Game 14: GMU (9-4 / 0-0) vs Davidson (10-3 / 0-0) on Tuesday, December 31, at 2:00 PM.

[Patriotsince81]

Davidson was picked to finish 12th in A10 Preseason Polls. Reed Bailey was voted onto the All-Conference 3rd Team.

The game is on ESPN+.

KenPom: Gives us a 70% chance of winning.
GMU - 86
Davidson - 108
NET:
Mason - 88
Davidson - 109

We are 4-8 (.333) against Davidson but have won the last two meetings.

Davidson is currently 10–3 on the season and 0-0 in A10 play. They are 8-0 at home, 1-1 on the road, and 1-2 at neutral sites.

Schedule: https://davidsonwildcats.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule

Wins: William Peace (88-47), Bowling Green (91-85), ETSU (76-70), VMI (93-66), RV Providence (69-58), Charleston Southern (73-72), Charlotte (75-71), Detroit Mercy (86-51), Bethune-Cookman (76-63), Eastern Michigan (86-64)
Losses: #24 Arizona (104-71), #3 Gonzaga (90-65), Temple (62-61)

Probable Starters:
6’10” Reed Bailey - 17.9 ppg & 6.8 reb - Junior
6’5” Connor Kochera - 16.8 ppg & 4.3 reb - Grad Student
6’7” Bobby Durkin - 15.4 ppg & 4.8 reb - Sophomore
6’4” Zach Laput - 8.2 ppg - Grad Student
6’4” Mike Loughnane - 5.0 ppg - Sophomore

Reserves averaging double figure minutes:
6’10” Sean Logan - 4.3 ppg & 3.9 reb - Junior
6’4” Roberts Blums - 5.9 ppg - Freshman
6’7” Hunter Adam - 2.2 ppg - Sophomore

Roster: https://davidsonwildcats.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster

Team Stats:
Davidson averages 77.7 points per game while giving up 69.5.

The Wildcats shoot 47.3% from the floor and 36.3% from 3.
Opponents are shooting 43.2% from the field and 35.7% from 3.

They shoot 72.4% from the free throw line.

They have out rebounded opponents by 2.2 board per game and average 10.0 turnovers per contest.

Stats: https://davidsonwildcats.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2024-25

Thoughts: It gets real Tuesday afternoon! Get your a$$ out to EBA and get loud. They are solid and shoot well.

The Wildcats currently rank 8th in the A10 in offense (155th nationally) and 9th in defense (145th nationally). They are 6th in team FG percentage and 13th in FG% defense. They have one glaring weakness, they currently rank 306th in 3 point percentage defense.

They have one Quad 2 win against Providence and one Quad 3 win against ETSU. They are undefeated against Quad 4 opponents.

It’s important we get off to a good start and don’t give away a home game. Mason 72 - Davison 68.

Discuss.

 

[GMUYoda]

Going to find out real quick about this team in conference play. 11-1 Rhode Island right after Davidson

 

[GreenLantern]

Us 68
Them 65
OT

 

[DRK331]

The first 1000 fans at our New Year’s Eve #A10MBB opener get a free 2025 team calendar!

The months on the calendar have a mix of current and past players.

Tip off is at 2PM and lower bowl seats start at $10

Tweet:

x.com

x.com

 

[DRK331]

Pregame hype video

 

[ProfessorCFK]

Pregame hype video

There is something very uncanny valley about this that makes it look...off...? Perhaps too much post processing? Too much AI editing? idk.

I'll be there on Tuesday.

P.S. BOOOOOOOO the AD for scheduling a game on a Tuesday at 2:00PM. I am having to take off work early to attend. New Years Eve is not a holiday and weekday games should not be scheduled for 2:00PM.

 

[psyclone]

There is something very uncanny valley about this that makes it look...off...? Perhaps too much post processing? Too much AI editing? idk.

I'll be there on Tuesday.

P.S. BOOOOOOOO the AD for scheduling a game on a Tuesday at 2:00PM. I am having to take off work early to attend. New Years Eve is not a holiday and weekday games should not be scheduled for 2:00PM.

You're going to have to blame it on the A10, apparently. 6 of the A10 games on Tuesday have 2 pm starts. One (GW at Richmond) starts at 4.

 

[tblack33]

You're going to have to blame it on the A10, apparently. 6 of the A10 games on Tuesday have 2 pm starts. One (GW at Richmond) starts at 4.

Which is kind of mind boggling because none of them are on TV, only ESPN+.

 

[gmubrian]

You're going to have to blame it on the A10, apparently. 6 of the A10 games on Tuesday have 2 pm starts. One (GW at Richmond) starts at 4.

Which is kind of mind boggling because none of them are on TV, only ESPN+.

I have been wondering about this. Can anyone explain this scheduling to me in a way that make sense?

Is the A10 in such an academic bubble that they don't realize that non-academics don't have these days off?

It doesn't seem like a great idea to force your donors to take work time off so they can attend games.

 

[Old Man]

I have been wondering about this. Can anyone explain this scheduling to me in a way that make sense?

Is the A10 in such an academic bubble that they don't realize that non-academics don't have these days off?

It doesn't seem like a great idea to force your donors to take work time off so they can attend games.

My guess is, conference play is usually Wed and Sat. Well, Wed is New Year's so likely people will be hung over and watching bowl games, so it would be a bad day to play. But they have to get a game in, so they go back to Tuesday. You certainly can't play a normal 7pm game, so it gets played in the afternoon. Home school sets the time unless there is a tv obligation. New Year's Eve it is, and it works very well for me.

 

[gmubrian]

My guess is, conference play is usually Wed and Sat. Well, Wed is New Year's so likely people will be hung over and watching bowl games, so it would be a bad day to play. But they have to get a game in, so they go back to Tuesday. You certainly can't play a normal 7pm game, so it gets played in the afternoon. Home school sets the time unless there is a tv obligation. New Year's Eve it is, and it works very well for me.

That is probably the logic they used, but, I don't agree with the reasons for not doing it Tuesday night or Wednesday during the day. Since it works out for you, though, I'll accept it.

Please explain to me, then, why the women's game on Thursday is at noon?

 

[Old Man]

That is probably the logic they used, but, I don't agree with the reasons for not doing it Tuesday night or Wednesday during the day. Since it works out for you, though, I'll accept it.

Please explain to me, then, why the women's game on Thursday is at noon?

I didn't know that much about women's scheduling, but don't the mostly play their games on a Thursday and Sunday schedule?

 

[phoenix-arizona]

The 31st should be a day off for all.

 

[TweederGMU]

You're going to have to blame it on the A10, apparently. 6 of the A10 games on Tuesday have 2 pm starts. One (GW at Richmond) starts at 4.

The A10 knows Richmond's fanbase too well....the Richmond senior citizens need to be back to their residences by 6:30pm. Lights out at 7pm or no Jell-O for grandma the next day!

 

[DRK331]

A-10 Season hype video released by the social media team:

x.com

x.com

 

[Sport31]

Was hoping to make game today but family is still recovering. If anyone would like 3 free tickets section 130 by the portal let me know.

 

[hoopsjunkie75]

The 31st should be a day off for all.

Don't forget Super Bowl Monday as well, while you're at it!

 

[phoenix-arizona]

Agreed. Everyone gets a Bloody Mary.

 

[GMUgemini]

Defense has been suffocating so far. Let’s see who runs out of gas first.

 

[jessej]

At the half
Mason up 5
35-30