GDT: SLU vs. Virginia Tech at MSG

[DoctorB]

1 hour ago, gobillsgo said:

They weren’t that good.  I really doubt they realized we were missing two of our top players as well.

I was pleasantly surprised; we played pretty great from about 7 minutes into the game until the very end.  Mainly, we were resilient dealing with the fouls, and the adversity; and the amount of progress just since the exhibition game was stunning.  on the other hand -- I agree, VT just did not seem all that good.  They have one really excellent shooter, and are speedy and all that -- but we were physically much more imposing, and dominated them even with French on the bench most of the game.

That game surprised me -- I admit it -- in particular, the 3-4 studs we are now featuring in the lineup are potentially as good as any we've had since the old days.  But how tired will they be tonight, 24 hours later???  Thin on the bench, I repeat: when is Wellmer coming back?

[RiseAndGrind]

4 minutes ago, VeniceMenace said:

Can’t get too high after a win but between Bess and Goodwin this team may have the best 1-2 punch & leadership of any SLU team ... at least any that I’ve followed since 70s

We had some really really good teams like .... 3 years ago?

[VeniceMenace]

1 minute ago, RiseAndGrind said:

We had some really really good teams like .... 3 years ago?

Agreed but now it’s like there are 2 Dwayne Evans out there

[Billiken Rich]

22 minutes ago, Bay Area Billiken said:

Bess is a tremendous ballplayer.  He is the very type of fluid 6'6" Forward that has torched SLU for decades.  It is quite clear why Tom Izzo wanted to keep him at Michigan State.  I'm certainly glad that we have him at SLU.

How did Izzo let him get away

[DoctorB]

11 minutes ago, RiseAndGrind said:

We had some really really good teams like .... 3 years ago?

I love those teams as much as anyone on here; but I remember all those guys when they showed up on campus, and our 2 freshmen, plus Bess as a junior redshirt, are  ahead of them physically, individually + upside-wise; & ultimately have higher ceilings.  You'll notice none of those guys from our best teams are playing in the NBA, today, but some of these guys may have a solid chance, if they keep working and developing.  Now, can they play as a team like those top-ten Majerus teams?  we shall see but last night has to brighten everyone's optimism.  Majerus's teams had a few stinkers, as you may recall...

[Billboy1]

We need to know when two of the three prodigal sons return-there needs to be some bench strength-now not next year!

[MattyMo213]

Was VT or providence the favorite to win the whole tournament?

[Billiken Rich]

need Wiz's projection for the game tonight....

[billikens747]

18 minutes ago, Billiken Rich said:

need Wiz's projection for the game tonight....

Vegas has us +10.

[Pistol]

22 minutes ago, MattyMo213 said:

Was VT or providence the favorite to win the whole tournament?

Probably pretty close, but I'm guessing the assumption is that these two would play for the title. VT is picked in the middle of the ACC and PC is projected as a middle-of-the-pack team in the Big East. Bubble teams.

[NextYearBill]

i think that win validates our invite to this tournament and future tournaments (been checking my inbox Maui... still dont see your invite?)

[WVBilliken]

Very impressed with the Bills last night.  Just more physcal than VT.  Controlled the game.  Never felt VT could make a run, in other words the game was not as close as the score.

Henriquez certainly was expected to be in the top 7, many thought he would be the leading scorer.  If he can shoot the 3 as reported, his addition would be huge.  Very nice team when (fingers crossed) him and Bishop return.  Without more depth, a few wins will slip away just because of players fouling out.

[TFord and TRavs]

People here are concerned about depth which is correct. But remember our team in 2013-14 consisted of mainly Jett, Evans and McCall with Rob as our support up top and Jake as the 5th man. Main subs were mcbroom and grandy. The rest were fillers. That’s pretty much a 7 man rotation. We have much more than that even now. A force of french, Goodwin and Bess with support of Johnson and roby could potentially rival that 2013-14 team later in the season. Subs like foreman and Hines are big support for now

[AnkielBreakers]

11 hours ago, Pistol said:

I find it hard to believe that our "best iteration" involves a rotation of 7 with no consistent perimeter shooters.

Roby and Johnson are consistent 3 Point shooters.  Right now, we are a team that does not lean on the 3.  What if we did last night, and no one was hitting?  We would have lost.  What if AD shot 15 times and Goodwin only 10?  I like the toughness Goodwin brings as a scorer, even when he misses.  It is hard to know what the team will look like with AD and Bishop.

[cgeldmacher]

After sleeping, well after that win, I woke up realizing how impressive it was that Ford got the guys to execute the game plan to slow down a team averaging over 100 points in its early games.  To get kids to buy into slowing the game down is impressive.  It's also impressive that they executed that plan like they did.  Given our short bench and the ridiculous foul trouble we had, if we had not executed that game plan to perfection, we lose despite such an impressive effort.

The idea that Ford is not a good in game coach or game planner was seriously challenged, in my mind, by what I saw last night.

[cheeseman]

1 hour ago, Billiken Rich said:

How did Izzo let him get away

He was hurt while there.  He never really recovered until he sat all last year.  He probably just felt like he needed the rest time to heal and a place to start over.

[teamarete]

16 minutes ago, AnkielBreakers said:

Roby and Johnson are consistent 3 Point shooters.  Right now, we are a team that does not lean on the 3.  What if we did last night, and no one was hitting?  We would have lost.  What if AD shot 15 times and Goodwin only 10?  I like the toughness Goodwin brings as a scorer, even when he misses.  It is hard to know what the team will look like with AD and Bishop.

Not really, the team will look better when AD and Bishop returns because everyone will slot into a more normal playing position.

[Billiken Rich]

22 minutes ago, cgeldmacher said:

After sleeping, well after that win, I woke up realizing how impressive it was that Ford got the guys to execute the game plan to slow down a team averaging over 100 points in its early games.  To get kids to buy into slowing the game down is impressive.  It's also impressive that they executed that plan like they did.  Given our short bench and the ridiculous foul trouble we had, if we had not executed that game plan to perfection, we lose despite such an impressive effort.

The idea that Ford is not a good in game coach or game planner was seriously challenged, in my mind, by what I saw last night.

I have to agree.  Either the expectations at OSU were ridiculously high or Travis Ford learned a hell of a lot about coaching after being fired..... Maybe he got an associates degree in sports management from the University of Phoenix....Whatever the situation, I'd rate him pretty high on the list of Billiken coaches in my lifetime....

[HoosierPal]

19 minutes ago, cgeldmacher said:

 

The idea that Ford is not a good in game coach or game planner was seriously challenged, in my mind, by what I saw last night.

I think you hit it on the mark.  Ford out coached Williams, pure and simple.  The interior was open all night- 44 points in the paint.  On the Post Game, Coach said their plan was to attack the basket, as they saw on film that VT's big's didn't do a good job of protecting the rim.  We also got 0 fast break points, which again Ford emphasized he didn't want to get into a track meet and told his Point Guards to keep the game under control.  Two huge issues, two huge check marks.

[Bobby Metzinger]

Depth is an issue for sure and fatigue might be a factor, but for God's sake, if those three refs are back tonight... there was about a 20-minute stretch in the second half where every VaTech possession ended in a whistle, it seemed. I'm surprised Ford didn't get a technical, or someone having to physically restrain the Good Doctor Chaifetz. 

[Billiken Rich]

2 minutes ago, Bobby Metzinger said:

Depth is an issue for sure and fatigue might be a factor, but for God's sake, if those three refs are back tonight... there was about a 20-minute stretch in the second half where every VaTech possession ended in a whistle, it seemed. I'm surprised Ford didn't get a technical, or someone having to physically restrain the Good Doctor Chaifetz. 

Ford is demonstrative enough on the sidelines that it is just a matter of time until he is T'ed up .  The refs were pretty ugly in any case 

[billiken_roy]

7 minutes ago, cgeldmacher said:

After sleeping, well after that win, I woke up realizing how impressive it was that Ford got the guys to execute the game plan to slow down a team averaging over 100 points in its early games.  To get kids to buy into slowing the game down is impressive.  It's also impressive that they executed that plan like they did.  Given our short bench and the ridiculous foul trouble we had, if we had not executed that game plan to perfection, we lose despite such an impressive effort.

The idea that Ford is not a good in game coach or game planner was seriously challenged, in my mind, by what I saw last night.

very good post.   i admit i am one of the "show me guys" for ford's gametime ability as a coach.   he long ago won me over for his recruiting but his history was such at previous coaching stops how could one not question if he was a floor and practice coach.   

thus far with the billikens he has done a great job.  and i am very glad he is our coach.   

a win tonight would really be quite the accomplishment.   24 hours ago i would predict no wins at the garden.  but after last night, i am asking why not?   go billikens.   

[billiken_roy]

9 minutes ago, Bobby Metzinger said:

Depth is an issue for sure and fatigue might be a factor, but for God's sake, if those three refs are back tonight... there was about a 20-minute stretch in the second half where every VaTech possession ended in a whistle, it seemed. I'm surprised Ford didn't get a technical, or someone having to physically restrain the Good Doctor Chaifetz. 

if you consider the style of play of the two teams, considering the billikens were the ones looking to score in the lane, you would think the foul shots attempted would have been a lot more even than they were.   it was extremely one sided.   it ended up close in total fouls only because Va Tech had to foul down the stretch to try to get back in the game.   in reality it was extremely lopsided.  

[moytoy12]

Thinking back on the game, the one that is sticking with me is just how good Foreman looked. He’s definitely shaking the rust off quickly.  

[majerus mojo]

12 hours ago, Compton said:

Just got home from the game. Whoa. Great atmosphere in the Garden. The fans really got into it in the second half. The incessant BS calls from the refs really started getting the SLU section going, then the VaTech fans came to life with their early second half threats, and then both sides really kept things pretty rowdy and vocal until the very end. 

Nice to see Larry Hughes in the house at courtside. The Bills fans had the section behind the bench nicely filled out. Oddly the VaTech fans seemed to mostly be seated at either end of the arena. Va Tech appeared to have more fans overall, but SLU had better fan representation directly behind its bench (nice coordination there) and got some love from the players before they trotted off to the locker room. 

I like the Barclays Center, but tonight's energy and attendance at the Garden was noticeably on a higher level than what Barclays would have garnered. Refs were atrocious and clearly all VaTech grads, resulting in Hasahn fouling out when he did which was pretty nerve racking. But, wow. Helluva game. 

Great post. Officiating definitely had us riled up for most of the second half. I feel like less of a loser griping about the refs when it's right in front of you, as opposed to on TV. Some wild calls. Did we make more than 5 jump shots all game?? Foreman was huge.