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Post by 1984alloveragain on Mar 8, 2007 22:07:53 GMT -5
I think espn reported it's the first time since 1998 that ucons and the cuse have been out before the semis. GET USED to it suckers!!! G'TOWN will own the APPLE again!!!
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RusskyHoya
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
In Soviet Russia, Hoya Blue Bleeds You!
Posts: 4,803
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Post by RusskyHoya on Mar 8, 2007 22:13:16 GMT -5
Um, I think I left some bile and a good-sized chunk of my heart back in section CRT 13...why oh why can't we ever do things the easy, boring way???
Having said that, a win covers a multitude of sins. I'd have liked revenge against 'Cuse, but their game against ND today reminded me of how insufferable an environment it is when they're playing - it's like playing in the Carrier Dome, only colder and with Knicks, Rangers, and a Louis Carnasecca banner in the rafters. With them out of the way, the crowd will either be a non-factor or even potentially in our favor. Louisville sure won't have a lot of folks there, and neither will Marquette, meaning there's a good opportunity for Hoya fans to gobble up some tickets.
I'm strongly opposed to any form of ethnic discrimination and violence, but for the love of God, BEAT THE IRISH!!!
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hoyaLS05
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
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Post by hoyaLS05 on Mar 8, 2007 22:23:59 GMT -5
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hifigator
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
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Post by hifigator on Mar 9, 2007 0:19:05 GMT -5
SFHoya99, yeah playing if's is not necessary today. A 35-10 lead was almost reduced to a single possession game. It's not playing if's that's the problem, it's that you're playing them against us. We played awesome in the beginning and awful at then end. It's just as valid to ask what if we played well in the second half as well. This is a team that we've lost to and beat by 3. We just did it in a different way. Should we play better? Sure. But writing things like "Dude, if Scottie Reynolds had shot 100% from three, we'd have totally lost" have no point. If Jeff, Jessie, Pat and Rivers hadn't shot 0-11 from three (and that group includes 2 40% shooters) we'd have clocked them ever with the bad second half. If we'd had (sic) made our FTs it wouldn't have been that close.If, if, if... I agree, but if their 80% charity stripe expert had been within a standard deviation or two of his season long average, they could say the same thing. I still think that you dictated the game, and just as it is hard for teams to give their best effort each game when the conference title is decided, it is similarly tough to stay fully focused when the outcome is, or at least gives the appearance of being decided.
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SFHoya99
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 17,899
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Post by SFHoya99 on Mar 9, 2007 2:36:45 GMT -5
Okay, after watching the game in detail, I have completely different thoughts than 90% of you.
The Offense
I really don't think our first half was anywhere close to our best offensive day. There was a great stretch where we got it inside either to Roy, Jeff or to a cutter for four or five consecutive baskets. That was great. Otherwise, it was mostly sandwiched around making our jump shots and Nova doing absolutely nothing. I think we had better stretches versus Marquette; the 18-2 run versus Notre Dame was vastly superior and the complete (at) Pittsburgh, Louisville and West Virginia games were much better as a whole.
As for the second half, I didn't think most of it was as awful as everyone said. We didn't get it inside enough and weren't aggressive enough -- that's true -- but we simply missed a ton of open shots as well. Until about the 3 minute mark, we didn't play well, but we weren't awful.
The last three minutes were atrocious. Three unforgiveable turnovers, bad shot choices, fouling a 3 point shooting. Ugh. Even so, it was really the last minute that sucked -- we were still up 9 with 1:15 left.
Defense
Roy ruled the paint early, but otherwise I think a lot of our great D was simply forcing jump shots. Which is great, but they were off early and weren't so off later. Defense got lax in the second, and Sumpter really stepped up. Again, I'm not sure we were that great in the first half or really all that bad in the second, except the last three minutes.
What if?
This is my porblems with what if's:
1) The Sumpter Charge. One, Jeff was planted and his feet were outside the circle. Maybe his heels were touching, which is immaterial anyway in college. You can argue there's not enough contact for a foul, fine, but it shouldn't have been a block.
Funny thing is, at the end of the first half, Jeff set up for a charge on Reggie Reading well outside the circle, easily established position and got called for a block and three point play. Could've easily been called a charge. So if the former could have gone either way, why not the latter.
2) The over and back. Awful call. Just atrocious. Course in the first half they missed a horrible travel that led to points for Nova. I mean, if one missed call affected the game...
3) Scottie Reynolds' missed 3. We missed at least seven or eight wide open threes, and at least four in the second half. Why is it "luck" when Reynolds misses but not when GU misses them?
Overall, we played well for a stretch, played okay the rest of the game, then absolutely crappy at the end. It was good enough, though.
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Hoya50
Silver Hoya (over 500 posts)
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Post by Hoya50 on Mar 9, 2007 10:25:47 GMT -5
how about the play of ewing? i'm still amazed at his high level of play after i watched him look clueless against fairfield. his drive, draw and dish to jeff was textbook as was his floating post pass to jeff. despite biting on the reynolds pump fake, he defensed sumpter twice very nicely from the 3. i really thought his only time on the floor would be garbage time, but his improvement in play is measurable.
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SFHoya99
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
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Post by SFHoya99 on Mar 9, 2007 11:17:16 GMT -5
Ewing's been phenomenal. I think he's very alert on the court -- when Nardi was guarding him he didn't hesitate and immediately drove past the hobbled guard, dishing to Green for the bucket when the defense rotated.
He could stand to improve his FT stroke, though.
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vcjack
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
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Post by vcjack on Mar 9, 2007 11:25:23 GMT -5
I don't think it was a tale of two halfs as much as tale of a massive early domination followed by some fouls late in the first that got Nova scoring again followed by Nova starting to play its game followed by us trying to preserve the clock more than score which led to Nova's comeback.
We won the day and lets do it again against the Irish
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TBird41
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
"Roy! I Love All 7'2" of you Roy!"
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Post by TBird41 on Mar 9, 2007 11:36:46 GMT -5
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