Game 5: Oregon St.

The kid looks like a beast inside. Looks like he could carry Owens on his back and foul him out early. We need our speed to win this and deny the ball inside.

Good chance to evidence ability to play well & win a couple away from home, neutral setting or not. Come away with at least two wins & increase confidence in face of a few more challenges out of conference v ASU & Grand Canyon. Split the latter two & team & staff should feel good heading into BE play.

The kid looks like a beast inside. Looks like he could carry Owens on his back and foul him out early. We need our speed to win this and deny the ball inside.

Agreed. Another mismatch exists with Tres Tinkle, who is somewhat of an enigma in that he was injured for most of last year, yet in the spurts that he played he was terrific.  This year inside of a small sample size he's producing and then some.

Good chance to evidence ability to play well & win a couple away from home, neutral setting or not. Come away with at least two wins & increase confidence in face of a few more challenges out of conference v ASU & Grand Canyon. Split the latter two & team & staff should feel good heading into BE play.

What interests me most about Thursday's game and the rest of the games in this tournament is that we really could have beaten Nebraska by a lot more than 23 points. We weren't sharp for the entire game, but we were simply much more talented than they were. If we play as a team, we finish in the paint and we d up like we did in the second half against Nebraska, we should make the finals of this thing. It's not exactly loaded with world beaters.

By the end of the tournament can we put it all together? Or show signs that we're getting there? We know the latter is likelier.

Quote from: derk on November 22, 2017, 11:06:49 AM

The kid looks like a beast inside. Looks like he could carry Owens on his back and foul him out early. We need our speed to win this and deny the ball inside.

Agreed. Another mismatch exists with Tres Tinkle, who is somewhat of an enigma in that he was injured for most of last year, yet in the spurts that he played he was terrific.  This year inside of a small sample size he's producing and then some.

Pressure the ball, whether full or half court, so as to not allow the Beavers to get comfortable and work their half court sets.  Eventually, we'll wear down their ball handlers and will feast on turnovers (which, we seem to do well--turn over the opposition--during our first 3 games). 

Our guards have good hands and anticipatory skills.  They're also playing pretty good defense.  Crash the boards and minimize put backs, similarly to what we did against Nebraska, and we should be capable of advancing to the finals of the tournament on Sunday.

Weird scheduling how all these teams that recently played each other are all in this same tourney and several potential rematches. SJU, Nebraska, WVU, LB St, OSU.

Time to step up
https://nypost.com/2017/11/22/st-johns-real-season-begins-now/

We can't worry every game about playing against big guys.  We will be playing them all season.  We have Owens, Yakwe and Ali-B who will have to get it done.   I've said it before.  If we defend and rebound like we have and continue to improve and crash the glass, we are going to win a lot of games.  Our 3-headed monster of Lovett, Ponds and Simon are impossible to stop by most teams.  Very high level back 3.  We also have some real players in the frontcourt like Ahmed, Clark and Owens who can all play. 

We haven't yet played to our offensive and shooting potential, which I think is fantastic.  We have won by giving good defensive efforts and holding teams down.  If we want to make the tourney, it is ALL defense and rebounding.  Our offense even on a bad day can get it done, with potential to do much more. 

This tourney is huge for us.  It fills much of our OOC, and is a resume'-builder.  Need to step up to plate and perform.  Defense and rebounding,  the rest will come...  this Oregon State team shouldn't strike fear.  Need to just play to our potential. 

Time to step up
https://nypost.com/2017/11/22/st-johns-real-season-begins-now/

“Everything we do, going back two years, has always been geared towards winning,” Mullin said. “I’m not here recreationally. I swim for recreation.” -Chris Mullin. 

I really like that quote lol...

Quote from: paultzman on November 22, 2017, 02:35:27 PM

Time to step up
https://nypost.com/2017/11/22/st-johns-real-season-begins-now/

“Everything we do, going back two years, has always been geared towards winning,” Mullin said. “I’m not here recreationally. I swim for recreation.” -Chris Mullin. 

I really like that quote lol...

It’s a great quote until you do a little math. Alibegovic and Yakwe are what’s left from 2 years ago, but I like that he’s telling the current team what he expects of them.

Quote from: MCNPA on November 22, 2017, 03:50:34 PM

Quote from: paultzman on November 22, 2017, 02:35:27 PM

Time to step up
https://nypost.com/2017/11/22/st-johns-real-season-begins-now/

“Everything we do, going back two years, has always been geared towards winning,” Mullin said. “I’m not here recreationally. I swim for recreation.” -Chris Mullin. 

I really like that quote lol...

It’s a great quote until you do a little math. Alibegovic and Yakwe are what’s left from 2 years ago, but I like that he’s telling the current team what he expects of them.

.
It is the same goal, which was the point.  The guys we started with aren't nearly as talented as guys now,  but purpose has always been winning.  Mullin while a "players coach" doesn't like to lose.  He's got some fire and wants to win.  Our talent keeps building which is a good thing...

We can't worry every game about playing against big guys.  We will be playing them all season.  We have Owens, Yakwe and Ali-B who will have to get it done.   I've said it before.  If we defend and rebound like we have and continue to improve and crash the glass, we are going to win a lot of games.  Our 3-headed monster of Lovett, Ponds and Simon are impossible to stop by most teams.  Very high level back 3.  We also have some real players in the frontcourt like Ahmed, Clark and Owens who can all play. 

We haven't yet played to our offensive and shooting potential, which I think is fantastic.  We have won by giving good defensive efforts and holding teams down.  If we want to make the tourney, it is ALL defense and rebounding.  Our offense even on a bad day can get it done, with potential to do much more. 

This tourney is huge for us.  It fills much of our OOC, and is a resume'-builder.  Need to step up to plate and perform.  Defense and rebounding,  the rest will come...  this Oregon State team shouldn't strike fear.  Need to just play to our potential. 

Counting on Amar playing on the inside is an exercise in futility. Hopefully Yakwe will improve, Clark and Owens need to foul less. That said ,Owens has been doing better in that dept. lately,, but Clark has been averaging 4 fouls against lesser compitition. We also need Clark to rebound a little more. Will have to rebound by committee. Ironically our guards , Simon and Ponds have a knack for rebounding. Seems like we have been improving This tourney will be a real barometer , giving us a better idea where we stand.                        I also like Mullins quote saying he’s not doing this for recreation.

Turning over our roster from two years ago is a good thing. That team went 1 and 17 in the BE. Why would you want to see what they might have developed into? Player turnover is a good thing when guys leave because they know they will lose their playing time to more talented players. Nothing against Ellison, but he left because he practiced against Simon last year and knew his minutes would be numbered.

Turning over our roster from two years ago is a good thing. That team went 1 and 17 in the BE. Why would you want to see what they might have developed into? Player turnover is a good thing when guys leave because they know they will lose their playing time to more talented players. Nothing against Ellison, but he left because he practiced against Simon last year and knew his minutes would be numbered.

Ellison was one frustrating guy to watch. Sima would be okay to still have here because of his size. Funny thing is, with the pay-to-play investigation, the Johnnies will make the NCAA tournament before Okie State does.

Just read the Oregon State forum. They’re aware of their size advantage as well. This should be a great game.

The size thing is overrated in college ball.  If you have a guy like Tim Duncan down low, that's one thing.  They have two pretty good big guys, but don't have much at guard and are shooting like 20% from the outside.  College ball is still a guard-driven game.  We have enough forwards that can play and a few post guys.  Nebraska was a lot bigger, but when Owens came in, it became swat-city.  Our guards and forwards need to drive at Eubanks and Trinkle and draw fouls.  We will need to pay attention to them down low of course, but they won't be able to handle our speed.  Keep Owens out of the game early as long as possible, so he's fresh and ready to go later in the game.  Owens still taller and more athletic than the both of em, and one of the best shot blockers around.   I still think we should win this one without sweating til the end... 

Speed will trump size in this case. OSU is an evolving team, not an established program with seasoned bigs.

Just read the Oregon State forum. They’re aware of their size advantage as well. This should be a great game.

Did you also read that they dont have a PG. Any pressure and they cant bring the ball up the court. This is not a tough matchup. It is tailor made for us. We have better players. This is not over confidence. Oregon State is a last place team in the big east. This game we need to have. It would be a bad loss. 

Quote from: Foryoureyesonly88 on November 22, 2017, 06:43:04 PM

Just read the Oregon State forum. They’re aware of their size advantage as well. This should be a great game.

Did you also read that they dont have a PG. Any pressure and they cant bring the ball up the court. This is not a tough matchup. It is tailor made for us. We have better players. This is not over confidence. Oregon State is a last place team in the big east. This game we need to have. It would be a bad loss. 

One fan on their message board said that they had a hard time bringing the ball up against Wyoming's second stringers... their bigs are good,  and will likely have decent games, but they shouldn't be able to beat us with just that. 

Vegas has us at -5