Big East Play Thread

[SaveOD238]

There goes my trap game theory.  I was hoping Nova would overlook us at home between BU and X...now they won't

[muguru]

After Novas loss to Butler, looks like GT is about to drop one at Providence.

Winning in the road in the BE is hard to do.

I hope MU remembers that...DO NOT lose at home...that's their easiest path to the tourney, win all your home games, that's 9 wins right there, win @ dePaul...that's 10, @ Providence 11, @ SJU...12.

[Tugg Speedman]

The close win over Depaul might be the best thing for Nova. A good wake up call to keep them focused.

We should ban the use of the phrases wake up call and the word focused.

First these concepts do not exist.

Second, they reflect (poorly) on those that use these terms rather than providing the insight these terms are supposedly are intended to do. See #1

[g0lden3agle]

We should ban the use of the phrases wake up call and the word focused.

First these concepts do not exist.

Second, they reflect (poorly) on those that use these terms rather than providing the insight these terms are supposedly are intended to do. See #1

You're telling me a team's never gone through the motions in practice and as a result isn't as sharp as they should have been, resulting in a game that's closer than it should have been (or even a loss), followed by them working their ass off and being sharper for their next game?

[geps]

After Novas loss to Butler, looks like GT is about to drop one at Providence.

Winning in the road in the BE is hard to do.

GT 0-3 start. Rough.

[MomofMUltiples]

You're telling me a team's never gone through the motions in practice and as a result isn't as sharp as they should have been, resulting in a game that's closer than it should have been (or even a loss), followed by them working their ass off and being sharper for their next game?

Well, Creighton is responding to its loss against Nova by putting the beat down on St. John's.

[jesmu84]

We should ban the use of the phrases wake up call and the word focused.

First these concepts do not exist.

Second, they reflect (poorly) on those that use these terms rather than providing the insight these terms are supposedly are intended to do. See #1

You don't believe "focus" exists?

[Tugg Speedman]

You're telling me a team's never gone through the motions in practice and as a result isn't as sharp as they should have been, resulting in a game that's closer than it should have been (or even a loss), followed by them working their ass off and being sharper for their next game?

Not in the way you describe.  You believe in mythology.

To be clear, teams have good an bad games.  To attribute that to "wake up calls and losing focus is uninformed fan talk.

[Tugg Speedman]

You don't believe "focus" exists?

Not in the way it was used here

[GoldenDieners32]

Nova is going to be hungry Saturday. We better come to play.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

We should ban the use of the phrases wake up call and the word focused.

First these concepts do not exist.

Second, they reflect (poorly) on those that use these terms rather than providing the insight these terms are supposedly are intended to do. See #1

This seems like a weird thing to get up in arms about.

I've never played college basketball so I have no idea how often or how much close wins or unexpected losses act as a "wake up call" or help teams "stay focused." I imagine that you haven't either. I do know my own field. I'm very good at my job. I don't think it would be a stretch to call myself the Villanova of Title IX Investigators.  I will sometimes run a training for a department without doing as much preparation as I should. I get the training done, but its sloppy and I know there were moments I looked bad out there. That has sometimes inspired me to put in extra prep work which in turn has allowed me to crush the next training. I might even dare to say that my poor performance in the first training acted as a "wake up call" and helped me to "stay focused."

I know. College basketball isn't nearly as entertaining or exciting as my job....but I imagine that my experience might be transferable

[g0lden3agle]

I think there's only one way to settle this, but it requires a ban lift on Ners for his official opinion on the matter

[bilsu]

There goes my trap game theory.  I was hoping Nova would overlook us at home between BU and X...now they won't

To me this is a sad statement. That is the idea that ant team would overlook a game against Marquette.

[brewcity77]

We should ban the use of the phrases wake up call and the word focused.

First these concepts do not exist.

Second, they reflect (poorly) on those that use these terms rather than providing the insight these terms are supposedly are intended to do. See #1

This is probably the silliest thing ever posted here. Just completely disconnected from reality. Wake up calls and focus are real in all walks of life, in every profession, and especially when talking about college aged individuals.

If you really think everyone has the same focus level every time out in any endeavor, you could not be more patently wrong.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

If you really think everyone has the same focus level every time out in any endeavor, you could not be more patently wrong.

Luckily as fans we don't have the same problem since we have wades to remind us the most important game of the season is the next one.

[KampusFoods]

A few things about Nova from the game last night

This year Nova is not last year Nova, IMO. Loss of Arci and Ochefu hurts them, obviously.

Brunson was good last year but he has taken it to another level. Think he's a pro after this year. This will be a bad matchup for MU. Not sure M2N can guard him

They've been playing without Phil Booth, who may return Saturday. That would stink.

Hart had a bad shooting night. He'll probably have 2 of those in a row.

Butler got some solid looks from 3, but made just 5 of 20. Hoping MU gets same looks and converts.

All things considered, I don't feel good about Saturday. Never really did, though.

[GoldenDieners32]

A few things about Nova from the game last night

This year Nova is not last year Nova, IMO. Loss of Arci and Ochefu hurts them, obviously.

Brunson was good last year but he has taken it to another level. Think he's a pro after this year. This will be a bad matchup for MU. Not sure M2N can guard him

They've been playing without Phil Booth, who may return Saturday. That would stink.

Hart had a bad shooting night. He'll probably have 2 of those in a row.

Butler got some solid looks from 3, but made just 5 of 20. Hoping MU gets same looks and converts.

All things considered, I don't feel good about Saturday. Never really did, though.

They just have to play with confidence

[KampusFoods]

They just have to play with confidence

You should be the coach

[Tugg Speedman]

This is probably the silliest thing ever posted here. Just completely disconnected from reality. Wake up calls and focus are real in all walks of life, in every profession, and especially when talking about college aged individuals.

If you really think everyone has the same focus level every time out in any endeavor, you could not be more patently wrong.

You're assuming that only one team is on the floor.  That Nova was playing the Washington Generals and not Butler and Butler had nothing whatsoever to do with them winning.  The game was all about what Nova did or did not do.  And the only factor was Nova's focus and needing a wake-up call.  I will again remind you this same idea was floated last week after they almost lost to Depaul and they again had another bad game.

That is why adherence to these one sided notion that only one team matters in the win/loss is silly.

What is silly fan talk ... just spewing a bunch of cliches, then spew more and then site back and pretend it is actually brilliance.

Brew, you're better than this.

[Tugg Speedman]

This seems like a weird thing to get up in arms about.

I've never played college basketball so I have no idea how often or how much close wins or unexpected losses act as a "wake up call" or help teams "stay focused." I imagine that you haven't either. I do know my own field. I'm very good at my job. I don't think it would be a stretch to call myself the Villanova of Title IX Investigators.  I will sometimes run a training for a department without doing as much preparation as I should. I get the training done, but its sloppy and I know there were moments I looked bad out there. That has sometimes inspired me to put in extra prep work which in turn has allowed me to crush the next training. I might even dare to say that my poor performance in the first training acted as a "wake up call" and helped me to "stay focused."

I know. College basketball isn't nearly as entertaining or exciting as my job....but I imagine that my experience might be transferable

Your analogy works because it is one-sided.  you are not competing with someone that might actually effect your performance.

That is why is fails when it comes to a competition.

Let me throw out on anecdote.  Both Kornheiser and Wilbon on PTI both predicted a Butler win yesterday afternoon.  Point is this was hardly an upset (like it would be if we beat them) and maybe, just maybe, the answer is Nova is really not as good as #1 suggests.

[g0lden3agle]

You're assuming that only one team is on the floor.  That Nova was playing the Washington Generals and not Butler and Butler had nothing whatsoever to do with them winning.  The game was all about what Nova did or did not do.  And the only factor was Nova's focus and needing a wake-up call.  I will again remind you this same idea was floated last week after they almost lost to Depaul and they again had another bad game.

That is why adherence to these one sided notion that only one team matters in the win/loss is silly.

What is silly fan talk ... just spewing a bunch of cliches, then spew more and then site back and pretend it is actually brilliance.

Brew, you're better than this.

Not sure where you found evidence of people using terms like "wake-up call" and "focus" to mean that only one team matters in a win/loss. (edit: I can see how TAMU's analogy introduced the "one-sided" nature that you're referring to)

Each team has their own floor/ceiling.  Whether a team is playing at their own respective floor/ceiling can be attributed to their level of focus/commitment/energy at any given point during a season.    Both teams playing at their own respective current levels helps determines who's going to win a game.

[Loose Cannon]

Luckily as fans we don't have the same problem since we have wades to remind us the most important game of the season is the next one.

Thank God.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

You're assuming that only one team is on the floor.  That Nova was playing the Washington Generals and not Butler and Butler had nothing whatsoever to do with them winning.  The game was all about what Nova did or did not do.  And the only factor was Nova's focus and needing a wake-up call.  I will again remind you this same idea was floated last week after they almost lost to Depaul and they again had another bad game.

That is why adherence to these one sided notion that only one team matters in the win/loss is silly.

What is silly fan talk ... just spewing a bunch of cliches, then spew more and then site back and pretend it is actually brilliance.

Brew, you're better than this.

????

How do the terms wake up call or focus imply that basketball is a one sided game? Basketball is obviously two sided. The close Nova win over Depaul (what originally started this mess) happened because Nova played poorly and Depaul played well. If Nova had played well and Depaul played well, Nova would have won by double digits because they are a better team. My comment was that the close win might be a wake up call (or in other words, motivation) to put in extra time and focus into preparing for the next game. Never said that it would be the cause of them winning or losing a game. Never said the other team has no effect on their performance. Just that it might inspire them to focus in practice which could make them tougher in the next game. Or it could not.

Again, a very weird thing to get up in arms about.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Your analogy works because it is one-sided.  you are not competing with someone that might actually effect your performance.

That is why is fails when it comes to a competition.

Why does it fail when it comes to competition? Do teams not practice and prepare for competitions? Doesn't practice and preparation give a team a better chance to win? Notice that I said better chance to win, not is the determining factor in who wins.

Let me throw out on anecdote.  Both Kornheiser and Wilbon on PTI both predicted a Butler win yesterday afternoon.  Point is this was hardly an upset (like it would be if we beat them) and maybe, just maybe, the answer is Nova is really not as good as #1 suggests.

When did I ever say that this was an upset? Or that Nova is as good #1 suggests? Or that focus or wake up calls were the answer to why Nova lost last night?

[brewcity77]

You're assuming that only one team is on the floor.  That Nova was playing the Washington Generals and not Butler and Butler had nothing whatsoever to do with them winning.  The game was all about what Nova did or did not do.  And the only factor was Nova's focus and needing a wake-up call.  I will again remind you this same idea was floated last week after they almost lost to Depaul and they again had another bad game.

That is why adherence to these one sided notion that only one team matters in the win/loss is silly.

What is silly fan talk ... just spewing a bunch of cliches, then spew more and then site back and pretend it is actually brilliance.

Brew, you're better than this.

I'm not assuming that at all. No one is saying that 'Nova's focus or needing a wake up call were the only factors. But dismissing the idea that 'Nova could lose focus out of hand is just silly. And acting like the concepts of focus or a wake up call don't exist is equally silly. Better teams can lose to lesser teams and the reason can be because the better team wasn't focused.

There can be other factors. It can be coaching, preparation, effort, or one team just clicking on all cylinders while the other team is just off their games. But the idea that no one could ever lose because they overlooked an opponent (which is your exact premise when you assert those concepts don't exist) is absolutely preposterous.