Big East 2024 Offseason

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I mean, Providence having a weak non-con followed by a strong Big East season is pretty much a yearly tradition:

22 (NCAA 4 seed): struggled vs. #206 Fairfield, #243 New Hampshire, #87 Northwestern and lost by 18 to #72 Virginia
21 (No postseason): struggled vs. #70 Davidson, #140 TCU, lost by 21 to #50 Indiana, and no big wins
20 (Likely NCAAT or NIT bid): struggled vs. #139 Pepperdine, #192 Stony Brook, lost to #131 Northwestern, #141 Penn, #287 Long Beach State, #170 Charleston, #65 Rhode Island, #32 Florida (by 32) and no big wins
19 (NIT 4 seed): struggled vs. #267 Siena, #239 Holy Cross, #211 Fairleigh Dickinson, #142 Rhode Island, #127 Boston College, lost to #66 Wichita State, #6 Michigan (by 19), and #236 Umass
18 (NCAA 10 seed): Struggled vs #98 Washington, #83 Belmont, #145 Rider, #267 Brown, #223 Stony Brook, lost to #117 Minnesota (by 12), #52 Rhode Island, #207 UMass, and no big wins
17 (NCAA 11 seed): Struggled vs #101 Memphis, #158 Umass, lost to #73 Ohio State and #173 Boston College
16 (NCAA 9 seed): Struggled vs #125 Illinois, #202 NJIT, #72 Evansville, #82 Rhode Island, #346 Brant, and #223 Rider
15 (NCAA 6 seed): Struggled vs #131 Albany, #77 Yale, lost to #110 Boston College, and #268 Brown
14 (NCAA 11 seed): Struggled vs #142 Boston College, #162 Brown, #109 Vanderbilt, #105 Lasalle, #271 Fairfield, #115 Rhode Island, #153 Rhode Island, and no big wins

I also don't believe that Providence will be as good as some have projected them to be, but I don't think struggling against #174 Rider in their opener is enough evidence to declare it so.

This is why we don't write Providence off after one bad non-conference game. I was wrong too, thought they wouldn't be good this season. At this point I'm just trying for a reverse jinx 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Except there are two halves.

Hoyas shoot 21% after halftime, lose 73-57. Twenty points in the paint in the first half, two in the second.

Of interest to Marquette: four GU players out: Heath (broken finger) and Bristol (concussion) did not play, while Murray (arm injury) and Mozone (hip) were hurt in this one.

If all four of those are out on Saturday, we're look at an opposing starting lineup of:

Primo Spears
Denver Anglin
Jordan Riley
Akok Akok
Qudus Wahab

Imagine having to start two guys in a Big East conference game who get less than 10 minutes a game for the 217th best team in the country. Plus three of the four available subs would be centers who can't play together at the same time.

[tower912]

Also is Bynum hurt?

Bynum left in the first half holding his ribs after going up in with some other players to contest a shot.   He never returned.

[muwarrior69]

This is sickening officiating.

Uconn gets mugged no call.

Then Jackson get undercut on a put back. No call.

What is Cooley paying this league?

40 percent of their points were at the line. It was 2 to 1 against UCONN and almost 3 to 1 against us. There seems to be a pattern there. Let's see how they do when they play on the road. I'm sure when they play in the tournament the zebras won't be so lop sided.

[Shooter McGavin]

Sportcenter ticker all over GT losing 25 straight Big East games.  Crazy to think about. 

[MuggsyB]

40 percent of their points were at the line. It was 2 to 1 against UCONN and almost 3 to 1 against us. There seems to be a pattern there. Let's see how they do when they play on the road. I'm sure when they play in the tournament the zebras won't be so lop sided.

Yout point is fair but Hurley was completely outcoached last night.  Sanogo barely got the ball in the 2nd half.  UCONN is really talented but did not play well at all at XU or at Prov. 

[tower912]

The homecooking officiating helped Providence.   But Muggsy is right that UConn quit looking for Sanogo.    They started jacking early shot clock 3's, just like they did at Xavier.

[StillAWarrior]

Sportcenter ticker all over GT losing 25 straight Big East games.  Crazy to think about.

And ESPN.com has an article about it. In the article, they mention that yesterday Georgetown's AD issued a statement acknowledging that it's a "frustrating time"  for the program and fans. Any time you have press writing stories about your teams futility and the AD commenting publicly, it's probably not a good sign. I suspect that Ewing's days on the Hilltop are numbered. I'm certainly not predicting it, but I wouldn't be completely shocked if Ewing isn't at Fiserv Saturday.

[Herman Cain]

Delighted to see Cooley & Company romp over their local rival U Conn.

Also nice to see Butler get to 10 wins on the year

Nova back above .500 for the year after avoiding the spectacle of losing to Georgetown

[MuggsyB]

Is the Georgetown job not desirable anymore?  The fact that they kept Ewing is crazy but who could turn that program around and would want that gig? 

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

crazy could turn that program around...

[Ellenson Guerrero]

And ESPN.com has an article about it. In the article, they mention that yesterday Georgetown's AD issued a statement acknowledging that it's a "frustrating time"  for the program and fans. Any time you have press writing stories about your teams futility and the AD commenting publicly, it's probably not a good sign. I suspect that Ewing's days on the Hilltop are numbered. I'm certainly not predicting it, but I wouldn't be completely shocked if Ewing isn't at Fiserv Saturday.

Ewing basically double dog dared the administration to fire him during his presser last night. If I were Degoia, I’d take him up on the invite.

https://open.substack.com/pub/hilltophoops/p/patrick-ewing-georgetown-future?utm_source=direct&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Sportcenter ticker all over GT losing 25 straight Big East games.  Crazy to think about.

Wojo to Georgetown.

[StillAWarrior]

Is the Georgetown job not desirable anymore?  The fact that they kept Ewing is crazy but who could turn that program around and would want that gig?

I think it's still a desirable job. Despite it's total collapse, Georgetown has a proud history and that's a draw for a coach looking to make a name. I'd think that plenty of mid-major HC or power-5 assistants would be more than wiling to give it a shot. Don't get me wrong, I think that there are a lot of things that make it a crappy job, but they won't have to much trouble getting the job filled with a hungry up-and-comer. If they're determined to hire someone "established"...well...that might be a little more difficult. Robert Jones at Norfolk State is on a lot of lists as a coach to watch and has made the tournament the last couple years. Would that be dipping too low for GU? Could Drew Valentine be pried away from Loyola? Our old friend Stan Johnson?

[Ellenson Guerrero]

If GTown had any sense at all they’d have lined up a deal with Chris Mack already.

[StillAWarrior]

If GTown had any sense at all...

I have serious doubts that they do. Obviously, basketball is a very different beast than non-revenue sports, but in my experience with the GU athletics department (and GU in general)... well, they often don't seem to have a lot of sense.

...they’d have lined up a deal with Chris Mack already.

At the risk of being indelicate, I'd be a little surprised if GU made a traditional coaching hire.

[muwarrior69]

The homecooking officiating helped Providence.   But Muggsy is right that UConn quit looking for Sanogo.    They started jacking early shot clock 3's, just like they did at Xavier.

Home cooking? More like a 7 course banquet especially against us, though I agree UCONN did not play well these last 2 games. Even Gtown would win a game with so many fouls called against their opponent.

[Scoop Snoop]

Yout point is fair but Hurley was completely outcoached last night.  Sanogo barely got the ball in the 2nd half.  UCONN is really talented but did not play well at all at XU or at Prov.

Cooley's game plan and preparation of his team for UCONN vs. whatever that was that Hurley put together as a game plan was in stark contrast. Hurley got schooled.

I do not think that the huge disparity in FT's in our game vs. PC and the differential from last night can solely be chalked up to the refs favoring PC. Motive? I think we need to include two factors in the disparity in both games- PC seems to be coached in how to draw fouls and both MU's and UCONN's defenses are aggressive (not saying PC's is not). Lastly, refs have admitted over the years of being affected by the home crowd and trying to be conscious of that being a factor, yet the home teams still seem to have an advantage. The refs are human (insert jokes here debating that short statement) and the home teams are likely to continue to have an edge in referees' calls. I'll finish by saying that the 49-19 disparity in our game goes well beyond the home court advantage, but again I ask. Motive?

[MU82]

Yout point is fair but Hurley was completely outcoached last night.  Sanogo barely got the ball in the 2nd half.  UCONN is really talented but did not play well at all at XU or at Prov.

Didn't play very well against Georgetown and most of the game against Nova, either.

I'll believe in Dan Hurley being a superior coach as soon as he gets to a second weekend in March. So far he's 0-for-12, including 0-for-4 at UConn.

[muwarrior69]

Cooley's game plan and preparation of his team for UCONN vs. whatever that was that Hurley put together as a game plan was in stark contrast. Hurley got schooled.

I do not think that the huge disparity in FT's in our game vs. PC and the differential from last night can solely be chalked up to the refs favoring PC. Motive? I think we need to include two factors in the disparity in both games- PC seems to be coached in how to draw fouls and both MU's and UCONN's defenses are aggressive (not saying PC's is not). Lastly, refs have admitted over the years of being affected by the home crowd and trying to be conscious of that being a factor, yet the home teams still seem to have an advantage. The refs are human (insert jokes here debating that short statement) and the home teams are likely to continue to have an edge in referees' calls. I'll finish by saying that the 49-19 disparity in our game goes well beyond the home court advantage, but again I ask. Motive?

No motive, it just demonstrates how the zebras can take a team out of the game when they don't call the same contact consistently at both ends and quite frankly we could have pooled that game out if our guys did not foul out.

[mug644]

I think it's still a desirable job. Despite it's total collapse, Georgetown has a proud history and that's a draw for a coach looking to make a name. I'd think that plenty of mid-major HC or power-5 assistants would be more than wiling to give it a shot. Don't get me wrong, I think that there are a lot of things that make it a crappy job, but they won't have to much trouble getting the job filled with a hungry up-and-comer. If they're determined to hire someone "established"...well...that might be a little more difficult. Robert Jones at Norfolk State is on a lot of lists as a coach to watch and has made the tournament the last couple years. Would that be dipping too low for GU? Could Drew Valentine be pried away from Loyola? Our old friend Stan Johnson?

Is the structure that has the b-ball coach reporting directly to the President of the University rather than to the AD something that is appealing to a potential candidate? Or, will the AD (or future coach) try to insist upon a change before a new coach is contracted?

[Scoop Snoop]

No motive, it just demonstrates how the zebras can take a team out of the game when they don't call the same contact consistently at both ends and quit frankly we could have pooled that game out if our guys did not foul out.

PC's court is often wet, but I would not call it a pool.

In so many of your posts, you remind me of the self-deprecating humorous tagline from NPR's Car Talk featuring
Cllck and Clack, the tappet brothers: "All of our answers are unimpeded by the thought process."

At least you added one fact- we "could have pooled that game out". Kudos!

[MuggsyB]

Cooley's game plan and preparation of his team for UCONN vs. whatever that was that Hurley put together as a game plan was in stark contrast. Hurley got schooled.

I do not think that the huge disparity in FT's in our game vs. PC and the differential from last night can solely be chalked up to the refs favoring PC. Motive? I think we need to include two factors in the disparity in both games- PC seems to be coached in how to draw fouls and both MU's and UCONN's defenses are aggressive (not saying PC's is not). Lastly, refs have admitted over the years of being affected by the home crowd and trying to be conscious of that being a factor, yet the home teams still seem to have an advantage. The refs are human (insert jokes here debating that short statement) and the home teams are likely to continue to have an edge in referees' calls. I'll finish by saying that the 49-19 disparity in our game goes well beyond the home court advantage, but again I ask. Motive?

We were still in perfect position to win that game in Providence Scoop Snoop with that ridiculous FT disparity.  The bottom line is we had no answers for Hopkins and did not execute when we had a 8 or 9 point lead late. I'm a big proponent of slamming the door.  The fact is we did not and let that game slip through our hands.  That said I'm encouraged that this group didn't let that stinging loss linger. I fully expect a surgical and medieval evisceration when the Friars come to Milwaukee.  Just sayin.

[Uncle Rico]

We were still in perfect position to win that game in Providence Scoop Snoop with that ridiculous FT disparity.  The bottom line is we had no answers for Hopkins and did not execute when we had a 8 or 9 point lead late. I'm a big proponent of slamming the door.  The fact is we did not and let that game slip through our hands.  That said I'm encouraged that this group didn't let that stinging loss linger. I fully expect a surgical and medieval evisceration when the Friars come to Milwaukee.  Just sayin.

Cooley has Shaka’s number

[Scoop Snoop]

Although I have "factually" acknowledged home cooking, let's look at an example of skill at drawing fouls: Andrew Rowsey's "thing".
There are probably stats somewhere detailing the rate of occurrence of a 3-point shooter being fouled while successfully making his shot. Without my doing the research to prove it, can we agree that his success at drawing that foul is probably well above average? This is a easy example of skill in drawing a foul. I loved it when Angel Delgado lined up at the FT line once and laughed "You got me Rowsey. You got me."