Xavier, Wed. Jan. 6, 9pm, FS1 & 570 AM

Few observations:
- Refs James Breeding always seems to be in the middle of some controversy, he assessed the technical.
- Nobody has commented on mullin's untucked look last night.
- Theo Rabinowitz is an animal at games. Extremely impressed with his heckling of James Reynolds. I think he got to him in the first half.
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Do you not think the tech should have been called? No brainer, you bounce the ball like that you get T'd. Unfortunate but absolutely the right call. The small stuff that is not really small; had Mussini boxed out it was potentially an over the back and then who knows?? And yes, I know the primary reason we were that close was because of his terrific shooting but he compounded one mistake with another. Hopefully he will learn from it.
 
No question T should have been called on mussini. You can't bounce a ball that high at anytime. But I just think the flow of the second half breeding was calling every minor thing. No flow to game.

On the drive home listed to Tierney on post game and he even mentioned this.
-
 
Agree that was a technical on Mussini but they issued a warning to Xavier in the first half after some Xavier guy dunked well after the whistle was blown. Have to T that guy up also. Sima got a T a couple of games because some red thought he was hanging on the rim.
 
Love the full court pressure. This team's lack of offensive ability and depth screams for tough D. That's the only way I see us in any games this year. Still need to learn how to set some picks to free up our shooters.
 
My take on the game:

Xavier did their best to gift wrap this game for us. After looking like they would run away with the game in the first half, they went flat and we cut the lead to 4-6 points. I believe we had 5 opportunities to draw very close but failed to capitalize. So instead of having the lead or being nearly even, we went into the locker room with a 6 point deficit - still very nice considering they were the number 10 team in the country.

In the second half, Xavier had us at a safe distance, when they stubbornly decided to stay in a zone. It's as if they were oblivious to the way that we beat Syracuse. I've said before that Mussini has difficulty shooting off the dribble, difficulty creating his own shot as an undersized guard who isn't the quickest guy, and cannot take the ball to the hoop well. I've also said he is the best pure shooter we've had here since Mullin himself, and I won't back off that. In my neighborhood we used to call kids like that zonebusters. Play a zone, give them a little room, and sooner or later they will kill you by shooting over the zone. Mussini did exactly that late in the second half, and when this kid catches fire and the opponent keeps playing zone - watch out. He is a great, reliable catch and shoot player who can fill it up quickly. And he did.

Here's the problem: This team simply doesn't know how to win at this point. Xavier ignored the fact that Mussini was torching them, and thankfully for them, so did Mussini's teammates. After he drew us very close, they forgot who got them there, and on successive trips down the floor didn't reverse the ball to the right corner where he was wide open with tons of room, and on another occasion Durand Johnson launched one from beyond the key that didn't come close.

Forget about the fact that no one who isn't named Johnson or Mussini can come close to the rim on an open outside shot. A team that wins knows how to feed the hot hand, and Mussini was scorching hot.

I'll say this again - Johnson has the best basketball talent on this team, but very little court sense. He can take the ball to the hoop with authority, nail jumpers off the dribble, is athletic, gets off the floor (witness thunderous dunk), hustles his butt off, and hits the floor with regularity. In the schoolyard he would kill most D1 players all day. But he also believes that any time he has the ball the best option is to shoot no matter where he is, how much time is on the clock, or what the game circumstances are. I agree with OLV72 - there will be nights where he will be spectacular and be the reason for a win, and a lot of nights where he can hurt you, especially in crunch time. I'll take him above what else we have, but until (if ever) he learns to play with more discipline, his value is severely limited.

All in all, a surprisingly entertaining game. It appeared that many season ticket holders stayed home, and students still aren't back.

One annoyance. With 2 minutes left Xavier was getting everything they could handle, and the crowd could have helped tip the game. The crowd was engaged but give me a break. Two minutes to go and the game on the line there shouldn't have been an ass touching a seat - everyone should have been up and screaming, and it just didn't happen. To their credit the rich folk in the seatbacks were all up standing at that point, but the rest of the crowd mostly sat.

Footnote: Christian Jones wasn't much of a factor for this 3rd straight Big East game. He wold have made a nice low D1 or Very good D2 player.
 
Simply put, this is the best that I have ever felt about SJU basketball the day after a loss
The future is bright!!
 
My take on the game:

Xavier did their best to gift wrap this game for us. After looking like they would run away with the game in the first half, they went flat and we cut the lead to 4-6 points. I believe we had 5 opportunities to draw very close but failed to capitalize. So instead of having the lead or being nearly even, we went into the locker room with a 6 point deficit - still very nice considering they were the number 10 team in the country.

In the second half, Xavier had us at a safe distance, when they stubbornly decided to stay in a zone. It's as if they were oblivious to the way that we beat Syracuse. I've said before that Mussini has difficulty shooting off the dribble, difficulty creating his own shot as an undersized guard who isn't the quickest guy, and cannot take the ball to the hoop well. I've also said he is the best pure shooter we've had here since Mullin himself, and I won't back off that. In my neighborhood we used to call kids like that zonebusters. Play a zone, give them a little room, and sooner or later they will kill you by shooting over the zone. Mussini did exactly that late in the second half, and when this kid catches fire and the opponent keeps playing zone - watch out. He is a great, reliable catch and shoot player who can fill it up quickly. And he did.

Here's the problem: This team simply doesn't know how to win at this point. Xavier ignored the fact that Mussini was torching them, and thankfully for them, so did Mussini's teammates. After he drew us very close, they forgot who got them there, and on successive trips down the floor didn't reverse the ball to the right corner where he was wide open with tons of room, and on another occasion Durand Johnson launched one from beyond the key that didn't come close.

Forget about the fact that no one who isn't named Johnson or Mussini can come close to the rim on an open outside shot. A team that wins knows how to feed the hot hand, and Mussini was scorching hot.

I'll say this again - Johnson has the best basketball talent on this team, but very little court sense. He can take the ball to the hoop with authority, nail jumpers off the dribble, is athletic, gets off the floor (witness thunderous dunk), hustles his butt off, and hits the floor with regularity. In the schoolyard he would kill most D1 players all day. But he also believes that any time he has the ball the best option is to shoot no matter where he is, how much time is on the clock, or what the game circumstances are. I agree with OLV72 - there will be nights where he will be spectacular and be the reason for a win, and a lot of nights where he can hurt you, especially in crunch time. I'll take him above what else we have, but until (if ever) he learns to play with more discipline, his value is severely limited.

All in all, a surprisingly entertaining game. It appeared that many season ticket holders stayed home, and students still aren't back.

One annoyance. With 2 minutes left Xavier was getting everything they could handle, and the crowd could have helped tip the game. The crowd was engaged but give me a break. Two minutes to go and the game on the line there shouldn't have been an ass touching a seat - everyone should have been up and screaming, and it just didn't happen. To their credit the rich folk in the seatbacks were all up standing at that point, but the rest of the crowd mostly sat.
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I saw it the exact opposite. I sit directly across from the chairbacks and I couldn't believe that none of them would get up in the last five minutes. On the benches we were standing and screaming. Off course our asses hurt by that time and we are glad to stand. It was a much younger crowd in my section as well.

OTOH - I agree with your views on Johnson and was very happy with Mussini at the end.
 
My take on the game:

Xavier did their best to gift wrap this game for us. After looking like they would run away with the game in the first half, they went flat and we cut the lead to 4-6 points. I believe we had 5 opportunities to draw very close but failed to capitalize. So instead of having the lead or being nearly even, we went into the locker room with a 6 point deficit - still very nice considering they were the number 10 team in the country.

In the second half, Xavier had us at a safe distance, when they stubbornly decided to stay in a zone. It's as if they were oblivious to the way that we beat Syracuse. I've said before that Mussini has difficulty shooting off the dribble, difficulty creating his own shot as an undersized guard who isn't the quickest guy, and cannot take the ball to the hoop well. I've also said he is the best pure shooter we've had here since Mullin himself, and I won't back off that. In my neighborhood we used to call kids like that zonebusters. Play a zone, give them a little room, and sooner or later they will kill you by shooting over the zone. Mussini did exactly that late in the second half, and when this kid catches fire and the opponent keeps playing zone - watch out. He is a great, reliable catch and shoot player who can fill it up quickly. And he did.

Here's the problem: This team simply doesn't know how to win at this point. Xavier ignored the fact that Mussini was torching them, and thankfully for them, so did Mussini's teammates. After he drew us very close, they forgot who got them there, and on successive trips down the floor didn't reverse the ball to the right corner where he was wide open with tons of room, and on another occasion Durand Johnson launched one from beyond the key that didn't come close.

Forget about the fact that no one who isn't named Johnson or Mussini can come close to the rim on an open outside shot. A team that wins knows how to feed the hot hand, and Mussini was scorching hot.

I'll say this again - Johnson has the best basketball talent on this team, but very little court sense. He can take the ball to the hoop with authority, nail jumpers off the dribble, is athletic, gets off the floor (witness thunderous dunk), hustles his butt off, and hits the floor with regularity. In the schoolyard he would kill most D1 players all day. But he also believes that any time he has the ball the best option is to shoot no matter where he is, how much time is on the clock, or what the game circumstances are. I agree with OLV72 - there will be nights where he will be spectacular and be the reason for a win, and a lot of nights where he can hurt you, especially in crunch time. I'll take him above what else we have, but until (if ever) he learns to play with more discipline, his value is severely limited.

All in all, a surprisingly entertaining game. It appeared that many season ticket holders stayed home, and students still aren't back.

One annoyance. With 2 minutes left Xavier was getting everything they could handle, and the crowd could have helped tip the game. The crowd was engaged but give me a break. Two minutes to go and the game on the line there shouldn't have been an ass touching a seat - everyone should have been up and screaming, and it just didn't happen. To their credit the rich folk in the seatbacks were all up standing at that point, but the rest of the crowd mostly sat.
Click to expand...

I saw it the exact opposite. I sit directly across from the chairbacks and I couldn't believe that none of them would get up in the last five minutes. On the benches we were standing and screaming. Off course our asses hurt by that time and we are glad to stand. It was a much younger crowd in my section as well.
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Where do you sit.. I face the seatbacks and I saw them standing, and historically you are correct about those occupants. Maybe they were standing ready for an early exit. Glad you were standing - you're a great fan.
 
I am not a fan of Johnson, Fun's stats aside. [...] I am not remotely a fan of Johnson's game.
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I am not particularly a fan of Johnson's either: he's Phil Greene the fifth. Except if Phil Greene - the Phil Greene who was a 28 percent 3 point shooter for his career going into the SU game last December - led the team in assists and rebounds while shooting his usual 4 for 13 you people would have thrown him a parade. Whereas Johnson is the perpetual goat.
 
My take on the game:

Xavier did their best to gift wrap this game for us. After looking like they would run away with the game in the first half, they went flat and we cut the lead to 4-6 points. I believe we had 5 opportunities to draw very close but failed to capitalize. So instead of having the lead or being nearly even, we went into the locker room with a 6 point deficit - still very nice considering they were the number 10 team in the country.

In the second half, Xavier had us at a safe distance, when they stubbornly decided to stay in a zone. It's as if they were oblivious to the way that we beat Syracuse. I've said before that Mussini has difficulty shooting off the dribble, difficulty creating his own shot as an undersized guard who isn't the quickest guy, and cannot take the ball to the hoop well. I've also said he is the best pure shooter we've had here since Mullin himself, and I won't back off that. In my neighborhood we used to call kids like that zonebusters. Play a zone, give them a little room, and sooner or later they will kill you by shooting over the zone. Mussini did exactly that late in the second half, and when this kid catches fire and the opponent keeps playing zone - watch out. He is a great, reliable catch and shoot player who can fill it up quickly. And he did.

Here's the problem: This team simply doesn't know how to win at this point. Xavier ignored the fact that Mussini was torching them, and thankfully for them, so did Mussini's teammates. After he drew us very close, they forgot who got them there, and on successive trips down the floor didn't reverse the ball to the right corner where he was wide open with tons of room, and on another occasion Durand Johnson launched one from beyond the key that didn't come close.

Forget about the fact that no one who isn't named Johnson or Mussini can come close to the rim on an open outside shot. A team that wins knows how to feed the hot hand, and Mussini was scorching hot.

I'll say this again - Johnson has the best basketball talent on this team, but very little court sense. He can take the ball to the hoop with authority, nail jumpers off the dribble, is athletic, gets off the floor (witness thunderous dunk), hustles his butt off, and hits the floor with regularity. In the schoolyard he would kill most D1 players all day. But he also believes that any time he has the ball the best option is to shoot no matter where he is, how much time is on the clock, or what the game circumstances are. I agree with OLV72 - there will be nights where he will be spectacular and be the reason for a win, and a lot of nights where he can hurt you, especially in crunch time. I'll take him above what else we have, but until (if ever) he learns to play with more discipline, his value is severely limited.

All in all, a surprisingly entertaining game. It appeared that many season ticket holders stayed home, and students still aren't back.

One annoyance. With 2 minutes left Xavier was getting everything they could handle, and the crowd could have helped tip the game. The crowd was engaged but give me a break. Two minutes to go and the game on the line there shouldn't have been an ass touching a seat - everyone should have been up and screaming, and it just didn't happen. To their credit the rich folk in the seatbacks were all up standing at that point, but the rest of the crowd mostly sat.
Click to expand...

I saw it the exact opposite. I sit directly across from the chairbacks and I couldn't believe that none of them would get up in the last five minutes. On the benches we were standing and screaming. Off course our asses hurt by that time and we are glad to stand. It was a much younger crowd in my section as well.

OTOH - I agree with your views on Johnson and was very happy with Mussini at the end.
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The entire Carrier Dome is benches,
 
Oh yea, and that technical foul crushed us. It's a pretty automatic call for slamming the ball, but calling that so late in the game pretty much handed the game to Xavier. You'd hope for a little discretion in that case because it wasn't done to show up the refs, more out of frustration. Still, college players have to be in control of their emotions by now. Hurts.
 
Johnson seems to have a much less talented version of Dominique Wilkins disease; the moment he gets the ball everybody stops moving and team offense stops, with no body moving he figures he might as well shoot since he can get his shot off, not with any reliable accuracy, but he can get it off.
 
Agree that was a technical on Mussini but they issued a warning to Xavier in the first half after some Xavier guy dunked well after the whistle was blown. Have to T that guy up also. Sima got a T a couple of games because some red thought he was hanging on the rim.
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That was Reynolds and it was a frustration move same as Muss's but not as blatant.
 
Johnson is a one year stop gap. You guys getting too worked up about someone who won't be here. He shows flashes and if SJU was going to be competitive he was going to have to play like he does in flashes more frequently.
There are no other options. Mullin is hoping some of it is rust and there will be a game or two that Johnson basically wins for us by scoring a lot.
Do you think we would be better off with Ellison taking more shots? Balamou? Anyone?
Look it annoys me to at times but it is what it is.
I predict he wins a game for us at some point
 
Johnson is a one year stop gap. You guys getting too worked up about someone who won't be here. He shows flashes and if SJU was going to be competitive he was going to have to play like he does in flashes more frequently.
There are no other options. Mullin is hoping some of it is rust and there will be a game or two that Johnson basically wins for us by scoring a lot.
Do you think we would be better off with Ellison taking more shots? Balamou? Anyone?
Look it annoys me to at times but it is what it is.
I predict he wins a game for us at some point
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Certainly could happen.
 
Agree that was a technical on Mussini but they issued a warning to Xavier in the first half after some Xavier guy dunked well after the whistle was blown. Have to T that guy up also. Sima got a T a couple of games because some red thought he was hanging on the rim.
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Mussini"s slam of the ball (he got some height on it too) was in anger at a call and is showing up a ref so we both agree it was a technical. The Xavier player's move was dumb and he could have gotten a tech but it wasn't showing up the ref on hanging on the rim which you can get close to calling a lot of players on, but Sima's tech in the Creighton game was well deserved as he hung and swung.

Chris could have also gotten a technical instead of a warning for being out on the court in the first half instead of the warning he got from the official.
 
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