St. John’s Pregame Thoughts

[BGesus4]

Even though we were obviously way better that was a bad ass St. John’s team, with those awesome Jordan jerseys. What a time

 

[gars44]

Rock fight is ok if called the same both ways. Since we don’t play that way normally will the refs let us play the same way if needed?

I don’t care if they allow it to turn into a scrum or call every touch foul. My issue is when they allow some stuff first half and not second…or if they call touch fouls one way and allow a mugging the other

A question about fouls…r u allowed to stand there with your hands up? It seems like often DC get called for a body foul when the offensive player moves into him

No. But Donovan is not just standing there. He moves forward and his arms are not vertical. They are forward. So he gets called.

 

[Scrutineer]

St John’s is honoring their 98-99 elite eight team at halftime.

You know, the team we ran off their home floor in the Big East tourney finals on our way to a national title that year. LOL

And, maybe best of all, Kevin Freeman was named the most outstanding player of the BE tournament after not being named to that season's Big East First Team, Second Team or Third Team.

 

[willie99]

Have we played more this year at MSG? Has to be close

Just checked
5-3

They played Fordham there

 

[Bboy Lace]

I would argue that we need this game more than St John's does. We're only 2 games ahead of Marquette and Creighton for the regular season title. And we still need to face both of them on the road as well as Marquette at home. Don't forget the road game against Providence either. They'll want revenge after yesterday's game.

 

[jibsey]

I would argue that we need this game more than St John's does. We're only 2 games ahead of Marquette and Creighton for the regular season title. And we still need to face both of them on the road as well as Marquette at home. Don't forget the road game against Providence either. They'll want revenge after yesterday's game.

We don’t ”need” this game, but I’d like us to be up for it with great effort. Not even about the BE title or even the BE Tourney title. Why? Ask Marquette about the importance of that vs what we did in the tournament.

 

[Gurleyman]

I think he’s talking about a fast break dunk where the ball didn’t touch the floor. It was like rebound-outlet-pass-dunk. Perfect fast break execution. I couldn’t find the game video but it was later first half, if I recall.

@Gurleyman would know for sure. He’s our encyclopedia.

Haha. You guys are on it.

That game resulted in one of my favorite all time quotes. Ron Artest postgame to someone on his cell: “nah, they pimped us, yo.”

That quote has been lost to the either … or else “we pimped you“ would make a really great halftime chant on Saturday, especially if Metta Artest Ron World Peace was there. But nobody would know what we were chanting.

 

[Gurleyman]

I was there that night. Were you, BigErn? Good memory.

“So, Ron Artest….what was your favorite memory about hearing a 75% UConn crowd cheer the blowout win that night?”

The regular season win at MSG that year was a great one too. We got off to a big lead, then got outscored 50-25 in the middle part of the game and went down big … then said “f this” and turned it back around and won it. I could be mixing my games up (I’m less encyclopediac than I used to be) but I’m pretty sure that was the one when Calhoun called a timeout and then just turned his back on the team and didn’t say a word to them during the whole timeout. And it worked like a charm.

i do remember that was a Saturday matinee, moved us to 19-0 and secured our 10th straight week at No. 1. And then we went home for a Big Monday game and suddenly were missing 2/3 of our starting frontcourt. But, of course, that game was canceled and Miami was the only team to beat us that season. Props to Miami. Just have to tip your cap to them. (Old chatroom joke maybe a few people will get. Certainly @Fishy)

 

[Bboy Lace]

We don’t ”need” this game, but I’d like us to be up for it with great effort. Not even about the BE title or even the BE Tourney title. Why? Ask Marquette about the importance of that vs what we did in the tournament.

We lose this game and now they're only 1 game back with the aforementioned games I noted earlier. 5 of our last 6 conference games will not be a walk in the park.

I don't need to ask Marquette. These are goals that UConn wants to attain this year along with going back to back. If these are goals, they're needs in my book.

Finally, last year was last year. Has nothing to do with this year and this year's goals to return to the top of the Big East.

 

[Fishy]

The regular season win at MSG that year was a great one too. We got off to a big lead, then got outscored 50-25 in the middle part of the game and went down big … then said “f this” and turned it back around and won it. I could be mixing my games up (I’m less encyclopediac than I used to be) but I’m pretty sure that was the one when Calhoun called a timeout and then just turned his back on the team and didn’t say a word to them during the whole timeout. And it worked like a charm.

i do remember that was a Saturday matinee, moved us to 19-0 and secured our 10th straight week at No. 1. And then we went home for a Big Monday game and suddenly were missing 2/3 of our starting frontcourt. But, of course, that game was canceled and Miami was the only team to beat us that season. Props to Miami. Just have to tip your cap to them. (Old chatroom joke maybe a few people will get. Certainly @Fishy)

I actually thought about that old bit the other day.

 

[Gurleyman]

I actually thought about that old bit the other day.

We kept that one going soooo long. And it never didn’t work.

I also saw someone refer to a team as gritty and plucky in a thread here today. Made me laugh that one is still going strong.

If only certain people would forget about Sammy Mejia.

 

[champs99and04]

We kept that one going soooo long. And it never didn’t work.

I also saw someone refer to a team as gritty and plucky in a thread here today. Made me laugh that one is still going strong.

If only certain people would forget about Sammy Mejia.

I didn't realize you could simply be summoned like this. I was worried you had died.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Haha. You guys are on it.

That game resulted in one of my favorite all time quotes. Ron Artest postgame to someone on his cell: “nah, they pimped us, yo.”

That quote has been lost to the either … or else “we pimped you“ would make a really great halftime chant on Saturday, especially if Metta Artest Ron World Peace was there. But nobody would know what we were chanting.

I was just scouring the internet for this quote and my search led me to the boneyard! Does anyone have the exact quote ? I couldn't get into paywalls at NY Dailynews or NY Times.
I thought it was "they punked us, yo" - but Gurleyman's memory might be more precise.

I do remember being unsure what Artest meant the first time I heard it, which is why I think 'punked'.
We can always chant both at MSG come Saturday.

 

[TheShot1990]

If I were Pitino I'd be showing Soriano replays of Oduro taking it to DC's chest. I'd tell him "do that all game...all day."

So, we will need valuable minutes from SJ and less dumb fouls from both.

 

[willie99]

St John's will be bringing it. I suspect their fans will too, not wanting us to own their building. It should be a raucous atmosphere

It's going to be a hard fought and close game. St John's absolutely needs it more. A win improves their odds to dance significantly. A loss and we're still a one seed. Although we have a whole month to play and things change.

If Alex plays, we win. I see us playing our "A" game and we're really really good when we do that.

 

[auror]

St. John's has lost 4 of 5, so this is very much a must-win for them.

 

[Gurleyman]

I was just scouring the internet for this quote and my search led me to the boneyard! Does anyone have the exact quote ? I couldn't get into paywalls at NY Dailynews or NY Times.
I thought it was "they punked us, yo" - but Gurleyman's memory might be more precise.

I do remember being unsure what Artest meant the first time I heard it, which is why I think 'punked'.
We can always chant both at MSG come Saturday.

Found a legit reference on my fifth different Google search.

TO ARTEST’S DISMAY, FREEMAN FOCUSES ON D

The call came to Ron Artest’s cell phone just as his extended press conference ended in the Madison Square Garden locker room corridor. “Nah, they pimped us, yo,” Artest said to t…

www.courant.com

 

[Gurleyman]

I didn't realize you could simply be summoned like this. I was worried you had died.

 

[Gurleyman]

The regular season win at MSG that year was a great one too. We got off to a big lead, then got outscored 50-25 in the middle part of the game and went down big … then said “f this” and turned it back around and won it. I could be mixing my games up (I’m less encyclopediac than I used to be) but I’m pretty sure that was the one when Calhoun called a timeout and then just turned his back on the team and didn’t say a word to them during the whole timeout. And it worked like a charm.

i do remember that was a Saturday matinee, moved us to 19-0 and secured our 10th straight week at No. 1. And then we went home for a Big Monday game and suddenly were missing 2/3 of our starting frontcourt. But, of course, that game was canceled and Miami was the only team to beat us that season. Props to Miami. Just have to tip your cap to them. (Old chatroom joke maybe a few people will get. Certainly @Fishy)

Here’s the story of that game. Had the timeout story matched with the right game. Remember it well because we played like crap for such a long time and then flipped a switch. As often happened, Ricky Moore led the turnaround. Came out of that timeout with some hustle plays and fired us back up.

I will say that one thing about that ‘99 team that was special was that they locked in defensively in crunch time as well as any team I’ve ever seen. The one game we lost at full strength we were down 9 to Miami and completely smothered them to come back and tie it. But then we forced them into a late shot clock airball that turned into an accidental pass to Tim James and we missed two chances to tie it. If that team ever had to get a stop, we were typically getting a stop.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL; St. John's Emotions Overcome at End by UConn (Published 1999)

Connecticut beats St John's, 78-74, in college basketball; photos (M)9

www.nytimes.com

 

[Tyler2Rings]

the later-years Calhoun/Ollie teams (which infamously stumbled to a 1-9 mark against the Cards from 2010-14)

I only have a clear memory of 2 games from that stretch. 2011 Kemba drop off to Lamb for the BET victory 5 wins/ 5 days. And another game in 2014...won't get into it

edit- also now remembering the Ollie technical in Gampel 2014. Was he tossed in that one?

 

[Marat]

Here’s the story of that game. Had the timeout story matched with the right game. Remember it well because we played like crap for such a long time and then flipped a switch. As often happened, Ricky Moore led the turnaround. Came out of that timeout with some hustle plays and fired us back up.

I will say that one thing about that ‘99 team that was special was that they locked in defensively in crunch time as well as any team I’ve ever seen. The one game we lost at full strength we were down 9 to Miami and completely smothered them to come back and tie it. But then we forced them into a late shot clock airball that turned into an accidental pass to Tim James and we missed two chances to tie it. If that team ever had to get a stop, we were typically getting a stop.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL; St. John's Emotions Overcome at End by UConn (Published 1999)

Connecticut beats St John's, 78-74, in college basketball; photos (M)9

www.nytimes.com

My favorite UConn team ever. It's hard not to choose that one.

 

[imno1]

If I were Pitino I'd be showing Soriano replays of Oduro taking it to DC's chest. I'd tell him "do that all game...all day."

So, we will need valuable minutes from SJ and less dumb fouls from both.

I'd be surprised if Donovan plays as bad as he did on Wednesday. I think he'll be ready for whatever SJ tries against him. We just can't go 4 - 23 from 3.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

May have missed it somewhere, but any update on AK?

 

[Tenspro2002]

Edit: It's not putting the time right, but it's when the score is 9-0 17:30 or so on the clock.

Not the point, but it is remarkable:
1) how close the 3 point line used to be -- it's amazing guys weren't regularly shooting like 50% from 3
2) how many bad shots (long 2s) these offenses produced

It took a ridiculously long time, like 30 years, for coaches to figure out optimal offense with a 3 point line in place.

 

[NJHusky]

No. But Donovan is not just standing there. He moves forward and his arms are not vertical. They are forward. So he gets called.

Thx…u can tell I didn’t play organized bball. So it seems like it should be a relatively easy fix….just don’t hover.