West Virginia - Game Thread

Nice to see the Kids RESPOND!!

Missed the game again because of night class but this sounded like a great all around effort.

Missed the game again because of night class but this sounded like a great all around effort.

Definitely.  Great to see.

Missed the game again because of night class but this sounded like a great all around effort.

ESPNU is replaying it at midnight.

Great effort by the freshman tonight. The students, not so much.

Nice article recaping the game and post game comments from the team and coach Huggins:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/st-johns-starts-5-freshmen-snaps-4-game-losing-streak-with-78-62-win-over-west-virginia/2012/01/25/gIQAQ9eaRQ_story.html

Quote from: erickthered on January 25, 2012, 09:12:10 PM

Great game! Quick question, who was the guy on the bench not part of staff. Thinking its similar to repole on bench last year vs duke.

You might be talking about the new grad assistant from Cali.

Is that the guy in the sports coat who looks a little bit like a young Lavin? I noticed him at the Nova game too

His name is Jason Tilton. I think they announced him as a graduate assistant.

He was involved with UCLA during Lav's time there I believe.

Quote from: boo3 on January 25, 2012, 08:26:53 PM

Greene, Moe, Harrison.

 Greene has 8 assists

Awesome! Good for Phil. How you like them apples wasju?

Somebody is eating crow today 

'Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Kevin Jones ?'

- Block party night.  Moe sqwuapping Jones shot was priceless. Dom's block then running the court for the and one. Double G blocked more than one but only got credit for one due to rough calls. Nice!

- Gift continues his record breaking run of consecutive games drawing a charge.  Saw other board mates complaining about too many charge calls.  Why?  I luv the charge call.  It's far more interesting than your common garden variety foul.

- 5 freshmen starters.  Rarer than my steak.

- 8 asssssts to 1 turnover for Mr. Greene.  Now that's point guard play.

- Malik III really needs more arc on the shot.  Even from the line.  Break out the broom Dunlap!  His nic of time 1st half buzzer beater made me reminisce fondly of Malik II opening half buzzer beater against Ucan't.
 
- Amir, Dom and D'lo summon their inner Jello Biafra and sport Mohawks.  The rest of the team excersises solid judgement by not.

- Only 69 hundred listed fans very Norm era like.   This one belongs in Alumni next year. ( Not sure when they're leaving? )

- Just like the PC contest. It's darn fun entertainment when we play like this.

- Puke next.  I feel nauseous already.

just back from the game

first the negative--the crowd was dead; hardly any students--no excuse students, get there and support your classmates.  to people in the stands--how about a little energy at least stand up and cheer the effort throughout the game not for the last 30 seconds.


NOW for the good stuff:
phenominal effort by all the lads.  either they are really getting the principles of the zone or the hillbillies really are a lousy team.  the movement and communication was excellent.  i remember one sequence when Sir was on the wrong wing and Amir and d were directing him to where he should be.  we also did a respectable job on the boards and with blocks. 
Sir is getting some good "help" blocks from behind the shooter.  he also contribute on both ends.  with him or Amir at the point of the zone, you can see why coach loves players like the 2 of them.
Amir is incredibly FAST, i couldn't believe his quickness in transition.  he also demonstrated his pitching skills with a beauty of a pass to the corner.  Amir is definitely finding a level of comfort with the team and his positioning in the zone.
D showed BIG improvement in not fouling tonight.  he had been makinf some silly/lazy fouls the last few games but tonight he was excellent in this regard and gave us the performance we have come to expect
Mo was Mo; he played the Big East's leading scorer, senior KJ, to a virtual draw.  Mo is so smooth with the ball; this summer he can work on expanding his range as he gets ready for the next level
Phil was excellent as I noted on the Phil thread--he deserved it for what he did tonight
Gift must have gotten the message about getting some boards after Nova and helped out well there.  he was also active on defense

Coach Dunlop showed some guts with the "T" as he was fed up with the lack of calls--must have helped the team because they increased the lead; good to let your players know you have their back

Lastly--the Lavin sighting.  The school honored the Taffner family for all that they their parents have done for the University and our teams.  Coach Kim and Coach Lavin were at center court while the team was lined up at the foul line.  after the presentation the team came to center court to congratulate the Taffner's and Coach Lavin gave each and every one of them a Hug..Don't know if this motivated the lads, But coach should do this before all Garden games before he goes upstairs (until he returns to the bench)

Don't agree about the crowd and I'm one who hardly ever is satisfied with the crowd. Yes, it was small and that is a disgrace, but for 7000 I thought it responded very well. It might depend on where you're sitting but from my seat I heard a loud crowd when it was needed and some good cheers from the students. Now if we had 11,000 as we had at the Nova game it would have been extraordinary. And imagine if we ever sold it out with 15,000 being SJU fans.

...

For those who went to game, were there alot of West Va fans there? I thought they traveled well?

For those who went to game, were there alot of West Va fans there? I thought they traveled well?

Some.  Pretty behaved and quiet.

For those who went to game, were there alot of West Va fans there? I thought they traveled well?

Tough to figure because they didn't have much to cheer about. I heard them when they made one of their runs in the 2nd half. Couldn't have been more then 1000 or so.

Quote from: Marco Baldi on January 26, 2012, 01:06:31 PM

For those who went to game, were there alot of West Va fans there? I thought they traveled well?

Tough to figure because they didn't have much to cheer about. I heard them when they made one of their runs in the 2nd half. Couldn't have been more then 1000 or so.

Less

They just stick out with their ugly yellow.

Spoke with some of the hillbillies last night and asked how they were going to like going to follow their team in such places as Manhattan KANSAS and other beauties in Iowa and Oklahoma.  They have swallowed the cool aid that it had to be done for football.  At least when they go the their new conference tournament they will be in their element; and not on Broadway.

PS--they don't realize they will never win another football conference championship; the big boys will chew them up and spit them out. 

Quote from: erickthered on January 25, 2012, 09:12:10 PM

Great game! Quick question, who was the guy on the bench not part of staff. Thinking its similar to repole on bench last year vs duke.

ILLWILL

Lol this killed me Baldi!

Missed the game again because of night class but this sounded like a great all around effort.

Doesn't anyone cut class anymore?