No Letting Up [Calm Before the Storm]

ut while Dwight Hardy‘s been making his case for Big East Player of the Year, and while the team around him has been forcing turnovers, defending, and making a name for themselves on a national level, there’s been a quiet resurgence in the Chicago-based outpost of the Big East. DePaul is back! To not being the Big East’s skidmark. DePaul beat Providence, lost in overtime to Villanova (in a game they really could have won), and played West Virginia, Cincinnati, and Louisville competitively.

It’s not much, but a slight resurgence in the Blue Demons – involving their shooting prowess and their ballhawking style – is the stuff that upsets are made of. The Blue Demons have a pair of the Big East’s best freshmen. The veterans are stepping up.

Smell that? Smells like a trap game. DePaul appears to be the weak opponent after another season-defining win, and before a game against the talented-yet-foundering Villanova Wildcats. St. John’s could really be tested tomorrow at Carnesecca.

Read more.

Predictions?

why does ever game we should have, end up being a closely contested trap game... I really hope this team just shows up and we blow them out no questions asked...

Red-76
Blue-58

I'm hoping that Depaul is set for a letdown...hopefully they have a hangover from the tough loss to Villanova and we can win this going away

SJ 67, Depaul 66

Two Sean Evans free throws with .2 seconds on game clock.
Both shots are banked in.

This is going to be way close than it should be. No matter how good we play it's still very hard for us to blow out inferior opponents, especially at CA. DePaul is a scrappy bunch of player and Young and Melvin are two nice freshman. With our big talent and experience advantage in this home game we should win by 20 but I wouldn't bet on it. Hardy will be big again and this game will be close in the last few mins. SJU 74 DePaul 67.

I really dont care what the score is as long as its a W for us. It would be a horrible shame to lose this one and drop out of the top 25 after a week. Going to be real important to get the turnover +/- way in our favor and score off those chances. I think we need to start Burrell and sit Polee, kids been doing nothing but committing fouls in the first 90 secs of the game.

If we start Burrell he'll be in foul trouble for the entire game.
Against Depaul however, Lavin will probably start 5 seniors.

Boothe breaks there press and we win a WAY TO CLOSE ONE

Good news is that Carnasecca is sold out! The bad news is that it is still Carnasecca. I put my faith in this team and its coaches that they will avoid the dreaded "trap" game. Too many good vibes going to break that now.

JFK - 77
O'hare - 61

Carnesecca is such place of uncertainty this year.  Obviously it doesn't bring the same vibe as the garden.  We we win but within single digits. depaul has looked better lately.  either that or nova and providence has been bad lately.  you can make an argument for both.

I think we win by 8-10 with foul shots at the end of the game.  I think we will see a 10 guys play today which will give Hardy, DJ and Horne some extra minutes on the bench that they normally dont get.  I expect minutes from Coker and Stith because a game like Depaul is where they can get some rust off from not playing much lately.   

SJU 68
Dep 59

Real Pizza - 80
Deep Dish - 63

* Note to the student section fans behind the baskets.  Don't forget to swith your free throw routines for the home and away teams.

St. John's 86
DePaul 52