Fri Dec 7th 2018 - (1) Big East Game - UMass-PC...

[billyjack]

I watched the 2nd-half on TV cuz i had family over all last night.
For anyone who didn't watch the game...

PC was up 18 at the half.
With around 10 minutes left, they had maybe a 14 point lead.

At this point it's like "Sleepytime"... got an undisciplined A-10 team running around chaotically, putting up stupid shots, bricks that can't be rebounded normally... hacking the Friars every possession... Friars missing tons of free throws... refs being cute not calling shit cuz PC is up by 17 or whatever... 7-foot-2 480-lb 9th-year-senior Shane Holloway camped out in the lane every possession throwing illegal rolling picks down the lane for UMass layups... i had family over, so during this 2nd half I'm trying to watch, but I'm taking out the garbage, taking the dog out for a shit and pee, listening to my 7-year-old niece distract by begging my sons and me to play Hide-and-Go-Seek and Big-Step-Little-Step...

Then within what seemed like a 45 second stretch, some guy on UMass drilled 3 straight 3-pointers, while PC scored on 1 of 2 possessions. That got the lead down to 7 with around 9:15 left or something like that. Boom boom boom, just like that.

For 3+ years, I've called for the 3-point line to be moved back 3-feet to NBA range for this freakin reason. The college game has become a 3-point shooting contest, so there's no incentive to run solid offenses for 2-points. It's basically Coach K slash Rick Pitino offense: drive the lane, get whistle, get 2 shots... or... drive the lane, no whistle, kick out to 3 point shooter... rinse, repeat. 90% of the game is how effective the coach is at berating the refs each play, to get that whistle on the drive.

At that point, the Friars played like a young team with holes, which they are. They had some awful possessions with crazy turnovers on ridiculous bounce passes. They also had nice plays like Reeves' and-1 on a 15 foot jumper.

PC with ball, up one with 35 seconds, running a disjointed play, Watson misses a really tough cintested hook shot.
UMass with 10 seconds drove to hoop from the right for 2, as Holloway illegally acted as a pulling guard down the lane on Watson

Final possession, Diallo drove left through lots of contact and UMass players leaving their feet and bumping... missed shot, no whistle... game over. Seriously, no team in the P-6 gets less home-cooking from the refs than the Friars.

So combination of a young team, some really poor decisions late, no help from the refs.

After this disaster, it's just a 1 point loss. So i gotta hope that this sucky result will make the young Friars value each possession more. You know, if you play like shit for long stretches but still win, it can make you over-confident.

Anyhoo, how is that for a partially-hungover rant first thing in the morning after a tough loss? I'm considering just following curling from now on... i won't get agita, and you guys won't have to be subjected to my crazy rants.
.
Also, lucky for you guys, I'm going to be out all day with my visting family, so i won't be able to comment til very late if at all.


P.S. Add GONZAGA.
.

[gosports1]

on the positive side the mens and womens hockey teams are both in top 10

[billyjack]

on the positive side the mens and womens hockey teams are both in top 10

Lol...

[jbarajas0490]

This pretty much relegates providence to bubble team the rest of the season. Seems like they are always on the bubble. Lunardi currently has nova, Marquette, butler, johnnies, and creighton in his bracket. I was hoping providence would win out their ooc and along with Gtown to hopefully get 7 teams in good position for tournament spots.