First Three BE Games

Xavier is 4-3 against major conference teams: they've beaten Tennessee, Wake, Alabama, and Cincinnati and lost to USC, Tennessee [sic] and Iowa. Except for Alabama none of those teams is awful and even including Alabama none are the sort of marsh-mellows we've played. Of the 4 teams from major conferences we've played, we've lost three. Columbia is arguably the best team we've beaten.

We have not played a road game or left NY since March 2012. We're 1-6 in our last 7 on the road. This is a noon game in a different time zone in front of 10 K hostile fans versus a team that shoots a collective 40 percent from three. And our coach is not going to outsmart their coach: Mack has won 75 games in three years and been to the Sweet 16 twice. Other than Creighton this is about the least likely game SJ's win on the road all year.

In other words...We're a Lock!  Go to the bank fellas!

"I think by mid-February, this could be a dangerous team," Lavin said."
 
Kinda wish that timetable could be accelerated a tad. 

@rumbleSBN: St. John's has room for improvement entering Big East play, & the staff/ players know it. #sjubb http://t.co/egaBkqBI8y

I actually like the way St. John's matches up with Xavier, but it's still going to be a very tall order because that arena is going to be crazy. First BE game for a fanbase that thrives off of disrespect. They're going to be rabid to prove they're better than the old BE teams. Going to be a very tough environment. 

is their pg as good as branch? (everyone's favorite whipping boy.) I think not. My expectaions are high. We have the best player in the conference. Wouldn't trade him for anyone. I expect to win. Why is that crazy? Why do you guys think we lose? why is ok  to lose? We have a nationally ranked players. We are deep. How many of their players would crack our rotation ?
Good teams win this game. NCAA teams win this game.

had a few drinks last night, maybe to fired up. Still think we should win. Had two weeks to prepare for this game.

Quote from: TONYD3 on December 30, 2013, 12:15:56 AM

is their pg as good as branch? (everyone's favorite whipping boy.) I think not. My expectaions are high. We have the best player in the conference. Wouldn't trade him for anyone. I expect to win. Why is that crazy? Why do you guys think we lose? why is ok  to lose? We have a nationally ranked players. We are deep. How many of their players would crack our rotation ?
Good teams win this game. NCAA teams win this game.

had a few drinks last night, maybe to fired up. Still think we should win. Had two weeks to prepare for this game.

PWI

  I think we can be 2-1 and, it doesn't matter how that happens. Splitting the road games against Xav and GTown would say a lot about our longer term prospects.. The Nova game at MSG is also winnable . Holding homecourt serve is very important this year..

I think we could be happy with 2 and 1 for the first 3 games.

Villanova should be 3-0 by the time they play us.  So winning at least one road game is critical in making a win against Villanova that much more significant.

I would be disappointed with a 1-2 start.  By losing the penn state game we don't have much wiggle room and getting some quality wins under our belt early would take a lot of the pressure off.  I definitely think it's possible to go 1-2, perhaps even likely, but id be disappointed nonetheless.  I have NCAA expectations for this team as do we all.  Having 5 total losses 3 games into conf play would not be a great start.  0-3 would be disastrous.  It's not like the schedule becomes easy after these 3.  We still play gtown at home nova on road creighton 2x butler 2x Marquette 2x and it's not like we can just count on 2 wins from each of seton hall providence or a home win against Xavier.  Lot of people underestimating Xavier creighton and butler on this board. 

It is no short order but I believe it is important to go 2-1 here.  Not fatal if we don't but makes it that much harder for us....

Xavier is preseason 7 Butler is preseason 9. I think some of you guys are giving teams to much respect. In the past they have beaten teams from bigger conferences. Now they have to do it over 18 games. I will believe it when I see it.

Xavier is preseason 7 Butler is preseason 9. I think some of you guys are giving teams to much respect. In the past they have beaten teams from bigger conferences. Now they have to do it over 18 games. I will believe it when I see it.

Preseason polls in conferences with decent parity are crap shoots often. To me a more important consideration is Xavier's  tremendous fan support and outstanding home record. Believe me this is a tough game. Mack is also a better game coach than Lavin. Hoping for the best, but expect a challenge.

Tournament teams win tough games.  For the first time in years I am comfortable saying we can (not will) beat any team in the conference.  I expect a 2-1 start. Not sure how, but a win today would be a huge start (and not a hope and prayer). Scheduler was not kind to us out of the box - 3 of first 4 on the road and only home game versus a top ten Nova team (whic we can beat).

Very excited !

Xavier is preseason 7 Butler is preseason 9. I think some of you guys are giving teams to much respect.

And the Boston Red Sox were preseason dead last in the AL East last year, and that's analyzing professional athletes who everyone knows a lot more about than 18-22 yr old college basketball players.  Guess they shouldn't play the games!

Got to somehow win 2 of 3. Got to win today and home vs. Nova. Winning 2 road games will be tough. As for the season I would like to win all home games and sweep DePaul, Xavier, and Seton Hall. That would be 11 wins. If we could steal one more on the road that would be icing on the cake. 

Boston redsox were not a shock to be a good team. They are not close to a small market team. Butler lost their coach and a few key players. Plus moving up to considerably better competition . Silly comparison

Got to somehow win 2 of 3. Got to win today and home vs. Nova. Winning 2 road games will be tough. As for the season I would like to win all home games and sweep DePaul, Xavier, and Seton Hall. That would be 11 wins. If we could steal one more on the road that would be icing on the cake. 

Agree totally Ted!

@AdamZagoria: For St. John’s, 0-1 in Big East Could Quickly Become 0-3 http://t.co/Ki8LS4K9RC