(12-22-2025 11:26 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(12-21-2025 08:12 PM)Nameless Wrote:  

(12-21-2025 08:57 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  Stat of note:

In Xavier's 80-77 win over Georgetown, X shot 11-14 (79%) from the free-throw line. The Hoyas shot 25-43 (58%). That's how you lose a game. Disappointing.

The refs called 27 fouls on Xavier and 16 on GU. Yet the Hoyas could not seal the deal — and at home no less.

Bad loss for Georgetown.

It's crazy how much worse they have been since losing Iwuchukwu. He's a solid player but I didn't see him as that much of a difference maker.

Also worth noting that Cooley has been suspended one game for throwing a water bottle in frustration and pelting a child at the end of the game. Accidental obviously but still a terrible look for Ed.

Serious question. If Georgetown finishes 9th or worse in league play this year, is Cooley on the hot seat?

Unless the bottom drops out for Georgetown, I feel Cooley would get a fourth season (and be deserving of it). He's a good coach. Unfortunate that he lost his cool and tossed the water bottle. Fortunately nobody got hurt.

Yeah, I think he will get a 4th year regardless as well. I do think if they regress this year though and finish below .500 again, he will probably need to have a great season next year to stick around.

(12-22-2025 01:30 PM)Bill Marsh Wrote:  

(12-21-2025 08:12 PM)Nameless Wrote:  

(12-21-2025 08:57 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  Stat of note:

In Xavier's 80-77 win over Georgetown, X shot 11-14 (79%) from the free-throw line. The Hoyas shot 25-43 (58%). That's how you lose a game. Disappointing.

The refs called 27 fouls on Xavier and 16 on GU. Yet the Hoyas could not seal the deal — and at home no less.

Bad loss for Georgetown.

It's crazy how much worse they have been since losing Iwuchukwu. He's a solid player but I didn't see him as that much of a difference maker.

Also worth noting that Cooley has been suspended one game for throwing a water bottle in frustration and pelting a child at the end of the game. Accidental obviously but still a terrible look for Ed.

Serious question. If Georgetown finishes 9th or worse in league play this year, is Cooley on the hot seat?

It’s not clear how many years Cooley’s contract is for at Georgetown. I’ve seen reports that it’s as many as 7 years. If it’s anything close to that, then there’s a big buy out.

Wasn't aware of that, but that's a really good point. If he's got a 7 year contract he's getting 4 years there minimum. Probably 5

Huge come-from-behind road win for The Hall.

(12-30-2025 09:26 PM)Bill Marsh Wrote:  Huge come-from-behind road win for The Hall.

Pretty remarkable since Marquette has something like a 18-0 run in the second half to seemingly take control of the game.

Creighton is off to a 3-0 start in Big East play, beating Butler tonight. Will the real Creighton team please stand up?

(12-30-2025 11:40 PM)Bill Marsh Wrote:  Creighton is off to a 3-0 start in Big East play, beating Butler tonight. Will the real Creighton team please stand up?

next 3 games are absolutely huge for Creighton. 3 of their remaining 8 Q1 chances. @ Seton Hall, @ Villanova, and St John's. They have to get at least 1 win out of those 3 IMO.

Pretty big time for Butler as well. Next 2 are big games with Nova and St John's, followed after at Xavier with at Seton Hall. The Nova, St John's, and Seton Hall games 3 of their remaining 6 Q1 chances.

Agree. Butler has to especially put up or shut up.

(12-31-2025 11:06 AM)Bill Marsh Wrote:  Agree. Butler has to especially put up or shut up.

Creighton has to keep this up. They're still at a negative from their OOC performance....

(12-31-2025 12:15 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(12-31-2025 11:06 AM)Bill Marsh Wrote:  Agree. Butler has to especially put up or shut up.

Creighton has to keep this up. They're still at a negative from their OOC performance....

Yes, they do.

Villanova shoots 31 free throws to DePaul's 12 as the former beats the latter 71-66 at Nova.

DePaul has battled in its three Big East games but simply has been overmatched. Home game next vs. Xavier. A win is hugely needed if the Blue Demons (8-6) want to finish the season with a .500 record.

Even with all that, Bill, I had to like the way that DePaul played - especially with the game on Villanova’s home court. They led for most of the game and had a 10 point lead with less than 11 minutes to go. It took a flurry of 3’s to get Villanova back in the game - 5 threes from that point on. In fact, DePaul had the lead with a little over 5 minutes to go. This was DePaul’s game to win. Had Villanova not gotten hit from 3, they would in fact have won.

Holtmann is bringing these guys along. With their history of futility for many years, they have to learn how to win - especially late in close games. And they have to believe that they can win. They need a new culture. I think that Holtmann is building that.

(01-01-2026 10:16 AM)Bill Marsh Wrote:  Even with all that, Bill, I had to like the way that DePaul played - especially with the game on Villanova’s home court. They led for most of the game and had a 10 point lead with less than 11 minutes to go. It took a flurry of 3’s to get Villanova back in the game - 5 threes from that point on. In fact, DePaul had the lead with a little over 5 minutes to go. This was DePaul’s game to win. Had Villanova not gotten hit from 3, they would in fact have won.

Holtmann is bringing these guys along. With their history of futility for many years, they have to learn how to win - especially late in close games. And they have to believe that they can win. They need a new culture. I think that Holtmann is building that.

I didn't see the game so I appreciate the insight, Bill. I agree on Holtmann. I've been pleased so far. Improvement is being made. But the talent level and "understanding how to win" have to be elevated.

(01-01-2026 10:40 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(01-01-2026 10:16 AM)Bill Marsh Wrote:  Even with all that, Bill, I had to like the way that DePaul played - especially with the game on Villanova’s home court. They led for most of the game and had a 10 point lead with less than 11 minutes to go. It took a flurry of 3’s to get Villanova back in the game - 5 threes from that point on. In fact, DePaul had the lead with a little over 5 minutes to go. This was DePaul’s game to win. Had Villanova not gotten hit from 3, they would in fact have won.

Holtmann is bringing these guys along. With their history of futility for many years, they have to learn how to win - especially late in close games. And they have to believe that they can win. They need a new culture. I think that Holtmann is building that.

I didn't see the game so I appreciate the insight, Bill. I agree on Holtmann. I've been pleased so far. Improvement is being made. But the talent level and "understanding how to win" have to be elevated.

Agree. Sometimes it’s just getting that one guy to be a The Man. Other players then fill roles and everyone gets better. With all the talent in the Chicagoland area, I’d think that he’d have a shot at coming up with a big recruit or two.

(01-01-2026 11:24 AM)Bill Marsh Wrote:  

(01-01-2026 10:40 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(01-01-2026 10:16 AM)Bill Marsh Wrote:  Even with all that, Bill, I had to like the way that DePaul played - especially with the game on Villanova’s home court. They led for most of the game and had a 10 point lead with less than 11 minutes to go. It took a flurry of 3’s to get Villanova back in the game - 5 threes from that point on. In fact, DePaul had the lead with a little over 5 minutes to go. This was DePaul’s game to win. Had Villanova not gotten hit from 3, they would in fact have won.

Holtmann is bringing these guys along. With their history of futility for many years, they have to learn how to win - especially late in close games. And they have to believe that they can win. They need a new culture. I think that Holtmann is building that.

I didn't see the game so I appreciate the insight, Bill. I agree on Holtmann. I've been pleased so far. Improvement is being made. But the talent level and "understanding how to win" have to be elevated.

Agree. Sometimes it’s just getting that one guy to be a The Man. Other players then fill roles and everyone gets better. With all the talent in the Chicagoland area, I’d think that he’d have a shot at coming up with a big recruit or two.

I'm taking a very conservative approach with Chris Holtmann. I truly thought Dave Leitao was going to do a strong job when he returned to DePaul in 2015. It wasn't meant to be.

In the Xavier @ DePaul game today, the team with the better coaching won.

Not a good day for the Pitino's.

Stat of note in the Xavier vs. DePaul game: The Blue Demons led 87 percent of the 40 minutes of play. That hasn't happened much in Big East play for DePaul the past few years.

DePaul wins 86-77.

Seton Hall with the much needed win vs Creighton.

Creighton definitely behind the 8 ball now. Only 6 Q1 games left as of right now (though possibly could get up to 8 if St John's or Seton Hall can get top 30).

(01-04-2026 02:23 PM)stever20 Wrote:  Seton Hall with the much needed win vs Creighton.

Creighton definitely behind the 8 ball now. Only 6 Q1 games left as of right now (though possibly could get up to 8 if St John's or Seton Hall can get top 30).

Agreed. I also think this was one of those games Seton Hall absolutely had to have. Would not only have dropped them to 2-2 in conference play, but also would have made them 0-2 against the top 50 teams in the league with small margins of victory in their two wins. Instead they are 3-1, with multiple Q2 wins in conference and OOC, plus that Q1 W against NC State. They are in solid shape for a bid as things currently stand. But a loss would have had them trending in the wrong direction.