Game 12: GMU (7-4) vs Penn (4-7) on Sunday, December 22, at 2:00 PM.

[GunstonsGhost]

Jalen with another double double!

 

[DRK331]

Mason wins 85-53

 

[mkaufman1]

I thought this would be a solid buy game but this is nothing more than a cupcake.

This one shouldnt be close.

Mason 84
Penn 55

Mason 85 Penn 53 was the final- wow I was close

 

[jessej]

85-53 final

 

[DRK331]

Video of the Justin Begg dunk here:

x.com

x.com

 

[Mason2006Patriot]

Highlights of the game can be found on X and Instagram: @MasonMBB

 

[tblack33]

Why are these people sitting?

Would it kill us to have someone yelling/encouraging them to stand up and get into the game? The "Get Loud" sign isn't working fyi...

Feel free to get yourself to the arena and motivate them to be louder. It is a home game after all.

 

[Patriotsince81]

I was surprised and actually happy with the crowd. Much larger than I anticipated for a Sunday with church, NFL football, etc. The first half left a lot to be desired but the final score was a good result.

I'll address the elephant in the room and that is KD getting yet another Tech and having to sit the majority of the second half as a result. His body language on the bench was poor, no surprise there. Is he ever going to learn from his past transgressions? Don't bet the farm. It's not in his DNA.

Justin Begg played well given the opportunity.

One more to go before conference play begins. Go Mason.

 

[DRK331]

Attendance was 2,955

Box Score vs. Penn (PDF) - George Mason University Athletics

Box Score vs. Penn (PDF)

gomason.com

 

[Patriotsince81]

Attendance was 2,955

Box Score vs. Penn (PDF) - George Mason University Athletics

Box Score vs. Penn (PDF)

gomason.com

I was expecting 500. LOL.

 

[DRK331]

Here is the pregame hype video that is played before our starting lineup is introduced

Here is the pregame hype video that is played before our starting lineup is introduced

 

[tblack33]

I was surprised and actually happy with the crowd. Much larger than I anticipated for a Sunday with church, NFL football, etc. The first half left a lot to be desired but the final score was a good result.

I'll address the elephant in the room and that is KD getting yet another Tech and having to sit the majority of the second half as a result. His body language on the bench was poor, no surprise there. Is he ever going to learn from his past transgressions? Don't bet the farm. It's not in his DNA.

Justin Begg played well given the opportunity.

One more to go before conference play begins. Go Mason.

I need to rewatch the sequence because I didn’t really see what happened live. He was clearly frustrated with the missed call on the previous play on the other end. He seems to get way more techs at home than away. I know I Stan for KD more than most, but from what I see he’s still our best playmaker at the 1 spot and has solid defense. Half his turnovers are great passes that our bigs just can’t handle. I did watch him on the bench after his T and was very disappointed in his poor body language and not supporting the bench guys as they got their minutes to end it. He has some growth he needs to make as a player and leader, but at this point I’m still in on him and still believe he gives us the best chance to win.

For as great a game as Begg had, go back and watch him on defense on TV and you’ll see exactly why he isn’t playing. He gets completely lost on defense and it causes massive breakdowns. He is going to be a great player, but he isn’t there yet.

Glad to see Billups make some shots today. He is going to have to find a way to become a 25% jump shooter if we’re going to be a top 4 team in conference play.

 

[DRK331]

Post game presser:

https://fb.watch/wEimgKsqkI/

 

[Jack Strop]

I need to rewatch the sequence because I didn’t really see what happened live. He was clearly frustrated with the missed call on the previous play on the other end. He seems to get way more techs at home than away. I know I Stan for KD more than most, but from what I see he’s still our best playmaker at the 1 spot and has solid defense. Half his turnovers are great passes that our bigs just can’t handle. I did watch him on the bench after his T and was very disappointed in his poor body language and not supporting the bench guys as they got their minutes to end it. He has some growth he needs to make as a player and leader, but at this point I’m still in on him and still believe he gives us the best chance to win.

For as great a game as Begg had, go back and watch him on defense on TV and you’ll see exactly why he isn’t playing. He gets completely lost on defense and it causes massive breakdowns. He is going to be a great player, but he isn’t there yet.

Glad to see Billups make some shots today. He is going to have to find a way to become a 25% jump shooter if we’re going to be a top 4 team in conference play.

Was that Billups's career high (at least at Mason)? Usually nothing goes in for him, even lay-ups. Today??? Two threes!!! Rack 'em up Jared!

EDIT: Answered my own question, Billups had 13 vs. C. Michigan.

 

[tblack33]

Was that Billups's career high (at least at Mason)? Usually nothing goes in for him, even lay-ups. Today??? Two threes!!! Rack 'em up Jared!

I think he’s scored more, but those are the most jump shots I can remember him making this season. He’ll usually rack up points at the line and off second chances. Becoming even somewhat of a scoring threat will push him back into the starting lineup given how passive our shooters have been.

 

[psyclone]

Lots of people here at EBA for the game

Fair number of Penn alums, mostly middle-age and up. Not very boisterous, but then what could they be boisterous about, other than making enough 3s in the first 15 minute to keep them in it?

 

[psyclone]

Attendance was 2,955

Box Score vs. Penn (PDF) - George Mason University Athletics

Box Score vs. Penn (PDF)

gomason.com

Seemed bigger than 3k

 

[EXpatriot13]

Attendance was 2,955

Box Score vs. Penn (PDF) - George Mason University Athletics

Box Score vs. Penn (PDF)

gomason.com

Damn, it looked like we finally broke 3k again.

Offense was a slog in the first half but good to see them put their foot on the gas in the second and properly handle a sub 300 team.

No one else on the team (until Begg develops) can push the ball and make things happen in transition like KD can, technicals aside (still don’t know what happened there). Would love to see him take control of PG more, and open things up for our shooters.

Zach Anderson, please shoot more.

 

[mkaufman1]

Penn kept making 3s but eventually I knew they’d start missing. Defensively we turned up midway through half 1.

I liked seeing Kd get our offense into a flow middle of the 1st half. The gameplan was to go inside but it wasn’t until later in the first half when things started opening up. I don’t know what happened but I suspect he was jawing with a frustrated Penn player. In a blowout buy game it doesn’t mean much, but it’s tiresome to see him keep getting technicals. He had some really solid moments running point, getting into the paint and finding Billups for a 3. Hopefully he can continue to have solid games like today.

Nice to see Billups swish 2 3 pointers.

2nd half was what a buy game should be. Nice to see Mason pound Penn into a rout. We got Maddox involved and kept Haynes involved especially once Spinoso fouled out.

Anderson didn’t shoot much but he played defense, got rebounds and contributed quietly.

 

[jessej]

Fair number of Penn alums, mostly middle-age and up. Not very boisterous, but then what could they be boisterous about, other than making enough 3s in the first 15 minute to keep them in it?

in other years the Penn DC alumni Club would have a pregame social and then purchase a bunch of bad seats and mark them up as a fund raiser - that was not done this year

I sit in section 104 by the visitor bench and there were multiple Penn Team family members in that area as well as a number of local Penn alums with family/mainly children.

no one expected a Penn win but were happy that the game was so close for so long