Game 12: Pennsylvania State University, Sunday, December 17th, 4 PM, Stadium

[Patriotsince81]

Not making shots and not being able to defend a bigger, stronger opponent doesn’t mean they didn’t compete.

We'll just agree to disagree. Lose the first half by 20, win the second by 2. Hm.....

 

[gmujim92]

They played better in the 2nd half, but 0-14 on 3's isn't going to win a game.

Well no kidding. My point is that not making shots is not the same as not competing.

 

[gmujim92]

We'll just agree to disagree. Lose the first half by 20, win the second by 2. Hm.....

Yeah, when you make a statement like “We’re just no damn good,” we’re gonna disagree.

 

[Patriotsince81]

Yeah, when you make a statement like “We’re just no damn good,” we’re gonna disagree.

That's fine. You are entitled to your opinion as much as I am mine. No worries. Just frustrated because I think the team has collectively played scared. When you are outscored 146 - 105 on your home floor over the last two games, that's not being competitive in my eyes.
Compete : verb

1. strive to gain or win something by defeating or establishing superiority over others who are trying to do the same.

 

[Patriotsince81]

They played better in the 2nd half, but 0-14 on 3's isn't going to win a game.

36 - 110 (32.7%) shooting at home over the past two games. 4 - 37 (10.8%) from 3. Staggering stats.

 

[Five Two]

We gave up 40 points in the paint and made NO adjustments. I hate comparing us to GW, but yesterday, they got smoked in the first half by Miami trying to play man-to-man. In the 2nd half they switched to their 3-2 and mixing in their 1-3-1 zone to throw off Miami. It worked. What did we do to try and force PSU out of their rythem? nothing. That is frustrating to me. When you expect different results after doing the same thing, over and over again, thats just plain crazy.

 

[TweederGMU]

We have 0 size and no-consistent game by game pure scorer. We need kids who can score game in and game out. Grayer is our best bet but he seems very timid in being that guy.

Having zero 3's in a game is just awful.

We need size and scorers to do anything in the A-10. I think we are still years away from making any impact in our league.

 

[GMUgemini]

We gave up 40 points in the paint and made NO adjustments. I hate comparing us to GW, but yesterday, they got smoked in the first half by Miami trying to play man-to-man. In the 2nd half they switched to their 3-2 and mixing in their 1-3-1 zone to throw off Miami. It worked. What did we do to try and force PSU out of their rythem? nothing. That is frustrating to me. When you expect different results after doing the same thing, over and over again, thats just plain crazy.

GW has size (their starting lineup goes 6'2, 6'4, 6'9, 6'8, 6'8)....they also lost to PSU by the exact same score last Saturday, and it was a similar bloodbath in the first half (48-19 -- at least we weren't down by 30). GMU is eventually going to have Mar at the 3, AJ at the 4, and Reuter at the 5 which is going to completely change the way this team plays. Maybe you guys have to realize that Penn State is a good team this season and is probably going to the tournament and we are young and small?

Explain to me how you expect Goanar Mar to guard someone who is 6'9 and 250+ pounds?

I think we actually started out playing a zone in the game, but then turned the ball over on 3 consecutive possessions which led to 6 easy points by PSU and that blew the game wide open. We continued to take bad shots and make errant passes and that led to a lot of easy buckets PSU's way.

It also doesn't help when you are shooting sub-25 percent and can't rebound the ball (the old ODU strategy of tossing up bricks and going for stick backs).

 

[FreeGunston12]

I forgot how much I hate Penn State. Thank you to the dbag in the stocking cap and mesh shorts sitting in front of me for reminding me.

 

[MASONscott]

Pretty much a glorified scrimmage against a superior team. We won the second half!

Penn State looks like they are destined to dance. We aren't. Tom said it earlier boys against men.
Did not expect to win. Did not expect it to be close. But, we better kick a** against Morgan State.

Fortunately, we were not able to get there until halftime so only saw a decent half.

 

[GMUgemini]

Pretty much a glorified scrimmage against a superior team. We won the second half!

Penn State looks like they are destined to dance. We aren't. Tom said it earlier boys against men.
Did not expect to win. Did not expect it to be close. But, we better kick a** against Morgan State.

Fortunately, we were not able to get there until halftime so only saw a decent half.

I wouldn't be surprised if a majority of the teams we've lost to went dancing. Auburn and Penn State almost certainly, Louisville will probably find a way, Georgia Southern looks really solid to come out of the Sun Belt, Louisiana Tech will challenge in Conference USA, even William and Mary has an outside shot (even though I'd be surprised if anyone outside of Towson got the bid there).

 

[Yossarian]

A solid week of simple, but very focused practice on basic shooting principles would do us more good than anything else, in my very biased and uninformed opinion. Just. Make. More. Baskets. Please.

 

[smccart5]

This team reminds me of the old phrase, “they’re bigger than us, but we’re slow.”

We have a collection of good players, but I have no idea if we have any strengths as a team. No inside, no outside, not fast paced, not a lot of turnovers.

 

[psyclone]

The Washington Post actually covered us in person!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...ac0fd7f097e_story.html?utm_term=.31566e733e41

 

[dr. gunnie]

I don't have much to add - not a good performance from Mason. Penn St without their top scorer and they still beat us like a drum. It is what it is. We just aren't very good right now.

The guys we have are either young, undersized, or just not good enough to play at a high level (some are all three). Not a good combo to have. We have some parts that can be good, but until we have some older post players that can stop other teams from scoring... bigger, stronger teams will kill us.

At least my kids will have a real nice Christmas.

 

[Petey Buckets]

The week 6 write-up is up. I try to break down the breakdowns:

http://giantkiller.co/2017/12/18/pe...-george-mason-mens-basketball-week-6-rundown/

One million schrutebucks to the first person to leave a comment.

 

[Leesburg Chankenstank III]

The part that frustrates me is that in the first half, we actually got good looks at the basket inside, but our ability to finish was horrendous. Miss easy layups, put backs, fast break opportunities.

When a team is undersized and playing an aggressive defense, your best friend is the pump fake. Our players refuse to even try the pump fake the last two games. Mar had alot of success with the pump fake earlier this season but it seems the last two games he's forgotten how to.

Also, I don't know shit about basketball but maybe we should make it a point to give Calixte the ball down low a couple times a game to try to score. At least it will attract a defender or two, taking the pressure off the guards a bit. Greg seems to have enough savy to pass out of a double team for an occasional easy layup. At least worth a try?

 

[Five Two]

Maybe you guys have to realize that Penn State is a good team this season and is probably going to the tournament and we are young and small?

Explain to me how you expect Goanar Mar to guard someone who is 6'9 and 250+ pounds?

I think we actually started out playing a zone in the game, but then turned the ball over on 3 consecutive possessions which led to 6 easy points by PSU and that blew the game wide open. We continued to take bad shots and make errant passes and that led to a lot of easy buckets PSU's way.

Agreed, PSU is very good and we are young and small, which is why I'm shocked DP played straight up man-to-man. Why put our guys in situations that they clearly can't hold their own.

Again, I agree, I don't know how DP expects Mar to guard someone that size. So where is the adjustment?

We did not play zone at all. Zone isnt the end-all-be-all, but I think we can all agree what we are doing isn't working.

I did like seeing Calixte in the starting line up.


I dont know what adjustments need to be made on offense. I think there is too much dribbling and the ball doesn't move quick enough. But even when we get open looks from 3 or from 6 feet, we miss.

 

[GMU_DCU]

Again, I agree, I don't know how DP expects Mar to guard someone that size. So where is the adjustment?


I did like seeing Calixte in the starting line up.

Kind of contradictory statements there. Paulsen started Calixte so Mar wouldn't have to guard their huge 5, sounds like an adjustment from previous games.

 

[gmujim92]

As badly as we guard at times in man to man, we are a thousand times worse in zone — and it hurts us on the defensive glass to boot.

Why make an adjustment just to say you made an adjustment?