Game 17: DePaul 6P (CBSS, 570 AM)

It's a real injury but at the same time Wtf is he doing with an injury taking boards in layup line and even taking a couple of shots before second half started. 

It's a real injury but at the same time Wtf is he doing with an injury taking boards in layup line and even taking a couple of shots before second half started. 

That's what you call pure stupidity

The game is a real indictment of the staff. All these kids who transferred in here from top programs with authoritarian coaches maybe should tell us about our staffs approach. My buddy said people were calling for Slick Rick in 2nd Half is that true?

This loss was very discouraging. I think we would have won with Ponds, but we still lost to the worst team in the Big East at home. That can't happen. We need to finish better than .500 in conference to have a shot at the tournament, and at this point is anyone really confident we will do that? Which teams are we going to sweep?

None of our players on the court tonight can create their own offense consistently, besides maybe Figueroa. Heron has been awful the last few games. I'm to the point where I'd be fine seeing his minutes halved in favor of Williams. Low Bball IQ.

I like Trimble's energy and hustle, he's just not very good.

I guess we just have to pray that the injury is not serious. But it's clearly somewhat serious, this was a game we couldn't afford Ponds to miss.

That's what you call pure stupidity

Not as bad as coach trying to get the scorekeeper to change a foul late in the second from #13 (clark) to #12 (trimble).  Pains me to type that. 

Three truths:
Shamorie is the greatest game changer at StJ in 60 years; he proved that once again today
Everyone enjoys 15 minutes of fame: Mikey Dixon lost his chance to have his 15 minutes with the lights on and in  Macy's window. What a shame for a nice young guy.
We are cursed; no question, no argument. Somebody, anybody, perform an exorcism. I'm old, I don't have a lot of time left to see us back at the top.

Three truths:
Shamorie is the greatest game changer at StJ in 60 years; he proved that once again today
Everyone enjoys 15 minutes of fame: Mikey Dixon lost his chance to have his 15 minutes with the lights on and in  Macy's window. What a shame for a nice young guy.
We are cursed; no question, no argument. Somebody, anybody, perform an exorcism. I'm old, I don't have a lot of time left to see us back at the top.

I'm sure Dixon is regretting his decision. Same as Owens, cmon now

I'm sure Dixon is regretting his decision. Same as Owens, cmon now

I think Owens is fine. He plays for a top 10 team with nearly identical numbers that he put up here, but with 8mpg less.

I think Owens is fine. He plays for a top 10 team with nearly identical numbers that he put up here, but with 8mpg less.

I was being sarcastic. 

Tonight we had 10 assists on 31 made FGs which is a rate of 32.3%. On the season, our rate is above 50%. That's what it's like to play without a PG

This loss was very discouraging. I think we would have won with Ponds, but we still lost to the worst team in the Big East at home. That can't happen. We need to finish better than .500 in conference to have a shot at the tournament, and at this point is anyone really confident we will do that? Which teams are we going to sweep?

None of our players on the court tonight can create their own offense consistently, besides maybe Figueroa. Heron has been awful the last few games. I'm to the point where I'd be fine seeing his minutes halved in favor of Williams. Low Bball IQ.

I like Trimble's energy and hustle, he's just not very good.

I guess we just have to pray that the injury is not serious. But it's clearly somewhat serious, this was a game we couldn't afford Ponds to miss.

This, combined with the fact that Mullin isn't really strong at player development makes it very small room for error without Ponds.

At least it kind of makes everyone aware that this program's not in as a good a shape as some want to believe. A one trick pony hopefully it's not.

At least it kind of makes everyone aware that this program's not in as a good a shape as some want to believe. A one trick pony hopefully it's not.

Ponds is a great player. We have under achieved each year he has been here. This team has played poorly in a number of games all season. It’s was only due to the level of competition we played and some Herculaneum efforts by Ponds is why we started off the way we did. Admittedly their effort has improved in league play, but our players are not good enough to win consistently against better competition the way we have played all year. Especially without Ponds.

In the Seton Hall game we all knew the refs did something that was undeniably wrong. They changed
the outcome of a game with their incompetence.

Reading Mullin’s comments after the game reminded me of something a high school kid would say while trying to sound tough. Where is the leadership? Why is he consistently unable to control himself? It’s still early in the BE season, but a loss on Tuesday makes us 2-4. This is an important time for the team.

Will Mullin rise to the occasion?

This year is it.

I’m not impressed with our offensive and defensive schemes. Our players are limited offensively, but we have athletes and length. We should expand our rotation and press in the full court and trap in the half court. Crash the offensive boards. Be disruptive on defense. Find ways to manufacture points.

Game was half-court all night.  Never got any up and down tempo going.  Perhaps Dixon could have helped with that.  We looked small next to #4 and especially #25.

The Wednesday Creighton game now monster big.

I think Owens is fine. He plays for a top 10 team with nearly identical numbers that he put up here, but with 8mpg less.

I also think owens is fine but to be fair—he didn’t leave to put up nearly identical numbers, he left to take the next step which hasn’t really happened

I also think owens is fine but to be fair—he didn’t leave to put up nearly identical numbers, he left to take the next step which hasn’t really happened

Maybe he left to not be coached by Mullin?

I also think owens is fine but to be fair—he didn’t leave to put up nearly identical numbers, he left to take the next step which hasn’t really happened

Owens left to play in the tournament

I also think owens is fine but to be fair—he didn’t leave to put up nearly identical numbers, he left to take the next step which hasn’t really happened

Stop kidding yourself. Owens wanted to win just like every player who's ever played. He upgraded in that regard.

Though I thought we were good enough to win without Ponds, the fact remains that good teams, teams coached by HOF coaches do sometimes lose when a key player misses a game.

Kansas this year and Villanova last year are two quick examples.

Team needs to rebound and play better the next few games and I hope this is just a bump in the road.