St John's post game thread

[uconn_jack]

This is how every team in America will guess is moving forward. Marquette showed the blueprint, St. John’s perfected it. By switching, it prohibits any sort of back door cut and our guys aren’t fast enough to separate. My guess is, unless like adds another wrinkle, we will struggle offensively going forward. The verdict is out

This has always been the way to defend our offense. Knowing that and being able to do it are two different things. Marquette and St John's are built and prepared to be able to do it, and combined with the physicality allowed in the BE, it will continue to be harder to implement our offense in conference without overwhelming with talent and having some guys being able to break defense down 1v1.

This team has enough talent with Liam, but without a healthy PG and no backup, and the team's defensive weaknesses, it's going to be tough beating the top 3 in conference.

When the tournament comes around, however, teams still aren't going to be as prepared for us as our conference-mates. They will know how it should be done, but unless they are built and already prepared to do it, defending us will still be tough for them. Not nearly as tough as the last couple years, but still a challenge. That's why I am still optimistic we can get to the second weekend, with a shot at the third, as long as we can maintain intensity and not run into a buzz saw team.

 

[martyn]

We held them to 40% shooting and 68 points. We made it difficult for Richmond and overall they got very few easy shots. Our defense wasn't the problem.

Forty percent is about their average, isn't it? The glaring difference in turnovers says defense was the problem, at least a problem.

 

[DogMania]

It's amazing that it was a one possession game late, that they had a 4 PT lead with a little over 7 minutes to go and were up as much as 14 points in the first half, considering how many negative things they did throughout game.

You're unlikely to win when you turn the ball over a ton and shoot poorly from deep, inside the arc and from the line. Just do better at one of those 3 and they win.

As for Karaban, he was shooting the 3 well from crazy deep just about every game until after the January 1st game against DePaul. Other than a couple games since, he just can't get it going from deep. So we know he's capable, but unless he gets dialed in, this team is unlikely to have sustained wining streaks, which is necessary to win post season tournaments.

Even with all the TOs against MU, they won because they shot the ball well from all over the court. Not so against SJU, though a little credit goes to Storm's tough D and our lack of handling their pressure. Wow do they need to work on inbounding the ball!

I think they can fix a lot of the things that are going wrong, but I'm concerned about one that I'm not sure there is a remedy. They just don't have enough quality lead guards. Diarra has had to play way too many minutes and has now broken down. We are prone to teams that are able to pressure the ball. Unless we can shoot the ball at a very high level we'll get taken out by that type of team.

Still a lot of games to improve but there's reason for concern. If everyone can get healthy and they play to their capabilities, this team can be very good, but just not sure that will happen. I hope it does.

 

[TheShot1990]

“We don’t have this we don’t have that, we have no guards, we can’t shoot. Our defense sucks. This kid is no good”

I’m watching a very competitive UCONN basketball team compete for a top spot in the big east in February after winning two nattys.

I’m going to the garden to watch my dogs spank St. John’s.

I’m happy

 

[RuffRuff]

Very few fans can't simply just live in the moment and take it one game at a time.

Drives me insane. Oh yeah, Shabazz did this 10 years ago, it can happen again!! Did you not see our 99 team?

Go look at how many 7 seeds have won the tourney and circle back to me. Outlier. Want to know how many X a 7 seed or higher has won the tourney? Twice ever. We just happened to be on the receiving end of a rarity. And now people think there is some magic dust in Storrs that turns average teams into champs. News alert, it’s not the template.

The endless comps to Huskies of yesteryear. None of that matters. As if a player comp is going to turn them into a past player. Unless you’re making players from the stem cells of past players they are all unique humans with unique traits and personalities.

 

[housekeys]

Positive Significant key take away: Liam is a stud. Liam will make a difference. With Liam, UConn would have had fewer losses.

To St'John's: 1) Congratulations 2) They get away with fouls 3) Be happy with a participation trophy, you won the battle not the war. 4) Despite all that, definitely a very good team. 5) again, congratulations.

To our fans: 1) It is OK to blow off steam, remember we are spoiled and arrogant. 2) The only thing that matters is winning 6 games in a row. A horrible NC State team won 5 straight at just the right time, last year. 3) If you have the courage, support the g*dam team.

 

[cp176]

I agree with the comments about us having an advantage with Reed. Getting the ball in to him against that relentless pressure was something else though. It’s just not that easy. I think any criticism of Diarra at this point is a little unfair. Any point guard playing against man pressure like what they saw is going to have a tough time from the start and we have to have him on the floor. St. John’s defense is just that good. You have to work from baseline to baseline. Reed was obviously outstanding. McNeeley is the real deal. I like our team and the way that it has been built. I prefer it to the way Pitino built his team but no denying that he really knew what he was doing.

 

[housekeys]

With Liam back, the team needs to redefine and refine some roles. Once that is done, get back into a rhythm and regain momentum and confidence. There is sufficient talent to make it work.

 

[housekeys]

the highlight of the night for me was seeing Ben Gordon looking good, clean and healthy. 180 turn from the last time he was in the news…

Excellent post and observation.

 

[buddy]

Not vanished. They subbed him out. Up 14, Stewie and Solo on fire, and BOTH get subbed out together.

Yes, and within a matter of minutes it went from 21-8 to 26-22

 

[RuffRuff]

I agree with the comments about us having an advantage with Reed. Getting the ball in to him against that relentless pressure was something else though. It’s just not that easy. I think any criticism of Diarra at this point is a little unfair. Any point guard playing against man pressure like what they saw is going to have a tough time from the start and we have to have him on the floor. St. John’s defense is just that good. You have to work from baseline to baseline. Reed was obviously outstanding. McNeeley is the real deal. I like our team and the way that it has been built. I prefer it to the way Pitino built his team but no denying that he really knew what he was doing.

It’s funny because the way Pitino builds his teams is almost the exact opposite of how Hurley builds his. Will be a fun watch with these two as long as they’re there.

Love that we have the budding of a real rivalry. Hurley now has to start thinking about how he builds rosters to go toe to toe.

Speaking of which, Zubi, Luis, Wilcher only juniors. He gets them back and a couple good portal grabs, he’s right back there next year. Not sure if Luis tests the draft, but if he’s back they’ll likely be right back atop the league next year. Will likely be looking for that same type of PG in the portal we want as well. Maybe his son kicks over his stud.

 

[FreeKlaiber]

Pitino is one of the best coaches to ever do it. His move to increase full court pressure changed the game.

 

[cp176]

It’s funny because the way Pitino builds his teams is almost the exact opposite of how Hurley builds his. Will be a fun watch with these two as long as they’re there.

Love that we have the budding of a real rivalry. Hurley now has to start thinking about how he builds rosters to go toe to toe.

Speaking of which, Zubi, Luis, Wilcher only juniors. He gets them back and a couple good portal grabs, he’s right back there next year. Not sure if Luis tests the draft, but if he’s back they’ll likely be right back atop the league next year. Will likely be looking for that same type of PG in the portal we want as well. Maybe his son kicks over his stud.

This type of rivalry is so good for this league and the game. Two of the very best coaches in the game. I agree with you 100%. I also agree with you about the roster building. I do prefer Hurley’s method in general, but he does need to identify what he needs to compete with teams like St. John’s and he might have to rely on the portal to help. To me it just represents what can happen when you have a strong group of athletes who are physically committed to playing tough hard nosed defensive basketball. Playing teams like that will only make you stronger moving forward. Tough tough game to ref but I thought the job the they did in general was excellent.

 

[Mazhude]

Why does Rick Pitino win? The answer is in no-man’s-land

this preseason at St. John’s. Every day ended with an autopsy revealing a fatal flaw. St. John’s couldn’t shoot.
“The lowest metrics I’ve seen from my team, ever,” Pitino recently told me.
Pitino and his staff could have very well taken the Sisyphean route. More reps. More shots. More 3s until the numbers changed. Instead, a far simpler decision. Shoot closer... So, before this team ever played a game, he began devoting parts of his most valuable resource — those individual workouts — to players operating in what most other programs now consider no-man’s-land. Pitino’s 42-minute one-on-one training sessions began including 20 minutes of pull-up 15-footers, and mid-range shots off curls, and all variety of floaters. In the win over UConn on Friday night, Pitino’s team made 9 of 26 shots at the rim, 4 of 21 3-pointers, and an absurd 13 of 18 shots between the paint and 3-point line. The game’s decisive play was one most modern basketball fans would deem a terrible shot. On a baseline inbound with 3 seconds remaining on the shot clock and 12 seconds remaining on the game clock, with St. John’s leading by two, assistant coach Bob Walsh drew up a counter that resulted in Luis taking a catch-and-shoot jumper from about 19 feet out, just inside the arc, from the side of the basket.
Hurley, a devotee to current shot quality convention, wants opposing teams to take bad shots. He wants opposing players taking shots off the dribble, shots from the midrange (“middies,” Hurley calls ’em) and contested shots. Problem is, that’s exactly what St. John’s does.

“Like, those 15-17 footers?” Hurley said. “You’re … you know … as a defense, you kind of don’t mind those. But then, these guys are really proficient at it. So … yeah.”

 

[RuffRuff]

This type of rivalry is so good for this league and the game. Two of the very best coaches in the game. I agree with you 100%. I also agree with you about the roster building. I do prefer Hurley’s method in general, but he does need to identify what he needs to compete with teams like St. John’s and he might have to rely on the portal to help. To me it just represents what can happen when you have a strong group of athletes who are physically committed to playing tough hard nosed defensive basketball. Playing teams like that will only make you stronger moving forward. Tough tough game to ref but I thought the job the they did in general was excellent.

So good for the league. Loss stings but for the sake of entrainment value having some equity between Pitino and Hurley is such good juice. Two big ego Goliath coaches is why fans tune in to college hoops. Hurley goes home pissed after likely hearing the narrative that he lost to the best coach in the game, when you know he wants. This is what sports is all about. I hate to lose as a UConn fan but it’s all good entertainment.

Refs were great - let them play. For those complaining about holds, if they’re allowing it, hold back.

 

[sdglast]

I agree with a lot of this but Liam is effective going to the rim. Kid is a man out there and one of the best freshman we've ever had. It will be sad if this team can't go far and we missed watching him for 5 weeks.

Dude was beyond rusty the first half...bricking everything, having trouble with his handle and even had trouble catching the ball. He shot like cr@p but was still our best player and he's always our dog/emotional leader out there. Finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds in his first game after missing 5 weeks of basketball.

Spot on with regard to Liam. He was tremendous last night and really the only player will to go to the rim and absorb contact. Solo is a great shooter but until he starts turning the corner on defenders and going hard to the hole, you are going to see 2nd halves like the one you saw last night. He has to improve that part of his game. He is too good to simply remain stagnant behind the 3 point line looking to get off shots. You gotta force the action sometimes, especially with a player of his caliber.

 

[gsmooth]

He would have gotten swallowed whole and spit out. There is a reason he didn’t play much, and the minutes he has he looked scared.

When not turning the ball over, the StJ full court ran a good 10 seconds off the shot clock before we even STARTED our offense, which after a few flips around the perimeter, drove us into panic as the clock wore down.

If you looked at the physical matchups on the court last night, we had one advantage - Tarris over Zubi. Tarris had 12p 15r and 3 blocks last night. He was dominant inside. With every perimeter defender smothering our 1-4, have no idea why we didn’t just find a way to dump it into Tarris to let him attempt to find offense near the basket. He would have gotten doubled quick, but also would have had a chance to find higher quality shots than we were seeing down the stretch. We had zero counter.

I was shouting "get the ball to Tarris" from the stands last night when St John's switched and had Scott on him or Wilcher. If Hass or anyone else had Zuby on the switch and couldn't see over Zuby I was hoping they would pass the ball to the wing and have that player pass it Tarris. St. John's defense was tough but I was disappointed they forget the ball to Tarris on the mismatches from the switches.

 

[gsmooth]

Didn’t look too hobbled? Wow agree to disagree. When this season is over I would not be at all surprised if we hear he played through an MCL sprain or slight meniscus tear. To my eyes he’s a different player than he was even 2-3 weeks ago. If he wasn’t a senior and if the team had better options, I bet he’d be sitting.

Absolutely you're correct. Hass's gait is messed up. I said this after the Marquette game: it is damning with 7 minutes left, or whatever it was, when Hurley subbed a very hobbled Hass back in the game for Mahaney and Hass played the rest of the game. It revealed how little trust Hurley had with Mahaney with the game on the line.

 

[gsmooth]

Honestly beyond me wanting to throw my drink at the tv a couple of times and hearing my daughter’s friend who came over for a play date whispering “why does your dad talk to the TV?”, the highlight of the night for me was seeing Ben Gordon looking good, clean and healthy. 180 turn from the last time he was in the news…

I got his and jersey and signed and had a brief conversation with him. He looks like he is in a great place mentally and he really appreciated the love he got from the UConn fans like myself for the jersey signing and the fans at halftime. It was nice seeing Emeka give the halftime speech as well.

 

[RuffRuff]

Absolutely you're correct. Hass's gait is messed up. I said this after the Marquette game: it is damning with 7 minutes left, or whatever it was, when Hurley subbed a very hobbled Hass back in the game for Mahaney and Hass played the rest of the game. It revealed how little trust Hurley had with Mahaney with the game on the line.

Dan Hurley has tried his darndest with AM - the white towel is unofficially waving.

 

[Kolumbo]

Mahaney - Aidan came in drove to the basket and made a nice interior pass but the receiver lost the ball out of bounds. I think it may have been Reed. That would have been a really sweet play if they had finished and looked a lot like Joey C to Sanogo. And that was something which was missing last night.

 

[RuffRuff]

Mahaney - Aidan came in drove to the basket and made a nice interior pass but the receiver lost the ball out of bounds. I think it may have been Reed. That would have been a really sweet play if they had finished and looked a lot like Joey C to Sanogo. And that was something which was missing last night.

Didn’t he throw it at his feet? I remember the play, looked like the pass was low.

 

[Kolumbo]

Didn’t he throw it at his feet? I remember the play, looked like the pass was low.

Could have been. I thought it was waist high but it happened very quickly. Can't find a replay.

 

[TheHorde]

Didn’t he throw it at his feet? I remember the play, looked like the pass was low.

It was. And AM should have taken the short jump shot.

 

[RuffRuff]

And It begins. lol