A-10 Previews

[GMUYoda]

Sucks that vcu gets to start the season ranked in the AP poll

 

[sleeperpick]

HOT TAKE!

Lol not really.. just UMASS does which makes Ken Pom less accurate for them. all I meant by it. I hope Daddy comes and scores 20 per game and Oduro takes all the mins at backup 5. just highly unlikely

 

[sleeperpick]

Why do I feel like this is just another "It's NOT this year.....but NEXT year"

you gotta be used to it by now. it is so sad. can't wait till game 11 when we get the same few who say... " Damn we might be 6-5 but next year is going to be so awesome and fun"

 

[jessej]

Sucks that vcu gets to start the season ranked in the AP poll

vcu in at #25
https://apnews.com/APTop25CollegeBasketballPoll

Maryland #7

Davidson #31
Dayton #48

 

[Petey Buckets]

I am not sure why everyone is so doom and gloom with this team this year. Yes the A10 will be way better, I get it.

Otis was pre-season first team all A10 last year, and didn't even make any of the teams. Reuter was pathetic, and Boyd was injured/had an off year last year.
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If you're trying to talk yourself into this team again, and I am, this is the way to do it. Everything went wrong last year. Reuter was a net negative, Otis wasn't himself, Jaire left, and Mar was quite literally a zero. The emergence of Javon and Miller didn't come close to offsetting that.

Losing Boyd sucks, but hopefully accelerates the development of JDS or XJ. Fingers crossed, we'll get to see Mar and Miller on the court together at 100%. Hartwell and Javon are gonna have green lights.

Losing Kier hurts short-term, but might help prepare our bench guys for supporting roles late in the season. Also, someone is going to emerge as an alpha without him. Right now I have no idea which guy that will be.

I don't mind the low expectations. This could be a fun team that makes some noise.

 

[psyclone]

If you're trying to talk yourself into this team again, and I am, this is the way to do it. Everything went wrong last year. Reuter was a net negative, Otis wasn't himself, Jaire left, and Mar was quite literally a zero. The emergence of Javon and Miller didn't come close to offsetting that.

Losing Boyd sucks, but hopefully accelerates the development of JDS or XJ. Fingers crossed, we'll get to see Mar and Miller on the court together at 100%. Hartwell and Javon are gonna have green lights.

Losing Kier hurts short-term, but might help prepare our bench guys for supporting roles late in the season. Also, someone is going to emerge as an alpha without him. Right now I have no idea which guy that will be.

I don't mind the low expectations. This could be a fun team that makes some noise.

I hope you're on to something. I'm holding on to similar thoughts--last year's team was cursed with high expectations and pretty much the wheels fell off. Sobering, for sure.

This preseason starts off with the injury news of Boyd and Kier. Not quite the Biblical Job story, but aren't we due for something positive! At least it's made for lower expectations. (My sense is that those on this board have mellowed a bit---less anger and sniping than 6 months ago--and I view that as a positive change!).

Wouldn't it be nice if we receive a see a significant series of positive things?! Are the basketball gods still trying to punish us for our Final Four run?

 

[Washingtonian]

https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...019-20-and-an-interesting-fact-on-every-team/

123. George Mason: Justin Kier will have the unenviable task of taking over the offense after the graduation of Otis Livingston II, one of the best guards in school history.

 

[Mason32]

Media day has us as 9th this year.

But how high would they be if Paulsen played guys in the right positions??? 5th? 3rd????

 

[gmujim92]

Media day has us as 9th this year.

But how high would they be if Paulsen played guys in the right positions??? 5th? 3rd????

There’s certainly not much respect for our guys around the league, other than Kier. Hopefully they prove everyone wrong.

 

[sleeperpick]

There’s certainly not much respect for our guys around the league, other than Kier. Hopefully they prove everyone wrong.

this is what worries me about this season. Pundits that are usually correct and pundits that are usually wrong all have us somewhere between 8-10. That is unacceptable but I can't look at these other teams and help but think they are correct. For teams behind us in these polls I see a chance for Lasalle to jump us (maybe not this year but definitely yes)

I think we can hang with the Bonnies, St Louis, Richmond (they are more talented but still have Mooney), and Duquesne.. But I can't say for certain we are better than any of those 5-8 teams. I have us 8th personally and I thought that might be generous

 

[gmujim92]

this is what worries me about this season. Pundits that are usually correct and pundits that are usually wrong all have us somewhere between 8-10. That is unacceptable but I can't look at these other teams and help but think they are correct. For teams behind us in these polls I see a chance for Lasalle to jump us (maybe not this year but definitely yes)

I think we can hang with the Bonnies, St Louis, Richmond (they are more talented but still have Mooney), and Duquesne.. But I can't say for certain we are better than any of those 5-8 teams. I have us 8th personally and I thought that might be generous

I agree and thought all along we’d be right in that mosh pit that’s the middle of the league again.

We’re not definitively better or worse than any of the teams you listed. Could see us anywhere between 5th and 9th, depending on health (Kier’s foot) and other factors we can’t possibly know about in October.

It’s probably gonna come down to tiebreakers.

 

[Herndon]

I agree and thought all along we’d be right in that mosh pit that’s the middle of the league again.

We’re not definitively better or worse than any of the teams you listed. Could see us anywhere between 5th and 9th, depending on health (Kier’s foot) and other factors we can’t possibly know about in October.

It’s probably gonna come down to tiebreakers.

Sounds about right to me.

 

[GMUgemini]

defending home court is going to be crucial, especially those home games against the other middle of the pack teams — Richmond, St. Bonaventure, St. Louis. They’re probably also going to have to take down at least one of the upper echelon teams at home — URI, Dayton, vcu if they want to finish in the top 5.

 

[Herndon]

defending home court is going to be crucial, especially those home games against the other middle of the pack teams — Richmond, St. Bonaventure, St. Louis. They’re probably also going to have to take down at least one of the upper echelon teams at home — URI, Dayton, vcu if they want to finish in the top 5.

Interestingly enough, I found this: https://thesportjournal.org/article/the-home-court-advantage-evidence-from-mens-college-basketball/

These guys tried to quantify home court advantage in the A-10. It's a decade old, but essentially, home court is worth about 4.5 PPG, shooting percentage increases (particularly at the foul line) and fewer turnovers committed.

 

[Quentin Daniels]

Interestingly enough, I found this: https://thesportjournal.org/article/the-home-court-advantage-evidence-from-mens-college-basketball/

These guys tried to quantify home court advantage in the A-10. It's a decade old, but essentially, home court is worth about 4.5 PPG, shooting percentage increases (particularly at the foul line) and fewer turnovers committed.

Akshually, I have it on good authority from the old boards that there's a "Home Court Disadvantage" whenever Mason beats a team on their own court.

It was a pretty in-depth study conducted by wedding photographers who stiff their clients back in the early 2000's and coined as TMAC-HCDT.

#OldSkool

 

[Herndon]

Akshually, I have it on good authority from the old boards that there's a "Home Court Disadvantage" whenever Mason beats a team on their own court.

It was a pretty in-depth study conducted by wedding photographers who stiff their clients back in the early 2000's and coined as TMAC-HCDT.

#OldSkool

Those guys are why I will never really hold vcu or JMU or anybody else as my least favorite team. Every time Ole Dirty loses, it's like sweet nectar to me.

They really are just lower class human beings.

 

[gmutom]

Those guys are why I will never really hold vcu or JMU or anybody else as my least favorite team. Every time Ole Dirty loses, it's like sweet nectar to me.

They really are just lower class human beings.

I actually root against Verlander just because Razor never stopped talking about him.

 

[GMUgemini]

I actually root against Verlander just because Razor never stopped talking about him.

didn’t Razor have that epic post bragging about his car and his girlfriend?

the ODU fans really did spice up the old boards in a way no other fan base did.

 

[gmutom]

didn’t Razor have that epic post bragging about his car and his girlfriend?

the ODU fans really did spice up the old boards in a way no other fan base did.

I get all of their stories mixed up, but if it did happen I'm sure T-Mac was there taking photos.

 

[gmujim92]

didn’t Razor have that epic post bragging about his car and his girlfriend?

Yes but as it turned out, it was really Manti T’eo’s fiancé.