DanMcQ
Moderator
Posts: 30,476
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Post by DanMcQ on Nov 27, 2014 22:09:53 GMT -5
First of 3 this year - finish the tournament strong and establish dominance now.
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Post by FrazierFanatic on Nov 27, 2014 22:23:34 GMT -5
Gotta get this one to feel real good about tourney performance. Even with strong games yesterday and today, a1-2 result would leave a little bad taste.
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nychoya3
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 2,674
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Post by nychoya3 on Nov 27, 2014 22:58:26 GMT -5
I didn't see Butler's game today, but against UNC they murdered them on the offensive boards. We can't let that happen to us. It's the third game in three days, so this is where our depth should help us.
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calhoya
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 4,351
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Post by calhoya on Nov 28, 2014 8:31:05 GMT -5
Another good test for the Hoyas today. They are expected to win this game and Butler provides more opportunity for growth. It is becoming obvious what areas need to improve to take the next step into being more than on the fringe of the Top 25. Ball security-- way too many unforced errors in the games and not just coming from the younger players. Outside shooting (other than DSR yesterday)--yes there have been some nice shots by Peak, Tre and White, but more often than not there is but one reliable outside shooter. Jabril and Reggie need to step it up. Outside or inside, Hopkins has to simply find a way to become credible as a threat. With his defense and rebounding, he could become a major asset on the floor if he simply can finish. Defensive rebounding--when Hopkins plays the 5 our defenisve rebounding really struggles as he is the only rebounder in the game. Someone else needs to help. Bowen does a better job at this than White but both are just going to struggle against big bodies. Entry passes to Smith--the guy is not mobile and the ball simply has to get to him in a "safe" zone. He is not quick enough to go get a pass that is slightly off. Finally FT shooting needs to improve, notwithstanding the clutch 3 made by White last night. The Hoyas are consistently around 68% for the season, but that does not alone reveal the true impact of missing the front end of a 1 and 1, particularly down the stretch of a close game.
After posting this earlier I thought I might have been too negative. Now I am not so sure. Watching that first half dumbfounds me how a team can almost have a tradition of average to poor free throw shooting. Great to see Copeland stepping up, but Smith is disappearing. Hopkins is always good for at least one "Oh yes!" play per half and a couple of "Why?" fouls. Where is Jabril? His energy is needed, but under control emotionally. The freshmen get a pass for being erratic, but it seems like this team suffered a major letdown after the loss yesterday.
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prhoya
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 23,258
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Post by prhoya on Nov 28, 2014 9:07:43 GMT -5
First of 3 this year - finish the tournament strong and establish dominance now. Maybe 4 times! When was the last time that happened?
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Post by centercourt400s on Nov 28, 2014 9:37:42 GMT -5
Throw in the NCAA tournament and it could be 5 times.
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blueandgray
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Posts: 6,746
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Post by blueandgray on Nov 28, 2014 10:01:06 GMT -5
First of 3 this year - finish the tournament strong and establish dominance now. Maybe 4 times! When was the last time that happened? Villanova '85
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blueandgray
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Posts: 6,746
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Post by blueandgray on Nov 28, 2014 10:06:10 GMT -5
Another good test for the Hoyas today. They are expected to win this game and Butler provides more opportunity for growth. It is becoming obvious what areas need to improve to take the next step into being more than on the fringe of the Top 25. Ball security-- way too many unforced errors in the games and not just coming from the younger players. Outside shooting (other than DSR yesterday)--yes there have been some nice shots by Peak, Tre and White, but more often than not there is but one reliable outside shooter. Jabril and Reggie need to step it up. Outside or inside, Hopkins has to simply find a way to become credible as a threat. With his defense and rebounding, he could become a major asset on the floor if he simply can finish. Defensive rebounding--when Hopkins plays the 5 our defenisve rebounding really struggles as he is the only rebounder in the game. Someone else needs to help. Bowen does a better job at this than White but both are just going to struggle against big bodies. Entry passes to Smith--the guy is not mobile and the ball simply has to get to him in a "safe" zone. He is not quick enough to go get a pass that is slightly off. Finally FT shooting needs to improve, notwithstanding the clutch 3 made by White last night. The Hoyas are consistently around 68% for the season, but that does not alone reveal the true impact of missing the front end of a 1 and 1, particularly down the stretch of a close game. Great point about post entry pass to josh. It ricochets off his fingertips out of bounds at least twice a game. It has to be thrown right at him. At the same time, while we are doing a fairly good job at looking for Josh, seems like we still need to be more decisive with the entry pass. To often it's ready......aim......aim......aim.....
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rockhoya
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 3,830
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Post by rockhoya on Nov 28, 2014 10:13:23 GMT -5
Another good test for the Hoyas today. They are expected to win this game and Butler provides more opportunity for growth. It is becoming obvious what areas need to improve to take the next step into being more than on the fringe of the Top 25. Ball security-- way too many unforced errors in the games and not just coming from the younger players. Outside shooting (other than DSR yesterday)--yes there have been some nice shots by Peak, Tre and White, but more often than not there is but one reliable outside shooter. Jabril and Reggie need to step it up. Outside or inside, Hopkins has to simply find a way to become credible as a threat. With his defense and rebounding, he could become a major asset on the floor if he simply can finish. Defensive rebounding--when Hopkins plays the 5 our defenisve rebounding really struggles as he is the only rebounder in the game. Someone else needs to help. Bowen does a better job at this than White but both are just going to struggle against big bodies. Entry passes to Smith--the guy is not mobile and the ball simply has to get to him in a "safe" zone. He is not quick enough to go get a pass that is slightly off. Finally FT shooting needs to improve, notwithstanding the clutch 3 made by White last night. The Hoyas are consistently around 68% for the season, but that does not alone reveal the true impact of missing the front end of a 1 and 1, particularly down the stretch of a close game. Great point about post entry pass to josh. It ricochets off his fingertips out of bounds at least twice a game. It has to be thrown right at him. At the same time, while we are doing a fairly good job at looking for Josh, seems like we still need to be more decisive with the entry pass. To often it's ready......aim......aim......aim..... And also our guards need to be better and looking for the re-post after the initial look is too crowded. Especially when Josh has a mismatch (which is basically everytime down the court). Too often yesterday Josh was fighting for position only to see the ball reversed along the perimeter to the other side. All it takes is a little patience because Josh is good enough to get position after a few more seconds and he's a big enough that if no one is frontin him there will be a passing lane.
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njhoya78
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Posts: 7,764
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Post by njhoya78 on Nov 28, 2014 10:15:09 GMT -5
Regarding Hopkins. . .waitin' and wishin' and hopin' isn't going to help get it done. Mikael Hopkins is what he is. . .very good defensively, and very challenged offensively. No matter how much we in HoyaTalk opine that he would be so much better if he could create himself as an offensive threat, that isn't going to happen. It hasn't happened in three years and expecting that to now change is a waste of our energy and comes perilously close to Einstein's definition of insanity (i.e. doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result). We're better off just being grateful, in this joyous holiday season, for whatever scraps of points he contributes. When you lower your expectations you are less likely to be disappointed. . .and that's where I now am on Hop's offense.
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Post by hoyasaxa2003 on Nov 28, 2014 11:10:58 GMT -5
There is some irony in ESPN having to cover a Big East game.
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seaweed
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 4,655
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Post by seaweed on Nov 28, 2014 11:42:01 GMT -5
Maybe 4 times! When was the last time that happened? Villanova '85 Amazing how two words can still cause such pain, 29 years later. Rock on Hoyas
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hoyainla
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Suspended
Posts: 4,719
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Post by hoyainla on Nov 28, 2014 11:57:55 GMT -5
This will be a very tough game but more from a mental standpoint. You could tell the guys really wanted to win yesterday and there could be a hangover today. Also Butler shot so bad yesterday and we shot decent. These things tend to even out. Let's just hope it doesn't even out today.
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AvantGuardHoya
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
"It was when I found out I could make mistakes that I knew I was on to something."
Posts: 1,480
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Post by AvantGuardHoya on Nov 28, 2014 12:47:35 GMT -5
Maybe 4 times! When was the last time that happened? Villanova '85 Sorry, B & G, JT_III had it right. In '84-'85, we split w/St.John's in the regular season, beat them in BET finals and smacked them again in the National Championship semis. We only played Nova three times, winning the two regular season games before facing them in the National title debacle. We didn't play the Wildcats in the conference tournament.
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prhoya
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 23,258
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Post by prhoya on Nov 28, 2014 13:15:15 GMT -5
Regarding Hopkins. . .waitin' and wishin' and hopin' isn't going to help get it done. Mikael Hopkins is what he is. . .very good defensively, and very challenged offensively. No matter how much we in HoyaTalk opine that he would be so much better if he could create himself as an offensive threat, that isn't going to happen. It hasn't happened in three years and expecting that to now change is a waste of our energy and comes perilously close to Einstein's definition of insanity (i.e. doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result). We're better off just being grateful, in this joyous holiday season, for whatever scraps of points he contributes. When you lower your expectations you are less likely to be disappointed. . .and that's where I now am on Hop's offense. Call me insane, but I always think miracles like Duke's Zoubek can happen. We just have to hold on until March.
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DanMcQ
Moderator
Posts: 30,476
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Post by DanMcQ on Nov 28, 2014 13:41:08 GMT -5
Hopkins on fire offensively would not be nearly the meteor strike that was Zoubek.
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Boz
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123 Fireballs!
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Post by Boz on Nov 28, 2014 14:04:07 GMT -5
On ESPNews until Kansas-Tennessee ends. Just in case anyone didn't hear that.
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Elvado
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Posts: 6,080
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Post by Elvado on Nov 28, 2014 14:16:25 GMT -5
Maybe 4 times! When was the last time that happened? Villanova '85 Close but no. St. John's '85. We did not face Nova in BET that year
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hoyainspirit
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
When life puts that voodoo on me, music is my gris-gris.
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Post by hoyainspirit on Nov 28, 2014 14:17:07 GMT -5
4 TO's already.
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Post by friscotxhoya on Nov 28, 2014 14:18:54 GMT -5
Everyone seems tired, maybe why the sloppy play.
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