General Big East Thread 20-21

[shoothoops]

Wow, what an ending to Villanova v Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech takes the lead by one with 1.3 seconds left. They get a FT and try to intentionally miss it. They bank it in accidentally, and go up 2.

On the in bounds pass 94 feet away, Villanova sets a screen on the player guarding the inbound. Defender never saw the screen and knocks over the screener. At first the call goes against Villanova's screener. Then it is reversed to go against Virginia Tech. Villanova sinks 2 FT's to tie the game to go to OT.

ESPNU.

[mumi27]

Nova never really got going in overtime. Tough loss for them

[PGsHeroes32]

Now that is a loss that we did not need.

Thought Nova was a bit overrated for the early part of the year, but thats rough.

[mu.n8ball]

a few Nova fans were complaining of their lack of depth and athleticism on the post game thread on reddit. Samuels in particular was getting the brunt of some backlash.

[GB Warrior]

The early returns from the Big East are...not great. But I also think a weird or uninspiring start to this season is not wholly expected, given the circumstances.

[tower912]

Walton is going to make me mute the Providence/IU game.   Although if the Friars don't pull it together, this one won't be worth watching.

[BCHoopster]

Providence not very good right now, no offensive players right now, athletic as usual

[tower912]

Either IU is really good or Providence is overrated.   Or it is just one of those games.   IU is playing better defense, crashing the offensive boards.   Providence looks like EIU right now.

[Uncle Rico]

Crappy Providence offense?  Just like every year.  Believe it was TAMU or Brew that noted when Cooley slowed them to Badger pace of play, they improved quite a bit offensively.  Before that, they had been a bad offensive team for years under Cooley

[Johnny B]

providence is mediocre? do bears crap in the woods? unreal

[BCHoopster]

Either IU is really good or Providence is overrated.   Or it is just one of those games.   IU is playing better defense, crashing the offensive boards.   Providence looks like EIU right now.

Providence way overrated, IU is good but not great

[The Sultan]

providence is mediocre? do bears crap in the woods? unreal

Yeah, one of my favorite Scoopisms is reading posters who praise Cooley, but rip on Wojo (eg, Herman), when Ed is at best slightly better than Wojo.  About the same record with ONE tournament win. 

[Its DJOver]

Way too small of a sample size right now, but PC looks like what a lot of us thought they would.  A team that lost over 60% of their minutes.  They will get better as the season progresses, but you can't fix outside shooting problems (Duke aside) without bringing in better shooters.

[MU82]

Yeah, one of my favorite Scoopisms is reading posters who praise Cooley, but rip on Wojo (eg, Herman), when Ed is at best slightly better than Wojo.  About the same record with ONE tournament win.

This.

Now I'll accept that MU should aspire to be more than Providence, but there is zero evidence that Cooley is "better" than Wojo.

[Pakuni]

St. John's has canceled its Big East vs Big 12 game with Texas Tech because of the COVID.

[tower912]

When MU got rolled like this at Assembly Hall, scoop lost their collective mind. 

[bilsu]

Walton is going to make me mute the Providence/IU game.   Although if the Friars don't pull it together, this one won't be worth watching.

I like listening to Walton. He has a different way of looking at things.

[bilsu]

This.

Now I'll accept that MU should aspire to be more than Providence, but there is zero evidence that Cooley is "better" than Wojo.

Cooley's teams get better as the year goes on. I think the big difference between Wojo and Cooley is that Wojo is an offensive minded coach and Cooley is a defensive minded coach. As defenses improve throughout the season offensive minded teams become less successful. Neither coach has had teams good enough to win in NCAA tournament. The winning teams in the tournament are good on both offense and defense. Wojo's teams are good on offense and lose because of defense and Cooley's teams lose because of offense.

[Johnny B]

walton sounds like hes rocky mountain high eh

[Mr. Nielsen]

St. John's has canceled its Big East vs Big 12 game with Texas Tech because of the COVID.

Can't be because of COVID. St. John's is to play BYU at Mohegan Sun on Thursday

[Pakuni]

Can't be because of COVID. St. John's is to play BYU at Mohegan Sun on Thursday

Straight from the horse's mouth:

"St. John's top priority is to best ensure ways to minimize risks associated with this global pandemic for both our University community and public health. The University's COVID-19 management team in consultation with local health experts came to this decision. In the end and with profound disappointment, the gravity of the concerns outweighed the excitement and opportunity to play this game," – St. John's University statement.

https://redstormsports.com/news/2020/11/30/mens-basketball-st-johns-contest-at-texas-tech-canceled.aspx

[Uncle Rico]

Cooley's teams get better as the year goes on. I think the big difference between Wojo and Cooley is that Wojo is an offensive minded coach and Cooley is a defensive minded coach. As defenses improve throughout the season offensive minded teams become less successful. Neither coach has had teams good enough to win in NCAA tournament. The winning teams in the tournament are good on both offense and defense. Wojo's teams are good on offense and lose because of defense and Cooley's teams lose because of offense.

Going back to 2014, here is how Cooley's Providence teams have finished:

2014: 10-8 in league, 5-5 last 10 win BET to get an at-large 11-seed

2015: 11-7 in league, 5-5 last 10, bounced by Dayton as a 6-seed

2016: 10-8 in league, 5-5 last 10, earn a 9-seed and beat USC in Round of 64 before losing to UNC in Round of 32

2017: 10-8 in league, finish year winning 6 straight to save season but lose in BET opener to Creighton and 1st round of NCAA as 11-seed

2018: 10-8 in league, 5-5 last 10 (5-7 last 12) but make BET final playing 3 straight OT games including a loss in the final, bounced as 10 seed in NCAA opener

2019: 7-11 in league, finished 5-5 last 10

2020:: 14-6 in league, finished by winning 6 straight

I don't buy that his teams get better as the season moves along.  Even if we argue they do based on 2 years of success, it hasn't translated beyond the end of the regular season. 

[Uncle Rico]

I think Ed Cooley is a very good coach and great for Providence but all coaches have flaws and warts.  Sometimes, we don't see them from across the road

[tower912]

Bottom line, today Providence looked terrible.

[rocky_warrior]

Can't be because of COVID. St. John's is to play BYU at Mohegan Sun on Thursday

It's likely covid positive % rate in Lubbock, combined with the fact that they're currently short 24 ICU beds:
https://ci.lubbock.tx.us/departments/health-department/about-us/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19