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This is going to be a tough game. They are red hot right now coming into the game shooting the ball from anywhere on the court. One of their players is shooting 90% from 3 from the past 2 games. Essentially their strength (3PT shooting) is our weakness on defense (3PT defense). We have been ice cold from 3 so far this year…I highly doubt we have 3 straight games of terrible shooting. Rysheed was 0-7 last game, Sampson has not been aggressive yet, Branch hasn't found his shot, and Sanchez is just getting warmed up. I know Bucknell is good, but I'd be surprised if they come out and continue their torrid streak after playing 2 major conference teams in Stanford and PSU then handle us. Coach Lavin tweeted that this is the most important game of the year because they are a likely Sweet 16 team. I think he went way too far and it's pretty shocking. Yes, Bucknell is good, but they are still a team we should beat fairly handily with the talent on our team. We have a big size and talent advantage. Penn State always sucks in basketball so that win didn't scare me. I think the biggest game everyone has circled on the calendar in terms of our OOC schedule is obviously Cuse a top 10 ACC team as well as a major rival. Win that game and we will enjoy a few days of fame and give us that statement win we so badly need especially come March. Win vs. Bucknell and it will be more like "Yeah, well they should have beat them…the Johnnies took care of business".

Go out there and get that W Johnnies. It's time to stop playing around with these mid majors and time to show our teeth.

He said it was the most important game because it was "the next game". He didn't say it was the most important game on the schedule. I am more worried about defending the three than making the three. I agree that I am not yet sold on Orlando Sanchez. I know he has not played in over a year so it may be he needs a little time. I don't care how good Bucknell may be, but this should be a Johnnies win and will be a bad loss if it is not. As Lavinwood said, time to stop playing around and go out and get the W. I'll be there for the 8:30 tip in Queens.

If SJU is going to take that step from potential to actual, the line in the sand gets drawn tonight. Bucknetll is a solid OOC team but as a 7.5 pt favorite at home, you need to win this one...and not in a nail biting fashion. Time to step up Johnnies, and use that athleticism to suffocate Bucknell in all facets.

GumbyDamnit! wrote:If SJU is going to take that step from potential to actual, the line in the sand gets drawn tonight. Bucknetll is a solid OOC team but as a 7.5 pt favorite at home, you need to win this one...and not in a nail biting fashion. Time to step up Johnnies, and use that athleticism to suffocate Bucknell in all facets.

+1. At home, St John's has to win this one.

We are so overdue for a thrashing from beginning to end while making at least 40% from 3. Let's hope tonight we click. When this team clicks on all cylinders we can compete with any team in the country. When we only play decent defense and can't make a shot on offense, that's when we get into trouble. Sick of seeing our 3's in the hoop only to bounce out at the last second. Time for those to start falling. After an 0-10 3PT performance, you would think an explosion is coming. Bucknell is good for a mid major, but this is a game we need to prove we can handle them fairly easily.

Agree all around. Johnnies need to win this one and be in control throughout. I don't need a blow-out, but by the time the first half is over, we need to be in control and remain so for the rest of the game.

redmen9194 wrote:Agree all around. Johnnies need to win this one and be in control throughout. I don't need a blow-out, but by the time the first half is over, we need to be in control and remain so for the rest of the game.

I want to get to a point where when we get the ball, I'm confident we can go down and score. I feel like a lot of our opponents score at will against us especially if they can hit 3's. They seem to pour instead of rain on us. I want to see the kind of effortless scoring on inferior teams that we should be seeing. We have Sweet 16 talent...no more excuses. Any setbacks at this point until Cuse is reason to sound the alarm. Wisconsin we had an excuse: they were a legit major conference team. Bucknell we don't. They should be a tough matchup for any mid major in the nation but not us.

What I'm looking from St. John's is some kind of team concept. Sharing the ball, off the ball movement, taking good shots every time down, not settling for easy uncontested 3's early in the shot clock. Basically some patience that comes from experience and playing together, if they can develop some kind of chemistry instead of playing one-on-one isolation offense; they will be an extremely tough out in March. Their defense should take care of it's self with their athleticism and effort. Oh, also REBOUND THE DAMN BALL.

I swear even when we get a hand in the face other teams make 3's from miles away. Unreal.

So the offensive game plan for St. John's early on is to shoot 20 foot jump shots?