BE Th 11/19 - 5g, But-MoSt, CU-Ind, LB-SH, Rut-SJ, Iowa-Marq

[RedStormHoops]

Is it still unanimous that we finish last this year?

Very exciting win last night, but please remember it was Rutgers. We aren't world beaters. Far from it. This will be a tough year. Enjoy every win and don't get cocky when we do win

[NJRedman]

Is it still unanimous that we finish last this year?

Very exciting win last night, but please remember it was Rutgers. We aren't world beaters. Far from it. This will be a tough year. Enjoy every win and don't get cocky when we do win

Who was getting cocky? 9th isn't last and I was wondering if everyone thought we were easily the last place team this year. Teams in this league have looked worse than us 3 games in. I never said we were world beaters, don't put words in my mouth.

[jfan]

Is it still unanimous that we finish last this year?

Your team is winning ugly, my team is losing ugly. Honestly it is so early that it is very difficult to say where anyone will finish! (Outside of the obvious top teams. Still think GT is going to be good). I think I'm pleasently surprised with SJ's results, but they haven't looked great. CM needs to teach them how to shoot free throws! Rutgers was even worse at that, which is hard to believe. I think SJ looks tough inside and they are playing with passion early.

[hoops22]

Is it still unanimous that we finish last this year?

Redman I love your passion for the team, and I'm just as passionate myself, but we're a long way from being out of the woods. 3-0 is 3-0 and that's good, but let's not lose sight of the fact that was a dreadfully bad Rutgers team we needed a miracle to escape from last night. Here are some of my concerns. There is absolutely no fast break. Rutgers had 10 points in the first half alone on transition baskets. I'm scratching my head trying to remember us having even one in the first three games. We struggle like crazy against the press, and we haven't even faced a really good one yet. Also, we haven't really shot the ball well yet, although it's early and that will hopefully change. The trip to Maui should tell us a lot. Personally, I'll be thrilled if we win one game there, against someone other than Chaminade. The good news is Yakwe, Lovett, Ponds, Owens, etc... are on deck for next year. But as far as this year goes, escaping the basement might be a tall order for this young and inexperienced team. It is what it is.

[NJRedman]

Is it still unanimous that we finish last this year?

Redman I love your passion for the team, and I'm just as passionate myself, but we're a long way from being out of the woods. 3-0 is 3-0 and that's good, but let's not lose sight of the fact that was a dreadfully bad Rutgers team we needed a miracle to escape from last night. Here are some of my concerns. There is absolutely no fast break. Rutgers had 10 points in the first half alone on transition baskets. I'm scratching my head trying to remember us having even one in the first three games. We struggle like crazy against the press, and we haven't even faced a really good one yet. Also, we haven't really shot the ball well yet, although it's early and that will hopefully change. The trip to Maui should tell us a lot. Personally, I'll be thrilled if we win one game there, against someone other than Chaminade. The good news is Yakwe, Lovett, Ponds, Owens, etc... are on deck for next year. But as far as this year goes, escaping the basement might be a tall order for this young and inexperienced team. It is what it is.

Guys all I asked if it was unanimous that were would finish in last this year. I never said we were great or anything like that. Before the season everyone here thought we were hands down the worst team in the league. I was asking after 3 games does everyone still feel that way. Thats all. Yes I expect us to lose a lot of games this year, and yes I expect us to finish in the bottom of the league playing on the first day of the BET. What I believe though is when the dust settles we will not be in that 10 spot. I don't think thats being crazy.

[DudeAnon]

After watching the fight that St. Johns put up last night. There is no way I can put them at last. They will find a way to win games.

[NJRedman]

Is it still unanimous that we finish last this year?

Redman I love your passion for the team, and I'm just as passionate myself, but we're a long way from being out of the woods. 3-0 is 3-0 and that's good, but let's not lose sight of the fact that was a dreadfully bad Rutgers team we needed a miracle to escape from last night. Here are some of my concerns. There is absolutely no fast break. Rutgers had 10 points in the first half alone on transition baskets. I'm scratching my head trying to remember us having even one in the first three games. We struggle like crazy against the press, and we haven't even faced a really good one yet. Also, we haven't really shot the ball well yet, although it's early and that will hopefully change. The trip to Maui should tell us a lot. Personally, I'll be thrilled if we win one game there, against someone other than Chaminade. The good news is Yakwe, Lovett, Ponds, Owens, etc... are on deck for next year. But as far as this year goes, escaping the basement might be a tall order for this young and inexperienced team. It is what it is.

Oh I forgot one thing. I fully believe we can beat Wake Forrest in Maui. They barely got by UMBC. Also if we get by Wake and play UCLA in the last game and they show up like they did against Monmouth then we have a shot at beating them too.

To me the only guaranteed losses are Vandy and Cuse in OOC.

[SJHooper]

NJRedman, glad to see passionate Johnnies fans, but you have to temper expectations. 3-0 is not always the same as 3-0. We have had some absurdly ugly play especially last game. We got our bell rung by a DII school. Yes it was an exhibition, but they dominated us. Rutgers is absolutely terrible. UMBC was worse than many DII squads. Wagner is bad as well picked 6th in a bad conference. We don't even have a true PG on the team. He's currently ineligible on the bench. This is a total throwaway year for us. I don't think it's like 2012 when we had tons of 4-5 star freshmen who could run and jump with any team. We are not as athletic. More skilled yes, but much less athletic and slower. And smaller. We are extremely, extremely thin. We have no returning starters, they have barely spent any time together, we have a new coach, new everything. And on top of all that, Williams and Ellison are out with injuries. We basically have 1 big (Sima) and 1 guy who can handle the ball (Mussini). I would be happy if we lost to Vandy by single digits or even 10 pts. That would be respectable to me, but this year we just don't have the horses, the size, or the experience.

Now next year and beyond...that's a totally different animal. At least one of our players seems to be ineligible each year but if we get a miracle and it all goes as planned we will add Ponds, LoVett, Yakwe, Owens, and likely Freudenberg who is 6'9 and can shoot regarded as among the best in Europe. Now with THAT roster and a healthy Williams & Ellison, we can absolutely surprise some top 25 teams. Right now I just don't think the depth or talent is there. Mussini is being double teamed by guys much bigger than him and he can barely get the ball away. Once we get the other studs in here, it will free him up and he can go off the ball like he's supposed to.

Just because we are 3-0 doesn't mean we have looked very good. In the UMBC game we did, but you could tell we were vastly more talented. Against Vandy and the like it will probably get very ugly. We commit turnovers seemingly every other possession. Give the team time. I say we can be top 25 within the next year or 2.