(2) Sunday Big East Games 1/29/23

[kayako]

I wasn't sure so I went to check the Nova SOS. It's #54 right now in the country, and with 7 of 10 remaining games being Q1 games, it's going to just improve from there- wouldn't be shocked if it ends the year in the top 30. I think it's a better schedule than you think. I will say that it's definitely easier than last year when it was on this day #14 in the country. On Selection Sunday it was #15. So will wind up a smidge easier this year, but not by much.

Record sucks considering what Neptune had to work with and the opponents he was matched up against. At this point, it's BET 5th seed and hope they can win 3 in a row. Seton Hall I guess a sweep is on the table, but I highly doubt they can overtake UCONN.

[Jasper67]

Neptune has a lot more talent than plenty of the teams he's lost to. Most polls had Nova in the top 20 coming into this season and that was with the knowledge Moore would be out for awhile. So far, he hasn't won any game he was expected to lose, and has lost plenty he was expected to win. It's early and maybe he'll turn out to be a good one, but with the early results I can understand Nova fans getting a little fidgety.

We both know that polls mean nothing - and that pre-season polls mean even less. Those polls always give man6 benefits if the doubt to teams with big reputations. And Villanova has been the most successful program in the country in recent years and was coming off a Final Four season. Of course they were ranked. So?

Come on. You lose Colin Gillespie, your point guard, leading scorer and team leader, and you lose Jermaine Samuels, your leading rebounder and shit blocker, AND Justin Moore is out for most of the season. And you guys seriously thought you were just going to pick up where you left off? You just lost Colin Freakin’ Gillespie. Do you not appreciate what a difference maker that guy was? Tough as nails. You don’t just replace a guy like that and move on. Plus, Jay had a very short bench last year. Only 6 guys were playing more than 10 minutes a game, so they weren’t getting crucial game experience.

I do my own pre-season ranking each year and I picked them to be 6th, so they’re playing pretty much where I expected.

I have no idea how good a coach Neptune is or will be down the road, but I’m certainly not going to hold this season against him.

[kayako]

[youtube][/youtube]Neptune looked fine with what he had (except that Portland game) until Villanova lost to DePaul and Butler on the road and then almost lost to Georgetown at home, winning by only four. Individually, you'd shrug your shoulders at these performances as just something that could happen with a team of this caliber, but collectively, that was a rough stretch. Is it just a blip in Neptune's career or a sign of things to come? It remains to be seen, but right now I'd rank him behind a lot of Big East coaches. That's his competition for the foreseeable future.

9th in the conference above Ewing and Anderson, I think. I can't rank him above Stubblefield or Matta.

[Jasper67]

I wasn't sure so I went to check the Nova SOS. It's #54 right now in the country, and with 7 of 10 remaining games being Q1 games, it's going to just improve from there- wouldn't be shocked if it ends the year in the top 30. I think it's a better schedule than you think. I will say that it's definitely easier than last year when it was on this day #14 in the country. On Selection Sunday it was #15. So will wind up a smidge easier this year, but not by much.

Record sucks considering what Neptune had to work with and the opponents he was matched up against. At this point, it's BET 5th seed and hope they can win 3 in a row. Seton Hall I guess a sweep is on the table, but I highly doubt they can overtake UCONN.

IMO, you’re way overrating what he had to work with.

[kayako]

Come on. You lose Colin Gillespie, your point guard.

We lost a 3rd team all-american. I can't use that excuse as the reason we're doomed to a rebuilding season. BTW, we're not even really rebuilding if you're wondering. Armstrong would play 35 minutes if we were.

[Jasper67]

That all equals a rebuilding season. What I’m saying is that criticizing his coaching at this point because the team is 10-11 is totally unfair and that the 10-11 record is in no way an indicator of his coaching abilities.

Nobody wanted Jay Wright fired? I saw an interview with Jay a few years ago and he himself said that there was an element in the Villanova community who wanted to run him out of town. I know little to nothing about what goes on in and around the Villanova community, so I was just taking Jay’s word for it. My bad, I guess.

By your definition, UCONN is also in a rebuilding year. I don't know what to tell ya other than our team is stacked with 4th, 5th, and 6th year players, and that Whitmore just matched up well against Bryce Hopkins.

Jay has used hyperbole when talking about his job security. I wouldn't take it to heart.

Stacked? Players who’ve done exactly what? Just 3 guys back from last year who saw any serious playing time. And only 2 of the started last year. You’re trying to win with last year’s bench + Whitmore.

I’ve listened to what you’re saying. I really have. I just don’t agree. I’ll let it go.

[kayako]

IMO, you’re way overrating what he had to work with.

Kudos if you had predicted BE #6 before the season, but your take was an outlier. Preseason polls are just educated guesses, but teams in there aren't usually this bad. I'll let this topic die with the preseason AP poll updated with the latest NET available. Guess which team is the single biggest disappointment?

UNC 33
Gonzaga 14
Houston 1
Kentucky 36
Baylor 13
Kansas 8
Duke 24
UCLA 5
Creighton 18
Arkansas 28
Tennessee 2
Texas 9
Indiana 20
TCU 17
Auburn 31
Villanova 90
Arizona 10
Virginia 15
San Diego State 23
Alabama 4
Oregon 59
Michigan 83
Illinois 26
Dayton 67
Texas Tech 69

[Omaha1]

Come on. You lose Colin Gillespie, your point guard.

We lost a 3rd team all-american. I can't use that excuse as the reason we're doomed to a rebuilding season. BTW, we're not even really rebuilding if you're wondering. Armstrong would play 35 minutes if we were.

Moore returning is huge. In a month I wouldn’t be surprised if we were all talking about how good Nova looks and how they are finishing strong. Freaking Georgetown won BET a couple of years ago, so it wouldn’t shock me if Nova did this March.

[stever20]

This is last years % of playing time from Ken Pom and if they're playing this year-
Gillespie 85.4% of minutes
Moore 81.6% of minutes
Slater 74.4% of minutes playing this year
Samuels 74.0% of minutes
Daniels 63.1% of minutes playing this year
Dixon 62.7% of minutes playing this year
Aricdiacano 21.3% of minutes playing this year
Longino 14.8% of minutes playing this year
Antoine 13.2% of minutes
Patterson 4.1% of minutes playing this year
Cosby-Roundtree 2.4% of minutes

So up until Sunday, only 3 guys who were in the rotation.

for last 5 games last year:
Gillespie 90%
Daniels 86%
Samuels 85%
Slater 72% back
Moore 68%
Dixon 64% back
Antoine 20%
Arcidiacono 8% back

It shows even moreso the situation. Also the 2 guys that are back are more post type guys. College basketball is a guards game- has been for a while.

I think if Moore had been healthy from the jump, it's a totally different story this year. But he wasn't. I think that's the thing about this year, not really the coach all that much.

[stever20]

Come on. You lose Colin Gillespie, your point guard.

We lost a 3rd team all-american. I can't use that excuse as the reason we're doomed to a rebuilding season. BTW, we're not even really rebuilding if you're wondering. Armstrong would play 35 minutes if we were.

Moore returning is huge. In a month I wouldn’t be surprised if we were all talking about how good Nova looks and how they are finishing strong. Freaking Georgetown won BET a couple of years ago, so it wouldn’t shock me if Nova did this March.

completely agree with you.