GDT: vs UMass

[CBFan]

Billikens win Sweet Caroline

Slash 49.2/36.4/84.6

Rebounds 45-22

[Compton]

Hell yeah. Great game. With a sort of bonus that Linssen will be pretty well rested for tomorrow. 

[slu72]

I would hope we can wear them down. They only play 6 guys. But Travis has definitely shortened his rotation. 

[Bay Area Billiken]

Billikens vs. Bonnies ought to be a heck of a game.

St. Bona is IN.

SLU needs the Win.

[Taj79]

@willie--raised hand here.  Just not exciting for me sad to say.  Not an electric personality player.  He takes plays off.  Doesn't play defense.  Doesn't rebound like a madman Has or Goodwin.  He's nice.  And great on offense.

[brianstl]

Just now, David King said:

Good game, but shouldn’t have given up 72 points.

Bring on the Bonnie’s!!!

We held them to 43.6% shooting and 28.6% from the 3.  They scored 72 because there where a ton of possessions and not because of bad defense.  We played good defensively.  

[mrjoelabs]

Just now, slu72 said:

I would hope we can wear them down. They only play 6 guys. But Travis has definitely shortened his rotation. 

Yea Gibson seems to be in Witness protection. He needs to play less but not sit the entire second half.  Jacobs hurt maybe?   

[slu72]

Just now, Bay Area Billiken said:

Billikens vs. Bonnies ought to be a heck of a game.

St. Bona is IN.

SLU needs the Win.

agree, Bay. But I still don't want any suspense nail biting a week from Sunday. Just win the whole damn thing. 

[billiken_roy]

Just now, Taj79 said:

@willie--raised hand here.  Just not exciting for me sad to say.  Not an electric personality player.  He takes plays off.  Doesn't play defense.  Doesn't rebound like a madman Has or Goodwin.  He's nice.  And great on offense.

taj, if i had to only pick one player in today's game that will play in the nba, it's mitchell.  

[mrjoelabs]

Collins coming out party was the story of the game. And JP just getting to the free throw line and finding his points

[Bay Area Billiken]

Just now, slu72 said:

agree, Bay. But I still don't want any suspense nail biting a week from Sunday. Just win the whole damn thing. 

Agreed.

We're the best team.  Let's win this A10 Tournament, again.

[Franchise_08]

You cannot say this isn’t a top 64 team

[juniorbill76]

Few opportunities in tourney time for Gibson to work enough to get his mojo back.

[Taj79]

@Roy---agreeRoy---agree.  But he'll be nothing more than a journeyman.  He has height and will give you six extra fouls a game against a Joel Embiid.  He could be around for ten years.  Who has a better NBA future ---- Mitchell or Obi Toppin?

[billikenbill]

2 minutes ago, mrjoelabs said:

Yea Gibson seems to be in Witness protection. He needs to play less but not sit the entire second half.  Jacobs hurt maybe?   

Just weren't getting it done after covid. Thatch has come on and provides the energy we need. It's easy to forget that prior to the '19-20 season, Travis was saying he wouldn't be surprised to see Thatch be the leading scorer on that team. Then, the illness, covid, and it's taken until now to see what Thatch can be.

[billiken_roy]

Just now, Franchise_08 said:

You cannot say this isn’t a top 64 team

unfortunately with only 68 spots, there are typically about 25 conferences that dont deserve to be in the tourney but get in because of their conference auto bid.    so really there is only about 43 spots.  now take away maybe about 5 spots for the other top conferences letting a mediocre to bad team go through the bracket and stealing an auto bid now you got less than 40 spots.  

[billiken_roy]

1 minute ago, Taj79 said:

@Roy---agreeRoy---agree.  But he'll be nothing more than a journeyman.  He has height and will give you six extra fouls a game against a Joel Embiid.  He could be around for ten years.  Who has a better NBA future ---- Mitchell or Obi Toppin?

last year i would have told you obi, but his nba showing has not been good.   

 

[Reinert310]

Great win guys! I thought pretty much everybody played well. We need to take care of the ball better, but I’m sure guys already know that. My guess is Gibson might get more of a run tomorrow. He’s not ready for that full-court press. I honestly thing Gibby’s gonna hit a huge 3 before this season over. Survive and advance! Let’s go!

[billiken_roy]

2 minutes ago, Taj79 said:

@Roy---agreeRoy---agree.  But he'll be nothing more than a journeyman.  He has height and will give you six extra fouls a game against a Joel Embiid.  He could be around for ten years.  Who has a better NBA future ---- Mitchell or Obi Toppin?

if he can hit 3's which he's shown he isnt bad at, he plays a wing in the show and who knows what he turns into.   that 6'9" with outcourt shooting skills is huge in the nba.  

[wgstl]

The game should have never been as close as it "felt" at times.  SLU was always in control, and if the refs called the correct fouls against Tre, its easily a 20 point game. 

[3star_recruit]

Rotations tend to get shorter at playoff time.  It's win or go home.  Play your best 8 guys, especially when the bench is getting it done in a major way.  There's barely any drop off when Thatch and Linssen come in the game.  

[Bay Area Billiken]

3 minutes ago, Franchise_08 said:

You cannot say this isn’t a top 64 team

Agreed.

After yesterday's games, SLU's NET was 40, which is ahead of 43 UCLA, 44 North Carolina, 50 Louisville, 51 Syracuse, 53 Xavier, 57 Seton Hall, 58 Duke, 60 Indiana, 66 Kentucky, and 74 Michigan State.  Think about that.

If SLU was in a Power 5 +1 or even +2 Conference, there would be no question that SLU would be already IN.  The eye test says SLU should be IN, should be easily among the Top 37 At Larges.

But such is life on the outside looking in.  The system is what it is, and I think SLU, at bare minimum, needs to beat the Bonnies tomorrow.  

[Bay Area Billiken]

SLU's Pomeroy is 40, should be about to be updated.

[Reinert310]

1 minute ago, 3star_recruit said:

Rotations tend to get shorter at playoff time.  It's win or go home.  Play your best 8 guys, especially when the bench is getting it done in a major way.  There's barely any drop off when Thatch and Linssen come in the game.  

Jimmy Bell absolutely battled on the defensive end too. I think we can trust TJ to come in for a spell and not miss a beat on the defensive end.

[Crewsorlose]

Just now, Bay Area Billiken said:

Agreed.

After yesterday's games, SLU's NET was 40, which is ahead of 43 UCLA, 44 North Carolina, 50 Louisville, 51 Syracuse, 53 Xavier, 57 Seton Hall, 58 Duke, 60 Indiana, 66 Kentucky, and 74 Michigan State.  Think about that.

If SLU was in a Power 5 +1 or even +2 Conference, there would be no question that SLU would be already IN.  The eye test says SLU should be IN, should be easily among the Top 37 At Larges.

But such is life on the outside looking in.  The system is what it is, and I think SLU, at bare minimum, needs to beat the Bonnies tomorrow.  

I'd say bare "maximum." You never know what kind of shuffling will happen in the next 9 days, but our NET should get up to 36 or 38 after today, and beating Bona on a neutral court will get us in the top 35. I'm not saying I wouldn't want to win the finals, but I think a close loss to VCU on national TV would be enough. 

Win two more, and we don't need the committee's judgment. But this was a nice win.