Win and you’re ranked in the top 25 in the nation. Lose, and you’re the walkover on the schedule you were supposed to be. Those were the two options SLU stared in the face on Sunday afternoon. There are no moral victories, no good losses.
Seton Hall flew into Billiken country ranked 12th in the nation and fresh off of a 3 point heartbreaking loss to Michigan State. They needed to get right on the road and maintain their standing as a national force to be reckoned with.
SLU came in with a far different agenda. They needed to prove to the A-10, the nation, and most importantly themselves, that they are a program that wasn’t a flash in the pan last March. That they are on the come-up. That they are now one of the big boys.
Ugly as Ugly Can Get
The first 5 minutes may have been the worst of the Travis Ford era. 0-5 from the field. 0-4 from the line. A couple of turnovers and a 10-0 deficit. Demarious Jacobs thankfully broke the seal with a corner three after over 5 minutes had passed. Then it was all a blur… 20-6 … The student section was dejected. It seemed hopeless.
Like Sisyphus…
From down 14, with offense nowhere near the horizon, St. Louis dragged themselves back into the game. A flurry of subs from Coach Ford, seemingly no set of 5 in for more than 3 minutes at a time. The energy elevated, the defense looked SLU-like and some free throws dropped. They gave it every drop of sweat they had…
But the energy spent on that flurry and climb back from the cellar came at a cost. The Bills looked tired and lacking in the focus that was needed to keep their momentum. They went to the break being outscored 46-31.
A Slow Dirge
That’s the only way I can describe the second half. Without Javon Bess in uniform to guard Myles Powell, Powell did whatever he wanted… whenever he wanted. On the eyeball test alone, he was far and away the best player in the city on Sunday afternoon. He finished the night with 26 points and barely broke a sweat. He smiled at the SLU student section everytime they chanted something critical in the second half. He left the victor… all smiles. The student section left far quieter than the screaming of “I’m not worried” that filled the first half.
It’s still the shooting
I wish I could have a different take… or write a different story. But the tale to tell after every loss of the past few seasons is exactly the same. It was the shooting. Early into the 4th year with Coach Ford this program has shown no discernible improvement in shooting the rock.
Tonight’s Numbers
Overall from the field: 19-53 for 35.8%
From deep: 5-14 for 35.7%
From the charity stripe: 23-41 for 56.1%
Last season
Overall Field Goals: 23.9-57.1 per game at 41.9%, good for 298 out of 353 in the nation
Three point shooting: 5.8-18.5 per game at 31.3%, good for 317 out of 353 in the nation
Free throw shooting: 467-778 at 60%, good for 352 out of 353 in the nation
A philosophy change? A new recruitment strategy? What will change? The players have come and gone and come again. But, the numbers remain the same. Yes SLU will slug their way to 20 wins this season and a shot at dancing. But do you want to be a program that’s just happy getting there? Or do you want to be more?
So… it’s on to the next. SLU has a tomato can coming to our fair city next week in High Point before the real tests of Belmont and Boston College. Will they be 6-1? 5-2? Or 4-3? It’ll come down to the same thing it always does… the ball in the bucket.
Until then… long live the memory of Spoonball?
