St. John's Post Game Thread

[Fishy]

It actually is.

If you're simple, it would seem to be.

 

[NC_Uconn_Fan]

It's not happening this year, we're just not that good. Coming off back to back championships, I'm not going to complain too much. Let's see how Hurley and the staff move forward.

 

[Hoophound]

I really don't see it, and him going to the line in the first half and looking like Shaq is kinda indicative of where his confidence is.

Missing free throws was pretty much all he did wrong. For a team with no ball handling, your standards are too high.

 

[jibsey]

Might be the most underrated Husky ever

Which is why we need another like him.

 

[skisafari]

I really miss the mad scientist “Jim Calhoun” using his timeouts and fiddling with his lineup until he finds something that clicks. When he did find that magic he rolled with it and didn’t care if you were a starter or not. The Win was more important than anything else. That random game at the dome vs Cuse watching Brian Fair go off for 31 points out of nowhere. Any given day someone may go off. We just ran the same 5/6 guys hoping for a different result.

 

[Deepster]

That was legit crazy, he thought he was Durant there. It was nice to finally see some shots go down but the rest of the game I was scratching my head as to what he was doing out there. Getting blown by on defense, fumbling the ball, not being able to inbound, standing flat footed and losing rebounds that came right to him. It's legit sad watching AK on this team. I love the kid and want him back for a fresh start next season back in the role hitting shots and making winning plays we saw his first two seasons. This is a throwaway season for him.

It's no longer a slump for AK, it's a lost season for sure. Totally agree it's gut wrenching to watch him struggle every single game.

 

[Deepster]

How do you forget the game was on? If you did, your post should be automatically deleted. This is the worst take ever.

Welcome to the 2024 Boneyard. Beta version.

 

[Gurleyman]

I really miss the mad scientist “Jim Calhoun” using his timeouts and fiddling with his lineup until he finds something that clicks. When he did find that magic he rolled with it and didn’t care if you were a starter or not. The Win was more important than anything else. That random game at the dome vs Cuse watching Brian Fair go off for 31 points out of nowhere. Any given day someone may go off. We just ran the same 5/6 guys hoping for a different result.

Calhoun had his down years where it fell apart, most notably the Dyson and sophomore Kemba team. Last year was kind of an anomaly for this program where we didn’t step back after winning. But some other down years where nothing worked (often for being young):

1997 we had suspensions and Rickety and ended up really young.
2001 was the freshman Caron/Taliek team and senior Mouring. Didn’t come together.
2007 we were just super young. Our entire team was freshmen and sophomores - none of which were one and done
2010 we were a dumpster fire on top of a train wreck.
2012 we pretty much stunk with Drummond and Oriakhi trying to play alongside each other and did just enough to get in and then get crushed by Iowa State.

They were always years we bounced back from.

 

[Chin Diesel]

It's no longer a slump for AK, it's a lost season for sure. Totally agree it's gut wrenching to watch him struggle every single game.

This season is probably the first time since 2nd or 3rd grade he is playing with doubt about what he is supposed to be doing. He is absolutely thinking instead of just doing. He's vapor locked.

 

[TheShot1990]

But…other than the 18 turnovers, lack of offense, sketchy defending and less athleticism and toughness, we are right there. I mean RIGHT there.

 

[Deepster]

I gotta give Pitino credit. All the years we'd roll into the Garden and dominate, I'd think "How does a St John's coach not take advantage of playing in this arena?", "How can we roll in here, fill the place and laugh the entire Metro North ride home?"

The cockroach that he is, he clawed his way back, took the opportunity and is positioned to have a run where that building is rocking. And I'm gonna say something I don't ever say. I don't want to see them in the BET. I don't think we can beat them this season the way things have unfolded.

 

[bendm]

If we TCB we should be the 3

Big if. We just lost to seton hall.

 

[CTBasketball]

I gotta give Pitino credit. All the years we'd roll into the Garden and dominate, I'd think "How does a St John's coach not take advantage of playing in this arena?", "How can we roll in here, fill the place and laugh the entire Metro North ride home?"

The cockroach that he is, he clawed his way back, took the opportunity and is positioned to have a run where that building is rocking. And I'm gonna say something I don't ever say. I don't want to see them in the BET. I don't think we can beat them this season the way things have unfolded.

It was 75/25 Johnnie’s in the building today.

And they shoved our beers right into our faces.

 

[Palatine]

It's amazing that people keep posting that Samson is the problem and Nowell is the solution.

What on Earth are they watching? Samson is what he always has been. Pretty much the same as what he was on two NCs. Nowell has an average handle and is a defensive liability. Playing Samson less will not help. Playing Nowell more will not help.

What will help is better chemistry and communication on both the offensive and defensive ends. And knocking down some shots. Going 1-10 from three when the other team is unconscious from the field is difficult to overcome. But it would actually help.

 

[jibsey]

The 3 point shooting in the game was 26% for us and 42% for them.

 

[BlueWolf25]

When we had Nowell, Ball, Mahaney, McNeeley and Karaban on the floor (i think) I thought to my self " this is the smallest lineup I've ever seen".

That’s funny, I turned to my brother and said “This is the worst lineup we’ve put out in forever…”

 

[uh-no]

The 3 point shooting in the game was 26% for us and 42% for them.

the misses weren't even good. air balls, outside of the rim, etc. awful awful

 

[Leebo]

Kinda crazy to build a team around taking contested 20 footers.

 

[CTBasketball]

Kinda crazy to build a team around taking contested 20 footers.

Analytics say the shot will be open, and he built a team of midrange jump shooters.

It’s not as crazy as it seems.

 

[TheHorde]

We got beat by a better team.

I would not have been so upset w/ our play if this was the 1st time we played St. John’s but it wasn’t.

They faceguard almost every player, press for better part of the game, are allowed to set moving picks with grabs w/ no fouls called??? and rebound like crazy.

We didn't adjust.

Watching Karaban get caught behind pick and be 2 steps behind on defese allowing made shot after made shot, seeing Ball 2 ft away from where he should be on D only to fall for jump fakes and to see the lack of effort on the boards was almost too much to watch today.

For those old time fans, we harken back to the UConn teams that were unranked, had less fanfare, no one going to NBA but fought "tooth and nail" to not get steam rolled like we did today.

Give me a Dan Cyrulik, a Rod Sellers, someone who is like "not today and not on my watch."

I would have been dispppointed w / a loss not matter what but waching our get manhandled by the Johnnies game me the chills....

Bring back JC to the practices if he's not there already. He would have not allowed the players on the floor to stay on the floor with some of the sleepwalking we saw today.


On a complete sidenote, first time I saw ever saw an offensive player take a hard foul on the elbow, then on the FACE, have one announcer say he was clobbered,.,,,

Only to have the other announcer circle back to say it was a "good no call."

I guess there's a first for everything... Where do they find these guys?

This team desperately could use a Lyman DePriest and a Ricky Moore and a Kevin Freeman.

 

[TheHorde]

Haha, no.

I almost want to root for quick exits for the other Big East teams if it gets Val canned.

 

[JB75]

Hurley screwed up royally with roster construction. He thought a slight kid from St. Mary's who can't play point guard was going to be our starting point guard. He thought a spot up shooter (AK) was going to be our do everything leader. He thought Ross would show he's an NBA player. He never addressed not having guys who can take people off the dribble. He started the wrong center all season. We don't have the ballhandlers/creators and the team is physically weak outside of Reed.

I'm excited about our recruiting class but I'm not seeing the strength/athleticism in them. Braylon has the athleticism and quick twitch but he's pretty slight. Question marks with the other guys.

Coach needs to stop doing interviews/writing books and needs to figure this out. We were physically manhandled and Pitino ate his lunch. Pitino is just getting started there despite his age.

St. John's has an identity and they never go away from it. You can hang with them if they shoot terribly but this was a physical mismatch. We are a team with no identity this season.

Props to Pitino and St. John's, they're really friggin' good and a fun team to watch.

Johnnie’s haven’t sniffed being good in 25 years since Jarvis -artest days. We re coming off back to backs. They are having a good 2 month period. Bound to happen. Chill. Just one of dem years. They ll run into a team in second round or 16 that gets hot from three and will bounce them. They can’t shoot - even tho they shot well today

 

[superjohn]

Johnnie’s haven’t sniffed being good in 25 years since Jarvis -artest days. We re coming off back to backs. They are having a good 2 month period. Bound to happen. Chill. Just one of dem years. They ll run into a team in second round or 16 that gets hot from three and will bounce them. They can’t shoot - even tho they shot well today

Johnnies are the best team by far in the conference this season, they're a top 10 team nationally and Pitino is just getting started there despite his age. Luis, Ejiofor, and Wilcher will be back next season as his core and he'll bring in top transfers again that fit what he wants to do.

 

[Scoe]

I would root like HELL for St John’s. I think they could bully their way into a win. Duke hasn’t seen pressure like that since Auburn months ago

Also St Johns can shoot 3s maybe not at a high clip but they also don't rely on 3s. Bully teams have done just fine in the tournament SDSU and Houston.

 

[navery12]

Johnnies are the best team by far in the conference this season, they're a top 10 team nationally and Pitino is just getting started there despite his age. Luis, Ejiofor, and Wilcher will be back next season as his core and he'll bring in top transfers again that fit what he wants to do.

Agreed with the rest but Luis will be gone. Maybe Repole opens the checkbook and he reconsiders but Pitino has been openly talking about him leaving after the season all year