Immediate Goal - Beat SHU
Did you forget we got our butts kicked 3 times by Louisville and Pitino in 2014 with the last one in the conference tournament title game?
The BET, probably getting to the final, may be necessary for Overarching goal 1.
While true, one goal at a time, built on one game at a time.
I don't, but our most vital 1, and 2, ball handlers were not on a bum knee. I just happen to think Hassan is a huge aspect of any potential run. He's looked rough on games separated by 3-4 days, not sure how he's going to look on 3 games back to back with a Uconn-slayer on the back end.
Agreed. I've been to many Big East tournaments at MSG. Used to take time off work and go to every single game, even the non Uconn games in the first round where you could sit in the front row with your feet up because the place was empty. Pre gaming at bars with my buddies and other UConn fans for big games. Took my wife(girlfriend at time) to the 1999 tourney and saw us wipe out St Johns when KFree was MVP. She has been a rabid UConn fan ever since. You can't tell me these games don't matter. I remember many of those games more than many NCAA games. In the 90's and 2000's the BE tourney was epic. Games were incredible.
I know we can't trust what Pitino says, but I wouldn't call it resting Deivon Smith tomorrow when he's likely to miss the whole BET tournament as well according to Pitino
Hass has looked fine lately. Now you're getting duped by Pitino. I promise you Pitino cares deeply about winning the Big East tournament.
Pitino has come out today and literally said Smith is out tomorrow, not a GTD. If he pulls a fast one here, then we know he's 100% FOS 100% of the time.
I already know he's 100% FOS 100% of the time. I knew that a long time ago, it's actually part of his appeal.
@makethisaquote “quote this”
Resting Smith tomorrow? Yeah sure. Hopefully Shaka doesn’t fall for this crap the way McDermott did.
I’d say no. He’s a starter on all teams other than StJ and Creighton.
I don’t think they’ll rest guys either b/c they want a 2 seed in March but that’s not the point I was clarifying
If we lose to hall again we have bigger problems than being the 4 seed. It would guarantee we can’t do better than an 8/9 in the dance.
No argument there. It would be a disaster to lose to SHU again. But if we did lose to SHU, I'd rather the result not matter for seeding vs. having it knock us down to the 4-seed.
Whomever St. John's decides is the 6th man will have a real shot, whether it be Wilcher or Smith. They had basically 6 starters they rotated (they all had at least 17 starts), so I don't know what the award restrictions are.
Smith has played in 15 Big East games and started in 10 of them. Doesn't seem like a 6th man. Wilcher has started 12 of 19 Big East games. Again, doesn't seem like a 6th man.
They have also been to more FF and E8 than us
Yeah it's unclear. Divincenzo won it in 2018 starting in 9 of 18 games in BE play. The St. John's guys are clear of that mark, but is it possible for a team to have none of their top 6 minute earners qualify for sixth man of the year? I don't know how the Big East answers that question.
Big East Tournament final. Is there even another reasonable answer? This would maximize victories and add another National Championship and historic three-peat.
How we do in the big tournament is light years more important than what we do in the BE as it comes to perceived BB status. There is no one from an opposing BB fan base that sites out BE accolades as grounds for status. Any knocks are around our inconsistency making the tournament. We are seen as all or nothing.