For those bridge jumpers..

far from doomed.  Our backcourt is probably in the top 3 in the country and is incredibly deep.  If the frontcourt can rebound effectively, score a little, play good D (which is as much about effort and smarts as talent) we will be fine.  I see SJU getting in the torney.  There are reasons to be optimistic, torney is usually guard dominated.

I take these rankings with a grain of salt but we didn't even get 1 vote in the preseason poll.  I know that doesn't have any real meaning except for the fact that this team is a complete afterthought around the country.  Let see what happens but top three backcourt is a super stretch.  They have done nothing to deserve that type of praise.  I'm all for optimism but I wouldn't raise with this hand before the flop.

This team needs to work hard and play together as a unit which it has yet to do in the 3 years they've been here.  Who is a leader on this team?  D'Lo? He has pouted every year. Greene? He is a loose cannon.  Rysheed could be but after the RM game I hoped he matured.  CO he had a foot out the door. 

It was the biggest reason we have disappointed.  Talent gets you so far.  This team is not a team,   Let's see what happens after their first bad loss,  Let alone their first losing streak.

Right now Granderson has the least strikeouts in the league.  Preseason is the best time of year.

far from doomed.  Our backcourt is probably in the top 3 in the country and is incredibly deep.  If the frontcourt can rebound effectively, score a little, play good D (which is as much about effort and smarts as talent) we will be fine.  I see SJU getting in the torney.  There are reasons to be optimistic, torney is usually guard dominated.

Top 3 in the country?

Sure....Dlo is a great scorer, shooter, FT machine...knows how to draw fouls. (maturity re keeping his temper...head on straight...is only issue)  Sheed has all the tools, strength, passing ability, goes strong to hoop....only question is the jumper but he showed great improvement last year.  Both have good size and can play some D.  (I am the eternal optimist)     

far from doomed.  Our backcourt is probably in the top 3 in the country and is incredibly deep.  If the frontcourt can rebound effectively, score a little, play good D (which is as much about effort and smarts as talent) we will be fine.  I see SJU getting in the torney.  There are reasons to be optimistic, torney is usually guard dominated.

We had that exact same backcourt last season, only now our front court is weaker.   How does that equal more success?
And fwiw our backcourt isn't top 3.   Kentucky alone has 2 pairs of guards better than ours, plus Duke, plus Villanova, Gonzaga etc

A 5-0 November is attainable, let's just start off here.

NJIT/Franklin Pierce-Locks

LIU-BK is now very young. The core that went to 3 consecutive NCAAs graduated.

Minnesota-Ricky Jr. will be humbled.

Gonzaga-Big test, I think that we'll protect our home court with a bang and start the season off with it's first trophy. 2011 revenge.

What

Quote from: QuanMan on October 30, 2014, 07:58:05 PM

They are a cohesive and determined unit. 

Seven months ago the same core, at present missing an Nba player mind you, was a no show in the BE and NIT tournaments.  Now they've miraculously morphed into a "cohesive and determined unit"?  That would be something.

What Nba player did we lose?

What

Quote from: carmineabbatiello on October 30, 2014, 11:58:39 PM

Quote from: QuanMan on October 30, 2014, 07:58:05 PM

They are a cohesive and determined unit. 

Seven months ago the same core, at present missing an Nba player mind you, was a no show in the BE and NIT tournaments.  Now they've miraculously morphed into a "cohesive and determined unit"?  That would be something.

What Nba player did we lose?

Sampson

Quote from: cjfish on October 31, 2014, 11:22:10 AM

far from doomed.  Our backcourt is probably in the top 3 in the country and is incredibly deep.  If the frontcourt can rebound effectively, score a little, play good D (which is as much about effort and smarts as talent) we will be fine.  I see SJU getting in the torney.  There are reasons to be optimistic, torney is usually guard dominated.

We had that exact same backcourt last season, only now our front court is weaker.   How does that equal more success?
And fwiw our backcourt isn't top 3.   Kentucky alone has 2 pairs of guards better than ours, plus Duke, plus Villanova, Gonzaga etc

If Jordan has matured from last year, then the backcourt will be better.

No way near top 3 though. A top 3 backcourt would make the Elite 8 with me, Desco and Marillic playing in the front court.

Quote from: desco80 on October 31, 2014, 05:55:40 PM

Quote from: cjfish on October 31, 2014, 11:22:10 AM

far from doomed.  Our backcourt is probably in the top 3 in the country and is incredibly deep.  If the frontcourt can rebound effectively, score a little, play good D (which is as much about effort and smarts as talent) we will be fine.  I see SJU getting in the torney.  There are reasons to be optimistic, torney is usually guard dominated.

We had that exact same backcourt last season, only now our front court is weaker.   How does that equal more success?
And fwiw our backcourt isn't top 3.   Kentucky alone has 2 pairs of guards better than ours, plus Duke, plus Villanova, Gonzaga etc

If Jordan has matured from last year, then the backcourt will be better.

No way near top 3 though. A top 3 backcourt would make the Elite 8 with me, Desco and Marillic playing in the front court.

A senior Harrison, soph Jordan, and seniors Branch and Greene coming off the bench has to be up there with the best in the country. Maybe top 3 is a stretch, but I would say definitely top 10.

Greene? He is a loose cannon. 

He shot 40% from three; had an assist/turnover ratio in the upper stratosphere; he's never had any known behavioral issues or violated a team rule; not one physical altercation nor even looked funny at an official in 3 years running.

What makes him a "loose cannon"

Quote from: stjohnnie75 on October 31, 2014, 07:47:38 PM

Quote from: desco80 on October 31, 2014, 05:55:40 PM

Quote from: cjfish on October 31, 2014, 11:22:10 AM

far from doomed.  Our backcourt is probably in the top 3 in the country and is incredibly deep.  If the frontcourt can rebound effectively, score a little, play good D (which is as much about effort and smarts as talent) we will be fine.  I see SJU getting in the torney.  There are reasons to be optimistic, torney is usually guard dominated.

We had that exact same backcourt last season, only now our front court is weaker.   How does that equal more success?
And fwiw our backcourt isn't top 3.   Kentucky alone has 2 pairs of guards better than ours, plus Duke, plus Villanova, Gonzaga etc

If Jordan has matured from last year, then the backcourt will be better.

No way near top 3 though. A top 3 backcourt would make the Elite 8 with me, Desco and Marillic playing in the front court.

A senior Harrison, soph Jordan, and seniors Branch and Greene coming off the bench has to be up there with the best in the country. Maybe top 3 is a stretch, but I would say definitely top 10.

If you've followed this team, you know that Jordan is coming off the bench before Greene is.

Will Lavin recognize that this team is best pressing for a good part of the game.  The 4 guards are all very quick as is Pointer.  WIll Lavin be smart enough to press early, not only when the game is slipping out of reach???  I don't think so,  but this is the obvious ay to utilize a skilled, quick backcourt and to put less pressure on the inexperienced, less talented, big men.   

Will Lavin recognize that this team is best pressing for a good part of the game.  The 4 guards are all very quick as is Pointer.  WIll Lavin be smart enough to press early, not only when the game is slipping out of reach???  I don't think so,  but this is the obvious ay to utilize a skilled, quick backcourt and to put less pressure on the inexperienced, less talented, big men.

Really?  The way to take pressure off the big men is by pressing?
When you press, if you don't stop the ball or force help, you end up with odd man rushes against your big man who is pin-balled back and forth having to guard against two people coming at him.

It may sound counter-intuitive, but the strategic truth is you can hide bigmen by playing a 2-3 and packing it in.  Then, you're big is never left alone guarding someone in isolaction where he can draw fouls or be abused. 

In theory our athleticism makes you think we'd be a good trapping and pressing team, but over the last three seasons the opposite is true.  When we press we just create fast breaks for the other team.
I actually wouldn't change the ddefense at all.  Since we abandoned the quick sand, match up zone, our defense has been just fine. 
Our defensive efficiency rating was top 40 in the country last season.
Ken pom's preseason ratings predicts us to be top 15 this season .

Don't touch the defense lol.   Stick to simple  half court man and zone schemes  depending on the situation, and let the players' instincts do the rest.

Agree with Desco on this one.  All for using our athleticism and quickness by playing aggressive man to man defense in the half court, with CO acting as a rim protector.  Not pressing except on occasion.  When we played man last year, as Desco noted, our defense was very good.  And as the year progressed, you heard other coaches/commentators (i.e., Jay Wright) specifically cite our half court ball pressure as being very good. 

Of course on offense we want to get out and run where possible.  That covers our half court struggles, which I think we will have again unless Jordan improves his outside shooting a lot and/or CO gives us some sort of post presence.

Quote from: stjohnnie75 on October 31, 2014, 07:47:38 PM

Quote from: desco80 on October 31, 2014, 05:55:40 PM

Quote from: cjfish on October 31, 2014, 11:22:10 AM

far from doomed.  Our backcourt is probably in the top 3 in the country and is incredibly deep.  If the frontcourt can rebound effectively, score a little, play good D (which is as much about effort and smarts as talent) we will be fine.  I see SJU getting in the torney.  There are reasons to be optimistic, torney is usually guard dominated.

We had that exact same backcourt last season, only now our front court is weaker.   How does that equal more success?
And fwiw our backcourt isn't top 3.   Kentucky alone has 2 pairs of guards better than ours, plus Duke, plus Villanova, Gonzaga etc

If Jordan has matured from last year, then the backcourt will be better.

No way near top 3 though. A top 3 backcourt would make the Elite 8 with me, Desco and Marillic playing in the front court.

A senior Harrison, soph Jordan, and seniors Branch and Greene coming off the bench has to be up there with the best in the country. Maybe top 3 is a stretch, but I would say definitely top 10.

That's fair.  The backcourt is clearly our strength, and should be one of the better units around.   
But Johnnie 75 is right.  Duke for example has Quinn cook and  Sulaman  returning and are bringing in the #1g in the country in Tyus Jones and another top 20 player in Grayson allen.     That's an embarrassment of riches for a team that lost parker and hood lol.

Will Lavin recognize that this team is best pressing for a good part of the game.  The 4 guards are all very quick as is Pointer.  WIll Lavin be smart enough to press early, not only when the game is slipping out of reach???  I don't think so,  but this is the obvious ay to utilize a skilled, quick backcourt and to put less pressure on the inexperienced, less talented, big men.   

That is what he told us he wanted to do. Whether he does it, or not, we'll see. I would be content if we never played a zone of any kind ever again. There is no use in continuing to do what always fails.

Quote from: redstorm212 on October 31, 2014, 07:59:36 PM

Quote from: stjohnnie75 on October 31, 2014, 07:47:38 PM

Quote from: desco80 on October 31, 2014, 05:55:40 PM

Quote from: cjfish on October 31, 2014, 11:22:10 AM

far from doomed.  Our backcourt is probably in the top 3 in the country and is incredibly deep.  If the frontcourt can rebound effectively, score a little, play good D (which is as much about effort and smarts as talent) we will be fine.  I see SJU getting in the torney.  There are reasons to be optimistic, torney is usually guard dominated.

We had that exact same backcourt last season, only now our front court is weaker.   How does that equal more success?
And fwiw our backcourt isn't top 3.   Kentucky alone has 2 pairs of guards better than ours, plus Duke, plus Villanova, Gonzaga etc

If Jordan has matured from last year, then the backcourt will be better.

No way near top 3 though. A top 3 backcourt would make the Elite 8 with me, Desco and Marillic playing in the front court.

A senior Harrison, soph Jordan, and seniors Branch and Greene coming off the bench has to be up there with the best in the country. Maybe top 3 is a stretch, but I would say definitely top 10.

That's fair.  The backcourt is clearly our strength, and should be one of the better units around.   
But Johnnie 75 is right.  Duke for example has Quinn cook and  Sulaman  returning and are bringing in the #1g in the country in Tyus Jones and another top 20 player in Grayson allen.     That's an embarrassment of riches for a team that lost parker and hood lol.

Duke is not a world beater. They can be beaten, but I don't think it will come down to talent. We have enough talent. The team, as a whole, has to get tougher. Stop avoiding contact and start playing like New Yorkers.

Quote from: redstorm212 on October 31, 2014, 07:59:36 PM

Quote from: stjohnnie75 on October 31, 2014, 07:47:38 PM

Quote from: desco80 on October 31, 2014, 05:55:40 PM

Quote from: cjfish on October 31, 2014, 11:22:10 AM

far from doomed.  Our backcourt is probably in the top 3 in the country and is incredibly deep.  If the frontcourt can rebound effectively, score a little, play good D (which is as much about effort and smarts as talent) we will be fine.  I see SJU getting in the torney.  There are reasons to be optimistic, torney is usually guard dominated.

We had that exact same backcourt last season, only now our front court is weaker.   How does that equal more success?
And fwiw our backcourt isn't top 3.   Kentucky alone has 2 pairs of guards better than ours, plus Duke, plus Villanova, Gonzaga etc

If Jordan has matured from last year, then the backcourt will be better.

No way near top 3 though. A top 3 backcourt would make the Elite 8 with me, Desco and Marillic playing in the front court.

A senior Harrison, soph Jordan, and seniors Branch and Greene coming off the bench has to be up there with the best in the country. Maybe top 3 is a stretch, but I would say definitely top 10.

That's fair.  The backcourt is clearly our strength, and should be one of the better units around.   
But Johnnie 75 is right.  Duke for example has Quinn cook and  Sulaman  returning and are bringing in the #1g in the country in Tyus Jones and another top 20 player in Grayson allen.     That's an embarrassment of riches for a team that lost parker and hood lol.

I would not for a second trade harrison and Jordan for cook and Sulaimon.

Quote from: cjfish on October 31, 2014, 11:22:10 AM

far from doomed.  Our backcourt is probably in the top 3 in the country and is incredibly deep.  If the frontcourt can rebound effectively, score a little, play good D (which is as much about effort and smarts as talent) we will be fine.  I see SJU getting in the torney.  There are reasons to be optimistic, torney is usually guard dominated.

We had that exact same backcourt last season, only now our front court is weaker.   How does that equal more success?
And fwiw our backcourt isn't top 3.   Kentucky alone has 2 pairs of guards better than ours, plus Duke, plus Villanova, Gonzaga etc

Desco come on man, our back court is not exactly the same when three of them now become seniors and the other one ( the best of the group) is no longer a freshmen.

Ullis and Booker over Harrison and Rysheed?