sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2011
- Messages
- 26,482
- Like
- 115,104
Drove down to Newark Saturday afternoon. Sunny weather, ideal driving conditions. It is an easy ride from Syracuse, all on Interstates, and took me just under 3.5 hours to do. I will miss these relatively easy drives where it is possible to drive down, go to the game and get back without spending the night somewhere.
Talked to some Seton Hall fans while I was there. The general feeling I got from them is that they are sad because the Big East they loved is gone but that the Catholic 7 is a badly needed step to end the madness and get away from the harm football has done to the Pirate basketball program. They were impressed by the size of our fanbase, and will miss playing us. The ones I talked to would like to continue to play SU. Doesn't look like it is in the cards with the only BE schools apparently under consideration being Nova, St Johns and Gtown. If the Hoyas prove as cowardly as expected. perhaps we will play the Pirates sometimes instead.
I knew there was a Dino BBQ in Newark but I didn't realize it was located one block from the Prudential Center. Looks like a nice setup there. There isn't a great dining/drinking scene near the arena but the Dino helps things.
Regarding the game, I think SU had more fans there...SHU brought more fans than I expected but I think SU fans outnumber them roughly 3:2,
Regarding the game, SHU got off to a great start, largely using the same plays Nova and UConn used to get open 3 point jumpers from the corners. They position a player on the wing, just outside the 3 point circle, about halfway between the baseline and the top of the key, and when the ball rotates to that side of the court, and the forward is drawn to defend the wing, they rotate another player from the opposite baseline, under the basket to the the corner area just vacated by the forward. A quick pass to that player gives an open 3 quite regularly.
The SU 2-3 used to have a big problem covering the wing area. The adjustment that took the wing away was to play the forwards more pinched to the wing, noticeably further from the baseline than the forwards have played in other years. This offensive adjustment is the answer to JB's changes.
SU has tried, with uneven success, to cover the open corner jumper with the center, who you can often see flying out to try and get a block on these shots. One of the biggest reasons I think we are seeing Keita play more than Christmas right now is because Keita, with his exceptional agility, is much better at doing this than Rakim, who almost killed himself trying to cover the corner in the UConn game last week,
Anway, SHU had success early getting open 3s. They worked the ball quickly around the perimeter and looked like they just might blow us out, getting up 21-12 at one point before I believe we went on a 14-0 run to right the ship.
The PA announcer for the game was very active, had a lot of energy, made some funny wisecracks and made it hard for SU fans to enjoy the game with his joyful reports of made 3s by the Pirates. No evidence of being a Dr Seuss wannabe though. They had a hula hoop contest during one of the breaks that was amusing and probably something we should look at stealing.
SHU packed their defenders into the paint and made it difficult for SU to drive the ball inside for quality shots. Triche, Southerland and Fair were eventually able to hurt the Pirates from outside to open up the middle somewhat. SU did a good job on the offensive boards as well, which was a big reason they were able to make the comeback in the first half.
Given my recurring complaints about BE refs letting the players play too much (and get away with holds, clutching, etc.), I guess I shouldn't beef about all the call the refs made last night, especially in the second half. I guess you have to be careful what you wish for. Seemed like a foul was called on 1o or more possessions in a row in the 2nd half. Many were on incidental contact. It really appeared that a foul was going to be called anytime there a shot was contested, regardless of whether there was a clean block or not.
Fortunately, the crazy run of fouls called did not affect the outcome of the game. Like other tough games on the road this year, SU struggled greatly to score in the half court offense. When SU was struggling the most, and it seemed like no one had an answer, BT stepped up and took over, just as you hope happens with your senior players. Good to see him play so well after having one of the worst games of his career against the Huskies. He is a tough hombre, took a lot of abuse from the Pirates went he went inside. It is a shame he wasn't 4 inches taller, He would easily be our best rebounder then.
SHU played with 3 guards most of the game and SU was able to take advantage of their size most of the game. I assume they dominated the boards pretty badly. MCW did a really nice job helping out down low as needed.
Nice win, any win on the road in conference play is a good one. I wish Christmas could get off the snide and make a couple of good plays early in the next game. He is a good player and is capable of so much more than he is showing right now. JB said repeatedly before the season that the key for this team was the development of the big guys. Keita is Keita...he is not going to change much. But RC can do so much more than what he is doing now. Hope it happens. Soon.
Talked to some Seton Hall fans while I was there. The general feeling I got from them is that they are sad because the Big East they loved is gone but that the Catholic 7 is a badly needed step to end the madness and get away from the harm football has done to the Pirate basketball program. They were impressed by the size of our fanbase, and will miss playing us. The ones I talked to would like to continue to play SU. Doesn't look like it is in the cards with the only BE schools apparently under consideration being Nova, St Johns and Gtown. If the Hoyas prove as cowardly as expected. perhaps we will play the Pirates sometimes instead.
I knew there was a Dino BBQ in Newark but I didn't realize it was located one block from the Prudential Center. Looks like a nice setup there. There isn't a great dining/drinking scene near the arena but the Dino helps things.
Regarding the game, I think SU had more fans there...SHU brought more fans than I expected but I think SU fans outnumber them roughly 3:2,
Regarding the game, SHU got off to a great start, largely using the same plays Nova and UConn used to get open 3 point jumpers from the corners. They position a player on the wing, just outside the 3 point circle, about halfway between the baseline and the top of the key, and when the ball rotates to that side of the court, and the forward is drawn to defend the wing, they rotate another player from the opposite baseline, under the basket to the the corner area just vacated by the forward. A quick pass to that player gives an open 3 quite regularly.
The SU 2-3 used to have a big problem covering the wing area. The adjustment that took the wing away was to play the forwards more pinched to the wing, noticeably further from the baseline than the forwards have played in other years. This offensive adjustment is the answer to JB's changes.
SU has tried, with uneven success, to cover the open corner jumper with the center, who you can often see flying out to try and get a block on these shots. One of the biggest reasons I think we are seeing Keita play more than Christmas right now is because Keita, with his exceptional agility, is much better at doing this than Rakim, who almost killed himself trying to cover the corner in the UConn game last week,
Anway, SHU had success early getting open 3s. They worked the ball quickly around the perimeter and looked like they just might blow us out, getting up 21-12 at one point before I believe we went on a 14-0 run to right the ship.
The PA announcer for the game was very active, had a lot of energy, made some funny wisecracks and made it hard for SU fans to enjoy the game with his joyful reports of made 3s by the Pirates. No evidence of being a Dr Seuss wannabe though. They had a hula hoop contest during one of the breaks that was amusing and probably something we should look at stealing.
SHU packed their defenders into the paint and made it difficult for SU to drive the ball inside for quality shots. Triche, Southerland and Fair were eventually able to hurt the Pirates from outside to open up the middle somewhat. SU did a good job on the offensive boards as well, which was a big reason they were able to make the comeback in the first half.
Given my recurring complaints about BE refs letting the players play too much (and get away with holds, clutching, etc.), I guess I shouldn't beef about all the call the refs made last night, especially in the second half. I guess you have to be careful what you wish for. Seemed like a foul was called on 1o or more possessions in a row in the 2nd half. Many were on incidental contact. It really appeared that a foul was going to be called anytime there a shot was contested, regardless of whether there was a clean block or not.
Fortunately, the crazy run of fouls called did not affect the outcome of the game. Like other tough games on the road this year, SU struggled greatly to score in the half court offense. When SU was struggling the most, and it seemed like no one had an answer, BT stepped up and took over, just as you hope happens with your senior players. Good to see him play so well after having one of the worst games of his career against the Huskies. He is a tough hombre, took a lot of abuse from the Pirates went he went inside. It is a shame he wasn't 4 inches taller, He would easily be our best rebounder then.
SHU played with 3 guards most of the game and SU was able to take advantage of their size most of the game. I assume they dominated the boards pretty badly. MCW did a really nice job helping out down low as needed.
Nice win, any win on the road in conference play is a good one. I wish Christmas could get off the snide and make a couple of good plays early in the next game. He is a good player and is capable of so much more than he is showing right now. JB said repeatedly before the season that the key for this team was the development of the big guys. Keita is Keita...he is not going to change much. But RC can do so much more than what he is doing now. Hope it happens. Soon.
