Game 23: @Marquette (FS1, 570 AM)

The beauty of the round robin Marillac. In the third year that these two have matched up, they both walked into the same tunnel after the game not even looking at one another. A true rivalry between Sham/Howard that Sham has dominated.

There is no longer a "two teams (Nova/Marquette) and everyone else" conversation. Tonight tore up that completely. A season sweep of Marquette, top10 road win will do wonders for us and is it doesn't get any better than right now for Chris Mullin and staff. Take care of Nova in the Garden in a couple of weeks and our ticket is punched.

Great win no doubt and maybe we are even better than Marquette however in relation to the BE standings we are still 3 losses behind them so if they take care of business in their remaining games don't see how we can catch them. So as it relates to the BE it still is 2 at the top. I would be happy to finish third with a good conference record. Looking like selection Sunday is going to be an active and happy day for Johnny fans. Hallelujah!

Fantastic win!!!

With a very few exceptions it looks like we are playing better as visitors.

Great win no doubt and maybe we are even better than Marquette however in relation to the BE standings we are still 3 losses behind them so if they take care of business in their remaining games don't see how we can catch them. So as it relates to the BE it still is 2 at the top. I would be happy to finish third with a good conference record. Looking like selection Sunday is going to be an active and happy day for Johnny fans. Hallelujah!

Not so fast my friend. In my eyes we're rooting for Nova on Saturday, the deficit to gain a regular season conference championship is too great. Hopefully if Marquette falls to 3 losses on Saturday, let the chips fall where they may over the last 8 conference games. In addition to Saturday, the Golden Eagles have yet to travel to Newark, Philly and Providence. All while we host 6/8 next games.

Assuming #2/#3 seed is overlooking our own February to say the least, but nevertheless maybe this is the year that a NY centric crowd carries us to a Friday night BET victory over a team that we have already beaten twice. 

Not so fast my friend. In my eyes we're rooting for Nova on Saturday, the deficit to gain a regular season conference championship is too great. Hopefully if Marquette falls to 3 losses on Saturday, let the chips fall where they may over the last 8 conference games. In addition to Saturday, the Golden Eagles have yet to travel to Newark, Philly and Providence. All while we host 6/8 next games.

Assuming #2/#3 seed is overlooking our own February to say the least, but nevertheless maybe this is the year that a NY centric crowd carries us to a Friday night BET victory over a team that we have already beaten twice. 

5 home games left 3 away.

Guys I thought the season ended on January 27th and we fired the staff!?!?! What happened?!!??!!

Not so fast my friend. In my eyes we're rooting for Nova on Saturday, the deficit to gain a regular season conference championship is too great. Hopefully if Marquette falls to 3 losses on Saturday, let the chips fall where they may over the last 8 conference games. In addition to Saturday, the Golden Eagles have yet to travel to Newark, Philly and Providence. All while we host 6/8 next games.

Assuming #2/#3 seed is overlooking our own February to say the least, but nevertheless maybe this is the year that a NY centric crowd carries us to a Friday night BET victory over a team that we have already beaten twice. 

We cheer for Nova and Marquette the rest of the way to snipe teams behind us and to stay a huge wins. It’s probably best for us if they split 1-1.

5 home games left 3 away.

Duly corrected, #weare. Off day tomorrow, prepare for the Friars on Saturday. Cooley has wreaked havoc on us over the last 5 years, but the tides are changing. Don't forget the Mullin/Cooley spat in the bowels of the Dunk no less than 4 years ago. It's time for payback, and it's time for St. John's to be back atop the conference standings. This program is back, and it's all bc of this coaching staff.

What's going on with Marvin? He's been pretty bad the last few games, would you consider taking him out of the starting lineup? He's been lost

Probably taking him out behind the gym and shooting him would be best.

Guys I thought the season ended on January 27th and we fired the staff!?!?! What happened?!!??!!

Ponds got them their jobs back.

They should be carrying him around campus like he’s Dom Deluise in History of the World.

This win has Simons name on it. Kid played a great all around game.

What a win. Roller Coaster. Heart attack. Ponds, Simon soooo clutch.

What's going on with Marvin? He's been pretty bad the last few games, would you consider taking him out of the starting lineup? He's been lost

Clark is always playing a position that he’s not comfortable playing. He’s not a center or a PF. It’s the team’s biggest weakness. It’s unfortunate that he hasn’t learned to be more careful on defense but he hasn’t.

It would be great if Roberts and/ or Earlington could give us a few minutes each night. There are so many examples of where we just allow bigs to get position and easily receive an entry pass and our only option is to foul them or just let them score.

For a guy who doesn’t like to play freshman, Mullin has played every one of them consistently except for these two and the German kid a couple of years ago. Clearly, they’ve earned their places on the bench, but if we’re going to have a chance to go anywhere, we need another banger or two down low, and we need to give our starters more of a breather. Marquette plays country club defense. Ponds could handle them late in the game. Nova will be a force on d. So will Providence on Saturday. You have to have a bench to win in March. Let’s hope that these kids are making some progress in practice and that at least one of them can get off the bench for a cup of coffee.

Keita is actually improving. He’s got a ways to go before we can count on him, but he had a great block to end the half, he hit a jumper. He’s starting to get used to his role on both sides of the ball.

It happened.  Only shot 28% from 3 and got a BE win.

Garfunkel 8 of 11 from the field. Rest of team a paltry 18 of 46. Also, 3 for 3 from the line in a game we needed every one. Monster first half. Once again defensive kryptonite to Howard's superman.

12 and 1 out of conference and 6 and 4 in conference for third place.  What a season thus far.

Why are we the only team in the league that doesn't show controversial call replays on the video screen to get the boobirds going and sway the refs?

Keita has earned more minutes, perhaps that can give us the "luxury" of moving Clark to a move favorable position

Keita has earned more minutes, perhaps that can give us the "luxury" of moving Clark to a move favorable position

We can move Clark to where he belongs (the 3) is if Keita plays center and someone else plays the 4, like Heron or Simon.

Both are better at the 4 than Clark.
But again, I can’t understand why Earlington or Roberts can’t be coached up enough to give us 3-5 minutes a game. Not asking for anything more than some boxing out and rebound or two.

My point a few days ago about the staff not developing big men is scary. One of these kids is already rumored to be leaving.

Clark is always playing a position that he’s not comfortable playing. He’s not a center or a PF.

False. He’s a PF/C. He played center in the Elite Eight and Final Four as a freshman.

He is rushing his shot. He’ll get it going against Providence as he gets the puppies set and slows his pace.

If we moved him to the three we’d never win another game and he’d foul out in ten minutes of action.

False. He’s a PF/C. He played center in the Elite Eight and Final Four as a freshman.

He is rushing his shot. He’ll get it going against Providence as he gets the puppies set and slows his pace.

If we moved him to the three we’d never win another game and he’d foul out in ten minutes of action.

What C/PF never boxes out? Never posts up anyone? Not saying he’s not a good player. He’s a very important part of this team. I don’t see an aspect of his game that warrants the PF/C description.

If he’s played these positions before, why does he play them now like he’s playing them for the first time?

What C/PF never boxes out? Never posts up anyone? Not saying he’s not a good player. He’s a very important part of this team. I don’t see an aspect of his game that warrants the PF/C description.

If he’s played these positions before, why does he play them now like he’s playing them for the first time?

PFs posting up is a thing of the past. He is a stretch 4. I would rather him play 5s then guard 3s on the perimeter. I think your selling him a little short on his boxing out. Much better this year.

Everyone who criticizes Mullin should be chirping about Wojo (and also a comparison of Ponds and Howard).   Mullin with team by one calls for T/O and we run play for Ponds to go to the hoop--either score or get fouled.  Wojo T/O down one has Howard with ball and he tries a long one rather than drive and do what Ponds did and Howard is 90% F/T shooter. 

What C/PF never boxes out? Never posts up anyone? Not saying he’s not a good player. He’s a very important part of this team. I don’t see an aspect of his game that warrants the PF/C description.

If he’s played these positions before, why does he play them now like he’s playing them for the first time?

Clark is a good shooter when he sets his feet. He’s been drifting on his shot so needs to slow down. That’s probably the only thing he does well. His best position is the C/PF spot. As bad of a defender he is he’s worse playing in space. You can at least hide him closer to the basket. Offensively he can’t dribble or post up so by playing the SF position will take away the advantage of having the opposing teams C/PF having to cover him on the perimeter.

Clark playing the five makes us a miserable matchup for most teams that play man. When Simon is moving, posting, and cutting our spacing is great.

What SF could Clark cover? Anytime he defends a wing on a switch I hold my breath.

I wish he’d mix it up more in the paint.