Game 14: AT University of Rhode Island, Saturday, December 30th, 4 PM, Atlantic 10 Network

[Washingtonian]

Rhode Island has a 7-3 record (Losses were to Nevada, UVA, and Alabama), however, plays Florida Gulf Coast on Wednesday night which can be watched on ESPNU.

According to the game recap against Morgan State:
http://gomason.com/news/2017/12/22/...wers-past-morgan-state-86-79.aspx?path=mbball

Mason opens Atlantic 10 play on Saturday, December 30 vs. preseason league favorite Rhode Island. Tip-off in Kingston, R.I., is set for 4 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the Atlantic 10 Network.

As of this post, I do not see a link on atlantic10.com (usually, the game is listed and then the link is available 15 minutes before tip off).

The schedule is here: http://www.gorhody.com/sports/m-baskbl/2017-18/schedule

Stats are here: http://www.gorhody.com/sports/m-baskbl/2017-18/files/201718MBBstats.pdf

Last season's box score is here: http://gomason.com/boxscore.aspx?id=6837&path=mbball

Jared Terrell is averaging 18.0 PPG and Stanford Robinson is averaging 10.2 PPG/6.0 RPG (scored 21 points in last season's game).

Discuss.

 

[GreenLantern]

Us 68
Them 80
OT

 

[GMUgemini]

This game will be closer than we think. Like us, they have no dominant big who will bully us in the paint, but they do have a collection of extremely good guards who will too much for us ultimately. I think this game will be competitive. In the end, we lose by 12 (margin due to FTs at the end of the game).

 

[mason lawyer]

Lose by 20 plus. Dp seat gets a little warmer.

 

[gmujim92]

This game will be closer than we think. Like us, they have no dominant big who will bully us in the paint, but they do have a collection of extremely good guards who will too much for us ultimately. I think this game will be competitive. In the end, we lose by 12 (margin due to FTs at the end of the game).

Yes strangely we match up with them better than most of our OOC opponents because Rhody plays with 4 guards most of the time.

That said, they have 5 seniors and we have none. I’ll be pleasantly surprised if we can keep it within single digits.

 

[JimP]

ESPN predicts each team's % chance of a win for each game now. They give GMU a 6.5% chance of beating Rhody. If you believe ESPN, GMU is favored in only three of their conference games this year.

 

[mason lawyer]

ESPN predicts each team's % chance of a win for each game now. They give GMU a 6.5% chance of beating Rhody. If you believe ESPN, GMU is favored in only three of their conference games this year.

6.5 percent seems high to me. We are going to lose by 20+ points. I think we can win 3-4 conference games. We can only hope that is enough to get DP on the hot seat around here.

 

[PoorManProfit]

6.5 percent seems high to me. We are going to lose by 20+ points. I think we can win 3-4 conference games. We can only hope that is enough to get DP on the hot seat around here.

What about the AD too? Everyone was jocking this guy because he got Paulsen? How many other lousy coaches turned G Mas down? Also, what was the reason for hiring Darrell Green in the AD office? Who's next? Dexter Manley? Clinton Portis?

 

[Herndon]

This game will be closer than we think. Like us, they have no dominant big who will bully us in the paint, but they do have a collection of extremely good guards who will too much for us ultimately. I think this game will be competitive. In the end, we lose by 12 (margin due to FTs at the end of the game).

This feels about right to me

 

[GMUSig03]

This feels about right to me

I'm unfortunately not as optimistic. This will be EC's 3rd game back with 9 days off since their last game so he may be back closer to full strength - and they pulled off an at large worthy OOC mostly without him.

I agree in theory that we match up better with guard heavy teams, but they have some grown a** men at guard.

I expect more of an 80-65 type game - get down by 20 or so, get within 10 or 12, but lead balloons again at end due to fouling.

 

[Leesburg Chankenstank III]

I'm unfortunately not as optimistic. This will be EC's 3rd game back with 9 days off since their last game so he may be back closer to full strength - and they pulled off an at large worthy OOC mostly without him.

I agree in theory that we match up better with guard heavy teams, but they have some grown a** men at guard.

I expect more of an 80-65 type game - get down by 20 or so, get within 10 or 12, but lead balloons again at end due to fouling.

Agree, BUT if we have a single digit loss performance (or better) against the #1 team in the A10 on the road with a healthy NBA level player back at full strength, that would do alot for not only the team but us fans as well - except the people on here i have hit the ignore button on, of course. They won' be happy until we are in the ACC and dominating Duke and UNC on a yearly basis.

 

[MasonFanatic]

Anyone who thinks a coach with 2 upperclassmen should be on the hot seat is ignorant and/or trolling.

Thank God for the ignore button.

 

[JimP]

DP led the team to a .500 season in the A-10 in his 2nd year. What was the most wins in the A-10 for Mason prior to that? Four? That should earn him some patience among any fan.

If this were year 5 under him I'd be concerned. It's year 3 and Mason ain't an ACC school. I think DP is as good as Schmidt at Bonaventure. It took Schmidt some time to get the Bonnies rolling. GMU has some advantages over the Bonnies to boot - DP will have Mason rolling in a few years.

 

[GMUgemini]

DP led the team to a .500 season in the A-10 in his 2nd year. What was the most wins in the A-10 for Mason prior to that? Four? That should earn him some patience among any fan.

If this were year 5 under him I'd be concerned. It's year 3 and Mason ain't an ACC school. I think DP is as good as Schmidt at Bonaventure. It took Schmidt some time to get the Bonnies rolling. GMU has some advantages over the Bonnies to boot - DP will have Mason rolling in a few years.

Five years, in fact.

 

[mason lawyer]

DP led the team to a .500 season in the A-10 in his 2nd year. What was the most wins in the A-10 for Mason prior to that? Four? That should earn him some patience among any fan.

If this were year 5 under him I'd be concerned. It's year 3 and Mason ain't an ACC school. I think DP is as good as Schmidt at Bonaventure. It took Schmidt some time to get the Bonnies rolling. GMU has some advantages over the Bonnies to boot - DP will have Mason rolling in a few years.

Could you have some lower expectations. Are you really proud of going 500 in the A10? Going 500 this year would actually be shocking. We are looking at 3-4 conference wins. Huge step backwards

 

[FreeGunston12]

Could you have some lower expectations. Are you really proud of going 500 in the A10? Going 500 this year would actually be shocking. We are looking at 3-4 conference wins. Huge step backwards

 

[JimP]

You're not a Mason fan. You must be a Duke fan that can't imagine that teams that don't make the tournament every year have fans. I'll humor you - but please go back to the Duke boards or find another fan base outside of the Power 5 to annoy.

Schmidt didn't go .500 in the A-10 until year 4. Years 7, 8 and 9 have been his first 3 year streak of winning seasons in the A-10. Now in year 10 he has a team that can make some noise in the tournament.

Things were bound to be up and down DP's first few years. I am a little concerned about the current roster situation but think Mason has found a good coach. All he needs is a little time.

 

[mason lawyer]

You're not a Mason fan. You must be a Duke fan that can't imagine that teams that don't make the tournament every year have fans. I'll humor you - but please go back to the Duke boards or find another fan base outside of the Power 5 to annoy.

Schmidt didn't go .500 in the A-10 until year 4. Years 7, 8 and 9 have been his first 3 year streak of winning seasons in the A-10. Now in year 10 he has a team that can make some noise in the tournament.

Things were bound to be up and down DP's first few years. I am a little concerned about the current roster situation but think Mason has found a good coach. All he needs is a little time.

I am sure you were one of the biggest cheerleaders when Hewitt was hired and during his awful tenure. When you make a mistake you fix it. DP is a mistake and needs to be corrected. How do we correct this mistake? Easy, termination after the season if the team does not go 500 in conference play or win a couple games in the a10 tournament. Mason should not and will not accept losers like Hewitt and dp much longer.

 

[JimP]

Hewitt was a horrible hire and most fans realized it about four games in when a team with a significant amount of talent played down to the competition on a nightly basis. Hope GMU never goes the "let's get a name" route again. Paulsen's trying to help overcome that hire - I think he will eventually. Wish a guy like Paulsen was hired after Larranaga in the first place.

 

[Washingtonian]

Rhode Island beat Fla Gulf Coast last night by a score of 80-60.