#31 @ Xavier

A buddy of mine who played college ball just watched the game with me and hasn't watched SJU all year. His only reaction was basically all you need to do is pound it inside on these guys and they have zero chance. It was that obvious from watching 5 minutes of one game. That's on Mullin and that's reality. The team has been poorly constructed and is not being coached up at all. Change is necessary.

You know who else played college ball?

You know who else played college ball?

He should've stopped after his playing career.

Disappointing end to the regular season. Got abused in the last handful by teams much bigger and more physical than us. Book isn’t closed on the season, but everyone needs to show up for the BET.

Sort of confusing because even earlier on we saw good spacing and movement against big guys and the ability to knock down 3’s. Let’s hope that comes back and Mullin can build some momentum going into next year with a more complete roster and Ponds back.

Or we could hope Mullin fails and ponds goes to Israel and everyone else transfers. Also an option.

I'm not sure how people can say this team is not talented. Yes, the roster isn't perfect as we lack quality bigs, but there is no shortage of talent on this team. The problem is that talent has not been used to it's full potential.

a Jr Ponds should be the best player in the conference by a wide margin. He's been the 4th, maybe 5th best player in the BE this year. That's unacceptable.

Heron was 2nd team All SEC last year and the SEC has turned into a really good conference. He's gone backwards this year.

LJ is great. He brings it every night. Why doesn't the rest of the team play like him.

Simon is a 4th year player, 3rd year in the program. Yet he and the rest of the program don't know what his role should be yet. Wouldn't be surprise to see him grad transfer somewhere else and become a 1st team all-conference player having a Dom Pointer like senior season.

Clark, a 5th year player. Gets in foul trouble pretty much every single game and most times because of stupid unnecessary fouls. How has this not been corrected yet. He's also gone backwards in both 2p% and 3p% this year.

Yeah Keita stinks in general, but staff has had over a year to just teach him to box out and grab rebounds because that's all we need from him yet he doesn't do it.

Trimble and Williams are fine bench pieces yet Trimble is another guy who hasn't really gotten better despite getting in better shape.

This roster isn't perfect. But it sure as shit isn't an 8-10 team in this conference and a bubble team with how weak the bubble is this year. If this is how this year has gone how is it going to go next year when we won't have as much talent? What top 25 player is going to consider coming here after watching Ponds go from potential 1st round pick to needing a passport?

I'm not sure how people can say this team is not talented. Yes, the roster isn't perfect as we lack quality bigs, but there is no shortage of talent on this team. The problem is that talent has not been used to it's full potential.

a Jr Ponds should be the best player in the conference by a wide margin. He's been the 4th, maybe 5th best player in the BE this year. That's unacceptable.

Heron was 2nd team All SEC last year and the SEC has turned into a really good conference. He's gone backwards this year.

LJ is great. He brings it every night. Why doesn't the rest of the team play like him.

Simon is a 4th year player, 3rd year in the program. Yet he and the rest of the program don't know what his role should be yet. Wouldn't be surprise to see him grad transfer somewhere else and become a 1st team all-conference player having a Dom Pointer like senior season.

Clark, a 5th year player. Gets in foul trouble pretty much every single game and most times because of stupid unnecessary fouls. How has this not been corrected yet. He's also gone backwards in both 2p% and 3p% this year.

Yeah Keita stinks in general, but staff has had over a year to just teach him to box out and grab rebounds because that's all we need from him yet he doesn't do it.

Trimble and Williams are fine bench pieces yet Trimble is another guy who hasn't really gotten better despite getting in better shape.

This roster isn't perfect. But it sure as shit isn't an 8-10 team in this conference and a bubble team with how weak the bubble is this year. If this is how this year has gone how is it going to go next year when we won't have as much talent? What top 25 player is going to consider coming here after watching Ponds go from potential 1st round pick to needing a passport?

Good post, all valid points

A buddy of mine who played college ball just watched the game with me and hasn't watched SJU all year. His only reaction was basically all you need to do is pound it inside on these guys and they have zero chance. It was that obvious from watching 5 minutes of one game. That's on Mullin and that's reality. The team has been poorly constructed and is not being coached up at all. Change is necessary.

So your buddy’s opinion mean more because he played college ball (probably d-3) but Mullin is an idiot even though he was a 3x Big East POY and National POY—who sits next to a guy who made the Elite Eight and St. Jean. Got it.

Where is carmine? 

Right here as I am before and after every game.  No need to call me out.

That was disappointing.  It's not everyday that a team has 4 total turnovers and loses.

I'm not sure what other fans expected but this was a bubble team at the start of the season in my opinion and lo and behold that's where they find themselves in March.

Ponds is a great college player but hes not the all american some expect him to be.  He was a volume scorer as a soph and has bettered his percentages and improved his passing as a junior.  Fantastic.  Expecting him to score 30 and shoot 40% from 3 is unrealistic.

Frankly I think Heron is the best player we have.   Hes more efficient than Ponds Clark or Figueroa.  I dont know where you can find PER and other analytics but I imagine hes best on the team.   If the offense runs through him I dont see a huge drop off next season.  His injury killed us.

I dont think Mullin has had a great season but his staff is good enough to win here.  I dont buy that Mullin and Co. are any worse than Lavall Jordan, Ewing, Leitao or Wojojowski. 

Bottom line... I never expected a 4 star team that hasnt played together to be a single digit seed in the tournament.

People need to keep their expectations in check.  I hope for the best but dont expect the 10% outcome to repeatedly happen.

#$%^ this team

#$%^ this coach

#$%^ this program

I'm done.

So your buddy’s opinion mean more because he played college ball (probably d-3) but Mullin is an idiot even though he was a 3x Big East POY and National POY—who sits next to a guy who made the Elite Eight and St. Jean. Got it.

Based on that same logic Mullins opinion must also be better than such College coaches like Coach K and Rick Pitino because they haven’t accomplished as much as players as himself?

Mullin needs to go. He is trash. I'm 33 and never saw him play a game. I'd take 500 years of Lavin over one game of a has-been.

He is yesterdays news, he wouldnt even be a bench player in basketball these days. He played before there was a 3 point line. He is, was and still is TRASH.

Frankly I think Heron is the best player we have.  Hes more efficient than Ponds Clark or Figueroa.  I dont know where you can find PER and other analytics but I imagine hes best on the team.

Wow. This is not even close to reality. Heron has been FAR less efficient than LJ and Ponds by pretty much any available metric. Let's go through them.

Offensive Rating:
Ponds 117
LJ 115
Heron 102.2

Effective FG%
LJ 58.5
Heron 52.9
Ponds 52.3

True Shooting %
LJ 59
Ponds 58
Heron 56.9

Assist Rate (Granted this skews heavily towards Ponds because hes the PG)
Ponds 29.1
LJ 11.3
Heron 8.1

Turnover Rate (Lower is better, it's adjusted for usage)
LJ 10.5
Ponds 11.7
Heron 16.7

PER
Ponds 27.45
LJ 22.14
Heron 17.04

You sure you're watching the right games?

I'm not sure what other fans expected but this was a bubble team at the start of the season in my opinion and lo and behold that's where they find themselves in March.

Ponds is a great college player but hes not the all american some expect him to be.  He was a volume scorer as a soph and has bettered his percentages and improved his passing as a junior.  Fantastic.  Expecting him to score 30 and shoot 40% from 3 is unrealistic.

Frankly I think Heron is the best player we have.   Hes more efficient than Ponds Clark or Figueroa.  I dont know where you can find PER and other analytics but I imagine hes best on the team.   If the offense runs through him I dont see a huge drop off next season.  His injury killed us.

I dont think Mullin has had a great season but his staff is good enough to win here.  I dont buy that Mullin and Co. are any worse than Lavall Jordan, Ewing, Leitao or Wojojowski. 

Bottom line... I never expected a 4 star team that hasnt played together to be a single digit seed in the tournament.

People need to keep their expectations in check.  I hope for the best but dont expect the 10% outcome to repeatedly happen.

Last guy was much better and you didn’t like the fact he didn’t wear a tie.

Ponds is a shell of himself. Don't quite understand what happened to him. Sure he's scoring his share still, but his killer instinct, will to win appear to have gone away. Heron just has a terrible Bball IQ. We constantly leave shooters wide open, and can't guard opposing bigs or box them out. We've been figured out by just about all BE coaches. The formula for how to beat us is out in the open and Mullin and co. have done nothing to counter it.

Last guy was much better and you didn’t like the fact he didn’t wear a tie.

He did more than target Lavin for not wearing a tie.  But I digress.  It's practically water under the bridge.

Some are trying their damnedest to ignore the pink elephant in the room.

This dog won't hunt.  Time to move on.

Ponds is a shell of himself. Don't quite understand what happened to him. Sure he's scoring his share still, but his killer instinct, will to win appear to have gone away. Heron just has a terrible Bball IQ. We constantly leave shooters wide open, and can't guard opposing bigs or box them out. We've been figured out by just about all BE coaches. The formula for how to beat us is out in the open and Mullin and co. have done nothing to counter it.

Jim Spanarkel mentioned in one of our much earlier games in the season that (paraphrased) "St. John's could be figured out in conference play because St. John's doesn't mix things up" or something to that extent.

Prophetic.

Jim Spanarkel mentioned in one of our much earlier games in the season that (paraphrased) "St. John's could be figured out in conference play because St. John's doesn't mix things up" or something to that extent.

Prophetic.

It’s been a detriment to Ponds playing in this system. He should be learning to play better off the ball. He would be a more effective player if the offense “came” to him opposed to this iso crap

Wow. This is not even close to reality. Heron has been FAR less efficient than LJ and Ponds by pretty much any available metric. Let's go through them.

Offensive Rating:
Ponds 117
LJ 115
Heron 102.2

Effective FG%
LJ 58.5
Heron 52.9
Ponds 52.3

True Shooting %
LJ 59
Ponds 58
Heron 56.9

Assist Rate (Granted this skews heavily towards Ponds because hes the PG)
Ponds 29.1
LJ 11.3
Heron 8.1

Turnover Rate (Lower is better, it's adjusted for usage)
LJ 10.5
Ponds 11.7
Heron 16.7

PER
Ponds 27.45
LJ 22.14
Heron 17.04

You sure you're watching the right games?

Thank you for saving me the time. Heron is a distant #3 imo.

So your buddy’s opinion mean more because he played college ball (probably d-3) but Mullin is an idiot even though he was a 3x Big East POY and National POY—who sits next to a guy who made the Elite Eight and St. Jean. Got it.

And combined those 3 have done what as coaches? Absolutely nothing. You seem to think their playing accomplishments have some correlation to their ability to coach which is false and has been proven so time and again. And St. Jean? He's another failed experiment. Let him walk and don't look back. Addition by subtraction. This program is going nowhere under this regime and 4 years is more than enough sample size to prove this out.

The best hire we have made in 25 years was Fran. We need a coach who is hungry. We have not recruited locally well in 22 years.