(3) BE Games-Wed- 2/7/18

[Bill Marsh]

I was thinking there's still a miracle chance that we get into the tourney...

Not a miracle. Just win the BE tournament. Tall order but doable given that it’s on what doubles as their home floor.

we'd probably have to win our last 6 (I know very unlikely) and even if that happens we'd likely need 1-2 BET wins in addition.

TBH, I think this is an underrated SJU team which has played in some bad luck. The last 6 games are all in fact winnable although the 2 road games will be more of a challenge.

More realistically though, we can split and go 3-3 and we'd probably make the NIT. Hard to see the NIT leaving a team out that just won two top 4 games assuming we end at least .500 to close out Big East play. We may not get a good seed, but we'd make it. Then next year you'd have to think we have top 25 and NCAA tourney potential, though I'm certainly not banking on it. As amazing as the last 2 wins have been, if we go back to starting off 0-8 or similar in conference play next year and are a mess then we really need to question Mullin. My hope is that this year gives the kids confidence and they can turn it into at least an NCAA berth next year. That would mean Mullin can actually work out here. Again, I think we still need a very good assistant coach to help if we want to win 20+ games next year.

You’ve harped on the need for an assistant to run the offense. Isn’t this the same program that had 25 years of success under Louie who ran one of the most unimaginative offenses ever? Isn’t Mullin the same guy who coached this team to a 10-2 start? Stranger things have happened than SJU getting hot down the stretch. UConn’s 2011 NC’s went 9-9 in conference play. If SJU does in fact win out to finish the regular season at 7-11 in conference, they would go into the BET as a milder version of that UConn team - hot team OOC, struggled in conference, and then . . .

[sju88grad]

Thanks Bill....I hope you're right!...

Here's a nice article from today's NY Post on Mullin and the team......I'm glad he's our coach....

https://nypost.com/2018/02/09/how-chris ... ns-around/

[stever20]

I was thinking there's still a miracle chance that we get into the tourney...

Not a miracle. Just win the BE tournament. Tall order but doable given that it’s on what doubles as their home floor.

we'd probably have to win our last 6 (I know very unlikely) and even if that happens we'd likely need 1-2 BET wins in addition.

TBH, I think this is an underrated SJU team which has played in some bad luck. The last 6 games are all in fact winnable although the 2 road games will be more of a challenge.

More realistically though, we can split and go 3-3 and we'd probably make the NIT. Hard to see the NIT leaving a team out that just won two top 4 games assuming we end at least .500 to close out Big East play. We may not get a good seed, but we'd make it. Then next year you'd have to think we have top 25 and NCAA tourney potential, though I'm certainly not banking on it. As amazing as the last 2 wins have been, if we go back to starting off 0-8 or similar in conference play next year and are a mess then we really need to question Mullin. My hope is that this year gives the kids confidence and they can turn it into at least an NCAA berth next year. That would mean Mullin can actually work out here. Again, I think we still need a very good assistant coach to help if we want to win 20+ games next year.

You’ve harped on the need for an assistant to run the offense. Isn’t this the same program that had 25 years of success under Louie who ran one of the most unimaginative offenses ever? Isn’t Mullin the same guy who coached this team to a 10-2 start? Stranger things have happened tha SJU getting hot down the stretch. UConn’s 2011 NC’s went 9-9 in conference play. If SJU does in fact win out to finish the regular season at 7-11 in conference, they would go into the BET as a milder version of that UConn team - hot team OOC, struggled in conference, and then . . .

some differences...
UConn 12-0 OOC with wins over Kentucky and Texas(2 top 10 teams in KP). Also 2 others who made NCAA tourney, and then Wichita didn't make the NCAA, but won the NIT.
St John's 10-2 D1 OOC with win over Duke. Next best win is Nebraska, who might not even make the tourney.

UConn still went 9-9 in conference play. St John's would be at best 7-11. Uconn sputtered at the end of the conference season while St John's did so start of it. St John's to make a run here will have to expend a lot of energy late in the season.

Also UConn was in the tourney going into the BET. St John's would need at least 2 wins in the BET to make the tourney(to include one vs either a 1 or 2 seed).