If an A-10 school is having to go out and hire someone from division 2 or 3, we are doing something wrong. There are plenty of young up and coming division 1 coaches and assistants who would snap at the chance to turn Mason around.
Game 1: Cornell University, Fri Nov 14, 7:30 PM, NO TV
- Thread starter Washingtonian
- Start date
If an A-10 school is having to go out and hire someone from division 2 or 3, we are doing something wrong. There are plenty of young up and coming division 1 coaches and assistants who would snap at the chance to turn Mason around.
Quentin Daniels
Hall of Famer
The best part is, the talent is already in place for a quick turnaround. Just needs someone to coach it up.
Wow - glad I travelled 6 hours and paid $25 for that. Got off a couple good "Fire Paul Hewitt's" that made me feel better for a couple seconds. I'm sorry to the lady behind me who could not stomach my behavior and opined "He's not being very nice." On second thought - no I'm not.
Seriously - I know Cornell got a couple of players back(they also lost one) but Binghamton beat them last year. Binghamton!!! I live there and guess what GMU, Binghamton games only cost $8 to get into! Can't believe how far GMU has fallen - and how fast.
Seriously - I know Cornell got a couple of players back(they also lost one) but Binghamton beat them last year. Binghamton!!! I live there and guess what GMU, Binghamton games only cost $8 to get into! Can't believe how far GMU has fallen - and how fast.
We got called impatient by Goff.
By Steven Goff November 14 at 11:12 PM
The true measure of Paul Hewitt’s George Mason squad will not come until the Atlantic 10 schedule kicks into gear, but if the season opener Friday night was any indication, the Patriots and their impatient fans are in for a very long winter.
One year after a bruising debut season in the A-10, the Patriots began the 2014-15 campaign with a dreary performance. They lost. They lost at home. They lost to Cornell, which beat one Division I opponent last season.
The Patriots led for only a few minutes during the 68-60 defeat before 6,007. They shot 31 percent from the field and 52 percent from the free throw line. Instead of taking advantage of superior height and strength, they launched 27 three-pointers (making seven) and scored just 18 points in the lane.
Favored to win by double digits, Mason trailed by 15 points before a futile late surge by junior guard Patrick Holloway, who had a game-high 22 points.
The Big Red made 6 of 8 three-pointers in the first half and 9 of 18 overall to win the first meeting between the programs. Shonn Miller, who missed last season with a shoulder injury, had 21 points and 13 rebounds and Robert Hatter added 21 points. The duo combined to hit 7 of 11 three-pointers.
“I guess we just lost sight of what works for us, and that is throwing the ball inside,” Holloway said. “We got caught up in trying to match their threes, which is nearly impossible because they made nearly everything. That is when the lead kept going up and up and we started taking bad shots.”
Holloway and sophomore Jalen Jenkins (10 points) were Mason’s only effective players. The rest of the team shot 9 of 41.
“One of the big things we talked about all offseason and early season was cutting down turnovers,” Hewitt said. “We only had five turnovers tonight, but we did not make good use of those offensive opportunities.”
Despite its shortcomings, the Big Red boasted a 46-38 rebounding advantage. “The biggest key for us we talked about was rebounding, rebounding, rebounding, rebounding,” Cornell Coach Bill Courtney said.
The former Mason assistant (1997-2005) was asked if he took particular satisfaction winning in Fairfax. “I think I take satisfaction from any win these days,” he said with a chuckle. Last season the Big Red defeated Division III Oberlin and Dartmouth during a 2-26 nightmare.
On Friday, though, his team made its first four three-pointers. The Patriots did not have the lead until Holloway’s consecutive three-pointers late in the first half.
Miller, an all-Ivy League selection in 2012-13, scored Cornell’s final 11 points of the period for a 34-31 lead. He began the second half with his fourth three-pointer, keying a 7-0 start.
The Patriots pulled within six with 12 minutes left, but three-pointers by Darryl Smith and Hatter restored order. The Patriots missed 11 of 12 shots, including a three-shot sequence under the basket. Hatter scored in transition and, as the clock dipped to four minutes, Mason trailed by 13.
“Obviously we didn’t do a good job getting the ball inside, pounding inside,” Hewitt said. “We had a three-pointer go down early and we relied on that too much. We got out of character.”
GMU Notes: Therence Mayimba, a 6-7 freshman forward from Gabon who played at Montrose Christian and Saint James in Hagerstown, is still awaiting eligibility clearance from the NCAA. . . . Senior guard Corey Edwards returned after missing part of preseason with a concussion. . . . Ahmad Gilbert, a 6-6 forward from Philadelphia, signed a national letter of intent. He was the Pennsylvania Class AA player of the year as a junior last season.
By Steven Goff November 14 at 11:12 PM
The true measure of Paul Hewitt’s George Mason squad will not come until the Atlantic 10 schedule kicks into gear, but if the season opener Friday night was any indication, the Patriots and their impatient fans are in for a very long winter.
One year after a bruising debut season in the A-10, the Patriots began the 2014-15 campaign with a dreary performance. They lost. They lost at home. They lost to Cornell, which beat one Division I opponent last season.
The Patriots led for only a few minutes during the 68-60 defeat before 6,007. They shot 31 percent from the field and 52 percent from the free throw line. Instead of taking advantage of superior height and strength, they launched 27 three-pointers (making seven) and scored just 18 points in the lane.
Favored to win by double digits, Mason trailed by 15 points before a futile late surge by junior guard Patrick Holloway, who had a game-high 22 points.
The Big Red made 6 of 8 three-pointers in the first half and 9 of 18 overall to win the first meeting between the programs. Shonn Miller, who missed last season with a shoulder injury, had 21 points and 13 rebounds and Robert Hatter added 21 points. The duo combined to hit 7 of 11 three-pointers.
“I guess we just lost sight of what works for us, and that is throwing the ball inside,” Holloway said. “We got caught up in trying to match their threes, which is nearly impossible because they made nearly everything. That is when the lead kept going up and up and we started taking bad shots.”
Holloway and sophomore Jalen Jenkins (10 points) were Mason’s only effective players. The rest of the team shot 9 of 41.
“One of the big things we talked about all offseason and early season was cutting down turnovers,” Hewitt said. “We only had five turnovers tonight, but we did not make good use of those offensive opportunities.”
Despite its shortcomings, the Big Red boasted a 46-38 rebounding advantage. “The biggest key for us we talked about was rebounding, rebounding, rebounding, rebounding,” Cornell Coach Bill Courtney said.
The former Mason assistant (1997-2005) was asked if he took particular satisfaction winning in Fairfax. “I think I take satisfaction from any win these days,” he said with a chuckle. Last season the Big Red defeated Division III Oberlin and Dartmouth during a 2-26 nightmare.
On Friday, though, his team made its first four three-pointers. The Patriots did not have the lead until Holloway’s consecutive three-pointers late in the first half.
Miller, an all-Ivy League selection in 2012-13, scored Cornell’s final 11 points of the period for a 34-31 lead. He began the second half with his fourth three-pointer, keying a 7-0 start.
The Patriots pulled within six with 12 minutes left, but three-pointers by Darryl Smith and Hatter restored order. The Patriots missed 11 of 12 shots, including a three-shot sequence under the basket. Hatter scored in transition and, as the clock dipped to four minutes, Mason trailed by 13.
“Obviously we didn’t do a good job getting the ball inside, pounding inside,” Hewitt said. “We had a three-pointer go down early and we relied on that too much. We got out of character.”
GMU Notes: Therence Mayimba, a 6-7 freshman forward from Gabon who played at Montrose Christian and Saint James in Hagerstown, is still awaiting eligibility clearance from the NCAA. . . . Senior guard Corey Edwards returned after missing part of preseason with a concussion. . . . Ahmad Gilbert, a 6-6 forward from Philadelphia, signed a national letter of intent. He was the Pennsylvania Class AA player of the year as a junior last season.
While I agree, Honestly, I bet very few would still step up to the plate if he would even contemplate it. If people didn't want action taken after the last three years, one more loss isn't going to get them going.
The diehards have already paid for season tickets, so the time when their pressure would have mattered has already passed this season. The rest of the crowd seems to go to just to have a place to hang out. So, I can't imagine there would be significant support.
I fear that we are stuck with Hewitt through the end of the season (or longer) if he doesn't resign (and I can't imagine he would do that without a good incentive).
gmu2006
Specialist
I'm impatient! If I were patient then I would be happy to wait as long as it takes before we finally get a win. If I were patient, I would be happy for Hewitt to stay as long as it took for him to learn how to coach. But I'm not happy. My patience has worn thin. I am very impatient now.
Io.What an utter disaster. Anyone who thinks Hewitt is the answer is nuts. Really there was zero team play. Looked like a pick up game in the school yard. Here is supposedly a division 1 team with no one who can shoot. Some of the shots were just ugly.
I cut back from full season to mini plan and now I'm trashing them. Edwards has any b... He will fire Hewitt tomorrow.
I cut back from full season to mini plan and now I'm trashing them. Edwards has any b... He will fire Hewitt tomorrow.
Pablo
Hall of Famer
http://cornellbigred.com/news/2014/11/14/MBB_1114145038.aspx:
"Cornell won the battle of the boards (46-38) and attempted 28 free throws while connecting on half of its 18 3-point attempts. The defense forced just five turnovers while committing 16 themselves, but its suffocating defense and ability to clean the defensive glass allowed it to snap a 17-game road losing streak."
"Cornell won the battle of the boards (46-38) and attempted 28 free throws while connecting on half of its 18 3-point attempts. The defense forced just five turnovers while committing 16 themselves, but its suffocating defense and ability to clean the defensive glass allowed it to snap a 17-game road losing streak."
polepino
Starter
I fear we are going down the route of UNCW, our conference mate in the CAA, a once good program fading into oblivion....ugh.
polepino
Starter
My guess is , since its Edwards' first year, he's going to let Hewitt stick around at least til the end of the year because GMU is all new to him. Gotta take time to 'assess' the situation first hand(go to games, talk to coaches, watch practices, etc). I'm sure he'll want to give at least the old college try to have some influence on bettering the team this year unless we go winless until January. Then I can see him dropping the axe.
P
PoorManProfit
Spectator
Was t-shirt guy at the game?
CLP
Preferred Walk-On
Whatever... We'd get housed by Quinnipiac and Fairfield.
Even more reason to raise hell. Wasting a year bc of recruits, and another for BE to get his feet wet is one year too many.
KAOriginal
All-American
Well truth be told, we arent really going down the tubes.
Since 1988, 3 of the past 4 coaches were awful...I mean awful as in incompetent.
So really, we're just back to normal after a nice run.
KAOriginal
All-American
The reality is Mason is not corporate America, where Hewitt would be shown the door quickly for his ineptitude. So what we are going to do is support the players and team, watch it burn and wait for 3/12/2015.
In the meantime, Cabrerra and/or Edwards should show up at Masonvale, punch TOC in the mouth and throw his sh*t out on the curb and tell him he's not needed for the rest of the "transition."
In the meantime, Cabrerra and/or Edwards should show up at Masonvale, punch TOC in the mouth and throw his sh*t out on the curb and tell him he's not needed for the rest of the "transition."
Wow, that was pretty prophetic!
Vurbel
Hall of Famer
I don't know if it's being impatient as much as we expect excellence. Or expect being competitive, at the least. My "patience" left after being down 32-4 against vcu in the CAAT in 2012.
Perhaps the biggest mistake yesterday was not putting the men's game as the undercard to the women's game against Virginia Tech. At least the women's team won their opener and appear to be headed in the right direction under their new coach.
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