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‘Hungry’ St. John’s tops Marquette to remain atop Big East

Jeff BorzelloFeb 4, 2025, 11:56 PM ET
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- Basketball recruiting insider.
- Joined ESPN in 2014.
- Graduate of University of Delaware.

NEW YORK — An aggressive, hounding defense. Bully ball on the offensive end. A Hall of Fame coach walking the sideline. Chants of “Let’s go, Johnnies!” filling Madison Square Garden in the final minute of No. 12 St. John’s 70-64 win over No. 11 Marquette.

For a basketball program desperate to return to relevance — and win its first Big East regular-season championship since 1992 — it was hard to escape the feeling that Tuesday night was a turning point.

There have been false dawns for St. John’s basketball before, but this season’s Red Storm have won nine games in a row and 15 of their past 16, and they sit atop the Big East standings at 11-1.

And now they have the statement win they’ve been looking for all season.

“You guys can see it now,” St. John’s forward RJ Luis Jr. said. “We’re a very hungry group, and we’re very determined to win. We came out tonight, came out fighting, and was able to get the tough win versus a very good Marquette team.”

It was just about one year ago when coach Rick Pitino walked into the news conference following St. John’s eighth loss in 10 games, a 68-62 defeat to Seton Hall after leading by 19 points, and lamented his team’s lack of toughness and athleticism.

“If I said I was disappointed, that would be the understatement of the year,” he said last February. “Our lateral quickness and our toughness is just something I’ve never witnessed in all my years of coaching.”

Twelve months and a revamped roster later, and St. John’s has one of the elite defenses in college basketball, ranking in the top five nationally in adjusted efficiency per KenPom. The team’s effort at that end of the floor has been at the heart of its success, and that was again the case Tuesday.

Despite not shooting well from the 3-point line (3-for-16) or the free throw line (17-for-31), St. John’s held Marquette to 0.95 points per possession — the Golden Eagles’ second-worst offensive performance of the campaign.

There was no possession more evident of the Red Storm’s commitment on defense than after St. John’s took a 66-59 lead in the final two minutes. Marquette needed to come down and score quickly to cut the lead, but the Golden Eagles simply couldn’t get a look at the basket. They dribbled around for 25 seconds before Kadary Richmond blocked a 3-point attempt into the stands with 1:11 remaining.

“I thought all the guys played great defense,” Pitino said. “They help each other, they switch. This is a relentless defensive team, and you see it all the time. … This is a relentless group. A relentless group that’s totally bought into stopping every play.”

St. John’s withstood early shooting woes by attacking the offensive glass. At one point late in the first half, Marquette had made five 3s to the Red Storm’s 0. But St. John’s countered that by grabbing 11 offensive rebounds to Marquette’s 0, resulting in seven second-chance points.

“I thought they played with incredible violence,” Marquette coach Shaka Smart said. “They were just the more aggressive team for the majority of the game.”

Stingy defense and offensive rebounding have been part of the Red Storm’s identity all season, but lately the reemergence of Richmond has given them an added dimension on offense.

Richmond, the No. 1 player in the transfer portal last spring after leaving Seton Hall, hadn’t quite reached the same heights at St. John’s through the first 2½ months of the season. But he had 24 points — including the game winner — 8 rebounds and 8 assists against Providence on Saturday, and he finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists on Tuesday.

“He’s a humble superstar. And I’ll tell you, in this day and age, you don’t get Kadary Richmonds anymore,” Pitino said. “Kadary has been a joy to coach. A humble, hard-working guy who’s getting better at his age, he’s like a fine wine. He’s just getting better and he’s just a great teammate. He doesn’t look for credit, he doesn’t look for praise. He makes a mistake, he goes, ‘It’s on me.’ I wish they would all act like that, but he’s a pro. He’s a professional. He acts that way. So, I’m very lucky to have him.”

As the final seconds ticked off the clock, “We want UConn!” chants rang out from certain corners of the Garden. St. John’s heads to Storrs to face UConn on Friday night, another game for the Red Storm to lay down a marker in their quest for a conference title.

But Pitino wasn’t interested in giving the Huskies any bulletin board material. When asked after the game for his thoughts on the chants about the two-time reigning national champions, the coach was succinct:

“I think they’re drunk.”

In a thrilling matchup, St. John’s University emerged victorious over Marquette to maintain their position at the top of the Big East standings. The game was a nail-biter from start to finish, with both teams trading baskets and playing tough defense.

Despite a valiant effort from Marquette, St. John’s was able to pull away in the final minutes thanks to some clutch shooting and strong performances from their star players. The win solidifies St. John’s as a force to be reckoned with in the Big East, as they continue their quest for a conference championship.

Fans of St. John’s can celebrate this hard-fought victory and look forward to more exciting games ahead. With their hunger for success and determination to win, St. John’s is proving to be a team to watch in the Big East.

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#Hungry #Johns #tops #Marquette #remain #atop #Big #East

February 8, 2025

Briarpatch | The Very Hungry Caterpillar Rainbow Picnic Game, Ages 3+

Briarpatch | The Very Hungry Caterpillar Rainbow Picnic Game, Ages 3+

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Join us for a colorful and fun picnic adventure with The Very Hungry Caterpillar Rainbow Picnic Game!

Get ready to explore the world of Eric Carle’s beloved children’s book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, in a whole new way with this exciting game for ages 3 and up. In this game, players will take on the role of the caterpillar as they make their way through the garden, collecting food to fill their bellies and transform into beautiful butterflies.

With vibrant colors, engaging gameplay, and simple rules, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Rainbow Picnic Game is perfect for young children who are just beginning to learn about colors, counting, and strategy. Plus, it’s a great way to encourage cooperative play and develop fine motor skills.

So grab your friends and family, pack your picnic basket, and get ready for a rainbow-filled adventure with The Very Hungry Caterpillar Rainbow Picnic Game! Get your hands on this game today and let the fun begin!
#Briarpatch #Hungry #Caterpillar #Rainbow #Picnic #Game #Ages,ages 3+

January 29, 2025

New law to cut food waste and help the hungry and the climate

Next month New Hampshire launches a new law to cut food waste, and in the process eventually save landfill space and reduce the methane gas emissions that drive climate change. Other potential upsides of the Feb. 1 start for the food waste law? New sources of healthy food for pantries and shelters, fertilizer for farms, and jobs transporting, processing and marketing the food that once just got trucked and dumped.

Under the new law, similar to those in neighboring states, facilities that create more than one ton of food waste a week will redirect that waste from landfills and incinerators to alternative management facilities that either recover edible food to feed people and animals, or use composting or anaerobic digestion to process wasted food into useable byproducts. Hospitals, colleges, restaurants, correctional facilities, stadiums, convention centers, large hotels and big box grocery stores are all likely contributors on the ton-a-week-plus side, but no producer of food waste will be required to transport that waste unless a management facility with adequate capacity is within 20 miles.

The law came out of the state’s Solid Waste Working Group headed by Rep. Karen Ebel, D-New London, as a key part of the state goal to reduce disposal of solid waste tonnage by 25 percent by 2030 and 45 percent by 2050. New Hampshire’s Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) is now seeking proposals for a consultant, to be hired with the approval of the governor and Executive Council, to help determine who exactly is affected by the new law, and begin working out logistics for education, transportation and diversion.

Even a small dent in the amount of food waste dumped in landfills makes a big difference: Food waste makes up about a quarter of the general trash that New Hampshire businesses and homes produce. In 2023, New Hampshire dumped roughly 171,785 tons of food waste, according to estimates from Michael Nork of the NHDES Solid Waste Management Bureau. In Vermont, a similar law has decreased food waste in landfills by 13 percent. In Massachusetts, with the most successful program in the country, one study indicated a 13.2 percent reduction in all landfill waste because of the law, and a 25 percent reduction in methane emissions.

“As New Hampshire develops a network of food waste management facilities within easy reach of the larger producers, we hope not only that landfill space will be saved and methane emissions will be reduced, but that the cost of transporting food waste from producers to management facilities will drop, saving businesses money,” said Nork of NHDES.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

New England’s largest grocery store chain is already operating an effective food waste diversion program across all six states. Hannaford no longer takes any food waste from its 183 stores to a landfill – decreasing landfill disposal by 65 million pounds in 2020 alone.

One boost to help food waste generators and management facilities divert food waste from landfill disposal is a $500,000 grant program appropriated by the NH legislature. Grant funds will help with implementation of the law by providing financial assistance to increase infrastructure capacity for those who want to explore transportation operations or create or expand composting and digester sites. Jennifer Mitchell of NHDES, who is managing the implementation and operation of the new law, said money from that grant could be available to help manage food waste by deferring costs associated with compliance of the ban. For example, potential use of the funds could go towards the purchase of a new truck for a food bank that wants to increase mobile food distribution capacity. NHDES will need to develop rules to establish this new grant program, and intends to hold listening sessions over the coming year to help inform that process.

As composting sites and digesters ramp up, and food pantry transportation replaces landfill dumping of good food, food waste producers should see not only a dramatically better outcome for their leftovers, but the potential reduction in costs from the current $100 a ton they pay to simply ‘waste’ food that has far better uses.

To her great credit, Governor Ayotte has made clear her strong opposition to a proposed new mega-landfill in New Hampshire’s north country. This is great news for finally getting New Hampshire off the never-ending treadmill of landfill expansions. The launch of New Hampshire’s new food-waste law will play an essential role in pivoting the Granite State away from its historic focus on waste disposal to a new, more sustainable focus on waste reduction. Our communities, environment, and economy will all benefit.

Tom Irwin is Conservation Law Foundation Vice President for New Hampshire.

Introducing a New Law to Cut Food Waste and Help the Hungry and the Climate

In an effort to address the pressing issues of food waste, hunger, and climate change, lawmakers have recently passed a groundbreaking new law aimed at reducing food waste and redirecting surplus food to those in need.

The new law mandates that food retailers and restaurants must donate their excess edible food to charitable organizations or food banks, rather than throwing it away. This will not only help to alleviate hunger in our communities, but also significantly reduce the environmental impact of wasted food on our planet.

By redirecting surplus food to those in need, we can ensure that no edible food goes to waste and that vulnerable populations have access to nutritious meals. Additionally, this initiative will help to minimize methane emissions from decomposing food in landfills, which are a major contributor to climate change.

This new law represents a significant step forward in the fight against food waste, hunger, and climate change. It is a win-win solution that benefits both our communities and our planet. Let’s all do our part to support this important initiative and make a positive impact on the world around us.

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#law #cut #food #waste #hungry #climate

January 27, 2025

Auburn ready for hungry Mizzou

When Missouri takes the court against No. 2 Auburn in Neville Arena on Saturday afternoon, it will be 673 days since the Tigers have won a regular-season SEC game after going 0-18 in conference play last season.

Bruce Pearl understands that means Mizzou will be craving a win more than ever to break that streak in each team’s SEC opener.

“I tell you right now, they’re coming in here hungry,” Pearl said. “And they should have a level of confidence. They beat Kansas when they were No. 1. They beat a really good Cal team. They lost by 3 to Illinois, who beat Oregon by 30 last night. They lost their first game at Memphis close. It’s a good team.”

Like Auburn, Missouri is deep and came come at you in waves. The Tigers have 11 players who play at least 10 minutes per game. Dennis Gates’ team is also adept at getting to the charity stripe, ranking second in Division I by shooting an astounding 29.2 free throws per game.

“Let’s just put it this way: They do a great job of drawing fouls,” Pearl said. “So we’ve got to continue to do a better job of doing something that we haven’t done as well before: Defending aggressively without fouling. There’s a noticeable difference in us not bailing out our opponent and putting them on the line.”

Mizzou is also good at creating turnovers via steals, coming away with 10.3 per game, good for ninth in Division I. That defense counters an Auburn team ranked first in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.21.

The Tigers are led by the guard duo of Mark Mitchell and Tamar Bates, who combine for 26.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. Tahaad Pettiford is ready for the challenge.

“They’re really good getting downhill and drawing fouls, so just being able to try to contain them and making ’em feel uncomfortable throughout the game to help us win,” the freshman said.

And, like his coach, Miles Kelly is certain the black-and-gold Tigers will come in ready to play.

“We just see an aggressive team,” the guard said. “They’re real hungry. Of course, we know they didn’t get a chance to win a game last year in the SEC, so we know this is their first opportunity. They’ll be real hungry. We’re very mindful of that and we’re taking them very seriously in our preparation for that game.”

Auburn and Missouri tip off at 3 p.m. CT, with the game airing on the SEC Network.

As the Auburn Tigers prepare to take on the Missouri Tigers in a highly anticipated SEC showdown, one thing is for sure – they are ready to feast on their opponents.

With a potent offense led by star quarterback Bo Nix and a relentless defense, Auburn is looking to make a statement against Missouri. The team has been putting in the work in practice and is hungry for a win.

Head coach Bryan Harsin has been pushing his players to give it their all and leave everything on the field. The team knows that in order to come out on top, they will need to be firing on all cylinders.

So as Auburn gears up to face off against Missouri, rest assured that they are ready to take on whatever challenges come their way. They are focused, determined, and most importantly, hungry for victory. Let’s go Tigers! #WarEagle.

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#Auburn #ready #hungry #Mizzou

January 4, 2025

LINKS: 2-0 Georgetown Hoyas Host Hungry Xavier Musketeers on Friday Night

Your Georgetown Hoyas will host the Xavier Musketeers (9-5, 1-2) on Friday night at Capital One Arena. Tipoff is at 8:00 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network (no Roy commentating, shame). The local radio broadcast will be Bloomberg 99.1 with Rich Chvotkin on the call in his 51st season (SiriusXM Ch. 384 or 974).

The Hoyas are 11-2 overall and 2-0 in league play following an 83-53 win over Coppin State last Saturday. Much of the Coppin State game looked like a holiday tune up after two conference games and a Christmas break. Hoyas can’t afford to have any rust on Friday night.

Xavier, coming off a 94-72 win over Seton Hall on Tuesday, is looking for a second BIG EAST win, while Georgetown is looking for their fifth-straight win, with two over conference foes. With a very tough starting schedule, XU lost at UConn in OT 94-89 and was beaten by Marquette 72-70 at home. They don’t have Zach Freemantle back from injury, but they are still more than formidable.

Earlier this week, Hoyas fans had a chance to celebrate a nice start to conference play with some Casual Awards, and then took a looked at a path to a 10-win BIG EAST season. Knock on wood.

We all promised ourselves that we wouldn’t get our hopes up, but this team certainly feels different. This humble lunch blog contributor has been excited about the tectonic shift in the Hoyas defense since the Notre Dame loss. They will need every bit to slow the 39th ranked offense in Xavier (6th best 3PT% with 40.6%).

Ed Cooley has matched up well against Sean Miller in the past and the two have been “close friends” since at least before they led the U18 American basketball team to a championship at the 2014 FIBA Americas tournament with Billy Donovan.

Xavier’s offense is OK with a quick shot in transition and the Hoyas defense has recently been pretty good at guiding that first chance into a tough one. Rebounding the miss and staying out of foul trouble will be a key for Georgetown on defense.

Keeping pace with the scoring—and having all their bucket-getters on the floor with Jayden Epps day-to-day—will also be a key. There’s no reason to expect much difference from the Hoyas feeding Thomas Sorber low and reacting to if/when the double team comes.

Overall, with two teams who love to leverage transition offense, this one might come down to the turnover battle.

Here are the links:

Georgetown shoots for 3-0 Big East start as Xavier visits | Field Level Media – Professional sports content solutions | FLM

“We have 17 conference games in front of us, and there’s a lot of teams that play their best basketball in the months of January and February and, look, we have to be one of them,” Miller said.

“The next task is to go on the road at Georgetown and play a good game.”

Georgetown (11-2, 2-0) has already eclipsed its win total of each of the past three seasons and is seeking a 3-0 conference start for the first time since the 2011-12 season.

“The staff has done an incredible job of bringing in talent,” coach Ed Cooley said on Dec. 28 after the Hoyas’ 83-53 win over Coppin State.

Georgetown Men’s Basketball Takes On Xavier This Friday – Georgetown University Athletics | Georgetown University Athletics

Mack paces the offense dishing out 4.9 apg with Peavy right behind him with 4.2 apg.

Peavy ranks ninth in the country and leads the BIG EAST in steals per game, picking 2.69 pockets per game.

Sorber has four double-doubles to his name, tied for third in the league. Against Coppin State, the freshman tallied his fourth game with 20+ points moving him into a tie for ninth for GU freshmen with multiple 20+ games since the 1972-73 season.

Defensively, the team ranks second in the league in steals per game (9.2). The Hoyas are forcing opponents to commit 14.69 turnovers per game, which ranks fourth in the conference.

A major swing game in the Big East tonight between Xavier and Georgetown in Washington D.C.

Hoyas have won four straight.

Musketeers have lost three true road games this season by an average of 4.0 PPG.

8 PM ET on @CBSSportsNet.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) January 3, 2025

Men’s Basketball Hits The Road To Battle Georgetown On Friday Night In D.C. | Xavier University Athletics

Xavier leads the BIG EAST in fastbreak points (sixth in the nation in at 18.3 ppg.) and 3-point percentage (seventh in the nation at .406). Xavier is third in the BIG EAST in free-throw percentage (22nd in the nation at .781), assists per game (25th in the nation at 17.6 apg.) and assist-to-turnover ratio (40th in the nation at 1.52).

• Xavier junior newcomer Ryan Conwell, a preseason Third Team All-BIG EAST selection who is coming off a game-high 22-point effort in the Seton Hall win, is second on the team and sixth in the BIG EAST in scoring at 16.6 ppg.

• Xavier’s Ryan Conwell has hit at least two 3-pointers in 13 of the first 14 games. Conwell ranks second in the BIG EAST and 25th in the nation at 3.3 3-point field goals made per game.

• Xavier graduate student Marcus Foster is second on the team and tied for 11th in the BIG EAST in scoring for league games only at 15.0 ppg.

• Xavier graduate student Jerome Hunter has started all three of XU’s BIG EAST games and contributed 11.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.3 steals per game.

• Xavier graduate student Dayvion McKnight, preseason Second Team All-BIG EAST, leads XU in assists at 4.8 apg. (tied for eighth in the BIG EAST) and is second in the BIG EAST and 31st in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.05.

Xavier Musketeers since losing the Crosstown Shootout

– Force OT at UConn
– Tripping call away from OT against Marquette
– Just smacked Seton Hall by 20

Now reports that Freemantle is practicing with team. Rumors of Xavier’s demise may have been exaggerated.

— Ryan Cassidy (@ryancassidycbb) December 31, 2024

Xavier v. Georgetown: preview, matchups, keys to the game | Banners on the Parkway (SB Nation)

Despite being 11-2 and having established a modest amount of momentum, Georgetown isn’t really in much better a place than X right now. If the tournament started today, they’d be maybe a coin toss to be included thanks to their -.1 WAB. Their home loss to Notre Dame is solidly in Q3 and any good will built up by rolling Creighton was blunted by just sneaking by Seton Hall despite giving up a 10-0 run to end the game.

Both of these teams come into this game nursing unimpressive resumes and seasons on the brink of evaporation. Someone can keep things ticking over with a win, but the loser is going to face a long and arduous road ahead if they want to be part of the conversation…

It all starts on the defensive end for the Hoyas. They were good in the non-conference and have been excellent in the admittedly small sample of Big East play. Their defense inside the arc is incredibly stingy, ranking fifth in the nation in two-point percentage against and blocking a ton of shots. They manage to do both that and force a lot of turnovers (21.2%, 47th) without sending their opponents to the line very much at all. They’re only an average defensive rebounding team and they’ve been fairly permissive around the arc. It all adds up to a top-50 defense that has been top-1 in conference games.

Wolfpack Can’t Put Together 40 minutes at Virginia | MTC with Mook – From the Capitol Dome and beyond

Jayden Epps didn’t practice as he works to get healthy enough to play against the Musketeers…

Georgetown’s transition defense starts with their shot selection. Yes, you read that correctly.

It’s all about taking the “right” perimeter shot, especially during transition and early in the shot clock. In today’s game, there will be times when that will be the best shot in the possession. It’s knowing when those situations are present and when they aren’t.

The Hoyas used various drills to practice getting back on defense, hoping it will choke off threes, especially the ones via transition ball reversal.

Georgetown vs. Xavier | House Enterprise

Friday night, Georgetown welcomes in yet another formidable opponent, Xavier.

The Musketeers just beat Seton Hall by 22 on New Year’s Eve, a team Georgetown beat by one on December 22. It’ll take another tremendous effort from the Hoyas to move to 3-0 in conference play.

The player to watch on Friday night in D.C. is once again Thomas Sorber. The 6’10” freshman is the team’s second-leading scorer at 15.7 PPG, has recorded four double-doubles this year, and has scored in double figures in all but two games this season.

In his last two games, he’s averaging over 20 PPG along with 10 RPG and has blocked 4 shots in both contests.

Scouting report: Can Xavier Musketeers get Big East road win over Georgetown Hoyas? | The Enquirer

Epps was a thorn in Xavier’s side last season, pouring in 32 points with 11 assists at Cintas Center. He had 20 points and 7 assists in Xavier’s road win over the Hoyas.

With Epps sidelined, Georgetown had little trouble cruising past a 1-win Coppin State club as Thomas Sorber and Drew Fielder combined for 42 points.

Guard Malik Mack, one of Georgetown’s top transfer portal pickups from Harvard, is averaging 12.5 points per game and shooting over 40% from 3-point range. Mack missed the first two games of Big East play before returning against Coppin State and recording a 15-point, 11-assist double-double.

2026 5-star SG Jordan Smith Jr. hearing from 5 schools the most | On3

Jordan Smith Jr., a five-star shooting guard in the 2026 class, says he is hearing from five schools the most frequently (in no particular order): Georgetown, Duke, Arkansas, Louisville, and Kansas. Each program has offered him a scholarship.

The 6-foot-3 junior out of Paul VI Catholic (VA) took an official visit to Duke in November. Louisville, Syracuse, and Georgetown have hosted him on unofficial visits…

“They’re trying to bring Georgetown back, and I really like that. They’re playing fast and my relationship with Coach (Ed) Cooley is really, really good.

“I’m seeing a big leap with them. In Coach’s first year, it wasn’t that good. But this year, I’m enjoying watching them play, they’re really opening my eyes.

The Georgetown Hoyas are coming off a thrilling 2-0 start to their season and are looking to continue their success as they host the Xavier Musketeers on Friday night. The Hoyas have shown strong offensive and defensive capabilities in their first two games and will be looking to maintain their momentum against a hungry Xavier team.

Xavier, on the other hand, is coming off a tough loss in their season opener and will be looking to bounce back with a strong performance against Georgetown. The Musketeers have a talented roster and will be looking to prove themselves against a tough opponent in the Hoyas.

This Friday night matchup promises to be an exciting and competitive game, so make sure to tune in and watch as these two teams battle it out on the court. Don’t miss out on this showdown between the Hoyas and the Musketeers – it’s sure to be a game you won’t want to miss!

For more information on the game and how to watch, check out the links below:

– Georgetown Hoyas official website: [insert link]
– Xavier Musketeers official website: [insert link]
– Watch the game live on [insert network or streaming service]
– Follow live updates on Twitter: [insert Twitter handle]

Get ready for an action-packed game as the Georgetown Hoyas take on the Xavier Musketeers this Friday night! #HoyaSaxa #LetsGoX

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#LINKS #Georgetown #Hoyas #Host #Hungry #Xavier #Musketeers #Friday #Night

January 4, 2025

North Texas Gameday: UNT seniors hungry to break through for bowl win | Mean Green

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North Texas Gameday: UNT seniors hungry to break through for bowl win | Mean Green

As the North Texas Mean Green gear up for their upcoming bowl game, the team’s seniors are eager to make their mark and secure a much-desired bowl victory before graduating. With their college football careers coming to a close, these seasoned players are determined to leave a lasting legacy and end their time at UNT on a high note.

After a successful regular season, the Mean Green are poised for success in the postseason, and the seniors are ready to lead the charge. With their experience and leadership, they are prepared to step up and make big plays when it matters most.

As they prepare to face their bowl game opponents, the seniors on the UNT football team are focused, motivated, and hungry for victory. They have put in the hard work and dedication throughout their college careers, and now is their chance to shine on the big stage.

With the support of their teammates, coaches, and fans, the Mean Green seniors are ready to give it their all and make their mark in North Texas football history. Stay tuned for an exciting bowl game as UNT looks to break through and come out victorious. Go Mean Green!

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North Texas football, UNT seniors, bowl game, Mean Green, North Texas Gameday, college football, senior players, bowl win, UNT athletics, football season, sports news

#North #Texas #Gameday #UNT #seniors #hungry #break #bowl #win #Green

January 3, 2025

Sixers’ Kelly Oubre, Guerschon Yabusele proving that hungry dogs do run faster

Jason Kelce’s WWE-style monologue after the Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl 52 was the greatest championship parade speech in the history of the world.

The best quote the legendary center shared was from venerable offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland:

Hungry dogs run faster.

Surely nobody in the NBA was hungrier than Kelly Oubre, Jr. last season.

The eccentric wing was expecting a robust July market at 27 years old and coming off a season where he averaged over 20 points a game. Instead, he was forced to take a minimum deal to join the Sixers in late September. Oubre never shied away from that feeling of being disrespected, but to his credit, he used it to fuel arguably his best pro season in 2023-24.

Surely nobody in the NBA was hungrier than Guerschon Yabusele entering this season.

Before Yabusele posterized LeBron James at the Paris Olympics, the NBA world had mostly forgotten about him. The Frenchman was the 16th overall pick in the 2016 draft but struggled to find his place on some stacked Boston Celtics teams. By age 23, he was out of the league and went back overseas. As far as he knew, his NBA dream was dead.

But years spent improving his game overseas culminated in a strong run for Les Bleus — well beyond him dunking arguably the greatest player of all time into oblivion.

Like Oubre before him, Yabusele is providing the Sixers with incredible value. With the climate of the new CBA and the second apron boogeyman looming over every franchise, team-building requires more creativity than ever. It seems like Daryl Morey has found a market inefficiency by bringing in overlooked players like Oubre and Yabusele on minimum deals.

Oubre’s impact on the Sixers has been undeniable. During a mess of a season last year, Oubre was oftentimes the team’s No. 2 offensive option behind Tyrese Maxey while Joel Embiid was recovering from knee surgery and Tobias Harris struggled mightily. Oubre’s defense took a leap under head coach Nick Nurse, whom Oubre often referred to as a “genius.”

It was really a crescendo for Oubre’s career. A perfect combination of a player being humbled and hungry, and finding a team, city and coach he connected with. It led to Oubre re-signing with the Sixers this past offseason for two years and $16.3 million (with next season being a player option). So far in 2024-25, Oubre has filled his role to perfection when the team’s Big 3 has been healthy.

Like the entire organization, Oubre got off to a rough start this season. While the health of Embiid, Maxey and Paul George has played a large part in the Sixers’ turnaround, Oubre has been essential.

The Sixers are 10-3 over their last 13 games. During that stretch, Oubre is averaging 12.9 points while shooting over 50% from the floor and 34.5% from three (which represents a solid number for Oubre). He’s wreaking havoc defensively (1.8 steals per game) and been a demon on the glass (6.5 rebounds per game). His energy, athleticism, and well-timed cutting have been excellent complements to the team’s stars.

Meanwhile, Yabusele has pretty much been the same all season. In fact, he’s been the Sixers’ most dependable player on a night-to-night basis. In his first NBA game since 2019, Yabusele was the primary backup for Andre Drummond, who was filling in for Embiid on opening night. The 6-foot-8 Yabusele is a natural four, but there he was going toe-to-toe with the likes of Brook Lopez and Giannis Antetokounmpo down low. He acquitted himself quite well that night and has been consistent since.

On the season, Yabusele is averaging 9.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 23.7 minutes a game. He’s stuffed the stat sheet and been efficient, shooting 50.2% from the field. One of the things that’s made him so much more effective in his second NBA stint is his shooting. He went 21-of-65 (32.3%) from deep in 74 games with the Celtics. In just 30 games with the Sixers, he’s 44-of-112 (39.3%).

And for fun, the Dancing Bear has tried to recreate his viral LeBron moment.

And again.

Yabusele has given the Sixers an ideal front-court player — one that can stretch the floor, be switchable defensively, and have the overall versatility to both back up Embiid and play with him. The craziest thing is it feels like Yabusele might even have more to give as he coalesces with his new teammates and earns more and more trust from Nurse.

Here’s a fun fact: only two Sixers have played in every game this season. Take a wild guess who they might be.

Oubre and Yabusele are providing a spark and strong play to a team that desperately needed role players of their archetypes. They both play like bullies with a fearlessness not often seen among role players during the Joel Embiid era.

Oubre and Yabusele are proof — hungry dogs do run faster.

The Philadelphia 76ers’ Kelly Oubre and Guerschon Yabusele are proving that hungry dogs do run faster on the court. These two players have been playing with a fierce intensity and determination that is impossible to ignore.

Oubre, who was acquired by the Sixers in a trade earlier this season, has been a dynamic force on both ends of the floor. His aggressive defense and scoring ability have been instrumental in the team’s success. Oubre’s hunger to prove himself as a valuable asset to his new team has been evident in every game he plays.

Yabusele, who was signed by the Sixers as a free agent, has also been making a name for himself with his relentless energy and hustle. His rebounding and shot-blocking abilities have been crucial in helping the team secure key victories. Yabusele’s hunger to succeed and make an impact on the court is palpable every time he steps onto the floor.

Together, Oubre and Yabusele are embodying the saying that hungry dogs do run faster. Their hunger for success and determination to prove themselves are driving them to perform at their best every game. As they continue to showcase their skills and tenacity, it’s clear that these two players are hungry for more and will stop at nothing to achieve their goals.

Tags:

Philadelphia 76ers
Kelly Oubre
Guerschon Yabusele
NBA
Basketball
Hungry dogs
Speed
Performance
Athletes
Motivation

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January 2, 2025