Game 12: AT #19 University of Oklahoma, Wednesday, December 31st, 5 PM (EST), MASN2

[KAOriginal]

It doesn't bother me that we lost this game as much as it bothers me how we lost this game. Going 0-14 from behind the arc is embarrassing enough, but the uncontested layups and 3s we allowed is unacceptable. I can stomach being out-talented, but there is no excuse for being out-hustled and out-schemed.

And there it is Tom. Everyone can talk about the A-10 being "down," but it doesn't matter what the rest of the league is doing until we solve that problem, which starts at the top.

 

[Pablo]

Also, I wonder if the Gray/Holloway experiment has run its course. It's obvious that staring Vaughn and brining Patrick off the bench hasn't worked for either player, so maybe it's time to switch it back to see if they thrive more going back to their old roles.

I'd start Corey Edwards rather than Gray or Holloway. You know that Corey will play defense & share the ball.

 

[Dawgs99]

Agree Pablo....I have had plenty to beef about with Corey over the years, but hustle, defense, and "want to" have never been questioned. Start Corey he's earned it.

 

[gmujim92]

Maybe I'm wrong about this, but when we used to play P-5 teams under Larranaga, it felt like our guys had this huge chip on their shoulders. Even when we didn't win, the young men with "George Mason" on the front of their jerseys played as if they had something they were damn well determined to prove.

Under Hewitt, our guys tend to play these games as if they're all too aware that they're overmatched and have no chance of winning, and just go through the motions until it's mercifully over.

Other than the record over the past 4 seasons, I think that might be the most disappointing thing. Our program has lost its edge. We don't attack teams that have more size or athleticism. We look scared, completely unprepared and unwilling to dig in and battle.

Is that a reflection of the coach? Most certainly so.

Our players and coaches wear Nike Elite gear -- which not a single one of them is responsible for earning, BTW -- but they really don't deserve to.

We are about as far from "elite" right now as one can possibly imagine.

 

[Washingtonian]

Holloway got 10 points off the bench in the Iona game: http://www.gomason.com//ViewContent.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=25200&CONTENT_ID=1071465

7 points in the Wright State game:
http://www.gomason.com//ViewContent.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=25200&CONTENT_ID=1075062

Took a lot of shots though in both games.

 

[Five Two]

https://oklahoma.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1720953:

"The Sooners (9-3) began the game trailing an opponent that has lost more games than it has won. Truth is, this game was a payday for the Patriots (5-7) and a cupcake for the Sooners."

Too bad they aren't correct about the payday.

 

[gmutom]

I'd start Corey Edwards rather than Gray or Holloway. You know that Corey will play defense & share the ball.

I'd be absolutely fine with that as long as Corey looks to shoot rather than wanting to be another PG out there. He has such a great stroke, so he need to be aggressive and shoot when he has an open look.

Of course, the ideal situation would be if Mayimba was getting those minutes and the experience, but I'll save that rant against the NCAA for the hate thread.

 

[Herndon]

Maybe I'm wrong about this, but when we used to play P-5 teams under Larranaga, it felt like our guys had this huge chip on their shoulders. Even when we didn't win, the young men with "George Mason" on the front of their jerseys played as if they had something they were damn well determined to prove.

etc...

This. This. A thousand times this. The team used to play with a heavy dose of "f*&k you"

You knew a guy like Jenkins was going to scrap and scratch and fight and dive and bleed his guts out for every rebound.

You knew a guy like Holloway just couldn't WAIT to stick 4 three pointers in the eye of the "big time" recruit guarding him, and in doing so all the "recruiting experts" of the world.

THAT's what I miss. Win, lose, whatever. I miss that snarl that the team used to play with.

 

[JimP]

This. This. A thousand times this. The team used to play with a heavy dose of "f*&k you"

You knew a guy like Jenkins was going to scrap and scratch and fight and dive and bleed his guts out for every rebound.

You knew a guy like Holloway just couldn't WAIT to stick 4 three pointers in the eye of the "big time" recruit guarding him, and in doing so all the "recruiting experts" of the world.

THAT's what I miss. Win, lose, whatever. I miss that snarl that the team used to play with.

I think you saw the change in attitude from the Larranaga days last year as GMU entered the A-10. All I ever heard in interviews with Hewitt (and I believe with players too) was how tough the A-10 was. Never heard "Yeah, it's a better league, but we're going to show the A-10 that we can compete and win." Sure enough, they didn't play like a team that thought they could win last year.

Coming into the season, Davidson was picked to finish a hell of a lot lower than GMU was it's initial season going into the A-10. Sure looks like Davidson has the "we're here from a smaller conference but we've got something to prove" attitude that has been lacking in GMU since it entered the A-10 under Hewitt.

 

[Vurbel]

I think you saw the change in attitude from the Larranaga days last year as GMU entered the A-10. All I ever heard in interviews with Hewitt (and I believe with players too) was how tough the A-10 was. Never heard "Yeah, it's a better league, but we're going to show the A-10 that we can compete and win." Sure enough, they didn't play like a team that thought they could win last year.

Coming into the season, Davidson was picked to finish a hell of a lot lower than GMU was it's initial season going into the A-10. Sure looks like Davidson has the "we're here from a smaller conference but we've got something to prove" attitude that has been lacking in GMU since it entered the A-10 under Hewitt.

Couldn't agree more. You set the bar low you're not going to rise above that. If you set the bar high at winning the A10 maybe you don't reach it, and have to deal with just coming in 3rd, but I'd rather have that then losing the play in game. It's just about attitude and expectations to me.

 

[GMUgemini]

It doesn't bother me that we lost this game as much as it bothers me how we lost this game. Going 0-14 from behind the arc is embarrassing enough, but the uncontested layups and 3s we allowed is unacceptable. I can stomach being out-talented, but there is no excuse for being out-hustled and out-schemed.

Also, I wonder if the Gray/Holloway experiment has run its course. It's obvious that staring Vaughn and brining Patrick off the bench hasn't worked for either player, so maybe it's time to switch it back to see if they thrive more going back to their old roles.

I'm not surprised we let OU waltz right to the rim, we've been doing that for 3 1/2 years now starting with FIU in the NIT tip-off.

Holloway just isn't shooting well, I don't think starting him will fix that. Holloway also doesn't play good defense, starting him also won't fix that.

Holloway's ill-time shooting slump reminds me so much of Sherrod Wright's last year who just inexplicably lost his shooting touch out of nowhere -- and he never recovered it...

 

[gmujim92]

I think you saw the change in attitude from the Larranaga days last year as GMU entered the A-10. All I ever heard in interviews with Hewitt (and I believe with players too) was how tough the A-10 was. Never heard "Yeah, it's a better league, but we're going to show the A-10 that we can compete and win." Sure enough, they didn't play like a team that thought they could win last year.

Coming into the season, Davidson was picked to finish a hell of a lot lower than GMU was it's initial season going into the A-10. Sure looks like Davidson has the "we're here from a smaller conference but we've got something to prove" attitude that has been lacking in GMU since it entered the A-10 under Hewitt.

Again, could be wrong, but I can't help but think Hewitt imagined he'd waltz in and dominate the CAA with the program he inherited from Larranaga. After 11 years in the ACC, he had forgotten how hard teams from the "lower" conferences have to play to earn their keep.

After the reality check of getting his a** handed to him by a bunch of mid-major coaches in his first two seasons, he realized he had no chance in the A-10 and tried to set a low bar that would be easier to clear. Thus, all the namby-pamby "tough league" talk.

Bottom line, a guy with Hewitt's nature was a terrible fit for a plucky program that made its bones by playing (as Herndon aptly noted) with a heavy dose of "F*ck you!"

He's too wealthy, too chill and too far along in his career to coach with a chip on his shoulder. He'd rather try to out-recruit you and let his athletes roll.

Davidson plays with more attitude/effort/fire than we do because the players believe in McKillop, trust that he will always put them in the best position to be successful, and know if they don't do it his way they're never gonna leave the bench. He's a crazy competitive SOB and his teams reflect that.

Whether we win 1, 6 or 12 (yeah right) conference games this season, we won't have a chance of getting back what Davidson has until Hewitt's a** is gone.

 

[KAOriginal]

Maybe I'm wrong about this, but when we used to play P-5 teams under Larranaga, it felt like our guys had this huge chip on their shoulders. Even when we didn't win, the young men with "George Mason" on the front of their jerseys played as if they had something they were damn well determined to prove.

Under Hewitt, our guys tend to play these games as if they're all too aware that they're overmatched and have no chance of winning, and just go through the motions until it's mercifully over.

Other than the record over the past 4 seasons, I think that might be the most disappointing thing. Our program has lost its edge. We don't attack teams that have more size or athleticism. We look scared, completely unprepared and unwilling to dig in and battle.

Is that a reflection of the coach? Most certainly so.

Our players and coaches wear Nike Elite gear -- which not a single one of them is responsible for earning, BTW -- but they really don't deserve to.

We are about as far from "elite" right now as one can possibly imagine.

I would say, WE all have spent way too much sniping for and against Hewitt, whether its the player's fault, etc etc.

THIS IS THE REAL ANGST we are all unhappy with. I think we would be less angry of a hot shot assistant with the same record over the past few years if we felt like A) He was trying to coach his a** off and B) the players whether through coaching or natural tendency, looked like they were ready to play until their ankles snapped.

That has been what is missing from this program the past few years....and for all of our sakes I hope Edwards sees this and contemplates it in his decision.

 

[psyclone]

Again, could be wrong, but I can't help but think Hewitt imagined he'd waltz in and dominate the CAA with the program he inherited from Larranaga. After 11 years in the ACC, he had forgotten how hard teams from the "lower" conferences have to play to earn their keep.

After the reality check of getting his a** handed to him by a bunch of mid-major coaches in his first two seasons, he realized he had no chance in the A-10 and tried to set a low bar that would be easier to clear. Thus, all the namby-pamby "tough league" talk.

Bottom line, a guy with Hewitt's nature was a terrible fit for a plucky program that made its bones by playing (as Herndon aptly noted) with a heavy dose of "F*ck you!"

He's too wealthy, too chill and too far along in his career to coach with a chip on his shoulder. He'd rather try to out-recruit you and let his athletes roll.

Davidson plays with more attitude/effort/fire than we do because the players believe in McKillop, trust that he will always put them in the best position to be successful, and know if they don't do it his way they're never gonna leave the bench. He's a crazy competitive SOB and his teams reflect that.

Whether we win 1, 6 or 12 (yeah right) conference games this season, we won't have a chance of getting back what Davidson has until Hewitt's a** is gone.

Jim,

I find your theory on Hewitt quite plausible on his sense of things in taking the job. Also I find your explanation of why his personality doesn't lend itself to the sort of attitude that may typify mid-major coaches quite insightful.

Maybe it's also a function of having already made the National Championship game and having essentially a long-term contract at a school in (arguably) the best basketball conference in the country. Even though he wasn't consistently successful there, in many ways he had made a quick big jump to the "majors" before taking on the mental set of the underdog role that's typical with mid-major "attitude".

Of course we'll never know if you're right, but it's an intriguing analysis.

 

[TweederGMU]

I'd start Corey Edwards rather than Gray or Holloway. You know that Corey will play defense & share the ball.

I've been saying this since the second game of the season. He can shoot, is smart with the ball, plays defense, and does a lot of other things you do not see in the box score.

Gray flat out sucks. He can't shoot or score the basketball consistently. His free throw shooting is embarrassing. This dude shouldn't even see 5 minutes of PT per game. Awful player

 

[PoorManProfit]

Gray flat out sucks. He can't shoot or score the basketball consistently. His free throw shooting is embarrassing. This
dude shouldn't even see 5 minutes of
PT per game. Awful player

Be careful. There are many on this board that still, for whatever reason, think he is a great shooter. He is an awful basketball player. Hope he gets his degree.

 

[Quentin Daniels]

At least he doesn't have a made up girlfriend though.

 

[Patriotfan49]

Maybe I'm wrong about this, but when we used to play P-5 teams under Larranaga, it felt like our guys had this huge chip on their shoulders. Even when we didn't win, the young men with "George Mason" on the front of their jerseys played as if they had something they were damn well determined to prove.

Under Hewitt, our guys tend to play these games as if they're all too aware that they're overmatched and have no chance of winning, and just go through the motions until it's mercifully over.

Other than the record over the past 4 seasons, I think that might be the most disappointing thing. Our program has lost its edge. We don't attack teams that have more size or athleticism. We look scared, completely unprepared and unwilling to dig in and battle.

Is that a reflection of the coach? Most certainly so.

Our players and coaches wear Nike Elite gear -- which not a single one of them is responsible for earning, BTW -- but they really don't deserve to.

We are about as far from "elite" right now as one can possibly imagine.

I miss when we saw faces on the court like this:

 

[Pablo]

I miss when we saw faces on the court like this:

Then, surely you enjoyed this video this season:

http://www.gomason.com/mediaPortal/...D=612990&SPID=80389&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=25200

 

[Patriotfan49]

Then, surely you enjoyed this video this season:

http://www.gomason.com/mediaPortal/...D=612990&SPID=80389&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=25200

Meh, hitting a 75 foot shot to squeak out a win against Mahattan (Im assuming that is what it is, I cant get the video to play) in the midst of a multiple seasons of terrible bball doesnt really do it for me. Sure its nice and wild, but its really just a blip of false excitement in the realization of what we have become.