Game 10: GMU (5-4 / 1-2) vs Richmond (8-3 / 2-1) on Saturday, January 9, at noon.

[Patriotsince81]

Richmond is currently 8 - 3 on the season and 2 - 1 in A10 play.

History: Including tournament play DP is 6-4 against the Spiders.

Wins: Morehead St., Kentucky, Wofford, Northern Iowa, Vanderbilt, Loyola-Chicago, Davidson, Rhode Island
Losses: West Virginia, Hofstra, St. Bonaventure

Schedule: https://richmondspiders.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule
Roster: https://richmondspiders.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster
Stats: https://richmondspiders.com/documents/2020/11/29/Combined_Team_Stats_1_.pdf

Richmond is led by 6’0” Blake Francis (16.4 ppg), 6’10” Grant Golden (14.5 ppg & 6.2 reb), 6’7” Tyler Burton (12.2 ppg & 8.2 reb), 6’7” Nathan Cayo (12.1 ppg & 4.4 reb), and 5’9” Jacob Gilyard (12.5 ppg & 5.5 assists per game). All 5 starters play between 27 and 37 minutes per game. I swear Golden has been at Richmond for 10 years. Connor Crabtree, Andre Gustavson, and Souleymane Koureissi come off the bench and play 10+ minutes but contribute little.

Richmond averages 75.8 points per game while giving up 71.5. The Spiders shoot 49.2% from the floor and 34.5% from 3. Opponents are shooting 46.9% from the field and 31.8% from 3. The Spiders shoot 69.7% from the free throw line. The Spiders are currently out being rebounded by their opponents to the tune of 5.7 boards per game.

The game is on the CBS Sports Network.

My prediction: Richmond is a good basketball team with tremendous inside/outside balance. Any one of the starters is capable of going off at any time. They played a good OOC schedule. Our only chance is to get the starters in foul trouble. Spiders 75 - Patriots 61. We fall to 1-3 in league play.

Discuss.

 

[mkaufman1]

Richmond has an average coach but Mooney has recruited really well and been building for this level for a few years now. Somehow he survived a few bad years but seemingly now it looks like its paying off as they are expected to be league favorites or close to the top of the league.

Richmond 70
Mason 58

 

[tblack33]

We do not match up well with U of R unfortunately. I think we get boat raced by 15+ and it’s never particularly close. Richmond plays complete games, we don’t.

Richmond 71 Mason 56.

 

[sleeperpick]

we have nobody to cover Golden, nobody to cover Gilyard and nobody to cover Francis... Richmond by 12

 

[GSII]

I don't care anymore.

"Show me what you got", if it's something consistent, other than consistently losing, I'll tune in.

 

[GMU1983]

I have two tickets should I go? After 42 years I am getting tired. Up until 2011 and shortly after Dave arrived I had hope!

 

[sleeperpick]

I have two tickets should I go? After 42 years I am getting tired. Up until 2011 and shortly after Dave arrived I had hope!

it is a weird atmosphere in there but if you haven't been at least go to it for a live sporting event. They are hard to come buy the past 11 months

 

[phoenix-arizona]

If you drink a lot the alcohol will act as a disinfectant against the Covid.

 

[PDGL Hoops]

Richmond 75
Mason 63

 

[PoorManProfit]

Assuming the Spiders make it to Fairfax, they will win. They have good college players.

Richmond 74
G Mas 71

 

[GMUgemini]

I’d be surprised if Richmond scored fewer than 90 points.

Richmond 92
GMU 69

 

[tblack33]

Where can we go to drink before this? Anywhere around FFX city slingin beers around 1030AM?

 

[Patriotsince81]

Where can we go to drink before this? Anywhere around FFX city slingin beers around 1030AM?

Velocity doesn't open until 11:30. Brion's not until noon. Maybe the "bar" at Giant?

 

[GMUgemini]

Velocity doesn't open until 11:30. Brion's not until noon. Maybe the "bar" at Giant?

McDonald's "brunch" and bring your own flask.

 

[GreenLantern]

Us 65
Them 80
OT

 

[psyclone]

Is AJ able to play? He sat out the rest of the vcu game after falling to the floor.

Kenpom: Richmond favored by 6. They are top 25 in nation in 2 pt % (over 57%), much better than their 3 pt shooting.

 

[Winston]

Richmond fan here. You all are crazy. This Richmond team is more vulnerable than most believe. I predicted a Bonnie win and a Hofstra win against Richmond. This Richmond team tends to shut down for several minutes 2 times or more each half. Expect Spider scoring droughts of at least 3 or more minutes, if Mason can take advantage, Mason can win. The Spiders do not play well against a good 2-3 zone. Golden is not an agressive defender, because he is afraid of foul trouble. Tyler Burton is our only junior in the starting rotation. He gets into foul trouble early. If he gets 2 fouls in the first half, he can be shut out of the game. He will foul out. The 3rd starter is Cayo. He also tends to get into foul trouble. If so, he will score more than 6. That leaves Gilyard and Francis. Both are good and can score, but not well against a zone and against a physical team.

No one else can carry the team.

I expect Mason to open with a zone. I also expect Cayo and Burton to get into foul trouble. Expect a close game, with both teams scoring around 70, with maybe at least 1 overtime.

 

[Patriotsince81]

Richmond fan here. You all are crazy. This Richmond team is more vulnerable than most believe. I predicted a Bonnie win and a Hofstra win against Richmond. This Richmond team tends to shut down for several minutes 2 times or more each half. Expect Spider scoring droughts of at least 3 or more minutes, if Mason can take advantage, Mason can win. The Spiders do not play well against a good 2-3 zone. Golden is not an agressive defender, because he is afraid of foul trouble. Tyler Burton is our only junior in the starting rotation. He gets into foul trouble early. If he gets 2 fouls in the first half, he can be shut out of the game. He will foul out. The 3rd starter is Cayo. He also tends to get into foul trouble. If so, he will score more than 6. That leaves Gilyard and Francis. Both are good and can score, but not well against a zone and against a physical team.

No one else can carry the team.

I expect Mason to open with a zone. I also expect Cayo and Burton to get into foul trouble. Expect a close game, with both teams scoring around 70, with maybe at least 1 overtime.

LOL. Welcome. I appreciate your perspective, thanks for giving me hope. Our problem is that we tend to shut down for 10 minutes at a time.

 

[tblack33]

Yeah don’t let our averages fool you, we aren’t a high scoring team. I’ll be surprised if we get over 65. I agree about the zone though, will be interested to see if we come out in it from the get to or adjust to it. Dave generally doesn’t come out in a zone but I’ve been surprised before.

 

[tblack33]

Ornery (beer company from the gold room that has a restaurant in fairfax where the green turtle used to be) and capital city ale house (where hard times used to be) are both open at 10am for everyone’s awareness. Beers probably necessary for this one.