Tell us why YOUR team may not do well in the BE this year...

[GumbyDamnit!]

The recent polls on here have really caused fans to step forward to defend our individual teams:
Gtwn - "Porter can be easily replaced..."
Marq - "Who needs an experienced backcourt when you've got that frontcourt and have Jucos, and don't forget we've got St. Buzz"
Creighton - "McDermott is basically Larry Bird II and will carry this team...and "we've played tough teams in the past (see: Wich St.)"
Nova - "We only lost our center...no big deal. Jay's still got it."
SJU - "Who needs X's & O's when you've got all that talent."
etc, etc, etc.

In another thread Dave inspired others to look at their team without the rose colored glasses. So I thought I'd paint a picture of how the season could fall apart for Nova. I'm not going to say things like: "if this guys gets hurt, etc." b/c the Creighton guys will get off too easy with that one. But as a fan what could go wrong this year for Nova?

1. They miss their center more than we expect. Ochefu has the higher upside but experience is experience and he is replacing a 4 year player. DO could spend the year plagued with stupid fouls and inconsistent offense, and Nova needs him more than anyone else this year. Nova learns the hard way that it doesn't have the depth up front to be an elite BE team.
2. Ryan Archidiancono isn't who we think he is. The mistakes he made as a Frosh become the norm, and he is more of a volume gunner than a calculating assassin.
3. Jayvaughn Pinkston gets selfish. Players with high pedigrees (in this case a McD's AA) sometimes think that they should be the man, and they start playing for themselves. It happened to us 2 years ago when we had 2 McD AA's (Wayns & CheeK) who thought that they should take every shot and beat every defender they faced. There was zero ball movement and zero defense. The chemistry broke down and the season went down the drain quick.
4. Players don't commit to defense. The good offensive players end up sitting more as a result (as Jay is prone to do if you don't play D) and the team never gets into any offensive rhythm.
5. They get very little from their transfer (Enis) & Frosh (2 Top 100 players in Hart and Jenkins). They'll need a spark off the bench and will need depth in this meat grinder of a league. If at least 2 of these 3 aren't ready to contribute, we may have some problems and wear down.

Things fall apart and Nova finishes in 8th place in the league and watches while 6 of their conference mates make the tourney. It could happen I guess.

Since I am sharing our fears let me just say that both Providence and SJU scare the sh!t out of me this year. I'm not going to lie... Anyone else care to share?

[MUSeashells&Balloons]

Vander is gone.

[hoyahooligan]

Georgetown:

1) No one steps up at the SF position to provide serviceable minutes offensively and defensively they don't have to be Otto Porter they just have to be decent.
2) Josh Smith is still terribly out of shape and not committed
3) None of Mikael Hopkins, Moses Ayegba, or Bradley Hayes can provide serviceable minutes at center

We're set at PG, SG, and PF. There are plenty of candidates to step up at SF so I think someone will provide serviceable minutes there.

As long as Josh Smith is anywhere close to 300lbs and realizes this is his last chance to make the NBA I think we'll be more than fine at Center.

[Westbrook36]

The recent polls on here have really caused fans to step forward to defend our individual teams:
Gtwn - "Porter can be easily replaced..."
Marq - "Who needs an experienced backcourt when you've got that frontcourt and have Jucos, and don't forget we've got St. Buzz"
Creighton - "McDermott is basically Larry Bird II and will carry this team...and "we've played tough teams in the past (see: Wich St.)"
Nova - "We only lost our center...no big deal. Jay's still got it."
SJU - "Who needs X's & O's when you've got all that talent."
etc, etc, etc.

In another thread Dave inspired others to look at their team without the rose colored glasses. So I thought I'd paint a picture of how the season could fall apart for Nova. I'm not going to say things like: "if this guys gets hurt, etc." b/c the Creighton guys will get off too easy with that one. But as a fan what could go wrong this year for Nova?

1. They miss their center more than we expect. Ochefu has the higher upside but experience is experience and he is replacing a 4 year player. DO could spend the year plagued with stupid fouls and inconsistent offense, and Nova needs him more than anyone else this year. Nova learns the hard way that it doesn't have the depth up front to be an elite BE team.
2. Ryan Archidiancono isn't who we think he is. The mistakes he made as a Frosh become the norm, and he is more of a volume gunner than an calculating assassin.
3. Jayvaughn Pinkston gets selfish. Players with high pedigrees (in this case a McD's AA) sometimes think that they should be the man, and they start playing for themselves. It happened to us 2 years ago when we had 2 McD AA's (Wayns & CheeK) who thought that they should take every shot and beat every defender they faced. There was zero ball movement and zero defense. The chemistry broke down and the season went down the drain quick.
4. Players don't commit to defense. The good offensive players end up sitting more as a result (as Jay is prone to do if you don't play D) and the team never gets into any offensive rhythm.
5. They get very little from their transfer (Rice) & Frosh (2 Top 100 players in Hart and Jenkins). They'll need a spark off the bench and will need depth in this meat grinder of a league. If at least 2 of these 3 aren't ready to contribute, we may have some problems and wear down.

Things fall apart and Nova finishes in 8th place in the league and watches while 6 of their conference mates make the tourney. It could happen I guess.

Since I am sharing our fears let me just say that both Providence and SJU scare the sh!t out of me this year. I'm not going to lie... Anyone else care to share?

Great write up of the worst case scenario, all this is possible(although unlikely). Wonder how many other fan bases will admit or consider a worst case scenario where they miss the tourney, or will we get a bunch of can't happen to my team because we're too good.

[Jet915]

No Gregory Echenique in the middle for Creighton, he was a defensive stopper at center.

[Omahanian]

^^^^Echo Jet. Our big guys are going to have to step up. Also Austin Chapman is going to have to make the adjustment to driving to the hoop in the Big East. Too many times last year he couldn't finish and/or was stripped/blocked trying to put one up amongst the trees. One of the other PGs may have to take over for him. The challenge of game planning for 9 new teams and the logistics of 9 new towns, arenas and hotels, etc.

And just the anticipated grind of the physical play. After our win over Cincinnati in a physical contest, we looked drained and our shots weren't falling against Duke. I don't think it was all Duke's defense. Could have been some bruises and sore muscles too.

The fun things is were going to get to find out starting in just a few months. For my Jay brethren, I have always been a glass half-empty kinda guy. Things usually turn out better than I fear though. Hope this is another one of those times.

[Hall2012]

For Seton Hall

1. If the new backcourt of Gibbs and Sina takes a while to gel, the turnover problems that plagued SHU last year could come back to haunt them.

2. I know you said to keep injuries out, but it was such a problem last year for SHU that I think it's reasonable to include. Last year, the Hall started the season expecting to have one of its deepest team in recent memory and thank to injuries, ended up going into several games with just 6 or 7 dressed scholarship players. So I'm not so much saying "if so and so gets injured" but more, how will they come off injuries? Mainly- Brandon Mobley off his surgically repaired shoulder and Patrick Auda off of his broken foot?

3. If they die by the 3. Obviously, a successful team needs to have a balanced attack, and Seton Hall does have the ability to put up points in the paint, but their games are ultimately decided beyond the arc. Last season, the Pirates had the 2nd best 3pt shooting offense in the Big East and the 2nd worst 3pt shooting defense in the Big East. When it's their day shooting the ball, they can beat anybody (had Syracuse on the ropes in the BET last year). On the other hand, when their shots aren't falling...I don't want to talk about it. To summarize- if they don't find a good 2nd option for when the 3s aren't falling, it could be a long season.

[MUBoxer]

The recent polls on here have really caused fans to step forward to defend our individual teams:
Gtwn - "Porter can be easily replaced..."
Marq - "Who needs an experienced backcourt when you've got that frontcourt and have Jucos, and don't forget we've got St. Buzz"
Creighton - "McDermott is basically Larry Bird II and will carry this team...and "we've played tough teams in the past (see: Wich St.)"
Nova - "We only lost our center...no big deal. Jay's still got it."
SJU - "Who needs X's & O's when you've got all that talent."
etc, etc, etc.

In another thread Dave inspired others to look at their team without the rose colored glasses. So I thought I'd paint a picture of how the season could fall apart for Nova. I'm not going to say things like: "if this guys gets hurt, etc." b/c the Creighton guys will get off too easy with that one. But as a fan what could go wrong this year for Nova?

1. They miss their center more than we expect. Ochefu has the higher upside but experience is experience and he is replacing a 4 year player. DO could spend the year plagued with stupid fouls and inconsistent offense, and Nova needs him more than anyone else this year. Nova learns the hard way that it doesn't have the depth up front to be an elite BE team.
2. Ryan Archidiancono isn't who we think he is. The mistakes he made as a Frosh become the norm, and he is more of a volume gunner than an calculating assassin.
3. Jayvaughn Pinkston gets selfish. Players with high pedigrees (in this case a McD's AA) sometimes think that they should be the man, and they start playing for themselves. It happened to us 2 years ago when we had 2 McD AA's (Wayns & CheeK) who thought that they should take every shot and beat every defender they faced. There was zero ball movement and zero defense. The chemistry broke down and the season went down the drain quick.
4. Players don't commit to defense. The good offensive players end up sitting more as a result (as Jay is prone to do if you don't play D) and the team never gets into any offensive rhythm.
5. They get very little from their transfer (Rice) & Frosh (2 Top 100 players in Hart and Jenkins). They'll need a spark off the bench and will need depth in this meat grinder of a league. If at least 2 of these 3 aren't ready to contribute, we may have some problems and wear down.

Things fall apart and Nova finishes in 8th place in the league and watches while 6 of their conference mates make the tourney. It could happen I guess.

Since I am sharing our fears let me just say that both Providence and SJU scare the sh!t out of me this year. I'm not going to lie... Anyone else care to share?

You forgot Depaul - "we already know we're going to do bad this year"

[Xudash]

For Xavier - off the top of my head:

1. Losing Semaj Christon to injury.

2. Stainbrook not delivering from the post position.

3. An ineffective season from Justin Martin.

[gofriars08]

Providence:

1) Tyler Harris and Carson Desrosiers turn out to be stiffs instead of quality transfers, leaving PC's frontcourt exposed
2) Bryce Cotton's knee injuries crop up and keep him out for more than a game or two
3) No shooters step up around Cotton and the team struggles to score against defenses that pack the paint