Game Thread: @Bucknell 12/15/12

[calsufan]

Dec 15, 2012 20:40:38 GMT -5 coqui900 said:

Dec 15, 2012 20:38:17 GMT -5 calsufan said:

I don't think anyone has...yet. I would have liked to have seen a little closer game, but I can't say that I'm shocked by the loss.

The Miami game is going to be tough. They eviscerated Charlotte.

I'm pre-emptively striking since we tend to go overboard with losses.

I was pretty much expecting a loss tonight, so I'm not shocked. Bucknell's a pretty good team.

I'm also expecting a loss at Miami. Iona's going to be a tough game even though it's at home. That one could go either way.

[mookie]

It is a bad loss to a good team. I don't feel we should've lost though, even if it's a road game...Bucknell is not that much better than they were last year imo

[cpico]

First, Bucknell is a good basketball team. I have no idea how they lost to Penn State.

But this is just a devastating loss for the team. The CCSU loss gave us no wiggle room, and we needed this win at Bucknell. It would have been a good road win against a good team. Bucknell totally outplayed us in the first half.

Very deflating loss for the team, and really hurts any shot at an NCAA bid. That's what is so disappointing about the loss for me. The only way to have an outside shot at a bid is if we run the table OOC (including a win at Miami which would be very, very difficult). And I just don't think we are consistent enough to run the table OOC - we will probably choke up a game we shouldn't and I don't think we beat Miami. So basically we really needed this win and the team did not come through.

Just played a bad game. We were killed on the boards, hardly no assists, shot terribly from the three and overall. Just a bad effort all around.

Also, we better hope that nothing serious is wrong with Duren's knee.

[mookie]

I don't find this to be devastating loss. Our OOC schedule isn't strong enough to help if we were a bubble team. Despite LaSalle's record last season, the only way LaSalle is going to get an invite to the NCAAs is if they won the A10 or won 24+. LaSalle has a rep it needs to shake and with little national exposure, the road is really tough.

[ericmurry]

Why doesn't Hunt get any playing time?

[mookie]

Hunt isn't ready to make any contributions

[las71]

I agree that Bucknell is a pretty good team but can someone explain to me what we are running on offense. Every possession our guards try to break down their man and if they couldn't our big came out and set a high screen which way too often resulted in a missed floater in the lane. Did we run any plays? Way too many possessions without any ball movement. Our lack of discipline will continue to haunt us.

[odog]

Dec 15, 2012 21:03:39 GMT -5 ericmurry said:

Why doesn't Hunt get any playing time?

Watch him run. You'll have your answer.

[explorer88]

Bucknell is a good team. We played poorly all night however. Game reminded me of the Delaware game last year.

Bucknell attacked our weakness all night because the could do with a skilled big and a touch small forward. Two areas we need help at.

[cpico]

Dec 15, 2012 20:58:43 GMT -5 mookie said:

I don't find this to be devastating loss.

I disagree. It was a must win and we came up small.

[ericmurry]

The same people who say this wasn't a devastating loss are probably the same people who were happy "just to be there" after we lost at home in the NIT game last year. That was an embarrassment and so was this game. Let's not sugar coat everything.

[Gnocchi]

Dec 15, 2012 21:03:39 GMT -5 ericmurry said:

Why doesn't Hunt get any playing time?

Nice story on Garvin.

www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/blog/eye-on-college-basketball/20092925/garvin-hunt-gets-a-second-chance-at-hoops

Hunt spent the last three years watching the Penn program from afar while earning a 3.2 GPA and continuing to play pickup basketball three or four times a week against fellow student-athletes. This was a guy who hadn't played in three years, who had chose academics over basketball and had logged just 11 total minutes at an Ivy League school as a freshman. Now Hunt is working towards his master's in business at La Salle while trying to get back into game shape.

rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/players/83115

[ericmurry]

Thanks for the article. He can't be any worse than Zach. Give the kid a shot.

[mookie]

Dec 15, 2012 21:13:56 GMT -5 cpico said:

Dec 15, 2012 20:58:43 GMT -5 mookie said:

I don't find this to be devastating loss.

I disagree. It was a must win and we came up small.

for me, "must win" means if we don't we don't make the post season. you can argue this was a game that lasalle had to win if they wanted to make the NCAAs but that's not entirely true because they could lose this game but still make the tourney...

[mookie]

Dec 15, 2012 21:25:36 GMT -5 ericmurry said:

The same people who say this wasn't a devastating loss are probably the same people who were happy "just to be there" after we lost at home in the NIT game last year. That was an embarrassment and so was this game. Let's not sugar coat everything.

you're wrong...

Strike 1 - your username
Strike 2 - asking why Hunt is playing
Strike 3 - your last post

[calsufan]

Dec 15, 2012 21:28:53 GMT -5 ericmurry said:

Thanks for the article. He can't be any worse than Zach. Give the kid a shot.

You are pretty clueless if you think he can't be any worse than Zack (get the spelling right at least). Zack, although not a world beater is a serviceable big man. He's improved immensely since last year and I suspect he'll be a pretty good player his junior and senior year.

[Deleted]

Dec 15, 2012 21:28:53 GMT -5 ericmurry said:

Thanks for the article. He can't be any worse than Zach. Give the kid a shot.

Are you the same clown that said that steve weingarten was terrible and that no walk on should have a role?

[Deleted]

We are a top 50 RPI. Bubble definition. Go out and Beat Temple and at SLU or charlotte and the phones might still ring.

[goexplorers]

The worst part about this game was the lack of passing/offense. I can live with nights where the shots just aren't falling, that happens, but 3 assists?? And if the shots were falling, I bet that the assist total wouldn't have been much higher...that's the worst part about how we played.

[las71]

While Butler is beating Indiana and VCU is beating Alabama, we are playing poorly and losing to Bucknell. Yes, Bucknell has a good team but these are games we must win to become a relevant program. Losing to them and CCSU just makes it harder for us to gain credibility in the city let alone on a national level. Everyone agrees we need a new facility but if we can't win games that thecasual fan expects us to win we won't fill the facility we have. We need to create a buzz and these losses just don't make it. Yes, if we do well in the conference we can still make the postseason but losses like these just makes people think same old La Salle. It's beyond frustrating.

[lwc4591]

We will end up with no more than 18 wins (regular season) with an OOC record of 10-3 at best and struggle to make the NIT. We live or die with the three and if they do not fall with regularity we lose. Zack is better than what I expected and he is far from the only reason this team struggles against equal or better opponents. If you think it is frustrating now just look ahead to 2015 with only one recruit and zero for 2016 to date. Thank goodness by that time we will be destined for a lower conference. G will probably be gone after the end of next season after having his third season in a row of making the NIT because even his patience with the school regarding facilities will have run out which makes it almost impossible to recruit. I give the man credit to accomplish what he has with the bare minimum to work with.

[jellybean]

I saw the game via internet feed and I still can't figure one thing. We attempted 14 3's last night. They average better than 20 per game. Was it case of Bucknell's defense or La Salle's ineptness. I'm leaning towards the latter...and that's no diss to Bisons.

The first half was awful for several reasons.

First Zack comes out overly aggressive against Mascala and draws two fouls in first 90 seconds. Can't do that. No way. You might as well throw away the game plan.
Second, the shot selection was horrible and then we couldn't make a basket to save our lives.
Third, we had one assist in the first half (which lasted well into the second half. At one point we had one assist on 17 made baskets). Too much one on one AGAIN.
Fourth, Willman killed us ( gets back to Zack's foul trouble and ineffective Rohan Brown...just for Screamer...and Gavin Hunt).

Second half was better but it was all Galloway and Duren on a bad leg. Glad to see Sam Mills show up. Anyone see him in the first half?

I guess G didn't think he could pull a "Marvin O'Connor" because we didn't foul with 1:45 left.

Good to see Garland in the lineup. Yes, he was rusty but you can see what he brings to the table. Not a good 3 pt shooter (his form looked better though) but quick as heck and will get to the basket. Case in point, he got to the line 7 times in 22 minutes. Contrast that with Sam Mills who has been there 9 times in over 300 minutes( yes it's a slight dig against Sam).

I know Sam is a terrific young man. Good student. A winner. Talented defender. Great three point shooter but is the most frustrating player for me. He still can't finish around the basket. Rarely takes the 15 foot jumper. Can't beat his man off the dribble which is a problem in G's system. Heck, this is heresy, he is a good defender but not nearly as good as he is made about to be.

While I'm at it, what the heck was Zack thinking? He has four fouls and does his leap through the air to try and block a three point attempt from the corner? It was just plain stupid (sorry PC crowd). That was bad enough but he did it earlier this year and didn't correct his mistake or the coach didn't instruct him. Speaking of the coach, Zack is partly to blame but how can a team that plays 98% man-to-man defense leave guys constantly open beyond the arc and then have your Center run out to defend?

Okay let's move on. I wasn't expecting a W but I wanted better execution both offensively and defensively. I want to tip my hat to Bucknell. They were fun to watch and I will be pulling for them the rest of the year and want to see them play Lehigh a couple of times.

[victoriouslasalle]

Dec 16, 2012 6:09:18 GMT -5 goexplorers said:

The worst part about this game was the lack of passing/offense. I can live with nights where the shots just aren't falling, that happens, but 3 assists?? And if the shots were falling, I bet that the assist total wouldn't have been much higher...that's the worst part about how we played.

I had exactly the same concerns and thoughts. Yes, just 3 assists was disturbing. It sounded like we were playing our schoolyard O.

[lwc4591]

We have players that let's just say don't always play a team game. Bucknell was playing at home and after we smacked them last season and that we were 6-1 they were really looking forward to playing us. All things considered we did better than expected particularly with the very early fouls on Zack and poor shooting. On a neutral court I would actually pick us to win if we played later on in the season with Garland getting back into the game (experience).

[ltrain38]

It's not an awful loss, but I just don't see anything but the NIT without this win. Our OOC is too weak and this was one of only a few chances to get a top 50 win, and on the road. Needed this one. I realize Duren was hurt and Garland was playing his first game, so I get that we struggled a bit. And we're a three-point shooting team and the shots didn't fall. There are nights like that. But it's just disappointing because of the missed opportunity.

[explorer88]

Not sure how anyone could think we are or could be an NCAA team in this league this year. I think we are still an NIT team.

We give up way too many easy baskets at the rim. It is ridiculous . We go stagnant on offense too often and we don't rebound we'll enough. We are still missing pieces in this program.

There will be more chances to get some good wins. We are 1-1 in key games this year and have one bad loss. We will have better nights.

[cpico]

Dec 16, 2012 10:59:42 GMT -5 explorer88 said:

Not sure how anyone could think we are or could be an NCAA team in this league this year. I think we are still an NIT team.

We give up way too many easy baskets at the rim. It is ridiculous . We go stagnant on offense too often and we don't rebound we'll enough. We are still missing pieces in this program.

There will be more chances to get some good wins. We are 1-1 in key games this year and have one bad loss. We will have better nights.

So who are the NCAA teams from our league this year?

Based on what I've seen so far I'm assuming VCU and Butler have put themselves in a pretty good position.

After that maybe Temple (though I'm not sold on them yet), maybe a St. Louis if Kwamain Mitchell gets healthy, Dayton (maybe, but far from sold on them).

A lot of other teams that are like us - good but not dominant - Richmond, Xavier, Charlotte, St. Joe's etc.

As I believe others have said I think we can beat any team in the league if we play well, but we can also lose to any team in the league if we are off and don't give a good effort.

I know one thing - last night was a game the team needed. Period. And they came up small.

[lasallescreamer]

Its simple; team has to play better- up to its capabilities and must improve as season progresses. For the future, recruiting has to have some balance-cannot have another year without a backup for our 4 and 5.

[big5vet]

I felt we needed to play our best game of the year to beat Bucknell. When the chips fell against us - Zack's 2 early fouls, TD's bad ankle, poor fisrt half performance, the die was cast. It's not the end for postseason play, but probably means NIT is our best shot. Even with an improved Tyrone Garland, we're probably a 19, 20 at best, win team. That's pretty good IMO. Not reaching the ultimate NCAA objective but still a heck of a lot better than we experienced for many years before last season.

I'm becoming concerned about the future though. Amar Stukes should be a solid contributor but we're not building a starting lineup pipeline. Add the "Catholic Seven" breakaway and we need to ensure a place in a solid conference. Won't even bring up the "F" (for facilities) word. We're runnng the risk of moving backwards when we think we're moving forward if that makes
any sense.

[explorer88]

This program needs to recruit a scorer very soon. In two years where is the scoring going to come from?

I am sure G sees this but we need a big-time recruit to help offset the talent we are going to lose after next year.