tough non-conference schedule - andy katz

• St. John's is quietly putting together one of the top nonconference schedules in the country. The Red Storm will play at Duke, at Kentucky in the SEC-Big East Challenge, host UCLA, play in the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer with Arizona, Texas A&M and Mississippi State, and open up Dick Vitale Court against Horizon upstart Detroit. That's all with a team dominated by freshmen. Kudos to coach Steve Lavin, who isn't afraid to challenge his team.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/catId/Team~41~249/north-texas-mean-green

Here is the correct link-

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/6716783/american-u-19-team-struggles-overseas

Austin Rivers and Sullinger "chose not to play"

I wonder how many under 19 Lithuanians chose not to play?

The only game Lavin should take credit for is Detroit, IMO.  Everything else was put in to motion before he got here, or, in the case of Kentucky, was created by ESPN and/or the conferences.

The only game Lavin should take credit for is Detroit, IMO.  Everything else was put in to motion before he got here, or, in the case of Kentucky, was created by ESPN and/or the conferences.

We wouldn't be sniffing Kentucky in that Challenge if we had Hewitt or Skinner as coach.  So you have to give Lavin credit for just being here to get us that gig.  Otherwise we would be playing Georgia like a few years ago when Norm was still here.

Also Lavin could back out of the home and home deals or delay them.  Happens all the time.  Ga Tech was supposed to come up for an MSG game and that never happened.

Kentucky was put together by ESPN but do you really think if it was Norm coaching Norm's recruits ESPN would have chosen STJ for that game in the challenge?  Kentucky's a preseason top 3 team.  While they weren't going to be playing Syracuse they weren't going to play USF either.  It's going to be a featured match-up of the challenge.

Can't speak to the 2K Sports Classic but I don't think they work on those matchups more than 18 months out either.  So even though events like the challenge and the 2K Classic pick their teams, not the other way around, you have to have some semblance of profile to get featured in these events.

Lavin immediately made STJ relevant with the media and last season's successes and the recruiting class have continued that trend. Lavin has a profile higher than all but the legendary coaches in the game.  That affords STJ opportunities like this and certainly more in the future that others won't have.

I certainly grant the point on the Kentucky game.

Yes, our appearnce in the 2K was crafted out that long ago.  I remember reading about it when Roberts was still the coach.  That will also be the case when we participate in the 2012 Paradise Jam in St. Thomas.  That was put together by the old staff.

I will give Lavin credit for going to places like St. Mary's and Detroit.  Those are very tough mid-major facilities, that most BCS schools wouldn't be caught dead playing at.  My only (minor) beef with those two games is that they are both "gimmick" games (one for the tip-off marathon, the other for Dick Vitale night), which probably doesn't require a return game in our facility.  That's kind of shafting your fans a little bit, not getting to see these teams, but I still think the days of seeing upper-mid major to non-Duke major conference teams come in to our house is just around the corner (in fact, I think UCLA could be top-15 nationally this year - I just wish that game were in December, and not February.  I'd rather the team get rest at that point).

I certainly grant the point on the Kentucky game.

Yes, our appearnce in the 2K was crafted out that long ago.  I remember reading about it when Roberts was still the coach.  That will also be the case when we participate in the 2012 Paradise Jam in St. Thomas.  That was put together by the old staff.

I will give Lavin credit for going to places like St. Mary's and Detroit.  Those are very tough mid-major facilities, that most BCS schools wouldn't be caught dead playing at.  My only (minor) beef with those two games is that they are both "gimmick" games (one for the tip-off marathon, the other for Dick Vitale night), which probably doesn't require a return game in our facility.  That's kind of shafting your fans a little bit, not getting to see these teams, but I still think the days of seeing upper-mid major to non-Duke major conference teams come in to our house is just around the corner (in fact, I think UCLA could be top-15 nationally this year - I just wish that game were in December, and not February.  I'd rather the team get rest at that point).

Not following you here.  So you want to play better teams at home?  More teams like St. Mary's and Detroit?  We play a tortuous BE schedule every year and get some very good home games.  Duke every other year.  UCLA has been here before.  We always good for a solid game or 2 at MSG every year.  We really didn't have leverage.  We obviously have a lot better leverage now.

Also thanks for mentioning the 2012 tournament.  First I heard of that. Not familiar with that tourney.  Is it any good?  Wish we would play Maui instead one of these years.

Also thanks for mentioning the 2012 tournament.  First I heard of that. Not familiar with that tourney.  Is it any good?  Wish we would play Maui instead one of these years.

It's a fairly decent tournament.  I've seen some good teams and good "name" teams involved over the past few years.  I also didn't know anything about the Johnnies being involved in the 2012 Paradise Jam.

Quote from: Moose on June 30, 2011, 02:38:34 PM

Also thanks for mentioning the 2012 tournament.  First I heard of that. Not familiar with that tourney.  Is it any good?  Wish we would play Maui instead one of these years.

It's a fairly decent tournament.  I've seen some good teams and good "name" teams involved over the past few years.  I also didn't know anything about the Johnnies being involved in the 2012 Paradise Jam.

Yeah definitely a few steps above Alaska

http://www.paradisejam.com/pages/m_teams.htm

2011 field for Paradise features Marquette, Mississippi, UVA, Drexel, Winthrop, Drake, TCU and Norfolk St.  Certainly a step up from the Great Alaska Shootout field.  (which next year is atrocious)

Quote from: sju61982 on June 30, 2011, 02:31:47 PM

I certainly grant the point on the Kentucky game.

Yes, our appearnce in the 2K was crafted out that long ago.  I remember reading about it when Roberts was still the coach.  That will also be the case when we participate in the 2012 Paradise Jam in St. Thomas.  That was put together by the old staff.

I will give Lavin credit for going to places like St. Mary's and Detroit.  Those are very tough mid-major facilities, that most BCS schools wouldn't be caught dead playing at.  My only (minor) beef with those two games is that they are both "gimmick" games (one for the tip-off marathon, the other for Dick Vitale night), which probably doesn't require a return game in our facility.  That's kind of shafting your fans a little bit, not getting to see these teams, but I still think the days of seeing upper-mid major to non-Duke major conference teams come in to our house is just around the corner (in fact, I think UCLA could be top-15 nationally this year - I just wish that game were in December, and not February.  I'd rather the team get rest at that point).

Not following you here.  So you want to play better teams at home?  More teams like St. Mary's and Detroit?  We play a tortuous BE schedule every year and get some very good home games.  Duke every other year.  UCLA has been here before.  We always good for a solid game or 2 at MSG every year.  We really didn't have leverage.  We obviously have a lot better leverage now.

Also thanks for mentioning the 2012 tournament.  First I heard of that. Not familiar with that tourney.  Is it any good?  Wish we would play Maui instead one of these years.

I'm hoping we can bring some good upper-level mid-majors to CA, and one or two traditional powers not named Duke to MSG every year.  We're going in that direction, but we are not there yet.


I had seen an article in, I believe, the Daily News saying we were heading for this tournament in 2012, but now can't seem to find it.  I suppose it's possible that it won't happen, but I remember hearing we were going (I had heard about this year's 2K while Norm was still here).  Usually, they make the "official announcements" about a year out, but you know that the wheels are in motion long before this.

I want to go to the Maui one year too, and also to the Old Spice Classic, because that's played in my favorite vacation spot, Disney World.

Well, this article from 2009 seems to contradict what I just said.  They seem to say UCONN is in next year, but I thought I read somewhere that we were going to this.

http://stjohnsource.com/content/news/local-news/2009/11/13/paradise-jam-be-bigger-better-ever-organizers-say

Who knows?  I'm sure we will get in something.

No love from this writer

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news;_ylt=AoP2J.8GABzXfUOmF9a4EErevbYF?slug=jn-king_college_hoops_mailbag_ready_play_072311

East Coast bias on non-league games?

I loved your story looking ahead at the best non-conference games of the 2011-12 season – but you didn’t have one must-watch game involving a West Coast team. Surely my Bruins have a game that would interest you.

 
Bob Crouch
Arroyo Grande, Calif.

Other than a home game against Texas on Dec. 3, UCLA’s most intriguing non-conference matchups will come in the Maui Invitational. I wasn’t able to list any of those games on the chart, however, because the brackets have yet to be finalized, so it’s unclear which teams the Bruins will face. The field is absolutely loaded with UCLA, Kansas, Memphis, Duke, Michigan, Tennessee, Georgetown and host Chaminade. Watch out for the Bruins and that loaded frontcourt rotation of Josh Smith, Reeves Nelson and David and Travis Wear. Ben Howland just needs to find someone who can shoot the 3.

No love from this writer

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news;_ylt=AoP2J.8GABzXfUOmF9a4EErevbYF?slug=jn-king_college_hoops_mailbag_ready_play_072311

East Coast bias on non-league games?

I loved your story looking ahead at the best non-conference games of the 2011-12 season – but you didn’t have one must-watch game involving a West Coast team. Surely my Bruins have a game that would interest you.

 
Bob Crouch
Arroyo Grande, Calif.

Other than a home game against Texas on Dec. 3, UCLA’s most intriguing non-conference matchups will come in the Maui Invitational. I wasn’t able to list any of those games on the chart, however, because the brackets have yet to be finalized, so it’s unclear which teams the Bruins will face. The field is absolutely loaded with UCLA, Kansas, Memphis, Duke, Michigan, Tennessee, Georgetown and host Chaminade. Watch out for the Bruins and that loaded frontcourt rotation of Josh Smith, Reeves Nelson and David and Travis Wear. Ben Howland just needs to find someone who can shoot the 3.

Jason King took some potshots at STJ and Lavin last year too, so not surprising.

Quote from: Marco Baldi on July 23, 2011, 02:48:27 PM

No love from this writer

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news;_ylt=AoP2J.8GABzXfUOmF9a4EErevbYF?slug=jn-king_college_hoops_mailbag_ready_play_072311

East Coast bias on non-league games?

I loved your story looking ahead at the best non-conference games of the 2011-12 season – but you didn’t have one must-watch game involving a West Coast team. Surely my Bruins have a game that would interest you.

 
Bob Crouch
Arroyo Grande, Calif.

Other than a home game against Texas on Dec. 3, UCLA’s most intriguing non-conference matchups will come in the Maui Invitational. I wasn’t able to list any of those games on the chart, however, because the brackets have yet to be finalized, so it’s unclear which teams the Bruins will face. The field is absolutely loaded with UCLA, Kansas, Memphis, Duke, Michigan, Tennessee, Georgetown and host Chaminade. Watch out for the Bruins and that loaded frontcourt rotation of Josh Smith, Reeves Nelson and David and Travis Wear. Ben Howland just needs to find someone who can shoot the 3.

Jason King took some potshots at STJ and Lavin last year too, so not surprising.

Ah,what was that about?

Quote from: Moose on July 23, 2011, 02:53:28 PM

Quote from: Marco Baldi on July 23, 2011, 02:48:27 PM

No love from this writer

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news;_ylt=AoP2J.8GABzXfUOmF9a4EErevbYF?slug=jn-king_college_hoops_mailbag_ready_play_072311

East Coast bias on non-league games?

I loved your story looking ahead at the best non-conference games of the 2011-12 season – but you didn’t have one must-watch game involving a West Coast team. Surely my Bruins have a game that would interest you.

 
Bob Crouch
Arroyo Grande, Calif.

Other than a home game against Texas on Dec. 3, UCLA’s most intriguing non-conference matchups will come in the Maui Invitational. I wasn’t able to list any of those games on the chart, however, because the brackets have yet to be finalized, so it’s unclear which teams the Bruins will face. The field is absolutely loaded with UCLA, Kansas, Memphis, Duke, Michigan, Tennessee, Georgetown and host Chaminade. Watch out for the Bruins and that loaded frontcourt rotation of Josh Smith, Reeves Nelson and David and Travis Wear. Ben Howland just needs to find someone who can shoot the 3.

Jason King took some potshots at STJ and Lavin last year too, so not surprising.

Ah,what was that about?

Can't recall but when you posted something from Yahoo I knew immediately it would be him.  I think it was calling Lavin a bad hire if I recall correctly.

Quote from: Moose on June 30, 2011, 02:38:34 PM

Also thanks for mentioning the 2012 tournament.  First I heard of that. Not familiar with that tourney.  Is it any good?  Wish we would play Maui instead one of these years.

It's a fairly decent tournament.  I've seen some good teams and good "name" teams involved over the past few years.  I also didn't know anything about the Johnnies being involved in the 2012 Paradise Jam.

So the Virgin Islands in November 2012...hmmm think I will pencil that one in.

Well, gman, I also posted an article contradicting that (is it ok to contradict yourself), so I don't know.  I thought a couple of years ago that the Daily News said we were going.