Big East OOC thread '25/'26

[superjohn]

Michigan smoking Gonzaga.

 

[KingAG]

Pegged. Jackson and Sanon look like total misfits. They’re starting to feel like big stickers names stuck on a knock off. Their back court looks really imbalanced and there isn’t even slightly the defensive intensity last years team had.

I really wanted to be wrong. They’ll beat up on the dregs of the conference and probably beat us once and find their way in the top 20. Pitino pulled a Hurley of last year and got too cute with roster construction. You need a lead guard. He’s not a magician

 

[superjohn]

St Johns probably won't lose more than 4 games in conference but this was a poor week for them

It's weird seeing a Pitino team that doesn't press. What's the point of getting all those athletes with very little three point shooting if you aren't going to amp it up and get them running/fast breaking?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

St Johns probably won't lose more than 4 games in conference but this was a poor week for them. They still have opportunities vs Ole Miss and UK.

This was a poor week for college basketball. The Big East games are not the only ones with officiating issues.

 

[RuffRuff]

So far, St. Johns continues to show they are a horrific defensive team. Auburn shooting 56%, and teams are routinely shooting at or near 50% from the field against St. Johns. Last year they were a group of hardnosed guys who gave their all on both ends of the floor. This group is high on talent but you have to start questioning their desire to play D. They don't get that right, they are going to be just an average team all year.

Repole is gonna start asking for a refund. Their defense is lazy. Bryce Hopkins a weird fit for Pitino. He can put the ball in the bucket but exudes none of the intensity of a Pitino player.

 

[KingAG]

This was a poor week for college basketball. The Big East games are not the only ones with officiating issues.

All college refs suck. Try watching the women.

 

[HooperScooper]

I’ll wait for you to admit I was right Mr. @RuffRuff

They've certainly given up a lot of points to the high major teams they've played. Defense isn't nearly as good as last season.

I'd love to say that @RuffRuff and @superjohn got suckered by St. John's but it's too early for that. The warts we thought they might have are being exposed but they may turn things around. Just too early to make general statements about their season in November.

I wonder how Gary Parrish is feeling right now. He had them #1 in his Top 25 and 1 preseason ranking.

 

[RuffRuff]

Michigan smoking Gonzaga.

You probably need to reassess your take on UM.

 

[KingAG]

They've certainly given up a lot of points to the high major teams they've played. Defense isn't nearly as good as last season.

I'd love to say that @RuffRuff and @superjohn got suckered by St. John's but it's too early for that. The warts we thought they might have are being exposed but they may turn things around. Just too early to make general statements about their season in November.

I wonder how Gary Parrish is feeling right now. He had them #1 in his Top 25 and 1 preseason ranking.

Yea but that won’t do the conference any good. Who are the top 25 test in conference outside of UConn? I don’t think there is anything they can do until tournament time to make me a believer. At some point you have to collect big time OOC scalps or you’re not legit.

 

[superjohn]

You probably need to reassess your take on UM.

I only saw them play against Wake and they didn't look good in that one and should've lost.

 

[BFieldHusky]

Pitino is such a terrible loser. Barely shake hands with the head coach and then just walks off.

 

[HooperScooper]

This is why I still watch the NBA. At least I trust the officiating in that league.

😂 I'm assuming that was sarcasm.

 

[SeattleHoop]

So far, St. Johns continues to show they are a horrific defensive team. Auburn shooting 56%, and teams are routinely shooting at or near 50% from the field against St. Johns. Last year they were a group of hardnosed guys who gave their all on both ends of the floor. This group is high on talent but you have to start questioning their desire to play D. They don't get that right, they are going to be just an average team all year.

Exactly. The refs don’t cause the other teams to shoot those numbers. St John’s defense has been terrible all season. You are correct, they look like they don’t care.

I was particularly watching Hopkins and wow, he was so lazy on both sides of the ball the last ten minutes. Taking bad 3 point shots and lazy close outs on the other end. I would have pulled him out of the game.

This is what happens when you just lump a bunch of scorers together . They are all playing selfish on offense and don’t play hard on defense at all.

 

[superjohn]

Pitino is such a terrible loser. Barely shake hands with the head coach and then just walks off.

He's a cr@ppy human.

 

[RuffRuff]

Pitino is such a terrible loser. Barely shake hands with the head coach and then just walks off.

The Beli of college hoops.

 

[KingAG]

These tournament settings are weird. Some teams are obviously not as bad as they look and some are not a good as they look. I don’t believe in Michigan YET. Or Gonzaga for that matter.

 

[RuffRuff]

Exactly. The refs don’t cause the other teams to shoot those numbers. St John’s defense has been terrible all season. You are correct, they look like they don’t care.

I was particularly watching Hopkins and wow, he was so lazy on both sides of the ball the last ten minutes. Taking bad 3 point shots and lazy close outs on the other end. I would have pulled him out of the game.

This is what happens when you just lump a bunch of scorers together . They are all playing selfish on offense and don’t play hard on defense at all.

This is the danger of these frankenstein rosters, pulling together a bunch of kids who have no rapport who are coming together for the $$. That's not necessarily what you would call the "glue" a culture is built on.

 

[uconn_jack]

They've certainly given up a lot of points to the high major teams they've played. Defense isn't nearly as good as last season.

I'd love to say that @RuffRuff and @superjohn got suckered by St. John's but it's too early for that. The warts we thought they might have are being exposed but they may turn things around. Just too early to make general statements about their season in November.

I wonder how Gary Parrish is feeling right now. He had them #1 in his Top 25 and 1 preseason ranking.

Maybe he meant they should be the "and 1", not #1.

 

[HooperScooper]

I really wanted to be wrong. They’ll beat up on the dregs of the conference and probably beat us once and find their way in the top 20. Pitino pulled a Hurley of last year and got too cute with roster construction. You need a lead guard. He’s not a magician

That's what I've been saying. But @superjohn says he's the greatest coach of all time and would make it work. Pitino still has a few months to try but so far taking all these big name transfers hasn't worked out so well.

I wonder what Pitino is going to say to them in the locker room. Last year he called them children and asked where their toughness was. That seemed to work because they played pretty well after that.

 

[uconn_jack]

St John's fans already looking to jettison this team.

 

[RuffRuff]

These tournament settings are weird. Some teams are obviously not as bad as they look and some are not a good as they look. I don’t believe in Michigan YET. Or Gonzaga for that matter.

Michigan is monstrously big. They have natural physical advantages over any team they play. They beat an Auburn team by 30 that just beat StJ by 10 and are now dusting a team in Gonzaga that has been rolling teams this year thus far. I think it's safe to say they are going to be really good. The B10 feels like last year's SEC so far.

The Center for UM is Clingan-esque.

 

[KingAG]

This is the danger of these frankenstein rosters, pulling together a bunch of kids who have no rapport who are coming together for the $$. That's not necessarily what you would call the "glue" a culture is built on.

I was lambasted for the last 2 months and told Pitino the great was the fail safe.

 

[RuffRuff]

That's what I've been saying. But @superjohn says he's the greatest coach of all time and would make it work. Pitino still has a few months to try but so far taking all these big name transfers hasn't worked out so well.

I wonder what Pitino is going to say to them in the locker room. Last year he called them children and asked where their toughness was. That seemed to work because they played pretty well after that.

The year before that it was they had no lateral quickness. You do wonder when these kids catch onto the shtick and it becomes white noise.

 

[KingAG]

Michigan is monstrously big. They have natural physical advantages over any team they play. They beat an Auburn team by 30 that just beat StJ by 10 and are now dusting a team in Gonzaga that has been rolling teams this year thus far. I think it's safe to say they are going to be really good. The B10 feels like last year's SEC so far.

They’re definitely good. What I mean by sold is a legitimate final 4 contender. I need to see more.

But to be fair I guess that’s true for every team right now in my eyes.

Except UConn….because I’m obviously a homer.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

This is the danger of these frankenstein rosters, pulling together a bunch of kids who have no rapport who are coming together for the $$. That's not necessarily what you would call the "glue" a culture is built on.

Like Tark’s Fresno State squads with a bunch of former McD’s All Americans who were misfits off the court. They all had a lot of individual talent but also had no idea what it meant to play as a team.