St. Joe's Might Drop Their First Game

[korme]

Down 55-53 with 1:21 on the clock and it's Rhode Island ball. On ESPN2, anyone else watching?

[mauchow]

SJU up by two...

Sudden change of events, 19 seconds.

[korme]

They win 57-55.

[The_herd]

Great game, they are a lock now to go undefeated for the regular season. The A-10 tourney is dangerous, but they should survive. Unfortunately, they are so perimeter oriented that they don't have much of a chance in the NCAA's. They have no inside game whatsoever, RI had their zone stretched out so far it was ridiculous, and all St. Joe's could do is throw up 3's.

[SteelerFan448]

Any of the other top 5 teams in the country would probably dominate St. Joe's IMO.

[cthomer5000]

Any of the other top 5 teams in the country would probably dominate St. Joe's IMO.
even Gonzaga, who St. Joe's already beat?

[korme]

Jameer brings so much to St. Joe's it is ridiculous, he does all the little things, you just never know how far they can go being a relatively small school from the A-10. And the scary thing is, Delonte West is a better shooter/scorer than Nelson.

[tucker342]

Great game. Rhode Island played their asses off and they deserve major props for keeping so close... If they can make their 3s in the Tournament they will have a great chance to get to the final four... This is a team that shoots 42.2% from three-point range, while averaging 9.8 made 3s per game... that's incredible.

[k0ruptr]

Hell they are better then stanford.

[mtaystl03]

People are loving to hate on St. Joes. They will go deep into this tournament and possibly even win it. What's wrong with throwing up 3's when you make a high percentage of them and play tenacious D (no pun).

[The_herd]

People are loving to hate on St. Joes. They will go deep into this tournament and possibly even win it. What's wrong with throwing up 3's when you make a high percentage of them and play tenacious D (no pun).

Arizona did that in the early '90's and it got them several early exits.

[Tigercat]

Arizona did that in the early '90's and it got them several early exits.

Good guard play wins in March more often than good inside play. Theres been numerous stories on this over the years, how guys like Shaq and Duncan couldn't get their team good enough in March.

[The_herd]

Good guard play wins in March more often than good inside play. Theres been numerous stories on this over the years, how guys like Shaq and Duncan couldn't get their team good enough in March.

The last team I can recall winning it all while playing even as close to as one dimensional as St. Joe's plays is Arizona in '97. St. Joe's best interior player averages less than 7ppg. Their top 5 scorer's are perimeter players.

One dimensional teams rarely go far in the tourney. LSU revolved around Shaq, they were one dimensional. Wake Forest had Randolf Childress early in Duncan's career, but they didn't have anything else.

I would love to see one of these stories of how one dimensional teams win in March.

St. Joe's is a very good team, but thier style of play usually doesn't last long when the NCAA's start.

[mgadfly]

even Gonzaga, who St. Joe's already beat?

Gonzaga with Turiaf on a neutral court?

or Gonzaga without Turiaf on a court within driving distance of St. Joes?

[Butter_of_69]

SJU will lose the A-10 final at UD Arena to Dayton.

Book it.

URI showed how to beat them. Hard to take perimeter shots when there are 4 guys guarding the 3-point line. Granted, they didn't shoot very well, but that's because many of the 3-pointers were being contested whereas normally they can pop guys free at will.

[Butter_of_69]

OK, we really mean it this time.... X is up 36-19 late in the 1st half.

follow it through the LiveStats link here: hxxp://www.atlantic10.org/sports/mbball/champs.asp

[cincyreds]

43-21 at the half!!

(In the words of Dickie V) Today is the day that St. Joe is going down baby!! So that the Dukies can reclaim what is rightfully theirs and that is the No.1 team in America baby!!

[Butter_of_69]

I wanted frickin' UD to beat them, not Xavier! This would probably lock up Xavier in the NCAA tourney too. That sucks.

We'll see what Nelson can pull out of his ass in the second half... Not too many 22 point plays that I know of.

[Wolfpack]

This will be a true test for St. Joe's. A great team will face this kind of adversity and overcome it. If St. Joe's is truly worthy of #1, they'll rally and make things close by the end. If they're not, they'll continue to get pummeled. A question springs to mind. If they get blown out, do they even hang on to a #1 seed or do they fall to a #2?

[Neuqua]

I don't see any way for them to not be a #1 seed in the upcoming tournament. I don't think the NCAA committee is going to punish them that much for losing one game at the end of the year.

We'll find out Sunday though.

[Butter_of_69]

XU opens 2nd half on a 6-0 run, 49-21 with 17 min. to play.

[Butter_of_69]

Dola

That is to say: It's over.

[Ksyrup]

I'd be relieved to get that loss out of the way. I wouldn't want my first loss to come during THE Tournament - that would suck.

[MrBug708]

I don't see any way for them to not be a #1 seed in the upcoming tournament. I don't think the NCAA committee is going to punish them that much for losing one game at the end of the year.

We'll find out Sunday though.


See Kenyon Martin and Cincy

[korme]

K-Mart also broke his leg and we were left hapless.. what could have been.

[GoldenEagle]

70-37 Xaiver.

[BishopMVP]

87-67 Xavier

[BishopMVP]

That's a final. And as Shorty said, K-Mart was injured.

[Butter_of_69]

X shoots 32/45, 71% and outrebounds SJU 43-18.

So, does this help or hurt St. Joe's? I think it would actually have helped if they had only lost by 2 or something. But getting beat this bad hurts.

[korme]

Out of all teams Xavier, had to be the upset team. Grr. Now I do not get the joy of watching them hope for an NIT bid. :mad:

X shot .711 from the field. Hot damn.

[Samdari]

That's a final. And as Shorty said, K-Mart was injured.

Yah the situations are not comparable. St Joe's still has the same team that went undefeated until now.

St. Joe's was likely the #1 overall team going into this weekend. They should not drop to #5 or below based on one game.

[BishopMVP]

Who would get 1 seeds ahead of them? Stanford/Duke and either Kentucky or MSU if one of them wins the SEC Tourney, but there really isn't any other team deserving this year.

[corbes]

Supposedly they'll still be #2 in the RPI.

[Radii]

Duke/Stanford/St Joes I fully believe have locked up #1 seeds regardless of what they do this weekend. *maybe* a Stanford 20+ point loss in the first round of the pac-10 tournament knocks them to a #2?? but I agree w/ the above thoughts, Duke/Stanford/St Joes + the winner of the SEC tournament gets it.

[k0ruptr]

St. joes should DEFINETLY still get a 1 seed

[scooper]

OK folks, chant it with me. (Cincinnati fans know this one all too well ;) )


X
:clap: :clap: :clap:
A
:clap: :clap: :clap:
V
:clap: :clap: :clap:
I-E-R!!!!!!


X
:clap: :clap: :clap:
A
:clap: :clap: :clap:
V
:clap: :clap: :clap:
I-E-R!!!!!!

[digamma]

Duke/Stanford/St Joes I fully believe have locked up #1 seeds regardless of what they do this weekend. *maybe* a Stanford 20+ point loss in the first round of the pac-10 tournament knocks them to a #2?? but I agree w/ the above thoughts, Duke/Stanford/St Joes + the winner of the SEC tournament gets it.
I think Stanford has to win tonight to get their number one seed. That shouldn't be that hard, although it did take a miracle for them to beat Wazzoo last time out.

[sabotai]

I think the developer needs to check the AI. It's stupid results like these that keep me from buying this particular college basketball sim. The #1 team in the nation should not be losing in the first round of their conference tournement....

wait a second...

[KevinNU7]

lol

[Logan]

That's the worst chant I've ever heard.

[scooper]

That's the worst chant I've ever heard.
But if you're a UC fan, it's one you've heard at the end of a lot of games the past decade. :D

Judging, by your screen name, I'd guess you are. I can't dislike Steve Logan, though. He was a warrior and a class act.

[Butter_of_69]

That's the worst chant I've ever heard.

Then you, my friend, were not at the Atlantic 10 tournament on Wednesday night...

D....
U....
K-E-S!

(For the Duquesne Dukes).

Or even the UMass cheerleaders, who tried to lead an apathetic crowd in a UMass chant by raising their arms in the universal touchdown signal to signify 'U', then inverting them in the universal "angry muscle-man" signal to signify 'M' for Mass.

[cincyreds]

Guess you could say they got hammered!!

[BishopMVP]

Or even the UMass cheerleaders, who tried to lead an apathetic crowd in a UMass chant by raising their arms in the universal touchdown signal to signify 'U', then inverting them in the universal "angry muscle-man" signal to signify 'M' for Mass.
Just for the record, I went to about 10 games this year and never saw the cheerleaders try that. Of course, considering that our fight song consists of the words "Go. Go U. Go U-Mass. Go UMass." I wouldn't bet against the lameness of the cheerleaders.

Butter - I'm assuming you're a Dayton fan. What's your view on Rashaun Freeman? By the end of the year he was killing teams and I think he could be 1st team All-A10 next year, but I'm probably a bit of a homer. If UMass fires Lappas they should be one of the better teams in the A10, and even if he stays, adding 5 post players and another year of experience to this years team should be enough to put them back up near the top of the league.

[Butter_of_69]

Butter - I'm assuming you're a Dayton fan. What's your view on Rashaun Freeman? By the end of the year he was killing teams and I think he could be 1st team All-A10 next year, but I'm probably a bit of a homer.

The good thing for UMass is that the East is the weak side of the league right now, and word is that Charlotte and St. Louis are going to be put into the West, while shipping LaSalle over to the East. The window of opportunity is open for UMass to rise again, especially with Temple fading.

Freeman was terrific in the game the other night, he had a double-double, something like 20 pts. and 13 boards, and the game before I saw on TV, he almost single-handedly brought down Richmond with nearly 30 points. He is a player. I think he has first-team potential, but like you, I still don't understand why UMass hired Lappas, and think he is holding them back a little. Art Bowers also had a terrific game against Duquesne Wed. night, and UMass was actually up about 10 midway through the half before they stopped playing perimeter defense.

I don't know if they fire Lappas yet, but UMass should be a contender for the East next year, especially with SJU losing Nelson and Temple losing Hawkins.

[JeeberD]

Too many damn upsets so far. This is hurting UTEP's chances of getting an at large bid... :mad:

[BishopMVP]

The good thing for UMass is that the East is the weak side of the league right now, and word is that Charlotte and St. Louis are going to be put into the West, while shipping LaSalle over to the East. The window of opportunity is open for UMass to rise again, especially with Temple fading.

Freeman was terrific in the game the other night, he had a double-double, something like 20 pts. and 13 boards, and the game before I saw on TV, he almost single-handedly brought down Richmond with nearly 30 points. He is a player. I think he has first-team potential, but like you, I still don't understand why UMass hired Lappas, and think he is holding them back a little. Art Bowers also had a terrific game against Duquesne Wed. night, and UMass was actually up about 10 midway through the half before they stopped playing perimeter defense.

I don't know if they fire Lappas yet, but UMass should be a contender for the East next year, especially with SJU losing Nelson and Temple losing Hawkins.
LaSalle in the East? Wow. Even though they are young and will probably be a decent team the next couple years, prestige-wise that's a joke. The A-10 as a whole looks pretty open at the top next year, with SJU/Temple/Dayton/Xavier/Richmond all losing key players.

Towards the end of the season Freeman really turned it on. In addition to putting up double-doubles in the tourney and against Temple and his 27/7 against Richmond in the last 3 games, his last home game against St. Bonaventure he went for 31 and 18, both Mullins Center records I think. As for Bowers, he and Maxwell (the other freshman swingman who, IMO, should have made the A-10 rookie team) have been really inconsistent. Bowers missed a month in the middle of the year and struggled shooting for a while after that but he sounded good on the radio broadcast of the Duquesne game. Perimeter D has been a joke all year. I think teams shot like 37-38% on 3-pointers against us.

I've been torn this year as to whether to fire Lappas or not. I agree with his assertion that he has a young team and no depth in the post, but there is no question the team will get better next year, so if we're going to fire him, it has to be now. Even at Villanova, he wasn't going as far as his talent levels seemed to indicate and I'm just not sold on him as a game day coach. I'm not content with the "successful mediocrity" the team seems headed toward with him as coach - 17/18 wins, an NCAA bid every 3-4 years. The best replacement name seems to be Tony Barbee, young, energetic and a former Umass player and assistant. We'll probably find out Monday.