Game 12: GMU (7-4) at ODU (7-4) on Wednesday, December 21, at 4:00 PM.

[gmujim92]

It shouldn’t be so funny to me but I’m dying at the idea that we all bought the “defense is our identity” schtick after watching this team get burned by bad teams all OOC and we immediately give up 75+ to a very average ODU squad. I wish we had any sort of identity, because right now we don’t. We are a streaky shooting team, don’t cause turnovers, don’t push the pace on offense.

If you had to describe this teams squad in 5 words or less, what would it be?

Can’t disagree with your broader point, but ODU might be better than we think. Only lost by 4 to Va Tech and 5 to Davidson.

Then again Va Tech lost to BC yesterday and Davidson lost to Northeastern so maybe all these teams (including Mason) are just a big collection of meh.

 

[mkaufman1]

Bingo.

Call me crazy and/or stupid, but I believe the reality is we are still dealing with some bandaids slapped on a Paulsen-era team. One of the things I hated about Paulsen squads was how wide-eyed and easily rattled they were in almost every situation. They came onto the court "just happy to be there" and not demanding to win. Not always the case, but mostly. Overmatched physically and mentally.

Even with new pieces, this team still appears mentally overmatched most of the time. Our opponents always look more fired up, angrier, hungrier, etc. Yes, we have some pieces there to turn the corner. But there is that lingering softness, and it starts with existing senior leadership. VBJ and Ojiako have some dog in them. Who else? Ticket, most of the time? Dinkins is ice cold for a freshman, which is great to see.

But Ronny? Oduro? Coop? They don't seem to be demanding to win or getting in anyone's face. Nice kids. That's the leadership core.

Hopefully the staff can figure it out. Rooting for them, but it feels like it's going to take another year at least to even think about real changes to the culture.

Yeah I agree. Its just the personality of the group we have, nobody wants to be the "refuse to lose" guy who says "f**k you we won't lose". We have to continue to be patient because I do believe this staff can get it done, but strides are going to have be shown sooner than later. Yesterday would have been another good step to take but instead its another step backward. If we can't beat ODU, is the toughness going to show up when we have a late game vs Dayton, vcu, or SLU? It seems to be the reoccuring theme to some degree of losing at the end.

 

[GSII]

After watching the game this morning I can honestly say our Ethos is not defense. Hasn't been. May not ever be. Up 3 with I think 11 seconds left and you lose? Cooper was a no show. Larranaga would of benched his a** but CKE is too buddy buddy perhaps. Shit gotta change. That was emburrrsn.

 

[Mason2005]

Can’t disagree with your broader point, but ODU might be better than we think. Only lost by 4 to Va Tech and 5 to Davidson.

Then again Va Tech lost to BC yesterday and Davidson lost to Northeastern so maybe all these teams (including Mason) are just a big collection of meh.

We are mah but so is the rest of the A10. Feels like good ole CAA days. Tournament winner or bust!

 

[dr. gunnie]

Don’t get me wrong, I think Coop can do a lot of good things on the offensive end. He’s just not the guy I want guarding the other teams best player during crunch time. It’s almost like Kim was willing to take this loss to prove a point or something… it really didn’t make any sense to me.

 

[EXpatriot13]

Agree with others about this team not having any identity. As a fan, what can I latch onto? You never know which players will show up, who looks like they're taking the night off, if the team will lock in on offense or defense. It makes them extremely hard to root for.

It's because of expectations, but I haven't been this disappointed in the teams overall performance in awhile.

 

[Verdad]

Don’t get me wrong, I think Coop can do a lot of good things on the offensive end. He’s just not the guy I want guarding the other teams best player during crunch time. It’s almost like Kim was willing to take this loss to prove a point or something… it really didn’t make any sense to me.

I was thinking it very well may have been a challenge to Coop. Who knows.

 

[EXpatriot13]

I was thinking it very well may have been a challenge to Coop. Who knows.

A coach sacrificing a win that benefits the team, to prove a point for an individual player. I refuse to believe that.

I think we're looking at bad coaching, from Kim on down the line.

 

[sleeperpick]

A coach sacrificing a win that benefits the team, to prove a point for an individual player. I refuse to believe that.

I think we're looking at bad coaching, from Kim on down the line.

if it was a challenge to Coop they might as well throw the whole program away...

 

[Junkees9]

I didn't see the game so can someone tell me which 5 players we had on the floor when we were up by 1 with 9 seconds to play and had the ball? It better have been our 5 best FT shooters.

 

[sleeperpick]

I didn't see the game so can someone tell me which 5 players we had on the floor when we were up by 1 with 9 seconds to play and had the ball? It better have been our 5 best FT shooters.

Starters which includes 4 guys I wouldn't mind taking the free throws and one Oduro who has 0 clutch gene in him period

 

[GMU79]

Just re watched the final 5 minutes and as expected @dr. gunnie is spot on with his post and analysis. This isn't rocket science, and I too have questions about why Cooper was allowed to guard him and they didn't try something else. It looks like they wanted to trust the veteran squad to get it down in the final seconds.

This is the sort of stuff that shouldn't be super obvious to fans and what the staff should know how to correct on the fly. They know more basketball than any of us.

I will say, that when Jenkins got by Cooper (when he asked to switch), it looked like the staff was going crazy trying to tell the guys to get a stop. I'm not sure if there was anything specific, but you can see CKE jumping up and down. After that play and after Fields got fouled (where Josh stepped to help and Ticket saved an and 1), you could tell they were talking about how to play defensively. Lets hope they didn't execute correctly and were being told the correct things.

Who knows if any of this matters. We could have put anyone on Jenkins, and he may just continue to get to the rim. But these are the type of adjustments that you need at this level in order to steal a game like this or many games in the A10.

That's what you save that last non shooting foul for, coach. You don't use it with 20 seconds remaining and accomplishing nothing.

 

[thebiasedannouncer]

Starters which includes 4 guys I wouldn't mind taking the free throws and one Oduro who has 0 clutch gene in him period

Ehhh, can't say Josh has no clutch gene in him. Definitely hasn't been last year level yet, but he's hit some key baskets in our bigger wins this season so far.

 

[GMU79]

Ehhh, can't say Josh has no clutch gene in him. Definitely hasn't been last year level yet, but he's hit some key baskets in our bigger wins this season so far.

Blind squirrel?

 

[tblack33]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1606076662981935104

View: https://twitter.com/masonmbb/status/1606076662981935104?s=46&t=NtbtjpPrDS8mDNSqrHN-eg

 

[GMU79]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1606076662981935104

View: https://twitter.com/masonmbb/status/1606076662981935104?s=46&t=NtbtjpPrDS8mDNSqrHN-eg

I'm sorry, but we should not be talking about Coppin State as being "formidable."
All CKE's talk when he came on board last year set the fan base expectations sky high. Now, Coppin State!!! is formidable!!????
Sorry. No. Turn it around coach. Get better players. Coach better. Something. But this is not what you were hired to do, and not what Pres. Washington meant when he put the rest of the A10 "on notice."

 

[mkaufman1]

I'm sorry, but we should not be talking about Coppin State as being "formidable."
All CKE's talk when he came on board last year set the fan base expectations sky high. Now, Coppin State!!! is formidable!!????
Sorry. No. Turn it around coach. Get better players. Coach better. Something. But this is not what you were hired to do, and not what Pres. Washington meant when he put the rest of the A10 "on notice."

I get where you are coming from but don’t take it so literally. Coach calls all opponents formidable and has extra respect for meac programs.

We better not lose to a Meac school. Been there done that.

 

[GMU79]

I get where you are coming from but don’t take it so literally. Coach calls all opponents formidable and has extra respect for meac programs.

We better not lose to a Meac school. Been there done that.

I know. Back away from the ledge. Slooowly. That's it.

 

[GMUSSTN]

I'm sorry, but we should not be talking about Coppin State as being "formidable."
All CKE's talk when he came on board last year set the fan base expectations sky high. Now, Coppin State!!! is formidable!!????
Sorry. No. Turn it around coach. Get better players. Coach better. Something. But this is not what you were hired to do, and not what Pres. Washington meant when he put the rest of the A10 "on notice."

Coppin State is absolutely formidable. Hell, literally every team in D1 is formidable. Eastern Illinois just beat Iowa in a buy game.

You want coach coming out and saying "Yeah Coppin State is awful. Should cruise to an easy 40 point win."? That just fires up the other team.

 

[GMU79]

Coppin State is absolutely formidable. Hell, literally every team in D1 is formidable. Eastern Illinois just beat Iowa in a buy game.

You want coach coming out and saying "Yeah Coppin State is awful. Should cruise to an easy 40 point win."? That just fires up the other team.

I stand by my statement. What was promised and what we are seeing are two different things. I "get" coach speak. I know he has to say it. But unfortunately, I'm sure he means it.