Willard

[SHUHoopsFan]

kudos to Willard. The guy got destroyed on here last time we played Creighton. Fans were booing him as the game ended. Some claimed he waived the white flag, but it's proven to be a true turning point. He has this team focused. We've beaten everyone not named Villanova since. He really knows his team. Very proud of his handling of things as well as the response of the kids.

 

[SOBO1]

 

[SPK145]

We've beaten everyone not named Villanova since.

What happened to Xavier??

 

[SHUHoopsFan]

What happened to Xavier??

There's always 1 guy that's got to be that guy. Sorry 2 losses vs top 7 teams. I apologize to everyone

 

[SPK145]

Losses to RPI nos. 2 and 3 and wins over RPI nos. 23, 208, and 102 (erasing an earlier bad loss).

Not sure what this really tells us other than Seton Hall and Creighton should meet again in the BET.

 

[Fordham_57]

Steve, We played great and it was a huge win on the road. That's what it tells us. I'm happy. Great time to be a Pirate fan. Frank

 

[Seton75]

Steve, We played great and it was a huge win on the road. That's what it tells us. I'm happy. Great time to be a Pirate fan. Frank

Exactly. We played a great game. We needed it and we got it.

 

[cernjSHU]

What this win showed is that the team can come back from adversity and not fold like a cheap suit. A very important trait that good teams have. One of the things that helped this game was that Creighton's big man was in foul trouble in the first half and got injured in the second half. Groselle gave our team fits last game and he was barely on the floor in last night's game and it did change the complexion of the game.

Now we enter the make or break portion of the season. I have circled Marquette, Butler and Georgetown at home as the key games of the season from the start of the season. Sweep these three games and SHU is in the tournament. The team is playing better each game. Whitehead still taking tough shots but has reduced the amount he is taking. Plus, when he passes the ball, the team is so much better.

 

[mjs428]

Not taking anything away from this W because we played really well but Creighton looks like a team that will play on the Wednesday of the BE tournament. @Nova, Xavier twice, @prov, & @butler left on the schedule

 

[statenman]

the next 2 games are huge. All of the remaining teams except SJU can beat us if we aren't playing well that day.
They are passing the eyeball test and improving as the season goes along. I'll give them that.

 

[Piratz]

The team has been getting better all season. Last night was a great response and credit to KW, staff, and players. Excellent game.

 

[SOBO1]

You have to give the guy credit. We have a ton of talent on this team team and this group of players has a realistic chance to go to 3 consecutive NCAA tournaments. Something that hasn't been done since the PJ years.

 

[Seton75]

What this win showed is that the team can come back from adversity and not fold like a cheap suit. A very important trait that good teams have. One of the things that helped this game was that Creighton's big man was in foul trouble in the first half and got injured in the second half. Groselle gave our team fits last game and he was barely on the floor in last night's game and it did change the complexion of the game.

Now we enter the make or break portion of the season. I have circled Marquette, Butler and Georgetown at home as the key games of the season from the start of the season. Sweep these three games and SHU is in the tournament. The team is playing better each game. Whitehead still taking tough shots but has reduced the amount he is taking. Plus, when he passes the ball, the team is so much better.

If we used Angel being sick as the excuse for the first game, I don't think it would have gone over well.

 

[Piratz]

What this win showed is that the team can come back from adversity and not fold like a cheap suit. A very important trait that good teams have. One of the things that helped this game was that Creighton's big man was in foul trouble in the first half and got injured in the second half. Groselle gave our team fits last game and he was barely on the floor in last night's game and it did change the complexion of the game.

This characteristic has been on display more than once this season, which is reassuring. We may not be the most consistent team around - comes with maturity - but we are absolutely getting better and staying together.

Really impressed with our approach against Watson and Groselle last night after they embarrassed us in Newark. Good coaching, good response, great win.

 

[SHUHoopsFan]

funny how direct and to the point people are when we lose a game because we are out coached. Nobody has been 100% direct and just flat out said it, Willard out coached McDermott.

 

[Piratz]

Time to finish. We have a good profile. We are in position at 15-6, 5-4 to get where we want to be this year.

FInish, finish, finish!

 

[TheBluePirate]

funny how direct and to the point people are when we lose a game because we are out coached. Nobody has been 100% direct and just flat out said it, Willard out coached McDermott.

It's kind of like a 12-step program. The good news is that we are likely past step 1, LOL.

 

[shupat08]

funny how direct and to the point people are when we lose a game because we are out coached. Nobody has been 100% direct and just flat out said it, Willard out coached McDermott.

I did in another thread.

How many times in the past 6 years has KW out coached someone in the 2nd matchup? Especially after getting killed the 1st time? Never? Once? IDK.

Well it def happened last night at the end of January on the road.

 

[SHUHoopsFan]

I did in another thread.

How many times in the past 6 years has KW out coached someone in the 2nd matchup? Especially after getting killed the 1st time? Never? Once? IDK.

Well it def happened last night at the end of January on the road.

Off the top of my head Xavier last year for one.

 

[SHUmash90]

funny how direct and to the point people are when we lose a game because we are out coached. Nobody has been 100% direct and just flat out said it, Willard out coached McDermott.

I agree. Tweeted last night on same. Was an extremely well coached game. I would say that with the exception of maybe the first creighton game, all our BE games were well coached. Then again, maybe the last creighton game was the best "coaching" we had all year. These guys have played with more unity and purpose than ever before since that game.

 

[donnie_baseball]

I wanted Willard gone after the last Creighton game. Give credit where it's due: he had the team ready to play, and the game plan kept Mo Watson from killing us like last time. Good job, coach.

Let's keep it rolling Wednesday. I can't remember the last time SHU won 3 BE games in a row.

 

[SHUHoopsFan]

I wanted Willard gone after the last Creighton game. Give credit where it's due: he had the team ready to play, and the game plan kept Mo Watson from killing us like last time. Good job, coach.

Let's keep it rolling Wednesday. I can't remember the last time SHU won 3 BE games in a row.

Be fair you wanted him gone long before that Creighton game. Nobody renew their tickets

 

[Piratz]

Let's keep it rolling Wednesday. I can't remember the last time SHU won 3 BE games in a row.

The year we imploded in 2011-12.

FSN flashed a graphic last night that this is the first time Seton Hall has scored 70+ points in 3 consecutive BE games since 1994-95. Wow.

 

[TheBluePirate]

It's like fearing the damned announcer's curse. Before Creighton (1), I was ready to declare "turned the corner" and of course, as Donnie points out, the choking dumpster fire seemed poised to resurrect itself. BUT the fact is, the ship did not sink, the dumpster fire was put out (as far as anyone can possibly see) and the team has gotten stronger and more purposeful.

So - while I'm fearing any declaration of "turning the corner", I'm genuinely positive about our direction (right now) and I have changed my avatar to express my sentiments.

 

[Piratz]

We responded very well after losing that bad game to LBSU in Charleston by winning the final two in that tournament.

We responded well to adversity within the game against Wichita State.

We responded well to the benchings against Creighton by winning the next game at Providence.

We responded well to a lackluster start against winless St. John's.

We responded well last night in a classic revenge game, correcting the miscues of the previous meeting.

All good right now at 5-4. Too bad we couldn't finish that Villanova game though.

 

[Bluebeard]

The year we imploded in 2011-12.

FSN flashed a graphic last night that this is the first time Seton Hall has scored 70+ points in 3 consecutive BE games since 1994-95. Wow.

The stat is seven straight games over 70 points, first time since 1994-5.

 

[shupat08]

The stat is seven straight games over 70 points, first time since 1994-5.

Starting with @Prov, we've had 5 straight 70+ BE games. We scored 70+ @MU and vs DePaul then under 70 @Nova and vs CU...

So we've scored 70+ in 7 of our 9 BE games to date.

 

[ATM82]

We responded very well after losing that bad game to LBSU in Charleston by winning the final two in that tournament.
We responded well to adversity within the game against Wichita State.
We responded well to the benchings against Creighton by winning the next game at Providence.
We responded well to a lackluster start against winless St. John's.
We responded well last night in a classic revenge game, correcting the miscues of the previous meeting.

All good right now at 5-4. Too bad we couldn't finish that Villanova game though.

There's always the BE tournament!

 

[ArtieLange9]

The issue is a lot of fans don't want to get too excited just to get let down again.

This team is different. We will dance.

 

[BostonBlackie]

I wanted Willard gone after the last Creighton game. Give credit where it's due: he had the team ready to play, and the game plan kept Mo Watson from killing us like last time. Good job, coach.

Let's keep it rolling Wednesday. I can't remember the last time SHU won 3 BE games in a row.

I wanted him gone too, and last night I hurt my leg climbing back onto the bandwagon. I only ask for effort and enthusiasm and I'm getting that and a lot more. I beg forgiveness ... but will moan again if he reverts to a glassy-eyed, passive hand-clapper.

 

[hallgrad80]

Just as I've said before that this team is a work in progress so too has Kevin become a work in progress as a coach something I could not have said in his previous five years . Like any work in progress there will be peaks and valleys but as long as the trend is going upward then there's reason to be cautiously optimistic about both the way the team is playing and the way Kevin is coaching them.

 

[wpc75]

Enjoy one game at a a time. Kudos to Pat Lyons who last year in March had much more information than any of us.

 

[donnie_baseball]

Be fair you wanted him gone long before that Creighton game. Nobody renew their tickets

That is true, and I didn't renew, but resigned myself, fairly quietly, to the fact that he was coach for at least this year. When I saw the first Creighton game, it reminded me of the BET last year, when I first said "this guy's got to go." Coaching is a lot easier when you have good players, so I am cautiously hopeful that KW and the team have found their groove.