Lamomba couldn't find an open inbounds pass, and had to use PC's last timeout. PC still up 3 with the ball, 16 seconds to go. Get it inbounds, make one free throw and they should get their first win on the road.
The 2014-15 PC Friars/ Big East Basketball Thread: Bigger, Deeper ... Better (?)
- Thread starter pdaj
- Start date
Are you shitting me. inbounds goes to Henton, gets caught in a trap, no foul call, steal, and Butler makes a quick layup. Dunn now at the line with 8 seconds to go.
He makes the first one, misses the second, but Chukwu gets a HUGE offensive rebound. 2 point lead. Make them both, PLEASE.
He makes the first one, misses the second, but Chukwu gets a HUGE offensive rebound. 2 point lead. Make them both, PLEASE.
He makes them both. Absolutely massive second half for Chukwu. 8 seconds left, PC by 4. Ball game. It's over. First road win for PC, and 2nd road win in the entire Big East this year. Great, great adjustments by Cooley at halftime, and Dunn with 20 points in the 2nd half. Fun game to watch. A lot of good things to take away from this, but free throw shooting has to be a concern going forward, especially in close games like this. They were 16-25 tonight from the line, which usually won't get it done.
Henton had 18 points and 7 rebounds.
Dunn with the monster game, 25 points (20 in the second half), 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 blocks. Another 7 turnovers though.
My MVP of the game was Chukwu, which was one of the big adjustments Cooley made. He only ended up with 4 points, but he had 9 rebounds, including 5 on the offensive end, none bigger than the last one, which led to his two free throws which he made cool as ice. Without him, they lose, and lose big tonight.
Henton had 18 points and 7 rebounds.
Dunn with the monster game, 25 points (20 in the second half), 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 blocks. Another 7 turnovers though.
My MVP of the game was Chukwu, which was one of the big adjustments Cooley made. He only ended up with 4 points, but he had 9 rebounds, including 5 on the offensive end, none bigger than the last one, which led to his two free throws which he made cool as ice. Without him, they lose, and lose big tonight.
Really nice win for the Friars. Butler has an RPI of 23 and to steal that on the road coming of the Marquette loss is pretty sweet. At 12-4, this the fourth team PC has beaten this year that has been ranked in the top 25 at some point this year (Notre Dame, Miami and Creighton being the others). Now let's see what they can do against Georgetown and St. Johns at home.
I didn't really know what to expect with Georgetown, but that first half wasn't it. They can't score against the zone or play interior defense. I'll be extremely disappointed if PC loses this game. I thought Georgetown was way better than this, but Marquette seems to have uncovered their massive weakness to the 2-3 and teams just sap their offense by exploiting it.
I thought Raftery was going to go give Smith from Georgetown a kiss at one point. A wins a win a win. I think that they benefitted from some fortuitous calls at the end, but het, Big East. They need to improve if they want to make some noise. That was not a top-25 team that played today.shawnrbu said:
You missed the part where Raftery leaped from the announce table and strolled up to Smith prior to a free throw attempt and pinched his cheek.
Kris Dunn, Sporting News 2nd Team Mid-season All-American. The word is getting out about this kid.
http://www.friars.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/011415aaa.html
http://www.friars.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/011415aaa.html
Man, I feel like such a talk radio caller when it comes to this team. Pre-season till the horrible losses, I was thinking no way he stays... Then, it's no way he is ready or will get drafted... Now...HomeRunBaker said:
Is he a legit NBA prospect? 1st rounder? The size is there. He had his moments of both disappearing and then absolutely dominating games.
PC Drunken Friar said:
I think he's a legit NBA prospect, but he should consider what happened to Shammgod when he left too soon. I think Dunn needs at least another seasons worth of seasoning. He would absolutely get drafted, but first round? Probably not. His defense is great and the speed is there even after the injuries, but he can work on his range and protecting the ball. As high as I am on him, his turnovers are stupid and infuriating. He's as sloppy a PG as you'll see at times, but can flip a switch and take over the game. He should stay another year and he might end up a lottery pick. It's a risk that would pay off huge financial dividends if he does and stays healthy instead of jumping in and being a second rounder this year.
Dunn could use a tighter handle but Shammgod was a one-trick pony who couldn't hit an open 15-foot jumper. Dunn is leading The Big East in Assists and Steals, leading his team in Rebounding and 2nd in Steals. Most importantly is that he has NBA length and athleticism for his position and an ever improving jumper with good form/soft touch.NoLastCall125 said:
Just dropped a 21/8/7/4 at Creighton to lead the Friars to a road win. #oneanddunn
HomeRunBaker said:
The NBA draft coming up is supposed to be one of the deepest in years. Where would Dunn get drafted? I absolutely agree with you that he would get drafted, but I think one year is the difference between being a late first or second round, D-Leaguer to start his career instead of a first round, lottery pick that's a starter or at least a backup with serious minutes. Not to mention the guaranteed money that comes along with it.
Unless he finds the consistency from now until the rest of the year where he shreds teams like he did Creighton just about every game, I don't see his value being as high in this draft as it will be the next.
It's all about the promise. Unless Dunn has a 1st round promise he'll be back at Providence he loves it here. Passing up a guaranteed deal however (many 2nds are guaranteed now anyway) with his history of shoulder problems is a big big risk to move up in the 1st round.
I'm surprised how he's still flying under the radar with Draft Express not even listing him in their Top-100.
I'm surprised how he's still flying under the radar with Draft Express not even listing him in their Top-100.
HomeRunBaker said:
I agree 100% here. I think there's a decent shot he goes, but I'll say it's 60/40 he comes back at this point. Sure, there's always a risk when you've had injuries; but he'll have a chance to be one of the top players in the nation next year -- and he'll be respectively hyped as so. He can spend a relaxed summer working on his game, have a monster year, and get drafted Top 15. Unless he gets a guarantee from someone, I have to think that's the plan.
What's everyone's feeling on this year's team thus far?
So its fair to say that him and Cooley (and his dad?) have cleared the air and are on good terms again?HomeRunBaker said:
Kris isn't loud and boisterous like his Dad but loves the school and his teammates. Dad was, rightfully imo, very frustrated with Cooley betweenPC Drunken Friar said:
a) the shoulder injury in practice (if I hear one more time how this occurred in a game I'm gonna jump through the Internet!)
b) the idiotic attempt over the summer/fall of moving the NCAA's Assist Leader off the ball.
And c) running Fortune out of town leaving nobody to space the floor for Kris aside from a wife eyed freshman.
So I wouldn't say good terms only holding his breath that Cooley doesn't make another bonehead move. And I love Ed....he's brought this program back from the depths.
HomeRunBaker said:
How sure are you that Fortune was run off? It was explained to me that Fortune felt as though Cooley was recruiting over him. Yet, had he stayed, he'd probably be playing 30 minutes a game right now. When the dust clears, I think he'll regret transferring, a la Gerard Coleman.
I was told that Josh wanted more offensive responsibilities with the ball, that he was Cooley's personal whipping boy, and couldn't get out of town quick enough. Your side sounds like that also could have occurred as well.pdaj said:
I don't know about all that, but he's certainly playing a great stretch of basketball right now. He's kept his turnovers down lately, only four today, which is what I think is the biggest difference for him. If he keeps doing what he has though, sky is the limit for him.
For the team though, I think the only thing keeping them from being a true top 25 contender, maybe 15, is depth. Between Dunn and Henton, they have the stars they need on offense, and Dunn's defense, with Desrosier's low post/blocking ability makes them good on that side of the ball too. But damn, how far can any team go with only 5 guys really contributing, when 1 of the 5 is a freshman off the bench. They got a total of 9 points today from their starters not named Henton or Dunn. Bentil had zero, and Lomomba 6 (while Carson chipped in 3). You can't expect Carson to ever contribute meaningful points, but his defense is good enough to warrant him on the floor at almost all times, but they are getting literally no production from anyone other than Tyler Harris off the bench. It's like last year with Cotton all over again. I just don't know how they won't wear down as the conference play wears down, particularly in the tournaments when they'll have to start playing more than a couple games a week.
On the court, free throws, free throws, free throws. Tonight was right at their average at 69% (20-29), which may not be horrendous at the college level, but I feel like when you only have a couple of guys that can score, you can't miss 1 out of every 3 free throws you get on top of it, especially Dunn who is right at 66.7%. You need better than that from the guy who has the ball that much, especially when his current #2 is Bentil, who is at 51.9% from the line.
15-5 right now through the first 20 games. I'll take it, but deep down, I'm still pissed about that horrible three game stretch.
For the team though, I think the only thing keeping them from being a true top 25 contender, maybe 15, is depth. Between Dunn and Henton, they have the stars they need on offense, and Dunn's defense, with Desrosier's low post/blocking ability makes them good on that side of the ball too. But damn, how far can any team go with only 5 guys really contributing, when 1 of the 5 is a freshman off the bench. They got a total of 9 points today from their starters not named Henton or Dunn. Bentil had zero, and Lomomba 6 (while Carson chipped in 3). You can't expect Carson to ever contribute meaningful points, but his defense is good enough to warrant him on the floor at almost all times, but they are getting literally no production from anyone other than Tyler Harris off the bench. It's like last year with Cotton all over again. I just don't know how they won't wear down as the conference play wears down, particularly in the tournaments when they'll have to start playing more than a couple games a week.
On the court, free throws, free throws, free throws. Tonight was right at their average at 69% (20-29), which may not be horrendous at the college level, but I feel like when you only have a couple of guys that can score, you can't miss 1 out of every 3 free throws you get on top of it, especially Dunn who is right at 66.7%. You need better than that from the guy who has the ball that much, especially when his current #2 is Bentil, who is at 51.9% from the line.
15-5 right now through the first 20 games. I'll take it, but deep down, I'm still pissed about that horrible three game stretch.
Another quality win against a team in the RPI Top 50 (33). They shouldn't have even gone to overtime, but it was impressive to see them bounce back strong the way they did and not completely fall apart.
And speaking of entering the NBA Draft, Dunn might not be the only one. I get the size, but his play has regressed and he still hasn't come close to filling out that frame like his brother.
And speaking of entering the NBA Draft, Dunn might not be the only one. I get the size, but his play has regressed and he still hasn't come close to filling out that frame like his brother.
NoLastCall125 said:
Harris' pro plans were rumored well before the start of the season. He and his family think he's a lot better than he is ...
If a player graduates and decides to make some money overseas, I can certainly understand that desire. However, if Harris thinks he's capable of playing in the NBA right now, he's crazy. To me, he comes across as a kid who has all the answers.
That said, I root for him harder than anyone. I think that when he plays to his strengths, he's capable of being the 3rd scorer this team desperately lacks most of the time.
So with 11 games left, they stand at 15-5 and 5-2 in the conference.
Barring a complete collapse, they are very much in the Tourney, no?
DePaul, Nova, Seton Hall, Marquette and Butler at Home
St. John's, G-Town, Xavier, DePaul, Nova and Seton Hall on the Road.
To grab a decent seed, I see them needing to beat 2 of St. Johns, G-Town, Nova and Seton Hall on the Road and win 4 or 5 at home.
Barring a complete collapse, they are very much in the Tourney, no?
DePaul, Nova, Seton Hall, Marquette and Butler at Home
St. John's, G-Town, Xavier, DePaul, Nova and Seton Hall on the Road.
To grab a decent seed, I see them needing to beat 2 of St. Johns, G-Town, Nova and Seton Hall on the Road and win 4 or 5 at home.
Todays game vs, De Paul was cancelled, rescheduled for Thursday at 2. I think its 1$ admission. But it could have been awesome. There is a Fleedwood Mac concert there tonight that they thought might get cancelled and rescheduled for Thursday night. Had that been the case, the game would have been moved to Alumni Hall and still be on Fox Sports. Oh well.
PC is mauling DePaul right now. Dunn isn't even breaking a sweat and almost had a triple double at the half. I have no idea how the Blue Demons are 5-3 in the Big East, including a win over Seton Hall.
DePaul closed the gap a bit with 49 points in the 2nd half, but PC ended up winning 83-72. Dunn went off with 27 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists, 3 steals and a block. Got some support off the bench from Cartwright (5-5 from the field) and Harris, who each had 11. Henton had a quiet day with 14, but this was the Dunn show from start to finish. Kid has another level that he's starting to reach. They also shot 76.5% from the free throw line which was nice to see, and helped keep DePaul from closing the gap any further.
20/10/8 followed up by a 27/13/11. At some point the national media will pick up on just how special a player we have at Providence. Who are the other 1st Team All-American candidates? Russell and.....HomeRunBaker said:
You talking about just at guard? Boatright probably gets a look based on name recognition alone. Jerian Grant from Notre Dame is probably right up there with Russell. Tyler Haws from BYU. DJ Newbill from Penn State. Gary Payton's kid, again because of name. A few others at big schools, and some really good players at some small schools like Jalan West at Northwestern State and AJ English at Iona. Not saying that any of them are playing better than Dunn is, but there are a bunch of really good guards around the country. Dunn really needs to keep working on that assist to turnover number. He's at 1.82 going into today, so that'll go up a little. Only one other guy in the top 20 assist leaders in the NCAA is below 2.03.
Nobody puts up triple doubles under college basketball rules. He's been pushing the envelope on these all season. When all is said and dunn nobody is going to care if his ratio is 2-1 or 3-1......they are going to look at his 17/8/7/3 avg line and him being among TBE leaders in 4 major statistical categories while leading in 2. He stays healthy this is happening I'm confident of this.
You're preaching to the choir. I'd probably say he deserves it at this point, but I'm not sure the voters will agree unless PC keeps playing well and finds themselves with a decent seed in the tourney. I just think if the voting happened right now, Russell and Grant would be the top vote getters, and then Dunn would probably fall somewhere behind them with Haws and Newbill (voters love the point leaders).
Deathofthebambino said:
Grant's a national favorite, and ND's season thus far has lead to considerable recognition. KD's still hovering under the radar somehow, but a few big-time performances in the next couple of games could change that. The Friars face a tough stretch over the next 4 contests -- @SJU, @GU, @XU, and home against VU.
If Dunn excells, the cat will be fully out of the bag, in my opinion. But thus far this year, teams with above average guard play have been able to shake up KD as part of a concerted effort to halt the PC offense. I'm really interested to see how things go against Villanova on the 17th.
HomeRunBaker said:
Deathofthebambino said:
I've been down on Cartwright since conference play, but he looked good against DePaul, driving vertically and hitting open shots. I'm hoping he can build on this, and provide a spark off the bench offensively. I still highly prefer Lomomba and Lindsey defensively and on the boards, but with Harris and Cartwright contributing on offense, PC's a much more formidable opponent. I wouldn't be surprised to see Cooley stick with Lomomba to open up games, but have Cartwright see more minutes.
Lindsey barely played yesterday. Has he fallen on the depth chart?
St John's has played stifling defense the entire game. How the hell are they 1-5 vs the rest of the conference? Talk about a team you don't want to play in the BET.....this is the one.PC Drunken Friar said:
I think he's dealing with an injured jump shot. I haven't heard the injury on him but the Achilles is something you rarely play with it injured.....kinda like a groin in that it is either 100% or you're out.NoLastCall125 said:
Kind of hard to overstate how big a win tonight would be on the road against #24 ranked Georgetown. Man, a win would be huge, and may even get them a good look at the top 25.
Crazy back and forth first half. Georgetown leads 41-38 at the break. Dunn has 8 points, 6 assists, 6 steals, 2 rebounds and 3 turnovers. Bentil contributing nicely tonight with 10 points and 5 rebounds already. Lindsay with 5, Chukwu with 3 and Harris with 2 off the bench is a nice surprise too. Henton is struggling, 1-6 from the field, for 6 points and 3 turnovers.
And again, free throw shooting is not good. 11-19, 54% so far tonight. They are going to the rim which is nice, and have forced 13 Hoya fouls to PC's 7, but if they just made half of those misses, they'd be winning right now.
Let's hope they start making more shots in the second half and find a way to get the win. They are certainly not overmatched.
And again, free throw shooting is not good. 11-19, 54% so far tonight. They are going to the rim which is nice, and have forced 13 Hoya fouls to PC's 7, but if they just made half of those misses, they'd be winning right now.
Let's hope they start making more shots in the second half and find a way to get the win. They are certainly not overmatched.
Crazy back and forth, down 10 at one point in the second half. Dunn was in foul trouble, and they went on a run without him. They went 12-13 from the line in the second half, which was the difference. Henton and Bentil both had 16 points (Henton with huge back to back 3's at one point) and Bentil had 11 rebounds to go with it. Carson scored 12 in the second half, 14 for the game. Just an amazing team win. Hope they keep it going.
That was a lot of fun, especially winning after the refs essentially handed the game to GT. I feel good about the future post Dunn too (if he leaves after this year) - Lomomba and Cartwright's defense was fantastic down the stretch with him on the bench.
Deathofthebambino said:
Deathofthebambino said:
NoLastCall125 said:
Absolutely! I almost went to bed when they fell behind by a dozen in the 2nd, but after a quick face-wash and toothbrushing, the Friars cut the deficit in half. And this was accomplished after Dunn picked up his 4th foul at about the 10-minute mark. I'm still a bit stunned.
It was nice to see Bentil have one of those "big boy" games I've expected to see more of at this point, which probably isn't fair. And he did it versus one of the bigger/tougher front court defenses in the conference. Hopefully he can replicate this performance more often going forward.
Lomomba isn't really a shooter -- but he's better at just about everything than Lindsey at this point. So, if Jalen can't hit the 3, there's no point in playing him over Junior. I think Lomomba's officially earned the starting SG.
Carson's rising at the right time. I think he needs to be a bigger part of the offense.
Guys I promise I'm not Cooley but the move to give Lomomba and Bentil more minutes over Cartwright and Harris has really propelled this team into a serious defensive team.HomeRunBaker said:
We all talk about Dunn's future but Carson Desrosiers is going to be in someones camp with a legit shot to be a 14-15th man as big bench insurance while playing in the D-League. He needs to continue expanding his range to behind the arc to be a stretch 5 to give him more value.