LaxPower Back-Up Stick

LILaxLaw wrote: ↑Thu Feb 29, 2024 7:25 pm How is everyone feeling about the Hopkins game?

Feeling the same way I did about Georgetown-ND in that if the underdog has a good day they can win. Hopkins doesn't need to beat Virginia's defense one-on-one--they need to beat them with outside shooting and offball movement. Hopkins has the guys to do both. Add in enough extra-man opportunities, and Hopkins can score enough goals.

On defense, just hope the Hoos have a bad shooting day and create enough chances in transition to avoid playing them six-on-six.

Hopkins has better than a puncher's chance in this one.

At this point in the season, Hop looks like a post-season level team.

Nice to have this rivalry competitive.

Tomorrow’s game is far from a slam dunk. Tonight’s results tell me that Princeton is clearly a better team than UNC and that if you are a “top three” team you better come prepared to play or you’ll take a loss to a hungry, good team. Hopkins is hungry and good. No time for complacency.

It’s raining here in Baltimore but forecast says it will be clear and fairly mild in the Hook. Any word on Chizmar and English? Can UVA uphold the reputation of the ACC in what has been a rough week for the conference?

molo wrote: ↑Sat Mar 02, 2024 11:44 am It’s raining here in Baltimore but forecast says it will be clear and fairly mild in the Hook. Any word on Chizmar and English? Can UVA uphold the reputation of the ACC in what has been a rough week for the conference?

English is likely out long-term

Terenzi is keeping that Manhasset-UVA pipeline alive and well.

Hopkins capitalized on UVA’s obvious shortcomings. They struggle at the face-off dot and lack production from tgd second midfield. Then they neutralized the usually effective Millon. Can’t say this was much of a shock. I had a bad feeling about this game and the Duke debacle foreshadowed this game.

Hopkins capitalized on UVA’s obvious shortcomings. They struggle at the face-off dot and lack production from tgd second midfield. Then they neutralized the usually effective Millon. Can’t say this was much of a shock. I had a bad feeling about this game and the Duke debacle foreshadowed this game.

On a positive note, Shellenberger just took control of the Tewaaraton race. He looked to be on hyperspeed today, and when he looks that good physically, he is pretty clearly the most complete offensive player in the country

Don't think face-off is really a weakness for UVA unless Ghobriel is out long term; he had won 65% of his draws so far this year. They're a strong face-off team with him. Obviously, if he's out, then it becomes a different question. But that's true of many teams if they lose their #1 FOGO.

Second midfield is obviously an issue, as are the shorties IMO. Hopkins middies won a lot of match-ups today. I wonder if using Terenzi as a two-way guy is partly due to not having 100% confidence in the options there at shortie; cause I'm not sure with the lack of production you're getting from non-starters it's worth having a former Top 20 recruit playing very limited offensive shifts.

What happened w UVA Fogo? Injured… today ? Or last week ?

Thanks

Aside from maybe providing a chance to rest players who are dinged up, what is the point of next week’s game? The team’s drawbacks, which Hopkins exploited, won’t be apparent against Ro Mo. The false confidence that comes from blowing out an inferior team won’t help win games against peer teams. What benefit , for example, did SU get from blowing out HPU?
Hopkins improved by playing a challenging schedule. UVA still doesn’t know how they stack up against strong opponents. So far they are 0 and 1 in that department.

molo wrote: ↑Sat Mar 02, 2024 9:07 pm Aside from maybe providing a chance to rest players who are dinged up, what is the point of next week’s game? The team’s drawbacks, which Hopkins exploited, won’t be apparent against Ro Mo. The false confidence that comes from blowing out an inferior team won’t help win games against peer teams. What benefit , for example, did SU get from blowing out HPU?
Hopkins improved by playing a challenging schedule. UVA still doesn’t know how they stack up against strong opponents. So far they are 0 and 1 in that department.

How many times has UVA not qualified for the tournament in the last 30 years? That's all that matters. There is zero chance this team doesn't qualify, so there is zero importance to next week's cupcake, just like the usual 3 weeks off before their first tournament game.

keno in reno wrote: ↑Sat Mar 02, 2024 9:27 pm

molo wrote: ↑Sat Mar 02, 2024 9:07 pm Aside from maybe providing a chance to rest players who are dinged up, what is the point of next week’s game? The team’s drawbacks, which Hopkins exploited, won’t be apparent against Ro Mo. The false confidence that comes from blowing out an inferior team won’t help win games against peer teams. What benefit , for example, did SU get from blowing out HPU?
Hopkins improved by playing a challenging schedule. UVA still doesn’t know how they stack up against strong opponents. So far they are 0 and 1 in that department.

How many times has UVA not qualified for the tournament in the last 30 years? That's all that matters. There is zero chance this team doesn't qualify, so there is zero importance to next week's cupcake, just like the usual 3 weeks off before their first tournament game.

Agree. The absurdity of Virginia fans reacting to a loss to a team ranked 6 in some polls is ludicrous.

Cavs have,

02/10 vs Michigan W 19-11
02/17 @ Richmond W 10-14
02/25 vs Ohio State W 14-8
03/02 vs Johns Hopkins L 14-16
03/09 @ Towson Preview
03/16 @ Maryland Preview
04/06 vs North Carolina Preview
04/14 @ Duke Preview
04/20 @ Syracuse Preview
04/27 vs Notre Dame Preview

----------------------

All, strong teams - 10 out of 14 total games.

No top 5-10 RPI wins yet.
They need a top 5 RPI win, two really to get a top 4-5 seeding.

As long as they're top 4 seeded, they'll have a better than even chance to a Final Four.

I’m not concerned about making the tournament. I’m concerned about addressing areas that need improvement and about the false confidence that comes after an easy victory. You know, the Madden thing.

UVA played a Top 15 Michigan team Week 1, then a Top 20 Richmond team on the road in Week 2. Ohio State is hard to figure out so far but they do have a pretty good defense to this point of the season. Then they played Hopkins.

Through one month, their worst opponent was probably....Top 30ish? They played one Top 5 team and two other Top 20s. They have another Top 30ish opponent in Towson next weekend and then play Maryland. Before and after they have mid-week games against sub-standard opposition. Personally don't know that you *need* to play those games; but there's generally two modes of scheduling, the Maryland 12-13, all-weekend games, almost all challenges approach; or the one that leans more towards the Duke end where you play 15+ games, still have a very challenging conference slate and a couple big non-con games but have a few easier midweek games in there to keep legs fresh and get more players playing time. Both work.

UVA's SOS is 2nd right now, I think they've been tested quite a bit so far. They'll be tested even more in 2 weeks.

molo wrote: ↑Sat Mar 02, 2024 10:51 pm I’m not concerned about making the tournament. I’m concerned about addressing areas that need improvement and about the false confidence that comes after an easy victory. You know, the Madden thing.

Easy victories over weak teams lead to poor showings next game out regardless who they play. Tough losses to great teams tend to lead to incredible showings next time out but especially against good teams.

What a waste to schedule ROMO after JHU. I’m sure the idea was the team would want a breather.

Ro Mo game could be a chance for some reserves to get some pt. Towson could be a blowout, but it could also be more like the Richmond game. Always nice to see the men in person.

Finster wrote: ↑Sun Mar 03, 2024 8:31 am

molo wrote: ↑Sat Mar 02, 2024 10:51 pm I’m not concerned about making the tournament. I’m concerned about addressing areas that need improvement and about the false confidence that comes after an easy victory. You know, the Madden thing.

Easy victories over weak teams lead to poor showings next game out regardless who they play. Tough losses to great teams tend to lead to incredible showings next time out but especially against good teams.

What a waste to schedule ROMO after JHU. I’m sure the idea was the team would want a breather.

finster, respectfully... you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.