St. John's Post Game Thread

[3rdbass]

I’m not being miserable just being realistic. Glad we won but we looked like crap. If you wanna do a backflip after that go for it

I was at the game and we didn't look like crap in the second half. Ran better offense but we do rely too much on Newton and Spencer to save us when the shot clock runs out. Glad to see Castle step and and take charge near the end of the 2nd half. I'm optimistic with improving Caste and some players like Karaban getting his head back on we will be fine. Also, like another poster mentioned Ball need to be more aggressive on offense. He can drive but he is always hesistant. He did make a good drive and pass to Johnson for a bucket in the first half. He can't just be non-existent out there on offense and settle for 3's all the time.

 

[NJHusky]

Yeah I don't how that 4 long steps to the basket for a dunk wasn't called traveling. I was laughing about that one.

BE refs at their finest. You’re just perplexed because we got the benefit from the ref

 

[metsfan2323]

Castle step and and take charge near the end of the 2nd half.

Yes, Castle's performance late was very encouraging, forget about point guard, we need him to bring what Andre Jackson brought to the team and he did that yesterday.

 

[3rdbass]

Yes, Castle's performance late was very encouraging, forget about point guard, we need him to bring what Andre Jackson brought to the team and he did that yesterday.

He is a little different player than AJ. Not as much of a facilitator at this stage but a great in creating his own offense which wasn't AJ's strength. Both play great defense.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I’m not being miserable just being realistic. Glad we won but we looked like crap. If you wanna do a backflip after that go for it

Come up with words more measured than "realistic," "crap," and "backflip," and you might have something to offer me. Here, you're attaching labels as though they're truth. I disagree with each of them.

Here, I offer a rewrite:

"I'm not being miserable, but I'm displeased when my team doesn't execute in ways I've enjoyed seeing previously. Glad we won but it wasn't what I like to see. If you found it more enjoyable, then I can't dispute that you enjoyed it."

How could I disagree with your personal impressions? They're yours. Coincidentally, they aren't so far off from mine. I also prefer a better-looking game. I didn't see the availability for such a game last night.

Our opponents fully intended to frustrate any such possibility, and the referees allowed for such an alternative script. It's not my favored scenario, but I've watched too much basketball to believe that I have any power over that. I had a choice to not watch if it was too ugly.

I don't think that the coaching staff & players could have turned things into anything beautiful. But, they could respond well enough to the situation at hand to emerge with a victory. And they did. I'm grateful for that.

 

[Gurleyman]

Hurley made a reference to it, and certainly isn’t the only one, but college hoops is old this year, with so many people in their fifth years. You've got 23 year olds with five years of coaching and college strength/conditioning all over rosters. They’re quicker and stronger than 19 year olds, and they often play defense like grown men. We do have Newton and Spencer as 5th year guards which helps, but our wings and bigs are comparatively young - it didn’t hurt us in most non-conference games, but perhaps we have seen it a little with Seton Hall and St. John’s both being pretty old. Other than Clingan, we are getting muscled off our spots, and bumped off our cuts, and the windows to attack are pretty small, especially without great floor spacing. We won’t get much older and stronger between now and March, but hopefully we can adjust.

 

[Mister P]

What’s the relationship between Hurley and Pitino.
The handshake between the two seemed pretty cold. They walked briskly by the other, gave a quick handshake and kept moving on. There’s usually a short chat with shoulder slapping before head coaches move on down the line.
Any personal animosity between the two or just each’s fiery competitiveness, especially Pitino since he was on the losing end ?

 

[AllHusky]

It’s fun to read all of the thoughts before you comment. Funny thing is I agree with those naysayers who are concerned as well as the fact that a win is a win.

Hey both games had its ugliness for sure and if you aren’t a bit nervous about what you’ve seen, you are lying to yourself. Look the dynamic of this team changed dramatically with DC down. The other teams no longer dropping 2-3 guys down when he gets the ball or trying to keep him from getting it therefore leaving others open for looks. They will need to adjust no doubt and who knows for how long.

Very happy with the win no doubt, they gutted one out and it’s huge to assure they’re not 0-2. But it’s not pretty right now and it does make you very nervous about who they can be. I look at Castles inability to finish early as a positive though. He’s a really good basketball player and smart as well. He will figure it out and did at the end. I mean the fact he gets where he wants and when he wants is impressive now it’s up to him to think of how to get better shots off, pull up short bank home 8 footers. I think he will and he is a key moving forward.

Samson was really good even getting respect to take 3 long steps for a dunk lol. Thrilled with his game but he’s a foul away from us playing too small. Singare looked fine, certainly battled his heart out. Good for him.

I could go on and on but they need the week off to continue to work on what they will see from every Big East team moving forward. If I’m the other staff and I see the refs are letting teams beat up Newton and Spencer then why not? They need Castle and Alex to help take that away with more aggressive finishing and creating shots.

And I still want to see a 2-3 mixed in on occasion because I’m sick of blow bys!

Concerned
Nervous
Nervous

Hurley and staff will be doing nothing to remedy the issues raised.

Half empty

Go Huskies

 

[RedStickHusky]

One thing that hurts us more, bad officiating is a great equalizer.

Like football on a muddy field...

 

[willie99]

What’s the relationship between Hurley and Pitino.
The handshake between the two seemed pretty cold. They walked briskly by the other, gave a quick handshake and kept moving on. There’s usually a short chat with shoulder slapping before head coaches move on down the line.
Any personal animosity between the two or just each’s fiery competitiveness, especially Pitino since he was on the losing end ?

Stealing Alleyne? Pure speculation, and I'd rather have Spencer, but maybe Dan didn't like Rick poaching his roster

 

[Marat]

What’s the relationship between Hurley and Pitino.
The handshake between the two seemed pretty cold. They walked briskly by the other, gave a quick handshake and kept moving on. There’s usually a short chat with shoulder slapping before head coaches move on down the line.
Any personal animosity between the two or just each’s fiery competitiveness, especially Pitino since he was on the losing end ?

I don't after game, why he walked by quickly, but before game they were chatting for some time . I guess nothing else to add after game.

 

[willie99]

It’s fun to read all of the thoughts before you comment. Funny thing is I agree with those naysayers who are concerned as well as the fact that a win is a win.

Hey both games had its ugliness for sure and if you aren’t a bit nervous about what you’ve seen, you are lying to yourself. Look the dynamic of this team changed dramatically with DC down. The other teams no longer dropping 2-3 guys down when he gets the ball or trying to keep him from getting it therefore leaving others open for looks. They will need to adjust no doubt and who knows for how long.

Very happy with the win no doubt, they gutted one out and it’s huge to assure they’re not 0-2. But it’s not pretty right now and it does make you very nervous about who they can be. I look at Castles inability to finish early as a positive though. He’s a really good basketball player and smart as well. He will figure it out and did at the end. I mean the fact he gets where he wants and when he wants is impressive now it’s up to him to think of how to get better shots off, pull up short bank home 8 footers. I think he will and he is a key moving forward.

Samson was really good even getting respect to take 3 long steps for a dunk lol. Thrilled with his game but he’s a foul away from us playing too small. Singare looked fine, certainly battled his heart out. Good for him.

I could go on and on but they need the week off to continue to work on what they will see from every Big East team moving forward. If I’m the other staff and I see the refs are letting teams beat up Newton and Spencer then why not? They need Castle and Alex to help take that away with more aggressive finishing and creating shots.

And I still want to see a 2-3 mixed in on occasion because I’m sick of blow bys!

Truth is, I'm not worried my friend. I'm enjoying the ride. There will be bumps and curves and rock fights, it's how you navigate those contingencies that matter most. In Dan I trust, as well as Newton and Karraban and Cam and Diarra and all our experienced kids

The truth is, without Donovan, we're not national title favorites, but we're still really good

 

[willie99]

I don't after game, why he walked by quickly, but before game they were chatting for some time . I guess nothing else to add after game.

Then maybe my take about stealing Alleyne is wrong

 

[willie99]

On Johnson's late game dunk. I didn't see his feet, I just know he covered a lot of ground without dribbling

I was waiting for it to be waived off, momentarily, before resuming my celebration

 

[Scrappy3]

Hurley made a reference to it, and certainly isn’t the only one, but college hoops is old this year, with so many people in their fifth years. You've got 23 year olds with five years of coaching and college strength/conditioning all over rosters. They’re quicker and stronger than 19 year olds, and they often play defense like grown men. We do have Newton and Spencer as 5th year guards which helps, but our wings and bigs are comparatively young - it didn’t hurt us in most non-conference games, but perhaps we have seen it a little with Seton Hall and St. John’s both being pretty old. Other than Clingan, we are getting muscled off our spots, and bumped off our cuts, and the windows to attack are pretty small, especially without great floor spacing. We won’t get much older and stronger between now and March, but hopefully we can adjust.

We made a huge investment in younger players i a year we prob could use 1-2 vets instead. Two freshmen dont even play.

 

[Sky ball]

Dan hurley wins his first ever close game woooo

Fire Hurley...Game to close

 

[elmcityboy]

On Johnson's late game dunk. I didn't see his feet, I just know he covered a lot of ground without dribbling

I was waiting for it to be waived off, momentarily, before resuming my celebration

i thought the same thing live. but sanogo would often get the same hop step coming off of the pick-and-roll and it was basically never called, so i am sure that's how the players are taught.

regardless of whether it was a travel, he took off from about 10 feet out!! pretty incredible athleticism.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

One good thing I’d like to point out.

How cool and smart it was to have a game at XL during the holiday break. I personally saw a lot of people who don’t live in CT back home for the break at the game and it seems like it was super loud and packed because of more people who were probably doing the same.

Great job by the schedulers for getting this one at XL! Perfect timing for the holidays and I’m sure that made helped a lot of family and friends build some very memorable moments together.

 

[HuskyPride87]

They lost to BC. I rest my case.

FAU lost to Bryant. They must be a garbage team too. Boy, you can really tell which posters don’t know a damn thing about this sport.

 

[Improviser]

He needs to become a force from 8 -15 feet, otherwise he will never be sagged off on the 3 point line.

He moves well without the ball and has a high BB IQ. He can put it on the floor.

Seems like something he is capable of doing if he puts his mind to it.

He puts a ton of time into working out after hours. I think he will progress further if he plays closer to the basket more of the time.

 

[dennismenace]

I have no voice. Someone else is going to have to make the Christmas Eve Toast

We won a rockfight, nothing bad to take away from this game. If you thought we were going to roll St John's, and / or if you laid the 11 points, well that's just on you

Everybody is going to give us their best

And Rickey is just getting started at St John's. His comment after the game that we were "decent" is Rickey being Rickey. Lots of battles in the years ahead. It will get everyone's passions boiling. Good for the league to have big bad Rickey back in town. Good to knock them on their a%*&$ for starters.

 

[dennismenace]

Anyone else see DH giving the double finger to some schmuck(s?) in the stands right before he turned around to join the handshake line at the end of the game???

What was that about? Anyone at the game in that section know?

Otherwise, unlike against SHU, I thought UConn played hard and won by out-toughing STJ. Offense still not there, but otherwise UConn played better in every other aspect tonight than they did in the last game.

Huge props to Samson who I thought would get taken to the woodshed by Soriano. Gives hope with DC being out 2-4 weeks.

Sounded like the crowd was really loud on TV. That had to help in Hartford.

 

[aburks41]

Yes, Castle's performance late was very encouraging, forget about point guard, we need him to bring what Andre Jackson brought to the team and he did that yesterday.

I wonder if the staff should try to use some of those Andre Jackson plays that we saw late in the season, for Castle. Especially if he’s not much of a threat to shoot from outside right now. Teams are going to end up sagging off him and daring him to shoot. His driving ability is pretty near elite, but they might need to put him in some different spots to find open shooters.

 

[uconngb]

down to who could deal with trash officiating better. Thankfully

FAU lost to Bryant. They must be a garbage team too. Boy, you can really tell which posters don’t know a damn thing about this sport.

Comparing FAU to St John’s shows what you know. SJU will not sniff the NCAAs

 

[Icehawk]

This felt a lot better than SH where I was pretty sure from the jump we were going to take a L, last night I didn’t feel like we were doomed. Was it the best or prettiest maybe not but a W is what matters.

Good game from Johnson - loved those push shots, Singare showed some promise (he seems pretty quick and put in effort), but I don’t like watching Castle stand around near the corner - he needs to slash more to the basket and keep in motion.

SJ is all transfers, they could become a bit of a machine later in the season as they get time together.