Hoyas 70 Louisville 60 Game Discussion

[wrestlemania]

I think RDF has identified the problem but incorrectly identified what is causing it. Indifference is too strong -- more likely the cause is a lack of confidence from the second-line players who have never been required to produce at this level of D1. Energy level, attention to detail, intensity and all the rest of it suffer if you don't believe you can do it. It's not that surprising -- we're talking about a team that is playing more top 25 teams on their schedule than anyone else in the country. But the reality is that Hollis, Vaughn, Henry and Benimon just don't look like they really think they have the stuff to be consistent every night or even every other night in the Big East. It may come in time, but it isn't there now. And that is a huge problem for a team that otherwise has no depth.

And it's a little presumptuous to suggest that JTIII doesn't know an indifferent player when he sees one.

All of that said, keep an eye on what Louisville does at DePaul tomorrow. Yes, DePaul is terrible but they took Syracuse to the wire not long ago. It's a trap game -- if Louisville blows them out by twenty, we are in trouble.

[jerseyhoya34]

Wrestlemania - I think we're in trouble regardless. We have the luxury as fans to look at these other games and think about what happens if X happens or what happens if Y happens. We talked on this site about what it would take to get a 1 seed, hold a 2 seed, and so forth. It matters a hill of beans right now but is fun to discuss when things are going well.

What matters is that our players regroup immediately - whatever effort that has been put forth simply has not gotten it done over the last few games. What I saw was inconsistent and occasionally timid play. Trying hard does not cut it if you lose. Those are not ingredients for winning ball games in February. I can't say I am overly confident given the vibe I get from watching the team right now, and I hope to be proven wrong. We need to play like hell for 40 minutes for each game that follows on our schedule and play the same regardless of what DePaul or anyone else does. In other words, the only Games of Interest from now until the end of season are ones you can look up on GUHoyas.

If they want to prepare for Louisville, they might dig up some Edgar Sosa footage from the Denny Crum era and start there.

[MassHoya]

The inconsistency/ timidity/ lack of confidence is probably a direct result of youth and lack of experience. They are still the 293rd least experienced team. No seniors, three juniors two of whom had limited playing time before this year. Yes, they have played most of this year, but so haven't every other team's players. Notice that the players this board seem to be most critical of, Sims, Thompson, Vaughn, are still short on experience.

Talent and coaching can overcome some of that, but given the stress of D-1 basketball, the BE in particular, and a difficult schedule, consistent success only comes with experience.

[FLHoya]

Feb 20, 2010 1:03:02 GMT -5 wrestlemania said:

All of that said, keep an eye on what Louisville does at DePaul tomorrow. Yes, DePaul is terrible but they took Syracuse to the wire not long ago. It's a trap game -- if Louisville blows them out by twenty, we are in trouble.

Louisville's last three games are:

--A 19 point loss to St. John's that made our effort at RU look like we were playing for the National Championship (this was the same day the Pitino to Nets stories broke...needless to say it was an interesting day on Louisville message boards).

--A hard-fought 6 point win at the Carrier Dome.

--A double OT win over Gody-less Notre Dame, a team that had just dropped games to SJU (at home w/o out Gody) and at SHU (w/o Gody for the final minutes).


Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised with any result coming out of the UL-Depaul game. And, really, the UL-GU game.

[RockawayHoya]

After having a little time to digest the last 2 games, this is what I could come up with (and I hope several posters note that I did not have to start a new thread in order to post a thought).

It feels extremely weird to not have a game this weekend. But, maybe that's exactly what this team needs. A lot of people in various threads have been suggesting that the starters may have been overburdened with too many minutes and are starting to wear down. Whether or not that's true (I tend to believe it's not), the fact is that by the time they tip-off in Freedom Hall, they will have played 1 game in the last 9 days. I expect the guys to be fresh during this stretch run in the regular season, and am not going to accept fatigue as an excuse.

Confidence wise, I still think despite the recent setbacks, we are still far ahead of where we were last year. Last year's team, quite frankly, had no idea how to win. This year's team has figured out how to win. 6 RPI top-50 wins and I believe 6 wins against ranked teams have proven that.

Now's the time (and perhaps this is the hardest of all) for them to learn how to win consistently. It took the 2007 team until mid-January to figure it out. It might take this team a little bit longer if it ever happens at all. I still believe they have the ability to do it this year. But it no longer has anything to do with confidence. It has to do with focus, intensity and desire. All three have to consistently be there if they want to reach the next level. And you know what, sometimes they show signs of each. That 9 minute stretch in the 2nd half on Thursday when they wiped out that deficit was one. Obviously the Pitt, Nova and Duke games were other examples. But they were completely absent during the USF and RU games and lacking at times at Nova. While I thought the team showed intensity and desire for most of Thursday, the focus (numerous fumbled passes, some unnecessary silly fouls, missed defensive assignments, etc.) wasn't there until it was too late.

The guys have to come out on Tuesday hungry to win, ready to execute the game plan (yes haters, it works), and ready to battle all night. This UL team knows that a win over us will likely bring them one win away from an NCAA berth, so you can bet they will come out fired up at home. I've got a feeling it will play out a lot like our game at Pitt: close throughout, and decided by who makes the key plays at critical junctures in the game. I hope they're made by us.

[sleepy]

I don't buy inexperience this year, especially late into february. Clark Monroe have almost 2 years and Freeman and Wright and Vaughn ave 2 1/2 years factoring in injuries and transferring. We have no bench for the rigors of the Big East. Which i could live with if they could play defense when one of the so-called big 3 subs out. The Benchis just plain lost on defense for vast stretches when they are out there. But then again its not like the starters play any semblance of consistent defense themselves.

The one thing that should be constant is D we cant count on shooting 60% against any team on a regular basis. The defense has regressed in month when it should be improving. we don't have a single player who can effectively take anyone out of the offense. Our matchup which has been the staple of the team for the last 5 years continues to regress and we all know how well we play in straight 2-3.

Teams are suppose to improve as you progress into february save for 2007, the track record here is not very good. I dont buy getting worn out but if thats the reason, why 6 years into the program haven't we developed anything approaching a bench. The only thing constant seems to be late season swoons , RDFs annual rant( i wish i had the one from Dec 2006) all of which echo my immediate sentiments when they compete like this,and the calling out of individual players who don't meet the level of expectations that many of us have come to expect especially those who go back 30 plus years.

Face it we have a group of primarily mentally, and physically soft yet skilled players who on occasion play with the intensity level required to compete at the highest levels. Thats not a knock on them its just who they are.

I don't see maybe outside of CW who has taken way too much crap on this board and i'm still not entirely sold on him, anyone that even approaches guys like PE jr of recent years Gene Smith, Perry McDonald, Eric Smith for us old timers who would never put up with what we have witnessed the last few years let alone on thursday. . They put 110% effort into 40 minutes every single game.

Champioship level teams which is what i believe we are aspiring to, require more than a pretty back door passes and the ability to hit 3 point shots. I don't expect to see that missing piece magically appearing any time soon.

That said, i do expect them to compete well at Louisville. we have shown the ability all year to handle the press in almost any form and have had some decent success attacking for easy baskets. Louisvilles 1/2 court zone is very beatable of the dribble and they cannot play man against us. Freeman should have a big day if we can limit turnovers to say 15 or under.
Vaughn needs to show up and give some good minutes on Samuels and limit his touches down low or we will be in trouble.

[hoyaheaven]

Sad isn't it?

And we had such big dreams.

[GUJook97]

Feb 18, 2010 21:48:18 GMT -5 Big Dog said:

I'd buy an argument that this becomes the biggest game of the season to date. Louisville will be favored as they should be. Lose here and I think we're starting at a 7th place finish in conference, diminished confidence at just the wrong time with a desperate inferior team (ND) coming in next, and things could really start to spiral. The ND game is as must-win as it gets, but we really need this Louisville win or we can forget any kind of favored path to the Sweet Sixteen.

i was tooling around, and by most accounts, we are clinging to a 3 seed in Providence. I agree, we probably have to win the 2 home games, a BET first round game and either Lville or WVU. If we dont, we are going to be a 4 or 5 seed in an unfavorable locale, playing a ranked team in the second round, with the potential of playing Kansas in the sweet 16. That shows how much difference there is between 3 and 4.

This might be the biggest game of the year because of where we put ourselves. If we win on Tuesday, lots of things open up, including even the 4th seed in the BET.

[HoyasAreHungry]

Reserving judgment until after this UL game....everyone here should too....How we do in this game will tell us all we need to know. Look: we have a great team..haven't played like it recently but jesus people we can compete and win with anyone in the country we all know this and have SEEN it. IF we continue to play like we have recently than yes we are in big trouble and time to melt down. Let's revisit this on Tuesday night. I still think we can turn this around and will look back at this as a pothole in the road

[gujake]

I swear that every time I watch a Louisville game this year they look like a completely different team. They seem to be just as inconsistent as we are.

[NCHoya]

Since we are so inconsistent, it only makes sense we are due for a big game. I like our chances because I think we have handled the press well this season and I think at some point we will start getting hot again from outside and UL's zone will provide that chance. Samuels will be a force, but we should be able to match-up against him, they really have nothing else inside to worry about.

UL has many of the same consistency issues we have, but unfortunately they will be at home and ready to go. We need to absorb the initial onslaught form them, keep our head and counterpunch hard.

What I have noticed this season is that the team does seem to be wearing down, the evidence? Our rebounding has steadily fallen and our defense is more inconsistent. Those are both tied highly to effort and energy, two things I think we are lacking due to how long and tough the BE season is on a team that plays 6.5 players. Much to my own surprise, depth has taken a toll on this team.

All this said, for some reason, I like our chances in this game. Like Rockaway noted we have played onl 1 game in 9 days, and it is just time to show how inconsistent we can be and win a game no one expects. That seems to be the way things go in the BE this season.

[wrestlemania]

DePaul played Louisville even until about six minutes to go today. I have no idea what to make of that. Probably irrelevant.

[tjm62]

I will feel MUCH better about this team if we can beat Louisville.

[westendhoya]

Feb 20, 2010 22:34:41 GMT -5 tjm62 said:

I will feel MUCH better about this team if we can beat Louisville.

Same...Although would need to beat ND too to really make it count

[tjm62]

Feb 20, 2010 22:43:33 GMT -5 westendhoya said:

Feb 20, 2010 22:34:41 GMT -5 tjm62 said:

I will feel MUCH better about this team if we can beat Louisville.

Same...Although would need to beat ND too to really make it count

Getting 10 regular big east wins in the bag would be huge after the ND game.

[lichoya68]

interesting as usaual pittino has his team which usually dont look so great early in the hunt and playing much better we will need our A game this is a must win to keep momentum and for seeding for nyc and the tourney GO HOYAS TAKE A PAGE FROM THE LADIES GREAT D AND SMART O LEADS TO WINS beat ville THERe big very big huge large and important game winnable but need an A game for forty minutes OR MORE

[lurkerhoya]

I just want to see the effort. I can handle a bad result, but I just want to feel like the last 2 weeks have made us somewhat better.

[SirSaxa]

The Hoyas will come out ready to play on Tuesday v. Louisville.
JT3 will have them ready.
They know what's at stake and they know what chances they've blown recently.

Freeman, Wright and Monroe will lead this team to victory!

[Coast2CoastHoya]

L'ville is a lot like G'town this year: capable of beating or losing to anyone, inconsistent in both wins and losses, but with potential to go deep into March if they put it all together. This game could go either way. All I know is that it's time for REDEMPTION and the Hoyas need to come out and PLAY.

[westendhoya]

bracketology101.blogspot.com/

Still a 3 seed in the most respected bracket projection out there. Take care of business Tuesday and we will be ok.