St. John's Post Game Thread

[Hans Sprungfeld]

What's so funny about that Ern? Their combined score is a fact. They were 4 of 9 from the field w/1 FT for 9 pts, with 9 Fouls between them. IMO not really that funny but rather concerning.

Give a close look at the numbers SJU bigs Soriano and Ejiofor (didn't) put up, and I think you may find it less concerning.

St John's had priorities in game-planning to win. UConn had too many alternate ways to play the game and win.

If it meant that the stats looked weaker for the bigs and the bench, turn your attention to today's big 3:

62 points (SHU scored 64)
50% FG shooting (7-14 from 3)
19-20 FTs
18 RBs, 12 Assists, 6 steals
Only 4 fouls

It was a different kind of game

 

[freescooter]

I like it when we own them.

What a crock. Maybe if we fall off quite a bit. Good grief we are not going to have a rivalry with St John’s or Seton Hall or any other 1957 wannabe.

 

[alphasigko]

Give a close look at the numbers SJU bigs Soriano and Ejiofor (didn't) put up, and I think you may find it less concerning.

St John's had priorities in game-planning to win. UConn had too many alternate ways to play the game and win.

If it meant that the stats looked weaker for the bigs and the bench, turn your attention to today's big 3:

62 points (SHU scored 64)
50% FG shooting (7-14 from 3)
19-20 FTs
18 RBs, 12 Assists, 6 steals
Only 4 fouls

It was a different kind of game

While I agree to a point, the two of them had basically the same box score in the PC game. To me it is a concerning trend, especially when we get into tourney play and the opponents know that SJ has so many weaknesses, and that DC can only score on layups and an occasional dunk. Many of the other BIG men have a few shot options that they rely on, and they do not put themselves in foul trouble as often as SJ and DC do.

 

[Classof87]

• Spencer and Castle were total DOGS today.
• Castle got a horrible whistle in the first half. He went to the line a grand total of zero times the first half, which is wild with how much he was getting held and hit on drives.
• This is like the worst possible matchup for Samson. Just not strong enough for Soriano. I think it’s pretty clear this will be a position that gets some attention in the portal ahead of next year.
• Dominating the boards while missing Karaban and having Clingan plagued by foul trouble is a testament to the guards. Big hat tip to Newton there especially.
• Diarra was just off today. He’s always been pretty mercurial, thankfully this year these days are few and far between.
• Heck of a day at the stripe
• I don’t think I’ve ever watched a broadcast team get the names of the players mixed up more than this crew today. I lost count after a while. Diarra/Castle and Luis/ledlum seemed to be the most common mix-ups. And neither pair really looks that similar.

I thought Diarra played well today. Good D, stayed within himself. Yes, 3 the TO's are not great, but against SJU's D that's not too bad.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

I thought Diarra played well today. Good D, stayed within himself. Yes, 3 the TO's are not great, but against SJU's D that's not too bad.

I didn’t say he was bad, but 4 points, 5 boards, 1 assist, and 3 TOs in 30 minutes is not the level he’s been playing a lot of this year. He had a few nice finishes in transition but was largely invisible on offense. On D he was really nice down the stretch but had some really uncharacteristic blow-bys in the first half. I really didn’t think this was a particularly controversial take. Far from his best game this year.

 

[Tenspro2002]

The best play Spencer made was when we were up 10 with about 3 minutes left.

He took a late-shot-clock 3, missed it short, but followed his shot and rebounded his own miss. Instead of rushing a putback, he pulled it back out, made sure we used the entire 20 extra seconds, then bamboozled his defender into biting on a fake to draw a foul in the lane as the shot clock expired. That slammed the door right there, and it was all due to his composure, craftiness, and IQ.

 

[MuchoDogYears]

View attachment 96012

Our social media team is usually on the ball but oof.

Am I the only one not seeing something? What’s the oof?

 

[MuchoDogYears]

Am I the only one not seeing something? What’s the oof?

Oof…got it. Yeah that’s an oof

 

[NickDanger]

It’s pretty obvious…when you are number one and not Duke, the announcers want you to lose. Glad we could disappoint them again.

I watched the whole game and did not detect any sentiment like that!

 

[NickDanger]

I'd really like to know that we can get a little more out of the bench when we need it ...
But with these starters, when will we need it?

Great performance against a team who designed their game to make life difficult, and yet a double digit win.

Spencer was on today, so was Castle. Newton less so, but still controlled the game.
Clingan still has to find a way to stay on the floor. Many of the fouls are mind boggling.

Yes, several of them were dumb. Hopefully he learns.

 

[Bomber36]

I watched the whole game and did not detect any sentiment like that!

Guess we watched different games then.

 

[ucp990411]

He did. It was halftime of a 2nd round game when Fatso declared we were playing as well as anyone in the tourney. OSU proceeded to blow us out in the 2nd half……..

1992

 

[Punkbo]

Back from my bender. A few quick thoughts from the game:
1. Always a great experience at MSG. Not the best crowd I’ve ever seen, but you could certainly feel the emotion during the anthem.
2. Tristen controlled the tempo of the game. While his demeanor can be frustrating at times, it works for him. In the first half, he was literally being fouled by Jenkins every time he handled the ball. Lots of props to Newt for filling the stat sheet again.
3. Castle is a man. Another great game. My favorite moment was when DC and SJ each had 4 fouls and Castle was at a 5 defending Soriano. Such an admirable effort. My full respect to #5.
4. What can you say about Cam. Nobody has a bigger heart than him. I’ve been critical of his defensive play, but he was great on both ends of the floor yesterday. The heart of a champion.
5. We’ll win a lot of games outrebounding our opponent by 15 and shooting 90% from the line.
6. I love this team!

 

[auror]

Castle, Spencer, and Newton great. Diarra the best defender in the game and worst offensive player lol. Clingan good on both sides of the ball, but less impact due to less minutes.

 

[kris1]

.

• This is like the worst possible matchup for Samson. Just not strong enough for Soriano. I think it’s pretty clear this will be a position that gets some attention in the portal ahead of next year..

I wouldn’t mind the 7-footer playing at that really smart school in New Haven. Kid’s got a nice inside-outside game. Averages 15 & 10, shoots 42% on 3s.

 

[Magic32]

Had a great time at the game for my wife’s first trip to the MSG. Even though the red gear really stood out on television I felt like the UConn crowd was easier to hear. My first time seeing us play St. John’s there in many, many years. Really satisfying to just pull away at the end and leave Slick Rick with no hope.

 

[Polonius]

I was there, and it was interesting when Pitino came up on the big screen with a promo asking fans to support their NIL program. Basically, if you want to win, pony up. At the end he went back into his coffin and closed the lid, as lightning flashed.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Castle, Spencer, and Newton great. Diarra the best defender in the game and worst offensive player lol. Clingan good on both sides of the ball, but less impact due to less minutes.

I didn't need a fancy chart to tell me that Castle, Spencer, and Newton won us this game lol

 

[Marat]

I was there, and it was interesting when Pitino came up on the big screen with a promo asking fans to support their NIL program. Basically, if you want to win, pony up. At the end he went back into his coffin and closed the lid, as lightning flashed.

Couldn't hear anything he was saying as my section booed loudly during that promo clip

 

[Kolumbo]

The highlights which may have been posted already in which case this is a repost but a post nevertheless

 

[tennmike]

Spencer played 39 minutes and didn't even sweat...he's wound tight.
Chirping at Soriano; what a team guy!

 

[Iluvsuebird]

At the risk of getting hate from some, DC should stick around one more year. His offensive game is rudimentary, and at the next level he would be a bench warmer. By my count this is the third consecutive game of dumb fouls defensively. Love the kid. Just tired of seeing UConn stars become bench warmers in the NBA

 

[Storrs South]

The highlights which may have been posted already in which case this is a repost but a post nevertheless

From UConn:

 

[AllHusky]

Watched highlights:

big game at the Garden, #5 scores our first 5 points, getting us going. He ain't a freshman any more

Johnson doesn't know how or can't use his body properly. Moving screen(no foul) and then can't stand his ground, foul called. These are light bulb skills, if and when he can do them effectively, it changes us. Clingan different but the same. Learn to use your body!!

 

[ctchamps]

I can understand the sentiment, but also disagree to a point. We didn't win the league, we didn't win the BET, and it wasn't really until the NCAAs when last year's team became ridiculously awesome. This squad has the opportunity to do all of that, but they've got a pretty big challenge to be as ridiculously awesome as Sanogo/AJ/Hawk & co. were in the NCAAs.

Accomplishment doesn't mean better team. Perhaps the January swoon was partially attributed to the coaching staff not changing AJ's offense quicker.

My reservation with this team is the ability to have a reliable center like Adama who can avoid foul trouble and who can make FT's at a high percentage. Donovan's ceiling is literally and figuratively higher than Adama's as he has shown against Xavier. But it will be necessary for him to do it with more consistency.