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Post by jflare on Feb 6, 2017 22:12:18 GMT -5
Wednesday another "right the ship and forget the last one game" We have had a ton of them this year and
won most of them. Let's do it again and see what happens against Lehigh.......
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Feb 6, 2017 22:49:48 GMT -5
Lafayette is a really weak team--we had better win this next game.
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Post by sader81 on Feb 7, 2017 7:43:56 GMT -5
BuckU looked really good last night, shot lights out from 3. But, some nights they don't all fall, so they are not a shoo in to win it all.
Didn't expect a road win last night, but hoped for a better effort. They neeed to take care of business with the Leopards, and defend the home court in later games, and a home first round game is in reach. It's not over.
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Post by bringbackcaro on Feb 7, 2017 8:32:22 GMT -5
Remember the chorus last year that it would be "addition by subtraction" when last year's Seniors graduated? Well, your defending "Patriot League Champions" are 6-6 in the PL with a record of 1-6 against the top 5 (half) of the leugue, and the only win coming on a buzzer beater.
While the overall record may be better, it's far more a function of how awful the bottom of the league is than any type of improvements HC has made.
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Post by Sons of Vaval on Feb 7, 2017 8:58:36 GMT -5
I don't remember that tune. The seniors this year have largely underperformed, which isn't much of a surprise. Talent simply isn't there.
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Feb 7, 2017 9:08:12 GMT -5
Remember the chorus last year that it would be "additional by subtraction" when last year's Seniors graduated? Well, your defending "Patriot League Champions" are 6-6 in the PL with a record of 1-6 against the top 5 (half) of the leugue, and the only win coming on a buzzer beater. While the overall record may be better, it's far more a function of how awful the bottom of the league is than any type of improvements HC has made. The Crusaders finished 15-20 last year and were 5-13 in PL regular season, 9-13 versus PL including the PL tournament. Sagarin had Crusaders at #285 against a strength of schedule of # 299 This year's Crusaders are 12-13 and are 6-6 in regular PL season. Sagarin has HC at #218 this season against a strength of schedule of #226. Stop the nonsense about "how awful the bottom of the league is"; it is not appreciably different from last season. If you cannot acknowledge that HC has improved from last season you will demonstrate once again that you are just blinded by your agenda. Of course we can anticipate your response: "So you're telling me that Holy Cross is one of the best teams in the country...." or something equally puerile..... |
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Post by bringbackcaro on Feb 7, 2017 9:12:22 GMT -5
Remember the chorus last year that it would be "additional by subtraction" when last year's Seniors graduated? Well, your defending "Patriot League Champions" are 6-6 in the PL with a record of 1-6 against the top 5 (half) of the leugue, and the only win coming on a buzzer beater. While the overall record may be better, it's far more a function of how awful the bottom of the league is than any type of improvements HC has made. The Crusaders finished 15-20 last year and were 5-13 in PL regular season, 9-13 versus PL including the PL tournament. Sagarin had Crusaders at #285 against a strength of schedule of # 299 This year's Crusaders are 12-13 and are 6-6 in regular PL season. Sagarin has HC at #218 this season against a strength of schedule of #226. Stop the nonsense about "how awful the bottom of the league is"; it is not appreciably different from last season. If you cannot acknowledge that HC has improved from last season you will demonstrate once again that you are just blinded by your agenda. Of course we can anticipate your response: "So you're telling me that Holy Cross is one of the best teams in the country...." or something equally puerile..... If you set the bar as low as how bad the regular season was last year, sure there's been some improvement. If you set the bar at "defending PL Champions" (as some love continuously saying as if that was not a flukey aberration from our consistent performance level of the past 1.75 seasons), then no, there hasn't been improvement. If anything the run to the PLC last year, just shows how much the team underperformed during the regular season (not to say it should have been a 20+-win team), and how that regular season should not be used as a measuring stick if you want to use a real benchmark. |
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Post by hchoops on Feb 7, 2017 9:23:17 GMT -5
Then what is your "real" benchmark ?
We should probably return the PLC since it was "flukey". Are all upset runs flukey ? Say NC State to the NCAA championship with multiple upsets as a low seed ? How about '85 Nova ? Flukey ? George Mason ? Butler, two flukeys ?
too bad you could not enjoy and appreciate the flukey PLC
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Post by Sons of Vaval on Feb 7, 2017 9:38:23 GMT -5
Bucknell's last seven wins have come by double figures. Even when HC and Bucknell were running roughshod over the league, I don't think either team had a streak like this.
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Post by rgs318 on Feb 7, 2017 9:39:36 GMT -5
I can't say if last year's tournament championship run was "flukey" but I do know it was FUN to see and follow. HC showed moments last night where they were clicking and getting the ball inside for scores. We did not hit 3s while Bucknell did...that happens. These are the players who are on the team now. I do not care about people who left, about people who chose not to come, or about how HC as once great - when we are discussing this team in this league with this schedule. I support this team and these players. Is another PL tournament championship likely...no. Is it possible...certainly. That what a fan believes and I am a Holy Cross fan.
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Post by bringbackcaro on Feb 7, 2017 9:56:37 GMT -5
Then what is your "real" benchmark ? We should probably return the PLC since it was "flukey". Are all upset runs flukey ? Say NC State to the NCAA championship with multiple upsets as a low seed ? too bad you could not enjoy and appreciate the flukey PLC With how poor the league is this year, we should be in the Top 3. People can say what they want about the talent on the roster, but with Navy and Loyola ahead of us in the standings, that talent argument looks awfully weak. I enjoyed the PLC run last March, but it means very little now that we haven't been able to translate the way we played during those four games into meaningful success this year. |
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Post by rgs318 on Feb 7, 2017 10:09:10 GMT -5
2 points:
1. HC has won regular season away games this year - a clear improvement.
2. The PL is rated 23rd among conferences - ahead of 8 others: Atlantic Sun, Big South, Big Sky, Big West, Southland, Northeast, Southwestern AC, Mid-Eastern AC. We could always be worse. Were we better last year - no. Last year the PL was rated 27th in the combined ratings - behind Atlantic Sun and Big South, among others. But don't let any facts stop your roll. I am sure you feel passionately about this and that you believe you are correct.
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Post by Sons of Vaval on Feb 7, 2017 10:10:50 GMT -5
Then what is your "real" benchmark ? We should probably return the PLC since it was "flukey". Are all upset runs flukey ? Say NC State to the NCAA championship with multiple upsets as a low seed ? too bad you could not enjoy and appreciate the flukey PLC With how poor the league is this year, we should be in the Top 3. Your eyes make up what they wish to see. The talent is simply not there. We have a point guard that, when he's on the floor, makes it 4 on 5 when HC is on offense. We have a center that has no inside game, is a poor defender, and poor rebounder (side note: I think Husek has made tremendous strides and become a nice player for us in spurts. He's being instructed to spend much of his time camped out around the arc.). Our "go-to" scorer has been incredibly hot and cold throughout the entire season -- there have been more cold streaks than hot ones. We don't have the horses. If the horses don't arrive next year (since the current frosh class leaves much to be desired), we are in trouble. The league is the strongest it's been since 2012-13. The middle-of-the-pack teams (HC, Loyola, Lehigh) are much stronger than middling teams of past years. For instance, the average Pomeroy ranking of the 4-7 teams (Lehigh, Loyola, HC, Colgate) is 209.5. Last year's 4-7 rankings were 258.25. The league's ranking is bolstered by the fact that the teams in the bottom half aren't all ranked in the 250+ range, which used to be the case When do you think the the last time the league was good? |
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Post by WCHC Sports on Feb 7, 2017 10:33:51 GMT -5
Back to the game (saw on TV)-
--Champion looking a lot better than the last televised game. Aggressive, good moves, running well... hopefully the injuries are behind him and never to return.
--Charles fouled out again. Still doing too much watching/not moving his feet. I see him craving instruction/direction on the offensive end. I feel for him-- the potential is there!
--Husek didn't show me nearly as much as the "spurts" that SoV quoted. I don't need him out on the floor on the arc, refusing to dribble, not being aggressive or looking for his game... turning the ball over. Not sure how many minutes he should get let alone start.
--Benzan is a spark plug. I like the energy he brings. I like that he looks for his shot and attacks the basket. The other players seemingly want to burn the shot clock but not necessarily to score. It's very odd, but Benzan doesn't lull me to sleep like some of the others attempt to. Interested to see where his career goes.
--Carmody... how was your seat? Do you like relaxing on your a** the whole game talking to the assistants? No fire, neigh even a clap that I could see (if CMB could "win" any comparison...) on TV. How many 3 pointers with 3 up in the base offense would Bucknell need to hit before Carmody moved from a 2-3 to M2M, or box in one? 10? 20? 60? They could have scored 70 in the first half going 3 or 4 vs 2 on the arc. Ridiculous.
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Post by hchoops on Feb 7, 2017 10:41:53 GMT -5
Husek's "game" is only a catch and shoot 3.
We do not play any 2-3. We play a match up zone and a 1-3-1.
We cannot and have not played any man to man due to size and speed deficiencies.
A box and 1 is for when one offensive player dominates. Bucknell had a few.
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Post by rgs318 on Feb 7, 2017 10:44:08 GMT -5
WCHC: Good points, except perhaps for Carm. He is constantly talking to players and teaching all the time. We had a jumping yelling coach previously who never taught much. My own view is that he is a clear step up.
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Post by Sons of Vaval on Feb 7, 2017 10:45:16 GMT -5
--Benzan is a spark plug. I like the energy he brings. I like that he looks for his shot and attacks the basket. The other players seemingly want to burn the shot clock but not necessarily to score. It's very odd, but Benzan doesn't lull me to sleep like some of the others attempt to. Interested to see where his career goes. Benzan reminds me a bit of former Lafayette PG Tony Johnson, particularly his ability to score in the lane. |
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Post by WCHC Sports on Feb 7, 2017 10:50:10 GMT -5
We do not play any 2-3. We play a match up zone and a 1-3-1. I saw the 1-3-1 more in the second half. The match up zone "shows" as a 2-3. When Bucknell had 3 players up, we only had two. The zone didn't extend anyone from either wing to the top of the arc to defend the corner high shots. That's why that kid nailed four open ones in the first half. No pressure on the shot, and no chance to deny the ball. |
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Post by WCHC Sports on Feb 7, 2017 10:52:15 GMT -5
WCHC: Good points, except perhaps for Carm. He is constantly talking to players and teaching all the time. We had a jumping yelling coach previously who never taught much. My own view is that he is a clear step up. I don't doubt it, and agree with you. But playing a rival on the road, especially when we were able to fight back in certain spots... I would have liked to see a bit more fire. We got jobbed on at least one foul call and the PB technical foul for saying "AND ONE"-- especially when it was said two baskets in a row not 3 plays later, audibly on TV, was ridiculous. Think Carm could have gotten behind the players a little bit there, but would I would come off that and agree if others think it's nit-picking. |
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Post by hchoops on Feb 7, 2017 10:53:43 GMT -5
Nit-picking
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Post by Sons of Vaval on Feb 7, 2017 11:01:02 GMT -5
Combined scoring numbers in PL play for starting PG, SG, and Center, who play on overage 83 minutes per game:
22.6 PPG, 53-78 FT (67.9%), 48-109 2PT FG (44.0%), 41-137 3PT FG (29.9%).
Not going to win many games with this kind of production.
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Post by hchoops on Feb 7, 2017 11:07:33 GMT -5
Is your starting sg Benzan or Champion ?
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Post by Sons of Vaval on Feb 7, 2017 11:11:45 GMT -5
Is your starting sg Benzan or Champion ? Champion, since Benzan comes off the bench. Benzan, in PL play, is 25-40 FT, 40-67 2PT, 4-11 3PT. Our first guard off the bench has eight fewer 2PT FG and shoots 16 percentage points better on 2PT FG than these three starters. Amazing. |
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Post by WorcesterGray on Feb 7, 2017 11:17:09 GMT -5
Speaking of amazing . . . Pat Benzan is currently 7th in the PL in 2PT FG% - the six players ahead of him are all at least 6-8.
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Post by Tom on Feb 7, 2017 11:19:51 GMT -5
The Crusaders finished 15-20 last year and were 5-13 in PL regular season, 9-13 versus PL including the PL tournament. Sagarin had Crusaders at #285 against a strength of schedule of # 299 This year's Crusaders are 12-13 and are 6-6 in regular PL season. Sagarin has HC at #218 this season against a strength of schedule of #226. Stop the nonsense about "how awful the bottom of the league is"; it is not appreciably different from last season. If you cannot acknowledge that HC has improved from last season you will demonstrate once again that you are just blinded by your agenda. Of course we can anticipate your response: "So you're telling me that Holy Cross is one of the best teams in the country...." or something equally puerile..... If you set the bar as low as how bad the regular season was last year, sure there's been some improvement. If you set the bar at "defending PL Champions" (as some love continuously saying as if that was not a flukey aberration from our consistent performance level of the past 1.75 seasons), then no, there hasn't been improvement. If anything the run to the PLC last year, just shows how much the team underperformed during the regular season (not to say it should have been a 20+-win team), and how that regular season should not be used as a measuring stick if you want to use a real benchmark. I'm not sure where we're going with the bar. I kind of have a long term and a short term bar. I think setting the bar as the regular season is appropriate for this year. That does not in any way, shape, or form mean that a probable middle of the pack finish should be acceptable down the road. By any fair standard this team will finish noticeably better than last year's squad. Some of that is that we're set in a trajectory of peaks and valleys with incredibly skewed class size. Last year's team basically had one senior for the regular season. With one senior and a big, contributing junior class, there's something terribly wrong if there isn't a good jump. Unfortunately for those of us who lack patience, it takes a longer time frame to average out the peaks and valleys and find an actual trend. That being said, I am optimistic going forward, even knowing that next years "zero senior" season is destined to be a relative valley. On a side note, I think it's a bit harsh to say the team under preformed during the regular season, based on the post season run. Eric Green was a huge part of that run. In my eyes he solidified that 1-3-1 from a porous defense into a very effective. If you want to compare a team at full strength to one that has key player(s) out, everybody will underperform |
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