This was kind of predicted by the Big East writers that Anderson will have his first losing season by picking St. John’s 11th in the rugged Big East, where at one time all 12 teams were in the NCAA brackets. I believe 10 are in now with only St. John’s and DePaul on the sidelines. Even Providence that Hogs beat in NIT without Gafford, is all grown up now.
The non-conference season started off well for SJU with Top 25 wins over West Virginia and Arizona at neutral sites. And writers were saying, Anderson was going to prove them wrong. But once the conference play started it has been rough going. They swept DePaul and have been close in most games except being blown out at Villanova. Should have beaten Seaton Hall. But they were all losses on paper.
He has lost several games when they had the lead late! They don’t make their free throws. And they just don’t have depth! They have raw numbers on the bench but no real depth.
Yes. Coaches taking over a team in April always have a tough time with having the right roster in that first year. That is why the first year pass, right?
SJU had two starters go pro. Another graduated. Three top Chris Mullin recruits decommitted between Mullin firing and Anderson hiring.
Usually, when you enter conference season, inexperienced teams lose close games that they win in the non-conf season. Exactly what seems to be happening at SJU.
You are talking about Mustapha Heron, the McDonalds AA, who lit us up from the 3 while at Auburn and who had several 30 point games at SJU last year. He has been back for the last 10 games, but literally can’t find the basket from the 3 in road games
Also, remember LJ Figueroa that Muss recruited as a transfer after Chris Mullin was fired? Mike got him to stay, but has been hit and miss.
The season started with Herron and LJ doing what Joe and Jones are doing for Arkansas. Difference is Joe and Jones are still doing it in conference season.
Big East beat Big 12 by winning 8 of 10 whereas SEC split their challenge. All road games are quad 1 and with 5 teams in NET top 25 meaning 5 home games also quad 1. Throw in W Va and Arizona and thats 16 quad 1 games. Hogs will play 8 quad 1 in comparison. Avg NET ranking of Big East teams is 38. Thats like facing Muss and Hogs or ncaa tourney level team 18 times in a row.
In SEC our Hogs need shorthanded wins vs Tenn, Lsu, Miss St , Ga, Mizzou at scary at Aggies. 10-8 sec. If 9-9, a win in sec tourney first game elimination game required.
Are you just talking about between the SEC and the Big East? Surely, you don’t think the Big East is the best conference overall. The BIG 10 has 10 teams in the top 34 of the NET. They have 11 in the top 40. That doesn’t include IN, who’s #61. Lunardi has 12 teams in the NCAA Tourn.
Personally, I think the NET needs to tweak some of their formulas. They have the Big 10 ranked so high, that when those 10 top teams play each other, both the winner and the loser move up in the ranks. IMO, that conference did so well before the conference season began, that they somehow got way over ranked.
Yeah, Big 10 could be the best based on rankings. But just watching games, more impressed with Big East teams and star players on thise teams. Seems like Big East has more clutch players. But yeah, Big 10 does look better on paper.
The Big 10 also beat the Big East 5-3 in the Gavitt tip Off games this season. This was the first time either conference won the TIP OFF. The previous 3 years all ended 4-4. I think this is one reason the BIG 10 started off so high in the NET.
I don’t think the Big 10 or the Big East is all that they are both being built up to be by the media. The Big 10 decided to play more conference games this season to help the conference as a whole get more quality wins.
After looking at the Top 25 it’s no more than a popularity contest. The NET seems to be another weird tool they are using.
Who has Gonzaga played since their non conference schedule ended?
The SEC messed up and lost a bunch of non conference games and fell behind. Maybe next year it will be different. There’s no reason for the Bug 10 to see 10 or 11 teams to the dance! It may happen.
Yeah, I wouldn’t argue against the Big East being better at the top. Where the Big East would lose most of the games would be in those 6 thru 10 teams.
The big 12 no 3 team W Va lost to St Johns Big East 9th team. DePaul 10th Big East beat Texas Tech after winning at Big 10 Minnesota and at Iowa. DePaul has 1 Big East win. Big East 7 Xavier won at TCU, Big east 6 Providence beat Texas. I dont think mediocre Big 10 would win. Advantage Big 10 and SeC will get more teams in because you can pad wins vs bottom of league Nortwestern, Nebraska, Vandy etc. Big East has no Vandy so you take 10 quad 1 losses from clear top half SHall, Vill, Marq, Butler and Creighton which are all higher than Kentucky. Can you imagine Hogs playing Kentucky every game!
Eye test says all Big East are ncaa teams except the bottom cant stop Powell SHall, Howard Marq, Baldwin the Hog killer still at Butler, Gillespie Villanova, Zegarowski and Alexander at Creighton, so will not win enough for consideration.
Compare St Johns team sheet to Tex Tech. Look similar but one is 30 and one is 77. Both have bad records vs good teams since they play so many. NET rankings calcs need testing as several big 10 are higher than team sheet suggests at ncaa.com.
At least Anderson’s daughter who is in real-estate in NW AR sold his house to our new FB HC for about 2.5 MILLION $$ just in the last couple of days. So Anderson has got to be smiling just a little bit!!
The news today out of St, John’s pretty much guarantees a losing season. Mustapha Heron is done for the season.
This is what happens if you come back from injury too soon. Being a senior, I can see why he rushed it. Feel sorry for him. A 5 star, was lighting it up for Bruce Pearl at Auburn, could have been part of their FF run, but transferred to St.,John’s to help take care of his ill mother. But his two years at SJU have been littered with injuries. He is now done.
Mike took over UAB, Missouri and Arkansas at perhaps their lowest level and somehow averted a losing season. But this maybe one too many times.
St Johns blows 68-61 lead late over #39 Xavier to lose 77-74 in MS Garden NYC. Now 14-12 with 5 games vs ranked in polls and NET ranking top 25 with 3 of 5 on road. Supposed star left for Mike was 2-17 from field. 1/10 when it mattered down stretch. Topped by 78% ft shooter missing a 1 and one. Between my Hogs and adopted 2nd team, these losses from jaws of victory are killing me. Now Sunday at 1 on CBS at Seton Hall and poy candidate Myles Powell. The Big East with more experienced and more talented escaping like his and Nolan first year at Ark. Mike got 5 pups in first taste of big east action that getting painful lessons that they will teach other teams the next two seasons.
If Hogs Jones and Joe return the experience will pay off big time so that talented recruits learn ropes from vets instead of another pup. Both team fanbases deserve a sweet 16 within 2 years of season end to compensate for overachieving let downs in clutch.
