Good win - It was one they needed to have and one they should have had. As I mentioned in my Q&A with Pico over at East Coast Bias, Pitt has had struggles in the Garden against St. John's (1-2 in their past three games leading up to this one).
To start, our handy game flow chart shows a steady Pitt lead for most of the game. Pitt never got out to a huge lead and they never let St. John's get any closer than five in the second half. The box score shows why Pitt was unable to win by a huge margin. For the second time this year, St. John's outrebounded them. SJU also took care of the ball (only five turnovers to Pitt's eleven) and got to the free throw line more often (+7). So what was the difference? Shooting. Pitt converted over 50% of their shots while St. John's made less than 37%.
And it wasn't just shooting, it was getting EASY shots. 15 of Pitt's 24 made field goals (63%) were layups or dunks while St. John's had 52% of that variety.
I don't really know what to make of the rebounding issues Pitt has against St. John's. Nasir Robinson (8), Gary McGhee (8), and Ashton Gibbs (6) did the job, but no one else had more than two rebounds. And in losing the rebounding battle each time this year, Pitt ends the season at -15 in rebounding against St. John's. Keep in mind that this second game, a -5 effort, was after an emphasis was placed on rebounding and the supposed boot camp that players endured after the beating laid on them by Notre Dame earlier this week. That stuff is all fine and good, but for the most part, I subscribe to theory that when the game starts, most of that stuff is forgotten.
Nasir Robinson is a beast and really poses somewhat of a dilemna for Pitt. His rebounding and toughness is at times (like today), very much needed while the clamoring for Gilbert Brown to start is still there. What's the answer? Do you put Nasir at SF and move Brad Wanamaker or Jermaine Dixon to the bench? I don't really know. At this point in the season, it's probably not worth worrying about and the rotation should just stay as is. Despite my previous pleas to move Dante Taylor to the 4, it's too late in the season to move people around and that type of stuff should just go on hold until next year.
Travon Woodall was also forced into action in a big way due to foul trouble by Dixon and Ashton Gibbs. His 27 minutes were by far the most he'd seen in a Big East game this year, other than that triple-OT win against WVU. He did have three turnovers, but also six points and four assists for a mild game.
Next up is Providence at home on Thursday.
Showing posts with label St. John's. Show all posts
Showing posts with label St. John's. Show all posts
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
St. John's Q&A With East Coast Bias
Pico over at the East Coast Bias/St. John's blog checked back in with me for another Q&A session. His answers to my questions are below and you can visit his site to see my answers to his:
1. As I alluded to in one of my questions and also in our last Q&A, St. John's still has an outside shot at making the NCAA Tournament. They'll likely need to win their next three (Pitt, at Syracuse, and at DePaul) along with at least two in the Big East tournament, but it's still a possibility - one that will be increased with a win against Pitt. How much NCAA tournament talk is still going on at this point?
It’s interesting to me that other bloggers mention that St. John’s, holding steady at 12th or 13th in the conference, has a shot at the NCAA Tournament. Part of my surprise is that within the message boards, pretty much anyone who posts regularly is upset about the team, thinks they are simply destined to lose, and that the coach should be fired. I think it’s hard for that set of fans to see just how much parity the league has this year (does that mean the league is good? Or that it’s bad? I think I am going to ask some of the other league bloggers this question, too). It’s hard for me to see it.
That said, this team isn’t going to the NCAAs. They would have to beat Syracuse and make a run of at least 2 rounds in the NCAA Tournament, while other teams really have shocking losses, and all the mid-majors (and Pac-10) have no surprise tournament upsets. St. John’s has too many bad losses – Providence, Rutgers, Seton Hall; they’re 2-8 against the RPI top 50, and 0-6 against the top 25, they’re under .500 in conference. It would take a Georgia-style act of God to get this team in.
The NIT is possible but unlikely, with the Big East teams ahead of St. John’s in the standings.
2. When looking at the points scored and points given up per game, Pitt and St. John's are very close. Pitt has only scored about 1.5 more ppg and given up about 3 ppg less, yet they have a decidedly better record. What has been the main thing(s) keeping St. John's from joining the ranks of the Big East elite this year?
Pittsburgh plays a slower pace, and that masks how much better their offense and defense is. Despite their inefficiency sometimes, Pitt does a better job executing on both ends, and gets to the free throw line. St. John’s doesn’t, and shoots poorly from the line, to boot. In conference, Pitt is scoring around 5 points more per game and both teams give up about the same number of points per game.
St. John’s offense has really held them back. They’ve gotten worked on defense, for sure, but the Storm hasn’t been much worse than league average, generally. But the offense – and lack of forcing turnovers – has slowed them down.
3. Pitt fans are familiar with D.J. Kennedy, of course, being from Pittsburgh. Some point to him as a missed prospect that Pitt passed on (for Brad Wanamaker), I believe. Is there any NBA talk surrounding him and if not, what does he need to work on to have a chance at getting into an NBA camp?
Earlier in the year a draft board (at nbadraft.net, maybe?) had him as a second round pick next year. He might get there. He’s a hard worker. I don’t know that he has immense physical gifts, but sometimes, he’s a very smart player and knows how to make plays. I think he needs to work on a number of things – his shot has to be more steady (though he has gotten better at getting his shot off and his first step).
Kennedy could improve his handle a little. And I think his defense could get him to stick in the league as a Trenton Hassell, Bruce Bowen kind of defender – versatile, tough, tall. Maybe even at Matt Barnes type, who just makes plays everywhere – Barnes was a decent, not standout player on a good UCLA team, but he was also a great glue guy with a wealth of half-tapped gifts and athleticism to get by on. Kennedy’s athleticism isn’t quite there, and he’s a couple of inches shorter.
4. Justin Burrell, a relatively unknown to a lot of people came out and had arguably his best game of the year against Pitt in their first meeting (14 points on 5-7 shooting / 7 rebounds). Other than him and the usual suspects in Kennedy, Dwight Hardy, and Anthony Mason, Jr., who else is someone that Pitt should keep their eye on? Maybe not someone for a huge game, but someone who could provide a key spark when needed?
Malik Boothe has been crafty and fairly effective in the past 5 games. At the very least, he’s been aggressive, and he can make some plays on offense driving to the hoop. Both Paris Horne and Sean Evans can make some plays; Evans is the team’s best offensive rebounder. Those are the only other guys who might have the ball and be looked to for playmaking.
1. As I alluded to in one of my questions and also in our last Q&A, St. John's still has an outside shot at making the NCAA Tournament. They'll likely need to win their next three (Pitt, at Syracuse, and at DePaul) along with at least two in the Big East tournament, but it's still a possibility - one that will be increased with a win against Pitt. How much NCAA tournament talk is still going on at this point?
It’s interesting to me that other bloggers mention that St. John’s, holding steady at 12th or 13th in the conference, has a shot at the NCAA Tournament. Part of my surprise is that within the message boards, pretty much anyone who posts regularly is upset about the team, thinks they are simply destined to lose, and that the coach should be fired. I think it’s hard for that set of fans to see just how much parity the league has this year (does that mean the league is good? Or that it’s bad? I think I am going to ask some of the other league bloggers this question, too). It’s hard for me to see it.
That said, this team isn’t going to the NCAAs. They would have to beat Syracuse and make a run of at least 2 rounds in the NCAA Tournament, while other teams really have shocking losses, and all the mid-majors (and Pac-10) have no surprise tournament upsets. St. John’s has too many bad losses – Providence, Rutgers, Seton Hall; they’re 2-8 against the RPI top 50, and 0-6 against the top 25, they’re under .500 in conference. It would take a Georgia-style act of God to get this team in.
The NIT is possible but unlikely, with the Big East teams ahead of St. John’s in the standings.
2. When looking at the points scored and points given up per game, Pitt and St. John's are very close. Pitt has only scored about 1.5 more ppg and given up about 3 ppg less, yet they have a decidedly better record. What has been the main thing(s) keeping St. John's from joining the ranks of the Big East elite this year?
Pittsburgh plays a slower pace, and that masks how much better their offense and defense is. Despite their inefficiency sometimes, Pitt does a better job executing on both ends, and gets to the free throw line. St. John’s doesn’t, and shoots poorly from the line, to boot. In conference, Pitt is scoring around 5 points more per game and both teams give up about the same number of points per game.
St. John’s offense has really held them back. They’ve gotten worked on defense, for sure, but the Storm hasn’t been much worse than league average, generally. But the offense – and lack of forcing turnovers – has slowed them down.
3. Pitt fans are familiar with D.J. Kennedy, of course, being from Pittsburgh. Some point to him as a missed prospect that Pitt passed on (for Brad Wanamaker), I believe. Is there any NBA talk surrounding him and if not, what does he need to work on to have a chance at getting into an NBA camp?
Earlier in the year a draft board (at nbadraft.net, maybe?) had him as a second round pick next year. He might get there. He’s a hard worker. I don’t know that he has immense physical gifts, but sometimes, he’s a very smart player and knows how to make plays. I think he needs to work on a number of things – his shot has to be more steady (though he has gotten better at getting his shot off and his first step).
Kennedy could improve his handle a little. And I think his defense could get him to stick in the league as a Trenton Hassell, Bruce Bowen kind of defender – versatile, tough, tall. Maybe even at Matt Barnes type, who just makes plays everywhere – Barnes was a decent, not standout player on a good UCLA team, but he was also a great glue guy with a wealth of half-tapped gifts and athleticism to get by on. Kennedy’s athleticism isn’t quite there, and he’s a couple of inches shorter.
4. Justin Burrell, a relatively unknown to a lot of people came out and had arguably his best game of the year against Pitt in their first meeting (14 points on 5-7 shooting / 7 rebounds). Other than him and the usual suspects in Kennedy, Dwight Hardy, and Anthony Mason, Jr., who else is someone that Pitt should keep their eye on? Maybe not someone for a huge game, but someone who could provide a key spark when needed?
Malik Boothe has been crafty and fairly effective in the past 5 games. At the very least, he’s been aggressive, and he can make some plays on offense driving to the hoop. Both Paris Horne and Sean Evans can make some plays; Evans is the team’s best offensive rebounder. Those are the only other guys who might have the ball and be looked to for playmaking.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Back On Track
Pitt rebounded from a rare two-loss streak for a 63-53 home win against St. John's. No, they didn't play great. Heck, they didn't even play very well. But all in all, it's too hard to be upset with a ten-point conference win. Still, plenty to dislike in this game.
St. John's was looking for its first win on the road over a top 25 team under head coach Norm Roberts. This would have been a good win to improve that abysmal 6-40 Big East road record, but it was again a case of not being able to finish for the Red Storm.
This was really a story about one team playing not so great and the other playing slightly worse. Very ugly game to watch with a lot of easy close-range shots being missed. The Panthers really looked...well...awful in the first half. They started 0-5 from the field and shot under 30% for the half. They played better in the second half, but still only ended up shooting 40% for the game. Still, that was better than St. John's, who mustered only around 33%. They also only had 26 points (total) from their starters.
Pitt was also outhustled at times, lost the rebounding battle by ten and again shot horribly from three-point range (2-12).
The team also had some bad news with the loss of Jermaine Dixon to - you guessed it - another foot injury. I hope it's not serious, but one of the lone bright spots of tonight was the play of his replacement - Travon Woodall. I've been killing Woodall lately...and with good reason. But tonight, he played pretty well in 18 minutes (the most minutes he's seen since the Syracuse game nearly a month ago). He was far from spectacular according to the box score, but he didn't turn the ball over once and looked much more comfortable out there.
But despite all the troubles, Pitt was able to pull out a victory in part to, once again, something that's previously haunted them:
And forget about more touches for Taylor - at least it seems like we can. Gary McGhee, who played pretty well tonight (5-7 for 10 points, 4 rebounds, 3 blocks), seems to have all but assumed the role as the #1 center on the team and Dante Taylor's minutes seem to be coming harder to come by - he only had ten tonight.
We also got the good version of Brad Wanamaker tonight and while Gibbs was okay (5-13 from the field for 14 points), his three-point slump is getting a bit ridiculous. He was 0-4 tonight and is now 3-19 over the past three games.
With the #10, #11, #14, #15, and #16 teams in the ESPN/USA Today Top 25 poll all losing so far this week, if Pitt can win at South Florida on Sunday, then they could move back up in the vicinity of the top ten again. I'm not one of those that think the polls are meaningless. I think perception plays a part in seeding and hovering around the top ten for a good chunk of the season can really help.
St. John's was looking for its first win on the road over a top 25 team under head coach Norm Roberts. This would have been a good win to improve that abysmal 6-40 Big East road record, but it was again a case of not being able to finish for the Red Storm.
This was really a story about one team playing not so great and the other playing slightly worse. Very ugly game to watch with a lot of easy close-range shots being missed. The Panthers really looked...well...awful in the first half. They started 0-5 from the field and shot under 30% for the half. They played better in the second half, but still only ended up shooting 40% for the game. Still, that was better than St. John's, who mustered only around 33%. They also only had 26 points (total) from their starters.
Pitt was also outhustled at times, lost the rebounding battle by ten and again shot horribly from three-point range (2-12).
The team also had some bad news with the loss of Jermaine Dixon to - you guessed it - another foot injury. I hope it's not serious, but one of the lone bright spots of tonight was the play of his replacement - Travon Woodall. I've been killing Woodall lately...and with good reason. But tonight, he played pretty well in 18 minutes (the most minutes he's seen since the Syracuse game nearly a month ago). He was far from spectacular according to the box score, but he didn't turn the ball over once and looked much more comfortable out there.
But despite all the troubles, Pitt was able to pull out a victory in part to, once again, something that's previously haunted them:
Pitt struggled from the floor for most of the game but used a 21-for-24 effort from the foul line to come away victorious.The free throws thing has really been a pleasant surprise this year. Most Pitt fans would have gladly taken even a mediocre free throw shooting team. In the past five games, they're shooting over 80%. What was previously a major weakness has now turned into, seemingly, a major strength.
And forget about more touches for Taylor - at least it seems like we can. Gary McGhee, who played pretty well tonight (5-7 for 10 points, 4 rebounds, 3 blocks), seems to have all but assumed the role as the #1 center on the team and Dante Taylor's minutes seem to be coming harder to come by - he only had ten tonight.
We also got the good version of Brad Wanamaker tonight and while Gibbs was okay (5-13 from the field for 14 points), his three-point slump is getting a bit ridiculous. He was 0-4 tonight and is now 3-19 over the past three games.
With the #10, #11, #14, #15, and #16 teams in the ESPN/USA Today Top 25 poll all losing so far this week, if Pitt can win at South Florida on Sunday, then they could move back up in the vicinity of the top ten again. I'm not one of those that think the polls are meaningless. I think perception plays a part in seeding and hovering around the top ten for a good chunk of the season can really help.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Q&A With Pico at The East Coast Bias
Pico over at the fantastic blog, The East Coast Bias, asked for my participation in a brief Q&A before the Pitt / St. John's game. Below are his answers to my questions - be sure to check out his site for my answers to his:
1. I saw a bit of that St. John's / Villanova game on Saturday and was surprised by the number of Nova fans at the game, even with the fairly close proximity of the two teams. We all know that St. John's has a strong basketball history, but being down for a while, just how strong of a brand is St. John's basketball in the NYC area? With all the professional teams nearby, I'm sure they take somewhat of a backseat, but just how much?
That's certainly not abnormal, the numbers of opposing fans in the Garden. Pitt draws well there, Duke draws well there, Kentucky draws well there, U Conn draws well there - a lot of fans move to the NYC area. Recently, Rick Pitino said in his pregame chat with reporters before the St. John's game that the Big East didn't need St. John's to be good for the league to be strong; he could have extended that statement to "Madison Square Garden doesn't need St. John's to be good to sell tickets." And the Garden has no real allegiance; they just need to make their projected gate receipts.
The question about the Red Storm (or Redmen, as some prefer) and the strength of the brand is hotly debated among some fans. Is it just the losing that causes problems in filling the arena? Or is it that NYC isn't a college basketball city? Or is it the competition for ticket money?
But U Conn fans can fill the Garden because they win. Duke can get a good crowd going. And basketball tickets for college are much more affordable than pro tickets or football tickets. The pro teams are nice, but they're also not that good - especially when talking about basketball. There are a generation of people in their 20's and even early 30's whose memory of a rocking Garden and a relevant St. John's is at the edges of their 10th year, or in little spurts. Losing and a lack of fan memory doesn't do much to build a brand. And while I think the Garden will always draw a bipartisan crowd, NY is filled with basketball fans; a game there doesn't have to feel like an away game for the Red Storm.
2. St. John's is just now getting Anthony Mason, Jr. back in game shape after his injury and as expected, his minutes have been down a bit as the coaches are working him back in slowly. I've been kind of a fan of his during his career as he's a legitimate inside and outside player with the ability to hit the three (even though he's a bit streaky from out there). What kind of impact is he expected to make to the team once he gets back to full strength?
It's hard to say for certain what impact he'll make. There aren't strong expectations - he's been off of the grid for a year and a half, almost. And being out that long has to indicate a serious athletic issue. Certainly, he looks bigger, but Mase hasn't displayed the athleticism that the coaching staff wanted him to use more often to drive 2 years ago before he started having recurring hamstring injuries. But he's been more under control and rebounding very well in his time back. But the team could use another player who can score and create his shot when the droughts happen, when the team is out of rhythm. Can he be that? I'm not sure. Is he good enough to carry the team? Not sure on that, but I would think that's doubtful. But I'd love to see him try.
3. At 12-7, St. John's is off to one of its better starts since the 2001-02 season when they last made the NCAA Tournament. With a tough schedule still to come, while a tournament run is not likely this year, it's not impossible. The decent showing against Nova was probably slightly encouraging. What will St. John's need to do to make a run at the tournament or make a strong run in the NIT?
The showing against Nova looked like the showing against Georgetown, and the first half against U Conn. It doesn't feel strong, it feels like the same old thing - sloppy/ non-impact pay at the point, perimeter-focused play, midgame droughts... Some will say the team has a problem with second halves with respect to coaching, but I think slightly differently; the coaching and halftime adjustments are a factor, but so is the wearing down of talent. St. John's makes mistakes, and by the second half, the other team can exploit those mistakes and weaknesses.
To make a run at the tourney or the NIT... hmm. I think the team has to make a sudden turnaround in offense, scoring more regularly, drawing fouls. I think Dwight Hardy would have to start and put up 15 points per game; I think some player has to become an 8-10 point per game scorer in the paint and then the team has to get him the ball regularly; I think the team has to get something out of the point guards; I think the perimeter defense needs to improve. Perhaps Omari Lawrence will be as good as he was against Villanova; maybe Dele Coker would get more time. Maybe Justin Burrell will see the floor more and be a consistent scorer; maybe Justin Brownlee will do the same. There's a lot to overcome to get to either of those milestones
4. With only one winning season (16-15 in 2006-07) at St. John's in the five years he's served as coach, what are the thoughts on Norm Roberts around the area? If he doesn't get to above .500 this year, is he in any danger of losing his job? If so, or even if not, who are some coaching candidates that have been thrown around by media or even by fans?
The newspaper coverage - like in most places - won't go hard after Coach Norm Roberts, but even the local media know that the fans are frustrated, that it's been 6 years, and there's no real reason to believe this is going to turn around. I don't think a winning season is the firing threshold. After all, 1 overall winning season in 5 years (or 2 in 6 years) usually gets a coach fired, and 28-64 (30% winning percentage) in the Big East... one has to think that's some thin ice. This year the team's 2-5 in conference. It's going to be nearly impossible to get to .500 in the Big East this year, and what's the threshold for Norm in between .500 (the NCAAs) and a 2-win season? To be fair, the Athletic Director has said that he has confidence in Norm, and they (he and the President) like how he represents the University. But this was supposed to be the year the team starts winning games; I don't think the decision-makers realized how far St. John's has been from winning margins in the past.
The media hasn't run with the "if he's fired" ball yet, so no coaching candidates to date. The fans on the message boards have their favorites, ranging to most NYC-connected coaches, mostly with (positive) head coaching records. I won't give voice to those names (though admittedly, I will take a look at some coaches for the possible local openings on the East Coast Bias blog), but Tom Pecora will find a way to get his name in there. If it gets to "dead man walking" level - and no one quite knows at what level the coach would certainly be fired - there are multiple issues to consider, including how much the school will pay, the "cleanliness" of the coach, et cetera.
5. Dwight Hardy has been a key player for the Red Storm coming from Community College. As a junior, fans will still have another year to have him around. Has his production been a surprise for the team or was he expected to contribute this much?
A slight surprise, but the fans figured that if he could really shoot, he'd get time - the team has lacked a 3-point shooter for much of Norm Roberts' time at St. John's. So someone who could come up and just start shooting with just a simple screen was going to get some minutes. He's been a nice player for sure; and his ability to bring the ball up on occasion is also helpful.
1. I saw a bit of that St. John's / Villanova game on Saturday and was surprised by the number of Nova fans at the game, even with the fairly close proximity of the two teams. We all know that St. John's has a strong basketball history, but being down for a while, just how strong of a brand is St. John's basketball in the NYC area? With all the professional teams nearby, I'm sure they take somewhat of a backseat, but just how much?
That's certainly not abnormal, the numbers of opposing fans in the Garden. Pitt draws well there, Duke draws well there, Kentucky draws well there, U Conn draws well there - a lot of fans move to the NYC area. Recently, Rick Pitino said in his pregame chat with reporters before the St. John's game that the Big East didn't need St. John's to be good for the league to be strong; he could have extended that statement to "Madison Square Garden doesn't need St. John's to be good to sell tickets." And the Garden has no real allegiance; they just need to make their projected gate receipts.
The question about the Red Storm (or Redmen, as some prefer) and the strength of the brand is hotly debated among some fans. Is it just the losing that causes problems in filling the arena? Or is it that NYC isn't a college basketball city? Or is it the competition for ticket money?
But U Conn fans can fill the Garden because they win. Duke can get a good crowd going. And basketball tickets for college are much more affordable than pro tickets or football tickets. The pro teams are nice, but they're also not that good - especially when talking about basketball. There are a generation of people in their 20's and even early 30's whose memory of a rocking Garden and a relevant St. John's is at the edges of their 10th year, or in little spurts. Losing and a lack of fan memory doesn't do much to build a brand. And while I think the Garden will always draw a bipartisan crowd, NY is filled with basketball fans; a game there doesn't have to feel like an away game for the Red Storm.
2. St. John's is just now getting Anthony Mason, Jr. back in game shape after his injury and as expected, his minutes have been down a bit as the coaches are working him back in slowly. I've been kind of a fan of his during his career as he's a legitimate inside and outside player with the ability to hit the three (even though he's a bit streaky from out there). What kind of impact is he expected to make to the team once he gets back to full strength?
It's hard to say for certain what impact he'll make. There aren't strong expectations - he's been off of the grid for a year and a half, almost. And being out that long has to indicate a serious athletic issue. Certainly, he looks bigger, but Mase hasn't displayed the athleticism that the coaching staff wanted him to use more often to drive 2 years ago before he started having recurring hamstring injuries. But he's been more under control and rebounding very well in his time back. But the team could use another player who can score and create his shot when the droughts happen, when the team is out of rhythm. Can he be that? I'm not sure. Is he good enough to carry the team? Not sure on that, but I would think that's doubtful. But I'd love to see him try.
3. At 12-7, St. John's is off to one of its better starts since the 2001-02 season when they last made the NCAA Tournament. With a tough schedule still to come, while a tournament run is not likely this year, it's not impossible. The decent showing against Nova was probably slightly encouraging. What will St. John's need to do to make a run at the tournament or make a strong run in the NIT?
The showing against Nova looked like the showing against Georgetown, and the first half against U Conn. It doesn't feel strong, it feels like the same old thing - sloppy/ non-impact pay at the point, perimeter-focused play, midgame droughts... Some will say the team has a problem with second halves with respect to coaching, but I think slightly differently; the coaching and halftime adjustments are a factor, but so is the wearing down of talent. St. John's makes mistakes, and by the second half, the other team can exploit those mistakes and weaknesses.
To make a run at the tourney or the NIT... hmm. I think the team has to make a sudden turnaround in offense, scoring more regularly, drawing fouls. I think Dwight Hardy would have to start and put up 15 points per game; I think some player has to become an 8-10 point per game scorer in the paint and then the team has to get him the ball regularly; I think the team has to get something out of the point guards; I think the perimeter defense needs to improve. Perhaps Omari Lawrence will be as good as he was against Villanova; maybe Dele Coker would get more time. Maybe Justin Burrell will see the floor more and be a consistent scorer; maybe Justin Brownlee will do the same. There's a lot to overcome to get to either of those milestones
4. With only one winning season (16-15 in 2006-07) at St. John's in the five years he's served as coach, what are the thoughts on Norm Roberts around the area? If he doesn't get to above .500 this year, is he in any danger of losing his job? If so, or even if not, who are some coaching candidates that have been thrown around by media or even by fans?
The newspaper coverage - like in most places - won't go hard after Coach Norm Roberts, but even the local media know that the fans are frustrated, that it's been 6 years, and there's no real reason to believe this is going to turn around. I don't think a winning season is the firing threshold. After all, 1 overall winning season in 5 years (or 2 in 6 years) usually gets a coach fired, and 28-64 (30% winning percentage) in the Big East... one has to think that's some thin ice. This year the team's 2-5 in conference. It's going to be nearly impossible to get to .500 in the Big East this year, and what's the threshold for Norm in between .500 (the NCAAs) and a 2-win season? To be fair, the Athletic Director has said that he has confidence in Norm, and they (he and the President) like how he represents the University. But this was supposed to be the year the team starts winning games; I don't think the decision-makers realized how far St. John's has been from winning margins in the past.
The media hasn't run with the "if he's fired" ball yet, so no coaching candidates to date. The fans on the message boards have their favorites, ranging to most NYC-connected coaches, mostly with (positive) head coaching records. I won't give voice to those names (though admittedly, I will take a look at some coaches for the possible local openings on the East Coast Bias blog), but Tom Pecora will find a way to get his name in there. If it gets to "dead man walking" level - and no one quite knows at what level the coach would certainly be fired - there are multiple issues to consider, including how much the school will pay, the "cleanliness" of the coach, et cetera.
5. Dwight Hardy has been a key player for the Red Storm coming from Community College. As a junior, fans will still have another year to have him around. Has his production been a surprise for the team or was he expected to contribute this much?
A slight surprise, but the fans figured that if he could really shoot, he'd get time - the team has lacked a 3-point shooter for much of Norm Roberts' time at St. John's. So someone who could come up and just start shooting with just a simple screen was going to get some minutes. He's been a nice player for sure; and his ability to bring the ball up on occasion is also helpful.
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