Sun 11/24 BE Game Thread (2 Games)

[dmac80]

Got to like PC's chances to win this event tomorrow night against a pretty average Maryland team who is without an experienced PG.

I think you're underrating Maryland. Even without their PG, they came within a point of UConn at Barclay. This is a good team even though they suffer from inconstancy with their PG play. OTOH, they are big and can rebound with anyone. Although they turn the ball over, they also force a lot of turnovers. In some ways, they are a mirror image of Providence, who is also featuring a starting lineup without an experienced PG but bringing Dunn off the bench. Maryland brings freshman PG Roddy Peters, a top 50 recruit, off the bench in the same manner. Although he averages only 20 mpg, he is leading the team in assists. This Maryland team has a lot of talent and an experienced coach. I wouldn't take them lightly.

On the bright side, if PC can win this game, it puts them in the position of going into the Kentucky game in a couple of weeks at (8-0) at Barclay. Kentucky will probably be (6-1) with their only loss being to #1 Michigan state. That will be quite a matchup. Providence could grab a lot of headlines with a win there. Here's hoping that PC can go 9-0.

They also lost to Oregon St, and Were down double digits to Abilene Christian. They're a bubble team at best most likely end up in the NIT. Providence should win this game.

I agree its a jekyl and hyde Maryland club. They've looked dangerous in the PJ tourney so far, so its going to be a tough game with 2 tired teams. PC should win this game though. Going to be a battle.

[TheHall]

The BE is not the MWC. PC looking to ice it at the line 70-63 30 secs left.

I didn't say we were. I just think we're going to see the committee looking more at who you beat ooc. Folks need to focus more on getting the quality wins than just saying we're avoiding getting the bad losses.

When the other poster said we have less bad losses than most other conferences, you tried to downplay the importance of that by referring to the MWC. We are not the MWC and I don't think the most BE team's formula for getting bids is the same as most teams in the MWC period. Not only is what the poster said good news, it's also relevant & important. But it just seems that no matter what has happened on the court you keep putting out this negative spin on the league's performance. Last week when teams lost some games you tried to make it seem like they would have to go undefeated in-conference to save their season. Also last week you were criticizing Joshua Smith saying he shouldn't play much b/c the hoyas looked better without him (even though you didn't even see some of the games). Dude is your second best player right now and maybe the best by the end of the season. Where's your credibility when you're already giving up on a former McD's AA who's only played a handful of games & brought it yesterday.



This weekend all the teams (5-0 wknd) bounced back undeniably strong by winning & avoiding bad losses that so many ranked teams like Mich, VCU, UofL, NM, etc experienced, not to mentioned bad losses by unranked teams. Even when teams just like SHU win you try to belittle it by saying they just "did what they were supposed to do." Wash St. lost at home to 15 pt underdog TCU last night. Unless you are a top 10-15 team there is no such thing as doing watch you were supposed to do, wins are earned not awarded based on KemPom predictions.

Look you obviously have every right to keep pointing out the perceived weaknesses of a obviously non-perfect BE but I intend to enjoy this season and so far I've seen plenty of things to be optimistic about, including not having many bad losses relatively speaking to the other conferences, or not having a team in the league like Georgia who's 1-4, or the fact that we started with 1 ranked team and now we have 2, with the potential to have more based on this week alone.

[stever20]

Georgetown didn't win that game because of Josh Smith yesterday. Not at all. The guards won that game. plain and simple. Smith was a part of the win- but he wasn't the most important player to me at all.

And- yes- some teams probably do have to not lose any more OOC games to have a real shot at making the tourney. You might not like to hear it- but going 18-14 or even 19-13 isn't good enough any more to make the tourney. I don't think anyone is going to go 13-5 even in conference play. Probably we'll be seeing a lot of 9-9 or 10-8 teams. Well, with those- you have to then go 11-2 OOC to get to 20 wins. So- if you have 2 OOC losses already- you just can't get any more.

As far as Seton Hall- they did exactly what we needed them to do. I said before the weekend- we just needed them to not go 0-2 this weekend.

And love how you say that teams like Louisville and New Mexico had bad losses. I didn't realize especially with Louisville- losing to a top 25 North Carolina team is such a bad loss. Even New Mexico- losing to UMass(a team that will probably get ranked this week) that's not a bad loss. Nobody in basketball views either of those losses as bad ones. VCU- they lose to Charlotte(looks a lot better know) and Georgetown. Once again- not bad losses. Bad losses are ones like you said with Washington St- or Seton Hall losing to Mercer. Losing to any top 50 team isn't a bad loss-outside of a lost oppurtunity.

I look at a night like tonight. This is when we can make a huge statement... We're not supposed to do much.
Xavier- vs Abilene Christian 98% chance
Providence- vs Maryland 55% chance
Marquette- @ Arizona St 21% chance
DePaul- vs Wichita St 26% chance

If we can go 3-1 tonight- that would turn heads. That's far more important than beating cupcakes, which the conference has done a lot of so far.

[TheHall]

Georgetown didn't win that game because of Josh Smith yesterday. Not at all. The guards won that game. plain and simple. Smith was a part of the win- but he wasn't the most important player to me at all.

And- yes- some teams probably do have to not lose any more OOC games to have a real shot at making the tourney. You might not like to hear it- but going 18-14 or even 19-13 isn't good enough any more to make the tourney. I don't think anyone is going to go 13-5 even in conference play. Probably we'll be seeing a lot of 9-9 or 10-8 teams. Well, with those- you have to then go 11-2 OOC to get to 20 wins. So- if you have 2 OOC losses already- you just can't get any more.

As far as Seton Hall- they did exactly what we needed them to do. I said before the weekend- we just needed them to not go 0-2 this weekend.

And love how you say that teams like Louisville and New Mexico had bad losses. I didn't realize especially with Louisville- losing to a top 25 North Carolina team is such a bad loss. Even New Mexico- losing to UMass(a team that will probably get ranked this week) that's not a bad loss. Nobody in basketball views either of those losses as bad ones. VCU- they lose to Charlotte(looks a lot better know) and Georgetown. Once again- not bad losses. Bad losses are ones like you said with Washington St- or Seton Hall losing to Mercer. Losing to any top 50 team isn't a bad loss-outside of a lost oppurtunity.

I look at a night like tonight. This is when we can make a huge statement... We're not supposed to do much.
Xavier- vs Abilene Christian 98% chance
Providence- vs Maryland 55% chance
Marquette- @ Arizona St 21% chance
DePaul- vs Wichita St 26% chance

If we can go 3-1 tonight- that would turn heads. That's far more important than beating cupcakes, which the conference has done a lot of so far.

Nuff said...It's Joshua now btw.

[stever20]

I think it's pretty bad looking at the AP poll this week-
Creighton up 3 spots to #20. That's great
Marquette maintains at #25. givn they only beat NH by 5- not a big deal.

look at the others receiving votes
Villanova 16
Xavier 11
Georgetown 1(amazing, given VCU is #27)

Providence- who's had a great starts- not receiving votes.

UMass is in the poll this week- #24.

[stever20]

coaches poll even worse...
Creighton up to #18- only team in the poll

others receiving votes
Marquette 42
Villanova 5
Providence 3
Georgetown 1(VCU ranked #24)

I just think to act like all is great right now isn't right. It isn't. We've realistically done the bare minimum of what we needed to do. That's it.

[billyjack]

coaches poll even worse...
Creighton up to #18- only team in the poll

others receiving votes
Marquette 42
Villanova 5
Providence 3
Georgetown 1(VCU ranked #24)

I just think to act like all is great right now isn't right. It isn't. We've realistically done the bare minimum of what we needed to do. That's it.

I totally disagree with your opinions.

[billyjack]

I think it's pretty bad looking at the AP poll this week-
Creighton up 3 spots to #20. That's great
Marquette maintains at #25. givn they only beat NH by 5- not a big deal.

look at the others receiving votes
Villanova 16
Xavier 11
Georgetown 1(amazing, given VCU is #27)

Providence- who's had a great starts- not receiving votes.

UMass is in the poll this week- #24.

Amazing Duke maintained their #6 spot after barely beating at home both East Carolina and Vermont.

[Lavinwood]

I think it's pretty bad looking at the AP poll this week-
Creighton up 3 spots to #20. That's great
Marquette maintains at #25. givn they only beat NH by 5- not a big deal.

look at the others receiving votes
Villanova 16
Xavier 11
Georgetown 1(amazing, given VCU is #27)

Providence- who's had a great starts- not receiving votes.

UMass is in the poll this week- #24.

And no doubt about it, PC has played as well as any of the teams receiving votes, but as I said days ago, PC does not have the brand name nationally to make coaches want to give them votes. Unfortunately when your name doesn't roll off the tongue as easily as some other big schools, you have to do a lot more to prove yourself. That's why I said PC needs 2 ranked wins and an undefeated record vs. cupcakes to get in the top 25. The teams that have historically been ranked consistently have a much easier time entering and staying in the top 25.

[billyjack]

I don't have time to look this up:

What is the ACC's record versus:
-Top 25 teams.
-Top 50 teams.
-Top 100 teams.
-Top 200 teams.

What is the Big East's record versus:
-Top 25 teams.
-Top 50 teams.
-Top 100 teams.
-Top 200 teams.