For the UConn vs. SJU game...

... Stats of note: UConn committed 16 turnovers, which the Red Storm variously converted into 24 points. Saint John's committed eight turnovers from which the Huskies derived 10 points.

Also, SJU led 99 percent of the game (with the other 1 percent of the time being a tie).

It's rare that UConn loses games after having never led at least a small percentage of those contests.

(03-15-2026 07:50 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  For the UConn vs. SJU game...

... Stats of note: UConn committed 16 turnovers, which the Red Storm variously converted into 24 points. Saint John's committed eight turnovers from which the Huskies derived 10 points.

Also, SJU led 99 percent of the game (with the other 1 percent of the time being a tie).

It's rare that UConn loses games after having never led at least a small percentage of those contests.

The team is fading and at the absolute worst time of the season. 7-4 over their last 11 games. The team doesn't look capable of stringing 3 good performances in a row together, nevermind 6. I know Demary came back into the game but he's not going to be 100% for the tournament, further complicating things.

I don't think I've ever soured on a team so rapidly. They just aren't fun to watch right now. I derived more enjoyment from watching our final season in The American, where we were down to 8 healthy scholarship players (playing only 7) and trying to scrap our way back into the tournament for the first time in 4 years. Some of that is simply due to the expectations being different; it's easier to have fun rooting for a team with significantly lower expectations because every victory against a good team is more improbable and losses don't sting as much. But a lot of it is, as Hurley said, this team having an incredibly low floor but also an incredibly high ceiling. You never know which team is going to show up, even in big games like last night. It's just frustrating to watch and makes me not care to an extent. Why get excited about something just to be let down?

Maybe we go on a run and win it all. But if I'm being candid, I just want the season to be over so I can stop caring and move on. My gut tells me this team doesn't even make an Elite Eight. I'm ready to just focus on the portal and spring football.

I would not want to be a practice this morning at UConn. Well maybe as an observer.

(03-15-2026 08:19 AM)Nameless Wrote:  

(03-15-2026 07:50 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  For the UConn vs. SJU game...

... Stats of note: UConn committed 16 turnovers, which the Red Storm variously converted into 24 points. Saint John's committed eight turnovers from which the Huskies derived 10 points.

Also, SJU led 99 percent of the game (with the other 1 percent of the time being a tie).

It's rare that UConn loses games after having never led at least a small percentage of those contests.

The team is fading and at the absolute worst time of the season. 7-4 over their last 11 games. The team doesn't look capable of stringing 3 good performances in a row together, nevermind 6. I know Demary came back into the game but he's not going to be 100% for the tournament, further complicating things.

I don't think I've ever soured on a team so rapidly. They just aren't fun to watch right now. I derived more enjoyment from watching our final season in The American, where we were down to 8 healthy scholarship players (playing only 7) and trying to scrap our way back into the tournament for the first time in 4 years. Some of that is simply due to the expectations being different; it's easier to have fun rooting for a team with significantly lower expectations because every victory against a good team is more improbable and losses don't sting as much. But a lot of it is, as Hurley said, this team having an incredibly low floor but also an incredibly high ceiling. You never know which team is going to show up, even in big games like last night. It's just frustrating to watch and makes me not care to an extent. Why get excited about something just to be let down?

Maybe we go on a run and win it all. But if I'm being candid, I just want the season to be over so I can stop caring and move on. My gut tells me this team doesn't even make an Elite Eight. I'm ready to just focus on the portal and spring football.

To be honest, I am not particularly impressed with this UConn team (at least specifically compared to previous Husky teams).

(03-14-2026 10:56 PM)Traderwill Wrote:  I was at the game tonight, and it was a totally electric atmosphere. Both teams had a loud, vocal contingent there. From the UConn side, one thing that surprised me was I thought Demary passed up a lot of looks from three. Also Reid is so tough, he's just a monster to deal with.

For the Johnnies, I thought they played with an incredible intensity from the start. They didn't seem to take any possessions off.

I was critical of Hopkins earlier in the year, but he's come up big time for them the second half of the season, and came up really big tonight. Finally, not sure if this has ever been done before, but St. John's never trailed in any game at throughout the whole tournament.

I agree that the energy that St. John’s came out with and displayed the entire game was the key to their win. Few teams could match that intensity.

I think that Mike Tyson is the one who said, “Everyone has a plan until they get hit in the mouth.” UConn got hit in the mouth and after that, they had no plan. They were reeling for the rest of the game.

Pitino showed why he is in the Hall of Fame. He had his team totally prepared. Hurley had no answers. I thought that he was completely outcoached. That’s not going to happen often, so I expect the Huskies to bounce back from this.

(03-15-2026 08:30 AM)gosports1 Wrote:  I would not want to be a practice this morning at UConn. Well maybe as an observer.

I think if Hurley runs one of those practices, it will be a huge mistake. The ream is already down on itself. You don’t kick someone when they’re down.

He should take his cue from Pitino. After St. John’ 32-point loss a few weeks ago, Rick came into the post game press conference and had not a bad word to say about his team. He took full responsibility for the loss, putting all of the blame on himself. And Rick is not a guy who is shy about criticizing his team publicly.it’s all about timing. He understood the moment.

(03-15-2026 09:37 AM)Bill Marsh Wrote:  

(03-14-2026 10:56 PM)Traderwill Wrote:  I was at the game tonight, and it was a totally electric atmosphere. Both teams had a loud, vocal contingent there. From the UConn side, one thing that surprised me was I thought Demary passed up a lot of looks from three. Also Reid is so tough, he's just a monster to deal with.

For the Johnnies, I thought they played with an incredible intensity from the start. They didn't seem to take any possessions off.

I was critical of Hopkins earlier in the year, but he's come up big time for them the second half of the season, and came up really big tonight. Finally, not sure if this has ever been done before, but St. John's never trailed in any game at throughout the whole tournament.

I agree that the energy that St. John’s came out with and displayed the entire game was the key to their win. Few teams could match that intensity.

I think that Mike Tyson is the one who said, “Everyone has a plan until they get hit in the mouth.” UConn got hit in the mouth and after that, they had no plan. They were reeling for the rest of the game.

Pitino showed why he is in the Hall of Fame. He had his team totally prepared. Hurley had no answers. I thought that he was completely outcoached. That’s not going to happen often, so I expect the Huskies to bounce back from this.

For someone who was seen mouthing off last season about how, "He's the best damn coach in the sport", he seems to get out coached by Pitino an awful lot.

(03-15-2026 09:16 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(03-15-2026 08:19 AM)Nameless Wrote:  

(03-15-2026 07:50 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  For the UConn vs. SJU game...

... Stats of note: UConn committed 16 turnovers, which the Red Storm variously converted into 24 points. Saint John's committed eight turnovers from which the Huskies derived 10 points.

Also, SJU led 99 percent of the game (with the other 1 percent of the time being a tie).

It's rare that UConn loses games after having never led at least a small percentage of those contests.

The team is fading and at the absolute worst time of the season. 7-4 over their last 11 games. The team doesn't look capable of stringing 3 good performances in a row together, nevermind 6. I know Demary came back into the game but he's not going to be 100% for the tournament, further complicating things.

I don't think I've ever soured on a team so rapidly. They just aren't fun to watch right now. I derived more enjoyment from watching our final season in The American, where we were down to 8 healthy scholarship players (playing only 7) and trying to scrap our way back into the tournament for the first time in 4 years. Some of that is simply due to the expectations being different; it's easier to have fun rooting for a team with significantly lower expectations because every victory against a good team is more improbable and losses don't sting as much. But a lot of it is, as Hurley said, this team having an incredibly low floor but also an incredibly high ceiling. You never know which team is going to show up, even in big games like last night. It's just frustrating to watch and makes me not care to an extent. Why get excited about something just to be let down?

Maybe we go on a run and win it all. But if I'm being candid, I just want the season to be over so I can stop caring and move on. My gut tells me this team doesn't even make an Elite Eight. I'm ready to just focus on the portal and spring football.

To be honest, I am not particularly impressed with this UConn team (at least specifically compared to previous Husky teams).

I was early in the season. Even losing to Arizona, they were down 2 starters and only lost by 4 to a team that clearly is in contention for the title this year. But since the calendar flipped to 2026 the team just hasn't looked the same. I've finally accepted the team just isn't as good as I thought they were. As I said above, we can still win the whole thing but it is highly unlikely we will the way we are playing.

(03-15-2026 08:19 AM)Nameless Wrote:  

(03-15-2026 07:50 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  For the UConn vs. SJU game...

... Stats of note: UConn committed 16 turnovers, which the Red Storm variously converted into 24 points. Saint John's committed eight turnovers from which the Huskies derived 10 points.

Also, SJU led 99 percent of the game (with the other 1 percent of the time being a tie).

It's rare that UConn loses games after having never led at least a small percentage of those contests.

The team is fading and at the absolute worst time of the season. 7-4 over their last 11 games. The team doesn't look capable of stringing 3 good performances in a row together, nevermind 6. I know Demary came back into the game but he's not going to be 100% for the tournament, further complicating things.

I don't think I've ever soured on a team so rapidly. They just aren't fun to watch right now. I derived more enjoyment from watching our final season in The American, where we were down to 8 healthy scholarship players (playing only 7) and trying to scrap our way back into the tournament for the first time in 4 years. Some of that is simply due to the expectations being different; it's easier to have fun rooting for a team with significantly lower expectations because every victory against a good team is more improbable and losses don't sting as much. But a lot of it is, as Hurley said, this team having an incredibly low floor but also an incredibly high ceiling. You never know which team is going to show up, even in big games like last night. It's just frustrating to watch and makes me not care to an extent. Why get excited about something just to be let down?

Maybe we go on a run and win it all. But if I'm being candid, I just want the season to be over so I can stop caring and move on. My gut tells me this team doesn't even make an Elite Eight.

I agree. In fact, I don’t see them getting out of the first weekend. UCLA, coached by old friend Mick Cronin, has looked very good recently. I think they’ll be a tough out.

Didn't have a chance to post during the weekend but BET was another fantastic weekend......attended every game.....absolutely exhausted!

So glad SJU won.....MSG was insane.....great fan representation for both schools and really happy with the SJU win and how they played......can't believe we went from being irrelevant for 20 years to winning back to back regular season and BET titles....Pitino is a master......

For those of you who have never attended, add it to your bucket list....it's a really special weekend.....

Now I'm on the west coast for my annual March Madness weekend in Vegas and now it looks like I'll be heading to SD for the round 2 match up with Kansas (if we win on Friday).....

(03-16-2026 10:35 AM)sju88grad Wrote:  Didn't have a chance to post during the weekend but BET was another fantastic weekend......attended every game.....absolutely exhausted!

So glad SJU won.....MSG was insane.....great fan representation for both schools and really happy with the SJU win and how they played......can't believe we went from being irrelevant for 20 years to winning back to back regular season and BET titles....Pitino is a master......

For those of you who have never attended, add it to your bucket list....it's a really special weekend.....

Now I'm on the west coast for my annual March Madness weekend in Vegas and now it looks like I'll be heading to SD for the round 2 match up with Kansas (if we win on Friday).....

Congrats on the BET win and best of luck to the Johnnies in the dance