Big East OOC Thread 23/24

[Friarsnoop]

I can not understand why they didn't match up Purdue and Creighton. Would've garnered a lot of national media attention.

 

[uconnfan68]

The feeling I have gotten reading other threads on this board over the last several months is that quite a few of you (not all, but certainly the majority) feel it will be a major let down if St. John's beats us in either game this year... as if we will be big favorites in both games, even down at MSG.

I think anyone who feels that way is crazy and totally off. We will be, at most, a 2 or 3 point favorite at MSG against them, and easily could be a pick 'em or 1 or 2 point underdog. Either way, we will be in a dogfight in both games, mark my words. Over the last few years even with "lesser talent" and Mike Anderson coaching them we have only gone 3-2 against St. John's, lost twice at home and easily could have lost the 3rd one in 2022 that we won in OT. We went 1-1 last year, despite being the better team.

Furthermore, whatever team Pitino has been coaching (Providence, Louisville) has historically always been hard for us to beat. One of the few notable exceptions was the '09 (Feb. 2, 2009 to be exact) game in Louisville where we just destroyed a really good Louisville squad on Big Monday. Probably THE most impressive BE conference road win we have ever had. And yes, that is saying a lot. But God, we were straight out dominant that night. Won by 17, could have easily won by 25 or 30 against Pitino and a Cardinals squad ranked #5 at the time.

More than the '06 team, I still believe it was the '09 team that had a "what could have been" ending if not for losing Jerome Dyson just 9 days after that Louisville game to his season-ending knee in jury. I believe we would have beaten Michigan St. in the semis even though the game was in Michigan. and I would have LOVED to have seen us go toe-to-toe with that very talented UNC team with our full team... just as much as I loved it when we went toe-to-toe with Duke 10 years earlier.

Anyway, point being that I for one will be breathing a huge sigh of relief if we are able to sweep both games against a Pitino-led St. John's this year, and see a split as the more likely outcome.

Agree on 09. They could have been very special.

 

[auror]

Villanova was weird last night.. wouldnt stop chucking threes. They were stubborn…. And not hitting. Ya cant be both. Neptune is a fantastic guy. But, he has dudes that have proven to be very good. If he cannot get it done then he needs to go. They look occasionally out of place and disjointed. I know it is early but That is on him. Maryland on Fri.

This is his season to show something. That was not a lovely display

The defense was even more of a problem. Wright's teams never fouled. Last night you fouled a ton.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Is this going to be another year where the middle 50% of the league underachieves in OOC and drives down the entire conference's computer ratings?

Creighton spitting the bit last year, among other failures, probably cost the conference 3-4 seed lines in aggregate come the Tournament.

 

[superjohn]

Villanova was weird last night.. wouldnt stop chucking threes. They were stubborn…. And not hitting. Ya cant be both. Neptune is a fantastic guy. But, he has dudes that have proven to be very good. If he cannot get it done then he needs to go. They look occasionally out of place and disjointed. I know it is early but That is on him. Maryland on Fri.

This is his season to show something. That was not a lovely display

He was a terrible hire for a program of that calibre, they basically could've gotten anyone they wanted. He got outcoached all the time last year but he had the injury excuse built in. With a healthy team of talented seniors and 5 year guys it's ridiculous for them to be lost like they were last night. Add in that Neptune can't recruit and it's already time to get a new coach.

 

[Waquoit]

When a lame fan roots for a lame program; all he can do is root for the conference. Like South Carolina fans.

 

[Waquoit]

I have faith St John's will figure it out though. Michigan is a good team.

“We did a good job of putting this team together … but our frontcourt depth is terrible,” said Pitino. Huh?

 

[gtcam]

Xavi

Xavier kids are tough- They played Purdue well in a hostile environment

The X guards made unbelievably bad decisions at least 40% of the time so I'm not sure if Purdue is as strong as many think.

 

[REB1094]

Meant to post this last night but Xavier did well against Purdue. They made a few runs to make it a 1-2 possession game throughout the night but Purdue just kept responding with their own runs. That’s what really good teams do

No shame in that loss for X

 

[Brochacho]

25 games in, 0 wins over top 200 Kenpom teams. Poor scheduling and poor performance by the league.

 

[gtcam]

Neptune could indeed tarnish the Nova brand, much like Ollie did to UConn. (Ollie did manage to lead the team to a championship , so at least there's that.)

KO inherited a team that was just placed on probation his 1st year and thrust into a new league where recruiting good talent was nearly impossible.
Nova had very recent success and still can recruit with the NBE behind it.

Not a close comparative

 

[Tiamat7]

Neptune could indeed tarnish the Nova brand, much like Ollie did to UConn. (Ollie did manage to lead the team to a championship , so at least there's that.)

KO inherited a team that was just placed on probation his 1st year and thrust into a new league where recruiting good talent was nearly impossible.
Nova had very recent success and still can recruit with the NBE behind it.

Not a close comparative

You're going to give Ollie a pass? No way. We have since learned that a) he had personal issues and became lazy recruiting,, b) top recruits didn't want to stay, and c) it is possible to still recruit well in a lesser league (Hurley did it).

Now, are Ollie and Neptune comparable in bench coaching (X and Os)? Possibly. We shall see. Neptune still can right the ship. Starting with Maryland. But yes, Neptune could damage the Nova brand like Ollie did.

 

[Palatine]

Ollie won a National Championship as a head coach and was considered a pro's pro in the NBA. Those are pretty elite accomplishments. But somewhere along the way he went off the rails. He retired while he was still employed. It puts his accomplishments in a different light. It is sad really.

To the best of my knowledge, Neptune has done nothing close.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Neptune could indeed tarnish the Nova brand, much like Ollie did to UConn. (Ollie did manage to lead the team to a championship , so at least there's that.)

KO inherited a team that was just placed on probation his 1st year and thrust into a new league where recruiting good talent was nearly impossible.
Nova had very recent success and still can recruit with the NBE behind it.

Not a close comparative

Ok, Ollie was being considered for NBA assistant jobs. As a guy who carved a long career by being in better shape than and out working everyone, and a long time PG, you could see maybe he had great coaching potential. We took a risk and you couldn’t predict that he’d get divorced and lose his work ethic, which is what made him. He quit on UConn, it wasn’t the situation he inherited.

Neptune didn’t even have the positive potential, at least that anybody could see. It a was bizarre hire from a program that could have done much better.

 

[CTBasketball]

Ok, Ollie was being considered for NBA assistant jobs. As a guy who carved a long career by being in better shape than and out working everyone, and a long time PG, you could see maybe he had great coaching potential. We took a risk and you couldn’t predict that he’d get divorced and lose his work ethic, which is what made him. He quit on UConn, it wasn’t the situation he inherited.

Neptune didn’t even have the positive potential, at least that anybody could see. It a was bizarre hire from a program that could have done much better.

Neptune had no business even getting the job at Fordham, the fact he was hired after a .500 season at Villanova is mind blowing. Something had to be going on in the background of that one.

 

[Fan1978]

I can not understand why they didn't match up Purdue and Creighton. Would've garnered a lot of national media attention.

If xavier at full strength i think they likely beat purdue. Match up probably determined before injuries

 

[How Sway?!]

Neptune had no business even getting the job at Fordham, the fact he was hired after a .500 season at Villanova is mind blowing. Something had to be going on in the background of that one.

Jay wright chose his successor.

 

[Fan1978]

We were undefeated non-conference last year everyone was happy with Hurley at this time.

We had played anyone yet and people were calling for his head if he failed again in ncaa. First round exit as 6 seed and 5 seed. Many were not convinced he was the coach

 

[Fan1978]

The defense was even more of a problem. Wright's teams never fouled. Last night you fouled a ton.

I imagine not getting the ref caddie treatment jay received in later years

 

[Scrutiner]

Xavier will be good, Villanova will be bad and St. John's is a tossup due to so many new pieces.

Having said that, Neptune is going down with all his seniors and grads. They'll have virtually no one left to play next year so he'd better win with the team they paid $3M for or he's out. He looks as lost on the sideline as Juwann Howard and Penny Hardaway.

St. John's yikes. No team play on offense or defense. Pitino must have banned passing and instilled bonuses for one on one play. Guarding anyone must be third on the banned efforts list.

Let us pray PC has a good night and the other teams pull off some wins or the league will be a far cry from DH's prediction.

 

[Icehawk]

Sorry but based on the game I saw SJ is screwed. I didn’t see a lick of in-game coaching from Pitino - he appeared totally passive during the game.

The BE isn’t looking nearly as strong as we all expected/hoped so far.

 

[CTBasketball]

Jay wright chose his successor.

I have a hard time believing this.

 

[Fan1978]

I have a hard time believing this.

He absolutely picked him. He is due some patience, but certainly unimpressive thus far

 

[JohnnyJr]

Illinois is favored against Marquette tonight I was kinda surprised by that. Illinois always seems overranked

 

[caw]

The X guards made unbelievably bad decisions at least 40% of the time so I'm not sure if Purdue is as strong as many think.

Claude was at both times their best and worst player.