2009-2010

Addressing Lavin’s Negatives

April 1, 2010 by Pico Dulce Leave a Comment

Previously on the East Coast Bias: Steve Lavin: the solution or the question | Welcome new St. John’s head coach, Steve Lavin

Originally posted at the East Coast Bias.

For a struggling program, the best coach in the program is often the new coach. The new coach is the hero on the white horse, riding in on a wave of plaudits and good will, wiping the slate of losses clean from the old regime.

Everything is new and rosy; and in that light, one can understand why St. John’s is so very, very excited about the acquisition of Steve Lavin. It’s the hope of a charismatic coach, the infusion of money by the St. John’s administration into the program, a new face with a history of winning games and recruiting name players.

Steve Lavin is saying the right things, enjoying face time on television with his ESPN buddies, bringing publicity to a program that hasn’t had it in a long time. It feels like a big-time hire and great public relations.

The splash the hire has made helps remove the false narrative that St. John’s was in desperate, flailing straits – though Lavin was a Plan B, or he would have been interviewed earlier (but most schools have to go to Plan B). Obviously, the school had to try for the bigger names just to make sure they didn’t want to come to NYC; I applaud the school for taking some shots.

But for a team like St. John’s, the incoming coach is not going to be the perfect winning machine a school like Arizona or Kentucky might hire. Any coach, whether high-major or mid-major, is going to come with some concerns – or they would be enjoying pay raises and building a legacy at one school. Lavin’s narrative comes with questions about his ability to develop the players he brought in (many of whom went on to the NBA), his ability to handle criticism, and his coaching acumen. Let’s take a look at some of the tales that have dogged Lavin over the years.

The stories are comic and ridiculous, and generate a negative view of Lavin’s character and coaching acumen. They popped up when North Carolina State was looking at hiring Steve Lavin. And now they are re-compiled by a former LA beat writer, now working for the New York Times who starts off with ewhat seems to me to be a cheap shot, the manner in which Lavin dis-invited people to his wedding. To me, that’s a personal matter and much less disturbing than Andy Kennedy‘s drunken “incident” (with video), or Bobby Knight shooting at people, among other off-field misdeeds.

But the rest of the article gets to things that really matter:

the blowout losses and inconsistent play,
Baron Davis’ quote about the “only team to make the NCAA Tournament without a coach,”
tales of strange moments on the recruiting trail, such as riding an exercise bike instead of watching prospects and going to watch the All-Star game,
a varying style on offense and defense that seemed like grasping for straws,
not enough coaching experience around him.

For a more even-tempered version of this story, Tim Kawakami speaks on Lavin, who he covered as a beat writer as well:

In my estimation, something flipped inside of Lavin, turning him into one of the more self-aggrandizing, neurotic, over-matched coaches I’ve ever been around.

I’ve never seen a high-profile coach who sought out and gathered more sycophants, or seemed to need them as much as Lavin did. Never a good sign from a first-time head coach….

If I had to single out a root cause of his coaching nervous breakdown at UCLA, it was that he got the job way out of turn and never made up the difference.

Harrick was fired on the eve of the 1996-’97 season for rules-breaking, top assistant Lorenzo Romar had just departed, and Lavin got the job because there was simply nobody else to give it to.

He had charisma. He had energy. He could talk, talk, talk. He hit the recruiting trail HARD. Some fans loved him immediately, just because of all that.

What Lavin didn’t have was focus or the ability to get his talented players to play cohesively or run any semblance of a fluid offense. He couldn’t run practice. He couldn’t settle on a system.

These are certainly reasons to pause. St. John’s has experience with this awkward version of dedication – Mike Jarvis was known to enjoy his golf and vacation time as a Red Storm coach, and didn’t always feel the need to recruit. In particular, he decided to ignore the AAU powers in the city and their dirty game entirely, instead of figuring out who he could work with. And Jarvis’ career at St. John’s was rescued by the recruiting of a high-usage guard who carried the team while the rest of the squad seemed to regress.

As for the current St. John’s coach, the Steve Lavin in these stories sounds like an immature coach, or a coach who can’t handle the stress of the game, or perhaps an arrogant coach who didn’t see the need to improve.

I get that.

And who is to say that his open acknowledgment of the need to being in experienced staff – former head coaches, his mentor in Gene Keady, guys with NYC and northeast recruiting contacts – is enough to cover his deficiencies? Is a less-sexy hire of a more anonymous assistant to help with scheme/ scouting/ x’s and o’s going to help? Who is to say he has learned anything in his 7 years at ESPN? Or that he’s developed a grinder’s taste for the grunt work of basketball recruiting, or a better sense for the mid-level talent that makes top programs sturdy in complement to the performances of their stars?

Who is to say that the advances in the intervening years – such as including easier access to internet information for players and coaches, the rise of sports blogs/ micro blogging/ and message boards + forums, and the rising popularity of statistical analysis – won’t put Lavin farther behind the curve of the veteran Big East coaches?

There are a lot of questions. What Lavin has to offer is boatloads of charisma and charm, which goes a long way in terms of recruiting and building the Red Storm name around the city. He brings television exposure, a record of some NCAA Tournament success, and a solid list of recruits of his that went to the NBA and are enjoying long careers.

In the early going, and with the promise of good money for name assistants, strong rumors have him reaching out for recruiting experience in former Connecticut assistant and DePaul/ Virginia head man Dave Leitao, current Manhattan coach Barry Rohrssen, and others, many of whom are on Jon Rothstein’s list on MSG.com.

Jay Williams, former McDonald’s All-American from Planfield, NJ, Duke, and the Chicago Bulls is also under consideration, according to some. I like the idea of him starting as the 4th assistant, learning to scout and develop players, be a tutor to the guards, and be the “cool coach” who serves as a buffer between coach and players. And Dick Weiss makes a good suggestion of Siena assistant Mitch Buonaguro of Siena to serve as an experienced veteran assistant and a help on x’s and o’s, program management, and scouting. (Note that longtime assistant Sean Kearney was fired from Holy Cross after a single year; he might be an excellent get.)

There are good people who want to work with Lavin; and he seems eager to seek out their advice. It will be a rough transition next year, with a senior-laden team that people will expect to see in the NCAA Tournament (whether it’s 64, 68, or 96 teams), and a likely trip to UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion in the early season. I am hoping for the best.

My advice to Steve Lavin:

Work hard. And when you think you’ve done enough, do more.
Continually surround yourself with excellent assistants, and continue to give them credit (Lavin has come off as very humble. Perhaps TOO humble as a head coach, but he’s not walking in as God’s gift to coaching).
Have a thick skin about what the papers say, and try to keep in contact with even the most needling of newspaper people. They are always watching you, at dinner, at the store, in the bars.
Stay on the cutting edge of stats and recruiting knowledge.
See more players in person; shake hands with coaches all over the city as often as possible.
Remember that St. John’s identity, as much as there is one, is hard-nosed defense; this isn’t the wide open Pac-10, it’s the Big East.
Settle on a style of play and perfect it.
Correct bad habits early so you can let the kids play during the game; that way you can focus on motivation and calling plays, instead of teaching.

There is room for this to be a fantastic hire. There are ways for this to go very wrong, between indifference and blowout losses. But with all the losing basketball in the New York area, a few foibles won’t even hurt Lavin right now. And the standards at St. John’s cannot be for Final Fours; regular tournament appearances would bring the team closer to the glory days of the 80s. If Lavin can really recruit top area players, the school will be in a better position than it has been for over 10 years.

Even if he is as much of a “clown” as the UCLA fans seem to think he is, and even if he hasn’t grown, getting to 6 NCAA Tournaments and 6 20-win seasons is an achievement. And that’s an achievement St. John’s has not seen in a long time.

And he carries a far better pedigree than the former coach. Norm Roberts graduated his players who stayed, and stayed scandal-free, but couldn’t squeeze out enough wins; and he hadn’t given anyone confidence that he could replenish 9 scholarships with Big East players. Here’s hoping that Steve Lavin, with his assistants’ help, can make that talent burst happen, starting with some of these players.

Transplanted New Yorker and now Midwesterner Peter a/k/a Pico writes for the East Coast Bias and the Church of Bracketology and for Johnny Jungle, doing the Calm Before the Storm posts. Pico is also on Twitter, @ECoastBias.

Second Season

March 16, 2010 by Pico Dulce Leave a Comment

We’re playing for him, we’re playing for the team, we playing for ourselves. We just want to pull out these victories. – Anthony Mason Jr.

The season isn’t over yet!

Last week saw a disappointing loss in the second round of the Big East Tournament to the Marquette Golden Eagles. It was a closely fought contest that saw some of the best the Red Storm had to offer on the basketball court, and some of the worst in their first half struggle to score. The Red Storm program swirled with questions about the coach’s future.

But as of now, there is no word on a coaching change; and the team was selected for the National Invitation Tournament as a 6th seed, starting off on the road against the Memphis Tigers. It’s an opportunity for the team to show that they have something good going on, and to put their talent on display against a good Memphis team from a good mid-major conference, Conference USA.

The Memphis Tigers were a Final Four participant in 1985 along with St. John’s, Villanova, and Georgetown, back when they were known as Memphis State. They are a far cry from where they were last year – and really, the last 4 years, where they dominated the Conference USA with a combination of John Calipari’s bravado, some impact 4 year players and a few one-and-done stars who were lottery picks in the NBA draft. This year may be a step down from those heights under new young coach Josh Pastner, but it’s understandable; the former coach took the impact recruits the team was counting on to be interior and perimeter presences with him to Kentucky.

The NIT is often unpredictable; some teams don’t bring their “A” games, with players down about a season that doesn’t end in the bright lights of the NCAA Tournament on CBS. But other teams see the NIT as either a springboard to a better “next year” or simply an opportunity to win more games and highlight their skills.

This game can be a springboard for the Red Storm’s 9 juniors, if they play with the fire they have displayed at times this year. The Tigers are certainly as beatable as Connecticut; and they can embarrass St. John’s like Connecticut did earlier this year. Can the Red Storm ramp up the intensity and win their NIT opener on the road in Memphis, possibly starting a run that would save Norm Roberts’ job?

The Tigers are currently 7.5 point favorites. And no, they don’t play in the Pyramid anymore.

Game Information

Tip Off: 9:00 PM, Wednesday, March 17
Location: Fed Ex Forum
TV: ESPN 2
Radio: Bloomberg 1130AM Delayed 10:00 PM

Team Reviews

Memphis (23-9, 13-3)

15 PG Elliott Williams SO 6’4 180: 18.3 ppg* 3.8 apg* 1.3 spg* 7.7 FT Att/g

5 G Willie Kemp SR 6’2 184: 7.5 ppg* 4.3 apg* 1.5 spg* 36.3% 3PT

20 G Doneal Mack SR 6’5 181: 10.3 ppg* 39.9% 3PT

11 F/G Wesley Witherspoon SO 6’8 200: 12.3 ppg* 4.7 rpg* 1.4 spg* 42.7% 3PT

10 F Will Coleman JR 6’9 260: 7.1 ppg* 5.8 rpg* 2.1 bpg* 64.7% FG

Bench:

3 G/F Roburt Sallie JR 6’5 186: 30.6 mpg* 10.8 ppg* 4 rpg* 1.8 spg* 41.5% 3PT

30 G/F DJ Stephens FR 6’5 170: 8 mpg* 2.0 ppg* 2.0 rpg

41 F Angel Garcia FR 6’11 245: 8.1 mpg* 5.4 ppg* 1.1 rpg* 31.8% 3PT

Oversized center Pierre Henderson-Niles left the team in February, leaving the Tigers a bit thin in the paint. Guys who may have been impact players from the bench like Willie Kemp and Roburt Sallie are asked to make an impact every game. It works on offense, with Duke transfer Elliot Williams running the show with an electric inside-outside game. The Tigers take nearly 40% if their shots from beyond the arc, one of the highest rates in the nation. They shoot well and protect the ball well. They also score and draw fouls off the dribble.

But on defense, the Tigers show some warts, especially on the glass. Part of playing a perimeter-oriented style seems to be not rebounding very well on either end of the floor. The five players who have logged the most time don’t feature a dominant defensive rebounder; but expect to see Will Coleman and possibly Angel Garcia in the post to shore up that deficiency. But a team effort from the Houston Cougars helped them win the game, despite some poor shooting.

Wesley Witherspoon is a talented inside-out scorer, but listed at 200 pounds, he has difficulty holding down his spot in the paint. He has good steal numbers for a forward. Next to him, Memphis plays Will Coleman, who doesn’t score a lot but is efficient and good on the glass at 260 pounds.

Roburt Sallie and Doneal Mack profile as catch-and-shoot guys. Both take more than half of their shots from beyond the arc; Willie Kemp has an even ratio of shots from inside and outside the arc. Willie Kemp is a solid outside shooter but less reliable inside, he is a ballhawk and has very good assist numbers. DJ Stephens doesn’t shoot much. He passes less. But he can draw fouls and block a few shots; I assume he is a bench player counted on for defense and to stay out of the way of the offensive stars.

St. John’s (17-15, 7-13)

3 PG Malik Boothe JR 5’9 188: 4.7 ppg* 2.7 apg

23 G Paris Horne JR 6’3 191: 9.2 ppg* 3.1 rpg* 38.1% 3PT

1 G-F DJ Kennedy JR 6’5 215: 15.0 ppg* 6.1 rpg* 3.1 apg* 37.6% 3PT* 1.2 spg

G-F Anthony Mason Jr. SR 6’7 210: 6.7 ppg* 5.3 rpg* 1.8 apg

5 F Sean Evans JR 6’8 255: 6.8 ppg* 5.9 rpg

Bench:

12 G Dwight Hardy JR 6′2 187: 22.3 mpg* 10.5 ppg* 38.3% 3PT

24 F Justin Burrell JR 6’8 235: 20.1 mpg* 6.8 ppg* 4.5 rpg

32 F Justin Brownlee JR 6′7 232: 18.7 mpg* 6.6 ppg* 4.6 rpg

31 PG Malik Stith FR 5’11 185: 11.2 mpg* 1.6 ppg* 1.2 apg

15 F-C Dele Coker JR 6’10 252: 8.9 mpg* 1.7 ppg* 1.7 rpg* .9 bpg

11 G-F Omari Lawrence FR 6’4 210: 9.3 mpg* 2.5 ppg* 1.5 rpg

At their best, St. John’s gets away with a physical game and doesn’t sent the other team to the foul line. And the Red Storm force turnovers in their better defensive games. Unfortunately, when they don’t force turnovers, the defensive performance ends up being lackluster – even in wins.

It was pointed out that the Red Storm are running more sets with 5 players on the perimeter to start, with drives into the paint. Between slashing to the hoop and offensive rebounding, the team has to come up with consistent offensive performances. The team showed some pep against Connecticut and Marquette, even as their penchant for scoring droughts showed in the second contest.

In the last two games, Sean Evans played hard, bringing down rebounds after seeming like he was getting fewer minutes in the rotation at the end of the season. Anthony Mason Jr. is playing more like a forward than a guard, which is good- his rebounding has been solid, while his jump shot still hasn’t found the range.

As always, the ballhandling is taken care of by Malik Boothe and DJ Kennedy makes plays off the bounce, and with some timely 3-point shots. Omari Lawrence has seen some time, and he gives a different look from the backup guard position, a brawny and aggressive driver. Justin Burrell and Justin Brownlee make impact in the post off the bench. One hopes they bring their “A” game desire for the NIT matchup; Burrell has seen the ball a little less in recent games (and been covered more). Brownlee, meanwhile, needs to use his driving ability and offensive rebounding skills more than he uses his three-point shot.

Keys to the Game

Attack Inside. St. John’s needs to attack the Memphis interior. The athleticism should be a good match for the Tigers, and St. John’s needs to attack their fairly thin front line relentlessly from the perimeter – make them defend moving targets, not inconsistent jump shooters. The Tigers are sometimes passive defenders, and the team can’t play into their hands if they want to win.

Win the Rebounding Battle. And when they attack, a player has to go for the glass – the Tigers do not seem to box out well, and they give up a load of offensive rebounds. Second chance points and fouls drawn will counteract the Tigers’ 3-point shooting and free throw attempts.

Get Shots Off. The Red Storm can’t get into a faster paced game; if they are, the chances are that they are turning the ball over and losing opportunities to score. The Red Storm have to end their possessions with shot attempts, not forced turnovers.

Defend the Drive and Kick. The Tigers do slash to the hoop, but (as I have seen them) they are good at kicking the ball out for three-point attempts. If the guards can stop penetration and cover their man on the perimeter as an immediate catch-and-shoot threat – that is to say, stay close with them off the ball – the Tigers’ offense can be frustrated.

Bring the Effort/ Good Defensive Energy. When the Red Storm are playing hard and playing intelligently, they can be an intense and difficult team to play. They need to bring that every possession, and with every personnel change. They have failed to be consistent in their effort, and they will need it as they go through the gauntlet of good teams in the NIT. They will need to get into position and defend without fouling.

Prediction: Too much firepower 75-66, Memphis moves on in the NIT.

Second Round Means Revenge

March 9, 2010 by Pico Dulce Leave a Comment

Ambiance: Jay-Z, On to the Next One

Malik Boothe after the win vs. U Conn:

“I don’t know if [the win over Connecticut] removes the frustration. I know it was a good win today. We also can’t celebrate on this win. Last year we were in the same position going against the same team in the next round, and they pretty much had their way with us. We have to have the same focus tomorrow.”

Surprise, surprise. St. John’s didn’t squeeze out a win. The Johnnies eviscerated the poor-shooting, weak-willed Huskies in a performance that made the viewers do a double-take, made the Husky faithful begin to think long and hard about their coach and team, and made a subset of the Red Storm fans giddy. Personally, however I feel about the direction of the team… I love to see a Jim Calhoun team taken out to the back of the woodshed for a thorough whaling.

evans BET — Courtesy of RedStormSports.com

The Red Storm uncharacteristically jumped out to a nice cushion early… and took advantage of atrocious shooting (31% in the first half) and 8 turnovers to build a 53-22 cushion… and then repeated the feat in the second half, holding the desperate Huskies to 29 and scoring 38. It was a strange game for longtime St. John’s fans – the team was aggressive, active, and looked to dunk on the Huskies.

I bring all that up because the box score looks like it was brought from the other side of the looking glass. Contributions up and down the roster, aggressive and smart play, patience when necessary, smart passing… the fans hope they see a repeat of that performance in the next game, a 2:00 PM matchup against the Marquette Golden Eagles. It was spectacular, and the team should come out fired up, considering how badly the Eagles beat the Johnnies last year. You might remember Chris Mullin in the stands, or the complete lack of execution, as Buzz Williams had the team well figured out.

Will tomorrow repeat the failures of the past? Or will the Red Storm get revenge? The OT loss against the Golden Eagles was very close, and if the team was playing with the kind of pep in their step that they had against Connecticut, they just might have dunked that breakaway that would have been the difference in the regular period.

Game Information

Tip Off: 2:00 PM, Wednesday, March 10
Location: Madison Square Garden
TV: ESPN
Radio: WSJU Radio, Redstormsports.com, XM Radio LIVE | Bloomberg 1130AM Delayed 7:00 PM

Team Reviews

Marquette (20-10, 11-7)

2 PG Maurice Acker SR 5′8 165: 8.4 ppg* 3.7 apg* 1.3 spg* 46.7% 3PT

10 G David Cubillan SR 6′0 175: 6.2 ppg* 2.8 apg* 37.3% 3PT

1 G Darius Johnson-Odom SO 6′2 200: 12.9 ppg* 2.3 rpg* 2.7 apg* 47.5% 3PT

33 F Jimmy Butler JR 6′6 215: 15.2 ppg* 6.5 rpg* 2.1 apg* 1.3 spg

32 F Lazar Hayward JR 6′6 225: 18.0 ppg* 7.8 rpg* 32.9% 3PT

Bench

23 G Dwight Buycks JR 6′3 190: 24.9 mpg* 6.9 ppg* 3.3 rpg* 2.4 apg

21 F Joseph Fulce JR 6′7 205: 11.8 mpg* 3.8 ppg* 3.2 rpg* 50% FG

The Eagles have had a few days off. That has to be good for them, since they play in so many close games. Besides a blowout of Louisville, the Golden Eagles’ last 4 games have been decided by 3 points or less – including the overtime match against St. John’s at Carnesecca (the ending of which you can watch over again, like I have a few times).

The Golden Eagles are well-coached, effective, shoot a lot of 3’s but don’t rebound very well – they are (relatively) short.

St. John’s (17-14, 7-12)

3 PG Malik Boothe JR 5’9 188: 4.8 ppg* 2.8 apg

23 G Paris Horne JR 6’3 191: 9.2 ppg* 3.1 rpg* 38.5% 3PT

1 G-F DJ Kennedy JR 6’5 215: 15.1 ppg* 6.1 rpg* 3 apg* 37.2% 3PT* 1.2 spg

G-F Anthony Mason Jr. SR 6’7 210: 6.6 ppg* 5.3 rpg* 1.8 apg

5 F Sean Evans JR 6’8 255: 6.8 ppg* 5.8 rpg

Bench:

12 G Dwight Hardy JR 6′2 187: 22.3 mpg* 10.5 ppg* 38.3% 3PT

24 F Justin Burrell JR 6’8 235: 20.3 mpg* 6.9 ppg* 4.6 rpg* 46.4% FG

32 F Justin Brownlee JR 6′7 232: 18.7 mpg* 6.6 ppg* 4.6 rpg

31 PG Malik Stith FR 5’11 185: 11.2 mpg* 1.7 ppg* 1.2 apg

15 F-C Dele Coker JR 6’10 252: 9.1 mpg* 1.7 ppg* 1.7 rpg* .9 bpg

11 G-F Omari Lawrence FR 6’4 210: 9.7 mpg* 2.6 ppg*1.5 rpg

Continuing on how it was a strange game for longtime St. John’s fans – the team was aggressive, active, and looked to dunk on the Huskies. Malik Boothe was aggressive on defense and a baller of a point guard on offense, with 8 points on 4 of 4 shooting, 9 assists, 4 steals, and 2 turnovers. Omari Lawrence got 14 minutes of burn and should have had a few free throw attempts along with his 4 points. And DJ Kennedy was saddled with foul trouble, only playing 25 minutes. Sean Evans looked good with his dribble and made hustle plays to the tune of 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Justin Brownlee scored 13 (on 13 shots) and was credited with 4 blocks. Burrell chipped in 4 points, Mason hit a three and played good defense, and Paris Horne had a crisp 13 points.

Does that mean the team has found its stride without Dwight Hardy? Or was that game a nice fluke against a team that didn’t know how to battle back against the Red Storm, like Louisville a few weeks ago and like South Florida in mid February?

Keys to the Game

Harass and Defend. The Red Storm have to make everything hard on the Golden Eagles, both to take the team out of its rhythm and to make their legs work – tire them out!

Turnovers. Marquette will convert the turnovers to fast points. In the last game, the team had inopportune turnovers that led to Marquette opportunities. If the Red Storm can match them shot-for-shot, the turnovers that St. John’s commits – and Marquette doesn’t – will be the margin in the game.

Focus, Grit, and Pep. The Red Storm’s game against U Conn brought the question up (to me), why hasn’t played like this in all their games? That kind of play is something St. John’s has been inconsistent at. But if they make a run in the Big East Tourney, they have to be focused and energetic for 40 minutes.

Attack for Rebounds. Marquette’s forwards are undersized hustlers. St. John’s needs to try and own the glass to keep Marquette from second chance station.

Free Throws. The Golden Eagles have many tools in their arsenal. One of them is a great ability to get fouled and shoot some free throws. The Red Storm has to defend without fouling.

Prediction: 64-62, Marquette.

Tournament Time

March 8, 2010 by Pico Dulce Leave a Comment

Time for the Big East tournament, the last chance for St. John’s to get in the NCAAs. More on the teams below. And, can they extend the season with a win against Connecticut, a team they haven’t beaten since 2002?

Game Information

Tip Off: 2:00 PM, Tuesday, March 9
Location: Madison Square Garden
TV: ESPN
Radio: Bloomberg 1130/ WSJU

Team Reviews

Connecticut (17-14, 7-11)

15 PG Kemba Walker SO 6′1 172: 14.9 ppg* 5.1 apg* 4.2 rpg* 2.1 spg* 6 FT att/g

11 G Jerome Dyson SR 6′3 190: 17.7 ppg* 4.4 apg* 4.5 rpg* 1.4 spg* 6.6 FT Att/ g

21 F Stanley Robinson SR 6′9 220: 14.9 ppg* 7.6 rpg* 1.2 bpg

33 F Gavin Edwards SR 6′10 230: 10.7 ppg* 6.5 rpg* 2.1 bpg

5 F Ater Majok FR 6′11 233: 15.1 mpg* 2.4 ppg* 3.1 rpg* 1.6 bpg

Bench

34 F-C Alex Oriakhi FR 6′9 240: 5.0 ppg* 6.8 rpg* 1.7 bpg

4 G-F Jamal Coombs-McDaniel FR 6′7 210: 10.9 mpg* 3.1 ppg* 1.1 rpg

2 G Donnell Beverly JR 6′4 190: 10.1 mpg* 1.6 ppg* 1.3 apg

36 C Charles Okwandu JR 7′0 255: 6.7 mpg* 1.1 ppg* 1.7 rpg

24 G Darius Smith FR 6’1 168: 4.5 mpg* 1.1 ppg

The Huskies’ road game against South Florida was one final chance for the flawed Connecticut Huskies to get a decent win in the Big East and hopefully have a fighting chance to get into the NCAA tournament. Instead, the Bulls took a slight halftime lead and started scoring inside the arc, prompting Coach Jim Calhoun to bench his starters/ seniors for a lack of effort. The bench, as you see above, is likely to start the Big East Tournament game. But expect to see the starters come out with a little bit of fire when they come onto the court.

To see extended previews of the Huskies, read the pregame Johnny Jungle post from January. The team is not wildly different. They’re bad shooters from the three, and a poor scoring attack overall. They defend very well and use their height. The Huskies are a bit more turnover-prone than they were before, and that’s been a problem all year not just for the slashing ballhandlers, Dyson and Walker, but for players whose job is to simply finish in Stanley Robinson and Gavin Edwards.

Edwards has been good at scoring, offensive rebounding, and drawing fouls, but his defense has been so-so. Which is better than Stanley Robinson, who has returned to the role he has had for much of his U Conn career – being a future NBA player on the floor who forgets to impose his will on the game.

The bench, one assumes, has some talent and will defend like guys without advance billing; but they have gotten little burn in high-leverage situations. How will they react?

St. John’s (16-14, 6-12)

3 PG Malik Boothe JR 5’9 188: 4.7 ppg* 2.6 apg

23 G Paris Horne JR 6’3 191: 9 ppg* 3 rpg* 37.4% 3PT

1 G-F DJ Kennedy JR 6’5 215: 15.3 ppg* 6.2 rpg* 3 apg* 36.7% 3PT* 1.2 spg

G-F Anthony Mason Jr. SR 6’7 210: 6.9 ppg* 5.4 rpg* 1.9 apg

5 F Sean Evans JR 6’8 255: 6.3 ppg* 5.7 rpg

Bench:

12 G Dwight Hardy JR 6′2 187: 22.3 mpg* 10.5 ppg* 38.3% 3PT

24 F Justin Burrell JR 6’8 235: 20.5 mpg* 7.0 ppg* 4.6 rpg* 46.4% FG

32 F Justin Brownlee JR 6′7 232: 18.4 mpg* 6.4 ppg* 4.6 rpg

31 PG Malik Stith FR 5’11 185: 11.4 mpg* 1.7 ppg* 1.2 apg

15 F-C Dele Coker JR 6’10 252: 9.1 mpg* 1.7 ppg* 1.7 rpg* .9 bpg* 64.7% FG

The Red Storm are at a bit of a crossroads. The season has not gone as well as expected, but the team has scrapped out good wins. But the stress of an uncertain future and the weight of losses seems to have affected the concentration of some players at times. It can be seen in the sluggishness to get back, the arguing for a call, the listless defense…

But the conference tournament means everyone has another chance. Even without shooter Dwight Hardy, the team can challenge the Huskies if they run their offense and look to aggressively attack holes in U Conn. DJ Kennedy has to be the leader in this attack; with Anthony Mason Jr. eschewing his outside shot to make plays with his passing, dribble, and tenacity on the offensive boards. A great performance by Burrell would help.

Keys to the Game

Defend Everywhere. In the last game, St. John’s allowed a poor-shooting outside shooting team to bomb on them from beyond the arc. They defended in the paint, but allowed shots form the perimeter. St. John’s has to do a better job of defending inside AND outside of the line.

Turnovers. Don’t get into a footrace with the Huskies. That is a game they will win every time. Don’t turn the ball over, especially not at the top of the key on offense. The game needs to be crisp and whistle free.

Minimize Husky Size. The Red Storm has to keep the length of their opponents far enough away from the glass that they are a non-factor; second chance points will help St. John’s knock off the hated rivals.

Attack and Score. St. John’s has to be aggressive on both ends, and look to get to the basket and draw fouls against the Huskies’ thin front line.

Elevate the Scoring Game. At least one if not two Johnnies have to step their offensive games up to match the Huskies. DJ Kennedy will score a bit, but someone else has to come and replace the production the team would get out of Dwight Hardy.

Prediction: 69-58, Connecticut.

Out Like a Lion

March 4, 2010 by Pico Dulce 1 Comment

Ambiance: Ozzy Osbourne, Bark at the Moon (video link, pops up in a new window)

Justin Burrell (from the NY Daily News), after the Syracuse game:

“I understand why people say we haven’t improved,” junior forward Justin Burrell said. “I believe (we have) in my heart, but I guess the facts say (we’re) not.”

In an effort to avoid a .500 or below record – and to match last season’s Big East win total – the Red Storm need to win the regular season finale at Allstate Arena in lovely Chicago-Adjacent (also known as Rosemont), against the 1-15 DePaul Blue Demons. This matchup might be a dog – the 13th or 14th team in the league, depending on Rutgers’ result tonight, vs. the 16th. But this is a game that the Red Storm should win. Can they shake off the disappointment of the last two losses and get one more win on the road?

The Red Storm’s last outing was a pretty solid beating by the #1 team in the country by both major polls. But the Johnnies lost more than a game, they lost their second leading scorer, Dwight Hardy. Off the bench, Hardy provided decent scoring punch and the ability to pull the Red Storm out of offensive funks. Without the junior there to shoot the team back into the game, what will happen when they get down? Comments made after the Syracuse game showed a couple of players openly searching for answers, questioning themselves.

Meanwhile, DePaul has managed to make a number of games competitive by slowing the pace and playing better defense. They have managed to get leads on a number of teams at halftime, but get ground down by a lack of talent in the end. Part of the problem is giving up second shots in the games; the Blue Demons don’t have a lot of height, but they do try hard under interim coach Tracy Webster. The Red Storm played well in the first contest at Carnesecca Arena; here’s hoping they can do it again.

Game Information

Tip Off: 8:30 PM, Friday, March 5
Location: Allstate Arena
TV: SNY
Radio: Bloomberg 1130

Team Reviews

DePaul (8-21, 1-16)

11 PG Jeremiah Kelly SO 6’1 170: 5.3 ppg* 2.5 apg* 1.2 spg* 2.5 rpg

30 G Will Walker SR 6’0 190: 16.2 ppg* 2.6 apg* 1.5 spg

22 F Tony Freeland FR 6’6 216: 12.0 mpg* 3.4 ppg* 49% FG

1 G-F Mike Stovall JR 6’5 200: 6.6 ppg* 2.8 rpg* 1.1 spg

21 F-C Mac Koshwal JR 6’10 255: 16.2 ppg* 10.1 rpg* 54.2% FG* 58.2% FT

Bench

3 F Devin Hill SO 6’9 200: 18 mpg* 5.1 ppg* 2.9 rpg

0 G Michael Bizoukas JR 6’1 175: 20.3 mpg* 3.7 ppg* 2.2 rpg* 1 spg

30 C Krys Faber SO 6’11 260: 11.4 mpg* 2.4 ppg* 2.8 rpg

10 F Mario Stula JR 6’7 210: 11.6 mpg* 2.3 ppg* 34.3% 3PT

Under Tracy Webster, the Blue Demons try very hard to feed the post and Mac Koshwal. He is the only interior threat; Krys Faber is game but not very skilled, and Devin Hill tends to hang on the perimeter. Koshwal’s a little mechanical but can score; and his rebounding is excellent.

It is senior night for Will Walker, who has gamely played through some very lean years for the Blue Demons. He is the outside threat but hasn’t been able to really carry the team with the opposing defense keyed on him. But he will hit his three-pointers and play for much of the game.

I won’t front – I think some of the rest players on the roster (such as Stula) are simply not Big East players… or Division I players. They try very hard, but the squad lacks shot creators. There is a little athleticism on the team in newcomer wings Tony Freeland and Mike Stovall. Those two can attack the hoop hard. The point guards Jeremiah Kelly and Mike Bizoukas, share the ballhandling duties. Neither shoots much or gets to the line, but Kelly is a slightly peskier defender (though Bizoukas gives effort), and Mike Bizoukas gets to the hoop better. For more on the Blue Demons, let’s go to the Chicago Now blog, Chicago College Basketball:

C Krys Faber – A very raw sophomore there appears to be some potential here, but Faber commits too many fouls and doesn’t really do anything on offense. He’s a big body that’s willing to bang, but he’s not particularly effective at anything right now.

F Mac Koshwal – This is DePaul’s best player. He missed part of the season, but he’s been on a tear as of late. The 6′11″ front court player is a guy you have to account for. He uses a lot of possessions. He also rebounds very well.

F Mike Stovall – I personally think that Stovall is a shooting guard miscast as a small forward, but this is where the junior plays. He’s 6′5″ and shoots a lot. He’s not a particularly good shooter. He’s streaky. He carried DePaul to their victory over Marquette with hot shooting down the stretch.

G Michael Bizoukas – Bizoukas and Jeremiah Kelly split time at the lead guard position and neither is particularly effective. Bizoukas is a little bit better at getting to the basket. Kelly is a little bit better on the defensive end in terms of harassing ball handlers full-court.

G Will Walker – Friday will be Walker’s final home game in a DePaul uniform. He is the do everything guy for the Blue Demons. His numbers aren’t great this season because everyone knows he is shooting when he gets the basketball. Also, Walker plays a ton of minutes. He is 4th in the nation in percentage of minutes played.

Reserves: The DePaul bench is pretty thin. Devin Hill is a long forward that blocks shots, but like to hang out around the perimeter on offense. One of the point guards will come off the bench. Also, Tony Freeland is the team’s lone scholarship freshman. He commits a lot of fouls, but he has good energy off the bench.

For more on the Blue Demons (and their coaching search, check out the rest of his answers.
St. John’s (15-14, 5-12)

3 PG Malik Boothe JR 5’9 188: 4.6 ppg* 2.5 apg

23 G Paris Horne JR 6’3 191: 8.7 ppg* 2.9 rpg* 38% 3PT

1 G-F DJ Kennedy JR 6’5 215: 14.7 ppg* 6.1 rpg* 2.9 apg* 33.3% 3PT* 1.1 spg

G-F Anthony Mason Jr. SR 6’7 210: 6.4 ppg* 5.1 rpg* 1.8 apg

5 F Sean Evans JR 6’8 255: 6.5 ppg* 5.9 rpg

Bench:

12 G Dwight Hardy JR 6′2 187: 22.9 mpg* 10.8 ppg* 38.6% 3PT

24 F Justin Burrell JR 6’8 235: 19.7 mpg* 6.8 ppg* 4.3 rpg* 48.0% FG

32 F Justin Brownlee JR 6′7 232: 18.5 mpg* 6.5 ppg* 4.7 rpg

31 PG Malik Stith FR 5’11 185: 11.6 mpg* 1.7 ppg* 1.3 apg

15 F-C Dele Coker JR 6’10 252: 8.8 mpg* 1.8 ppg* 1.7 rpg* .9 bpg* 64.7% FG

The Blue Demons play a small lineup, so I expect to see Sean Evans and Anthony Mason back in the lineup. But to counter Koshwal, Justin Burrell will get some minutes and have a chance to attack the Demons’ post play. The Red Storm will have to play solid defense to take the Blue Demons out of the game early; they may come out on fire on senior night against a team they have a fighter’s chance to beat.

Dwight Hardy will miss the Friday evening game in Chicago. This means that someone will have to take his minutes, either by committee or by playing more of reserve guard Omari Lawrence. Given the talent of the Blue Demons, one would like to see him play a little bit.

Keys to the Game

Take Them Seriously. The Blue Demons have played better than they did in the earlier game. St. John’s has better athletes and are more competitive; but they cannot come out in a lackadaisical manner as they did against some teams. Sloppy play, turnovers, and lack of effort will doom them even against this weak squad, or make the game much closer than it needs to be.

Defend. The Demons have two offensive threats – Mac Koshwal in the post and Will Walker on the perimeter. The other players are poor shooters, but can drive a little bit. St. John’s has to make sure to keep the point guards on the perimeter and out of the paint. And they have to make Koshwal (and the other forwards) a high volume, low effectiveness player by getting him out of position early.

Generate Easy Shots. The Red Storm need to run the court well and take the easy opportunities when they can. There will be chances to run, off of turnovers or rebounds. The team needs shots in transition, especially with Dwight Hardy out.

Win the Battle on the Glass. Second chance points can make even the most inconsistent offense look good. So St. John’s has to win the battles – scoring off of putbacks on offense and limiting the Blue Demons to one shot on defense.

Recapture the Magic. The excellent, confident play against Louisville and South Florida has to come back – not the middling and distracted play from the Providence and Seton Hall contests. Swagger, body language, and aggressiveness will help them win – getting to the free throw line, taking smart shots, and playing like a favored team.

Prediction: The game will be closer than it should be. 64-57, St. John’s.