St. John's Post Game Thread

[F101Voodoo]

This team will be unique come March in the sense that a lower seed can easily beat us but a higher seed will not want to play us.

Agree! If we can somehow improve our ,layups and just tweak our 3 point shooting a little we could be a very dangerous 5. seed. That is if we win a few games before The End.

 

[F101Voodoo]

Purdue just escaped a bad Maryland team by 1 at home. This ain’t a UConn thing folks. It’s a CBB thing this season. Every win especially on the “road” is going to be tough.

You is right! IMO

 

[uconnever]

This team plays nervous all the time. They’re a good team and it’s not what we want or expect here but at least each season we have been moving forward under Hurley, but the recruiting continues to get better, I can’t wait for some of these guys to cycle out/ move on. I’ve had enough of the nervous / scared play. I want a team as Auriemma says “ determined to win, not afraid to lose” Jackson awesome rebounding but he needs to just learn to make the easy pass, he drives me crazy and I’m just tired of it. He has all the tools but he’s actually hurting himself with the need to make things harder than they are. We won, but I know these next 3 or 4 games are gonna be frustrating and I’m learning to just expect mediocrity from this team.

 

[2north]

Not mutually exclusive.

You guys are right, coaches teach accountability but they don’t need to be made accountable. Players and coaches are accountable.

 

[Ant3411]

We are undefeated wearing our alternate uniforms this season. 2-0. Just sayin…

We should wear them until we lose. Connecticut ones at home and Black on the road.

 

[Dove]

Didn’t read through the thread to see if it was mentioned but Ajax with 16 rebounds is very impressive!

Not according to Chat Room denizens. One dude actually commented he needs to rebound better.

 

[Tenspro2002]

This team will be unique come March in the sense that a lower seed can easily beat us but a higher seed will not want to play us.

If we're a 6 seed, I would have us as a toss-up against both the 11 seed and the 3 seed if we advance.

We can lose to anyone or beat almost anyone.

 

[MexicoHusky]

Sanogo struggled, but I was really impressed with our defense against Champagnie. We haven't matched up against him very well in previous matchups. So they shut down our guy, but we did the same to their's.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Watching the women, which I rarely do until the tournament. Is this the same sport? The spacing is so different with the size of players. So many open looks as a result. Nice job putting it away late. Fudd was money when it was needed.

 

[ColchVEGAS]

Not according to Chat Room denizens. One dude actually commented he needs to rebound better.

Imagine that. I guess if he is not putting up Wilt Chamberlain like rebounding numbers he cannot rebound.

 

[UncleSpliff]

And I thought we couldn’t shoot. St Johns might be the worst outside shooting team I’ve seen all year. They kept scoring at will driving by Ajax / Cole and Reese when they took it to the cup yet kept shooting 3s where I think they were 4/20. Just a dumb game plan by them. Mike Anderson should tell them to NEVER shoot a 3. They have all athletic guys that can get to the rim at will.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

That was probably the worst game i’ve seen Sanogo play. When watching on TV you can see he is limited athletically, but I was at MSG today and in person, he may be less vertically gifted than Carlton was. St Johns had 9 blocks and i’d imagine 5-6 were on him. Ge gets no lift at all, and he missed a few more layups otherwise. From the 15:00 mark in the 1st half to about 3 mins left in the game, he was unplayable. But we won, which is good. Overall another incredibly sloppy game, i’ve come to expect them. Away win in conference though, not too much to complain about.

 

[Pudge]

At Jaxs brain did not process that fact that me the Lone Ranger in that spot.

We are getting too much in the weeds with this mindset on AJ. He needs a good earful from someone he respects - a mentor. He has extraordinary head for making plays - particularly with moving cutters and getting guys to their best shooting spot. But, in hoop we have seen guys over time who just think GO STRONG and dunk every time the are within a few feet of the hoop. He has the spectacular in slamming on transition. He needs to hear he will benefit his game by just going up for a dunk whenever he is that close. On the referenced play, he felt no D. He should just immediately go dunk.

 

[uconnfan68]

We are getting too much in the weeds with this mindset on AJ. He needs a good earful from someone he respects - a mentor. He has extraordinary head for making plays - particularly with moving cutters and getting guys to their best shooting spot. But, in hoop we have seen guys over time who just think GO STRONG and dunk every time the are within a few feet of the hoop. He has the spectacular in slamming on transition. He needs to hear he will benefit his game by just going up for a dunk whenever he is that close. On the referenced play, he felt no D. He should just immediately go dunk.

Start watching Dr J instead of Pistol Pete.

 

[mauconnfan]

Finally first win when decided by 5 or less. Although it was a struggle this team needed this game mentally hope it starts a positive run.

Sanogo was awful but guess what, huge block in the last minute.
AJ had a great rebounding day but not as much besides that. But he also clamped down when needed on the other end.

Isaiah was tremendous on both ends making plays on D that go unnoticed by many. They made their biggest run going to the basket against us with Mathis and others when they gave Isaiah a rest. They actually should’ve used him in the pick and role a bit more.

Martin was huge in the 2nd half 45.5% on 3 going into the game and that just improved. He bailed us out no doubt huge game. He and Whaley co-MVPs.

Refs were awful on both ends. I mean for that idiot ref to call a double technical is absurd, shouldn’t own a whistle. He did a great job stopping play to break Martin and Mathis (?) up, just needed to talk to them no need to throw the T horrible officiating. As bad as they were we got the benefit of a call that many would let go so we’ll take it.

Nice win need to go 2-1 in the next 3 somehow!

 

[freshler40]

Gutted it out when we didn’t have our A game. Thought we might going to run out of gas having just played Friday thankfully we didn’t. Great shooting from Martin although it kills me how he can’t finish a layup if anyone is within a foot of him. What’s peoples take on when Jackson was all alone under the hoop and passed it out to cole for 3? I know cole was open but I feel like you have to take the two points there and just finish. Gave me a Ben Simmons vibe

Head scratching for sure! Just turn around and dunk. Cole bailed him out.

 

[Hurleyman216]

I actually think finishing around the basket has become our Achilles heel. Maybe it’s a result of practicing against our own guys who are great blockers? Either way, we should have won this game by 15 points. We missed at least 10-15 open layups. On the other side St. John’s was making tough shots until we decided to clamp down on them with about 6 minutes left to play.

 

[karstenkibbe]

That was probably the worst game i’ve seen Sanogo play. When watching on TV you can see he is limited athletically, but I was at MSG today and in person, he may be less vertically gifted than Carlton was. St Johns had 9 blocks and i’d imagine 5-6 were on him. Ge gets no lift at all, and he missed a few more layups otherwise. From the 15:00 mark in the 1st half to about 3 mins left in the game, he was unplayable. But we won, which is good. Overall another incredibly sloppy game, i’ve come to expect them. Away win in conference though, not too much to complain about.

My son was sitting about 10 rows up behind the SJU bench and he texted me that Sanogo looked fatigued. Maybe Friday at Xavier took a lot out of him. On TV, he didn’t appear to be as emotionally invested in this game as much as some of the other players.

 

[jibsey]

Happy with the win but we played 2 games against St. John’s almost dead even. This isn’t an exact science and this won’t be a popular take but we aren’t much better than they are it would seem.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I do not call them "bunnies" or "easy" shots anymore. They are neither.

MANY are simply balls directed toward the basket from close range, and no more. That's why so many don't go in.

Further, I propose that they not even be called "layups" unless the follwing is true:

1) Upon its release, the player can be identified as having his attention/intention directly on the rim or a chosen spot on the backboard.

2) The release unmistakably results in the ball being (a) emphatically or gently but definitely put into the basket, (b) draws a foul, or (c) gets blocked.

Nothing else is acceptable.

A basket, or opposition contact, or being blocked. Period.

However embarrassing the third option my be, the first two will happen far more frequently, and (a) more will go into the basket, (b) the other team will get into foul trouble, and (c) foul shooting's importance will be tested & revealed. We will still record more blocks than the other team.

Don't just throw it up. Don't contort to avoid contact. Don't worry about being blocked.

 

[Edward Sargent]

Watching the women, which I rarely do until the tournament. Is this the same sport? The spacing is so different with the size of players. So many open looks as a result. Nice job putting it away late. Fudd was money when it was needed.

So was Tyrese

 

[Bomber36]

Watching the women, which I rarely do until the tournament. Is this the same sport? The spacing is so different with the size of players. So many open looks as a result. Nice job putting it away late. Fudd was money when it was needed.

That was a good game.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Should have kept Carlton.

Bring back Ollie as head of player development and associate HC.

 

[Bomber36]

Bring back Ollie as head of player development and associate HC.

He’ll be here all week folks. Don’t forget to tip your waiters and waitresses.

 

[formerlurker]

All that matters.