BE Games Mon 11/16 - 2g - Umbc-SJU, IUPUI-Marquette...

[billyjack]

We avoided a bad loss, but this team has some soul searching to do before the next game. Sincerest apologies to out BE brethren. (Praying to myself that IUPUI goes on to beat NC State, Memphis, and Purdue but loses to Butler and Creighton).

"Just win baby!"
At this time of year, it doesn't matter what it looks like.
Marquette has a young team that will keep getting better.
Just feed it into Fischer and Ellenson more.
Glad you guys got the W.

[SJHooper]

Nice win by Marquette vs. a very crafty IUPUI team that can drain 3's like crazy. They were just dead on tonight. Marquette has a ton of talent...once they put it together I don't see how you aren't a top 25 team. Ellenson and Fischer both 6'11 Ellenson outside and Fischer inside are you kidding? That's a dream. Also nice win by my Johnnies to go to 2-0 with brand new everything. We really should have won this game by 40 and the talent gap was brutally obvious (in our favor), but we made a ton of turnovers which kept them close until we pulled away late.

Some takeaways:

*St. John's will finally be a team that can shoot 3's consistently. I felt the chills typing that. We never have this. Usually we have 1 player shoot 3's now we have 3-4.

*Mussini is very crafty and is the prototypical Gonzaga player (they recruited him too). He is an undersized PG, but crafty and has a beautiful shot. The kid can flat out shoot.

*Sima was the biggest steal...the kid is already doing better than Obekpa a few games into the season vs. Obekpa as a JR with us. He actually has some offense in him, can still block shots, rebound, and has a very pretty and consistent FT shot for a guy at 6'11.

We will still get blown out most games because we are very undersized and undermanned, but once we get Ponds, LoVett, Yakwe, Owens, etc. plus maybe Freudenberg next year, man watch out. Give this team 2-3 yrs and I really don't see why it can't be a top 25 squad.

[billyjack]

St John's looked solid overall. They have talent but like Marquette, PC, and others, they're young. SJU committed 18 or so turnovers, but their defense was really good. Ton of blocks as a team. Generally, I really like that Mullin has them driving to the hoop. Once again, unlike last year, very few 18 foot jumpers, though Durand Johnson hit a couple of nice ones in the 2nd half.

The Johnnies should be able to beat Rutgers at home this week, but they will take their lumps this year. But they're not the complete disaster that I expected after seeing their score vs St Thomas Aquinas.

[Jet915]

What happened to Traci Carter? Is he hurt or something?

[RedStormHoops]

Really loving this St. John's team so far. The improvement game from game has been great, and makes it clear Mullin CAN do this. Mussini has been a huge surprise. Sima is a beast.

We will lose a lot of games in conference this year. But these young guys we have will gain some experience, come back next season with LoVett, Yakwe, and Shamorie Ponds joining the cause. Hopefully we can get Bashir Ahmed and Rawle Alkins as well. Future is bright

[marquette]

What's the old saying? "The best thing about freshmen is that they become sophomores."

[BEhomer]

marquette has some serious issues on D. their guards can't keep their men in front and more shocking was how consistently the opposing guards finished around the rim over fischer. they have no perimeter D and no interior D.

They also had big advantage up front with fischer and ellenson, but didn't see them asserting themselves on the board. when you go up against these pesky mid majors you usually have size advantage and you have to pound the glass.

[NJRedman]

St John's looked solid overall. They have talent but like Marquette, PC, and others, they're young. SJU committed 18 or so turnovers, but their defense was really good. Ton of blocks as a team. Generally, I really like that Mullin has them driving to the hoop. Once again, unlike last year, very few 18 foot jumpers, though Durand Johnson hit a couple of nice ones in the 2nd half.

The Johnnies should be able to beat Rutgers at home this week, but they will take their lumps this year. But they're not the complete disaster that I expected after seeing their score vs St Thomas Aquinas.

That blow out loss to STAC was the best thing that could have happened to us. These kids now don't take anyone for granted, not even lowly UMBC. I think making a post season tourny would be a great success for us even the CBI. The more games they get to play this year the better it will be for next year. Hopefully if things go well we could make the NIT and finish 8th in the league. That would be a good season for us.

[stever20]

St John's looked solid overall. They have talent but like Marquette, PC, and others, they're young. SJU committed 18 or so turnovers, but their defense was really good. Ton of blocks as a team. Generally, I really like that Mullin has them driving to the hoop. Once again, unlike last year, very few 18 foot jumpers, though Durand Johnson hit a couple of nice ones in the 2nd half.

The Johnnies should be able to beat Rutgers at home this week, but they will take their lumps this year. But they're not the complete disaster that I expected after seeing their score vs St Thomas Aquinas.

That blow out loss to STAC was the best thing that could have happened to us. These kids now don't take anyone for granted, not even lowly UMBC. I think making a post season tourny would be a great success for us even the CBI. The more games they get to play this year the better it will be for next year. Hopefully if things go well we could make the NIT and finish 8th in the league. That would be a good season for us.

St John's will be lucky to finish with a .500 record this year- and that's not close to NIT with the way the NIT is now.

[DudeAnon]

I am impressed by Mussini. I watched some of their scrimmage and he looked awful. He is probably the smallest dude on the court and the lightest. He is definitely benefiting from Lovett being ineligible but that doesn't take away from what a great job he has done so far.