At the Halfway Point
January 31, 2007 2:23 pm by Coach OJust thought I’d share a few observations at the halfway point of the conference season:
Biggest Surprises:
1. Notre Dame - picked by most at 10 or 11, this team seems to have found itself. A crucial road win over Syracuse and the tough win over Nova can spark this bunch. I feel that they have survived the KMac fiasco and have as good a backcourt with Falls, Carter and Jackson as anyone except Marquette.
2. Louisville - I know they are talented but they were talented last year too. They have a strong frontcourt and Sosa and Williams are more than adequate in the backcourt. Palacios and Padgett are at times outstanding. Granted they really have not beaten many big teams and their schedule from here on is a killer. I am still impressed with what they’ve done so far.
Biggest Disappointments:
1. UConn - I said after watching their first few non-conference games that they would be a force come February. Well, February is here and the only force they have is a negative one. No leadership is the biggest problem and free throw shooting is horrendous. Yes they may have talent, but it is all ‘POTENTIAL’. Potential is only a good term preseason, not midway through. The frontline is weak and the guards have vanished during conference games. The schedule does get better but if you can’t win a game with a first half like last Saturday, trouble will accompany you. Tonight at DePaul may make or break the season.
2. Syracuse - Sure losing GerryMac hurts. But the club is a veteran one and they play poor defense and get in trouble as the opponent is rolling it up. They face UConn twice more but also have to play Georgetown and at Nova.
Best Freshman -
1.Scotty Reynolds has really stepped up but must watch his control. He was totally out of control against Pitt Monday but has been scoring at an incredible rate.
2. Luke Harangody - A real bull. Typical of Notre Dame Centers in the past such as Laimbeer.
Best Frontcourt - Georgetown, followed by Providence.
Best Backcourt - Marquette followed by Pitt and Notre Dame
All Big East - (I chose 3 forwards and 3 guards due to the fact that some teams use each)
Forwards - Hibbert (Georgetown), Gray (Pitt), Hill (Prov)
Guards - James (Marquette), Fields (Pitt), Carter (ND)
Big East Tourney Winner - Georgetown. Too strong up front for anyone if Green and Hibbert are on their game. If not, Pitt is the most well rounded team in the conference.
Look-A-Like Team:
Gray (Pitt) - Wrestler Andre the Giant
Kendall (Pitt) - Elvis
Billmeier (SHU) - the Principal in Ferris Bueller
Honorable Mention - Chone Figgins (Anaheim Angels) - Mets manager Willie Randolph
Categories: Coach O, Commentary
7 Responses to “At the Halfway Point”
I love your pick of G’town for the Big East Tourney winner. I’m a fan of JT3.
I think West Virgina has been a surprise, too.
After watching UConn get thrashed by a weak DePaul team, I have the feeling that these players have tossed in the towel. Oh yeah, they made a comeback…… against a team that shoots less than 60% from the foul line…..
Thabeet would be a DECENT division II center. He should not be on the floor at all! Adrien has reverted big time this season without Hilton Armstrong to get the attention of opponents. Stanley Robinson can play the game, but makes a lot of ‘freshman mistakes’. Dyson has lost his shot…. So has Wiggins…. Price plays like he’s afraid to make a mistake and get the hook from Calhoun…… NO ONE plays defense, rotates in help defense and they still have no idea about how to play half court offense…..Anyone looking for a ticket to the Rutgers game this Saturday???????
Kudos to the Blue Demons for hanging in there, especially Burns who was outstanding tonight
Sorry aboout the rant, but I am frustrated with the regression of the players on this team.
Fields over McNeal? Sorry fellas, no way.
BTW, Kendall is not Elvis — he’s Vanilla Ice 2K
Fields and McNeal was my last selection and I was impressed with Fields in the Nova game. Didn’t want 2 guards from the same team. McNeal IS the real deal.
Vanilla Ice 2K ………. I can dig it!
Fields is better than McNeal. Maybe years down the road McNeal will have a better pro career, but this year, Fields is better. No question.
No way Big Willie.
Please let me know how Fields is better “No question” than McNeal when Jerel scores more points, grabs more rebounds, and has more steals (substantially more than Fields in each of the categories above) and is nearly equal in assists despite playing off the ball. Oh, and MU won at Pitt and Fields was rotten.
Sorry, but Fields is not close to being an all-Big East guard … McNeal, while he might not be a first-teamer, is surely much closer than Fields.
If we are just using stats to put a player in I might agree that McNeal wins out over Fields. However, looking at stats in Big East games, each team has played 9 games and Fields gets the nod over James. 36.7% shooting, 29.6% 3PT, and 55.3 % FT would bring James down under Fields who is shooting 51.5% FG, 47.4% 3PT, and 68.4% FT.
All are good players but if I were to pick one Marquette guard I would still take James. If I were to take an All-Marquette team instead of All Big East then McNeal would be on it.
Care to comment?