonight, then that doesn't hold water.

They lost to Manhattan the other day by 1, who is pretty good. They hit three's which we can't defend and anyone who can play even with MSU for 35 minutes has to be pretty good.

I view Manhattan, while a decent team, in the same category as Columbia
A cupcake compared to the majority of teams in the Big East
If we are truly an NCAA caliber team, Columbia and Manhattan should be routine W's
If not, we are only kidding ourselves about our expectations for this team

I think the difference between high majors and mid majors are alot closer then what people thing they are so a game against teams like that might be tough but your right, still games we should win

 

[mjmaherjr]

The biggest upset in basketball history taking place on the big ten network right now

I'm watching it, as well.

I guess Izzo had his team unprepared.

Columbia is up 44-38 on Michigan State with 11 minutes remaining.

The Lions will lose but play great team ball. SJ would be down 20.

Give it up. This is boring.

You are starting to remind me of the kid in high school who volunteered to be a hall monitor every year so he could give the other kids orders. Stop telling others to "stop thinking or saying what they say". That is boring. As a long suffering fan that has seen around 5 good seasons in 20, I have earned my right to sarcasm, especially after over 35 years of season tickets rather than doing my analyses from my living room couch.
Fly up for a few games for Christ sake like a real fan! I want to buy you a few drinks Dink!!!

Sometimes, I can't tell whether you're being sarcastic or serious, as I know you occasionally like to clown around. Remember, we're on a message board, and not face to face.

Sure! A few posters have asked me to fly up for a game. Appreciate it! Drinks on you all night.... Seriously (not sarcastically).

Come up for Columbia or Youngstown State and I'll come in as well.

time to hit up some bars with big beer selections

 

[L J S A]

The biggest upset in basketball history taking place on the big ten network right now

I'm watching it, as well.

I guess Izzo had his team unprepared.

Columbia is up 44-38 on Michigan State with 11 minutes remaining.

The Lions will lose but play great team ball. SJ would be down 20.

Give it up. This is boring.

You are starting to remind me of the kid in high school who volunteered to be a hall monitor every year so he could give the other kids orders. Stop telling others to "stop thinking or saying what they say". That is boring. As a long suffering fan that has seen around 5 good seasons in 20, I have earned my right to sarcasm, especially after over 35 years of season tickets rather than doing my analyses from my living room couch.
Fly up for a few games for Christ sake like a real fan! I want to buy you a few drinks Dink!!!

Sometimes, I can't tell whether you're being sarcastic or serious, as I know you occasionally like to clown around. Remember, we're on a message board, and not face to face.

Sure! A few posters have asked me to fly up for a game. Appreciate it! Drinks on you all night.... Seriously (not sarcastically).

Come up for Columbia or Youngstown State and I'll come in as well.

time to hit up some bars with big beer selections

Trackzok and OWCA strike me as huge Youngstown St. fans. I think they should fly in. :cheer:

I wish I could make it there in time for revenge against San Francisco. That game still has not left my system.

 

[jumbo_peanuts]

The biggest upset in basketball history taking place on the big ten network right now

I'm watching it, as well.

I guess Izzo had his team unprepared.

Columbia is up 44-38 on Michigan State with 11 minutes remaining.

The Lions will lose but play great team ball. SJ would be down 20.

Give it up. This is boring.

You are starting to remind me of the kid in high school who volunteered to be a hall monitor every year so he could give the other kids orders. Stop telling others to "stop thinking or saying what they say". That is boring. As a long suffering fan that has seen around 5 good seasons in 20, I have earned my right to sarcasm, especially after over 35 years of season tickets rather than doing my analyses from my living room couch.
Fly up for a few games for Christ sake like a real fan! I want to buy you a few drinks Dink!!!

You make it sound like it is just so easy to fly up for a game or attend games! Well for some people it may not be that easy, and that doesn't make them any less of a fan!

 

[usguard]

Thank God for Harrison and Sampson. Without them we would have no scoring.
Jordan obviously feeling his way around. Liked the crisp passing from Branch and him in the first half.
Lavin still has a love affair with Greene. Expect to see Pointer in the starting lineup. Can't beat his hustle.
Too many baseline drives by Wagner.
Raferty nailed it at halftime claiming the key for the Johnnies success will be defensive stops.
Surprised Wagner didn't play zone all game , especially with our lights out shooters.
Sanchez can move for a big man, would like to see him and Sampson concentrate on their inside game. Have to get the pass into them quickly.
Couldn't Lavin give Hooper a little playing time. He had opportunities when we led big before half time.
Better play a stronger game against Bucknell.

What have you thought about Rasheed? I thought he would be a bigger presence. I understand he is a Freshmen but does not appear to be a one and done player. What is your take

 

[MarkRedman]

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/colleges/post/_/id/6251/sju-shows-some-improvement-vs-wagner

 

[guru]

When we take our footoffthe peddle we come apart! We need to attack for an entire game, we do not have cerebral Players, our game should be like the first half last night... Constant man pressure, rebound and go!!

 

[L J S A]

What have you thought about Rasheed? I thought he would be a bigger presence. I understand he is a Freshmen but does not appear to be a one and done player. What is your take

My take is that we are two games into his freshman season.

My take is also that anyone who believed Lavin's Kidd comparisons is an idiot. Or at the very least, too young to remember Kidd in college.

Jordan will be fine. Not sure what everyone else's expectations were, but I assumed 9-10 PPG, 4 APG.

 

[beast of the east]

The biggest upset in basketball history taking place on the big ten network right now

I'm watching it, as well.

I guess Izzo had his team unprepared.

Columbia is up 44-38 on Michigan State with 11 minutes remaining.

The Lions will lose but play great team ball. SJ would be down 20.

yes they do and I think I jinxed them

I never thought Columbia would win (although, it's a tie ballgame with 7 minutes remaining), but they are giving good effort.

Columbia will be another difficult game for St. John's on there non conference schedule.

That's fine, if they are a difficult game. Tough games can build character.

But if you're saying that because of Columbia's play tonight, then that doesn't hold water.

They lost to Manhattan the other day by 1, who is pretty good. They hit three's which we can't defend and anyone who can play even with MSU for 35 minutes has to be pretty good.

I view Manhattan, while a decent team, in the same category as Columbia
A cupcake compared to the majority of teams in the Big East
If we are truly an NCAA caliber team, Columbia and Manhattan should be routine W's
If not, we are only kidding ourselves about our expectations for this team

I think the difference between high majors and mid majors are alot closer then what people thing they are so a game against teams like that might be tough but your right, still games we should win

After the very low seeds started playing some competitive 1st round games against #1 and #2 seeds, it was speculated that AAU competition gave mid major athletes confidence against top players, many of whom were teammates. No question talent gap has narrowed.

 

[Optimistic25]

Thought attendance was solid, not great, but we've seen much worse. Lots of empty seats initially but mostly because of 6pm start. Eventually the place was mostly filled. I still would like to see better. Hopefully if we can pile up some wins attendance continues to improve.

 

[ccnobz]

Jordan had a few go in and out last night, he will be fine.