Game 15: GMU (10-4 / 1-0) at Rhode Island (11-2 / 0-1) on Saturday, January 4, at 2:00 PM.

[jruby]

Overreaction central. Pretty good game, but the ball stopped moving in the second half and the refs tightened up the whistles. On to the next one.

What is overreaction ? They are who they are.

Only road win is at a horrible JMU team. They are awful at foul shots, they don’t have a pg and they turn the ball over way too much.

Those aren’t really debatable. It’s same thing everyone had said all year. If Maddox or Haynes goes off they can make up for some of that but if you turn the ball over that much and miss foul shots you can’t go 2-17 from 3.

Sadly outside Maddox no one else is a very good shooter. Woody shouldn’t shoot 3’s he’s better being aggressive but he may be 3rd best option at this point behind O’Connor.

Again like everyone has said very elite defense but offense is not good. Feed Haynes or have Maddox shoot. That’s the offense.

Winning on road will be very tough. Have to be perfect! Rhode Island was not good today, Mason lost the game with 14 off turnovers and missing 9 on line.

Mason got a brutal schedule on the road. 20 wins will be solid but unfortunately in todays world of college sports there’s no building programs is just recruiting and doing a great job coaching. Every season is a new one and has nothing to with previous or next one. It’s win and it’s win now. Get double bye or have no chance to win in DC, even that would be a hard task.

I’m going to say it as ACC crumbles apart, would not shock me to see Tony leave if Mason can’t figure out how to pay a pg.

Hope that Okie got a bag of cash because otherwise it’s even more discouraging.

It’s not going to be cheap to keep Haynes. Really think this team is 14-1 with even a half way decent pg. KD and O’Connor just aren’t it they are still dribbling the ball off their feet and traveling. In every critical moment they have the ball in their hands you’re holding your breath.

Tony needs to go find a new version of himself out of Maryland.

 

[EXpatriot13]

Maddox is shooting 29% from 3, way down from last season.

Anderson is invisible on offense more often than not.

Have to think Maddox figures it out, but those are two guys we thought we could count on for consistent 3pt scoring. Are they not getting the ball in good positions to shoot? Not being aggressive enough?

Those guys + OConnor need to give us more consistent outside shooting. I never want to see Billups shoot (Woody only when he’s hot once a month), i don’t care how open he is, if he’s taking open 3’s then we’re not executing like we should be on offense.

 

[GSII]

Moving forward Tony needs to recruit guys who can create their own shot, make an open 3, and make free throws. You can teach defense, making a shot? Not so much.

Or run some plays to get Anderson or Maddox open. Both need help shooting better and maybe some plays to free them up would be helpful.

 

[FreeGunston12]

What is overreaction ? They are who they are.

Only road win is at a horrible JMU team. They are awful at foul shots, they don’t have a pg and they turn the ball over way too much.

Those aren’t really debatable. It’s same thing everyone had said all year. If Maddox or Haynes goes off they can make up for some of that but if you turn the ball over that much and miss foul shots you can’t go 2-17 from 3.

Sadly outside Maddox no one else is a very good shooter. Woody shouldn’t shoot 3’s he’s better being aggressive but he may be 3rd best option at this point behind O’Connor.

Again like everyone has said very elite defense but offense is not good. Feed Haynes or have Maddox shoot. That’s the offense.

Winning on road will be very tough. Have to be perfect! Rhode Island was not good today, Mason lost the game with 14 off turnovers and missing 9 on line.

Mason got a brutal schedule on the road. 20 wins will be solid but unfortunately in todays world of college sports there’s no building programs is just recruiting and doing a great job coaching. Every season is a new one and has nothing to with previous or next one. It’s win and it’s win now. Get double bye or have no chance to win in DC, even that would be a hard task.

I’m going to say it as ACC crumbles apart, would not shock me to see Tony leave if Mason can’t figure out how to pay a pg.

Hope that Okie got a bag of cash because otherwise it’s even more discouraging.

It’s not going to be cheap to keep Haynes. Really think this team is 14-1 with even a half way decent pg. KD and O’Connor just aren’t it they are still dribbling the ball off their feet and traveling. In every critical moment they have the ball in their hands you’re holding your breath.

Tony needs to go find a new version of himself out of Maryland.

This is all overreaction. Only losses by more than a bucket are Duke and Marquette. I’m sure we score pretty low on the “luck” metric.

Haynes and Maddox had a combined 9 points in the first half. It’s not like they were carrying the team on their backs to build that lead. What I’m seeing is that other guys like Newton, O’Connor, Billups are starting to step up. The movement was much better in the first half, but the ball stuck in Haynes and Maddox’s hands too much in the second half.

We were just coming off our best game of the season. More of Davidson and the first half against Rhode Island moving forward and we will be just fine.

 

[GMUgemini]

Dayton, Bonny, St. Louis, vcu will be top 4 this year. St. Joes, URI, GW, Loyola and us will be in the mix for 5-9.

I still think the 4th spot is open. But unfortunately we play all four of the above on the road with no return game. Going to have to beat one of them to have a chance.

And to anyone lamenting a 12-6 finish. If we do finish with that record, a, it will be our best finish in the A10 to date and, b, probably be a top 4 record.

 

[Jack Strop]

Overreaction central. Pretty good game, but the ball stopped moving in the second half and the refs tightened up the whistles. On to the next one.

OHHHH, Mason has lost five out of 15 games 1–1 in A10 play. The season is OVER. On to the next one.

 

[TweederGMU]

Who’s the 5th? Right now I see 3 scores. Gio was actually better today in the first half but he’s not a scorer. Maddox Haynes O’connor. Billups plays great d but someone else going to have to take Anderson spot, he’s averaging 3 points the last 5 games. That’s really really horrible. Having Ball would have been nice as another shooter. Woody if he’s agressive can give you 10.

Margin of error every night in A10 on road for this team is going to be very slim. They will never hit foul shots so they are going to have to find a 3 point option or maybe you just run Begg and try and hide him on defense? Who knows, I think they have a lot of kids who play hard and Jared is clearly their leader but he’s extremely limited on offense. best defensive team and one of worst offensive teams in A10.

Shit can Billups dribble? At this point may trust him more at point than anyone else. I’ve never seen so many guards travel or dribble the ball off their legs in critical moments.

Woody would be the 5th. Except each game we don't know what Woody we get. He's tall and can get to the rim but it's like he has to decide each game if he wants to be aggressive and drive the lane. He's so inconsistent shooting the 3 so you never know which Woody we are gonna get each game - has the ability to go for 12-15 a game or 2-6 points a game.

In order to beat the top teams he has to do more.

I think Tony and the coaches thought they were going to get more consistent offensive production from Anderson and a real 3 point threat to pair alongside Maddox, heck we all did looking at his highlight film, but now see why he sat most of the year. Another inconsistent offensive threat that lives and dies by his 3 point shot. Another guy we don't really know what we are going to get offensively each game.

 

[GMU79]

This is all overreaction. Only losses by more than a bucket are Duke and Marquette. I’m sure we score pretty low on the “luck” metric.

Haynes and Maddox had a combined 9 points in the first half. It’s not like they were carrying the team on their backs to build that lead. What I’m seeing is that other guys like Newton, O’Connor, Billups are starting to step up. The movement was much better in the first half, but the ball stuck in Haynes and Maddox’s hands too much in the second half.

We were just coming off our best game of the season. More of Davidson and the first half against Rhode Island moving forward and we will be just fine.

I wish I could agree with you that this is all overreaction, but I don't think it is. This is us this year. And last year. And the year before that. And....

 

[jruby]

Maddox is shooting 29% from 3, way down from last season.

Anderson is invisible on offense more often than not.

Have to think Maddox figures it out, but those are two guys we thought we could count on for consistent 3pt scoring. Are they not getting the ball in good positions to shoot? Not being aggressive enough?

Or run some plays to get Anderson or Maddox open. Sans today, both need help shooting better and maybe some plays to free them up would be helpful.

Or run some plays to get Anderson or Maddox open. Both need help shooting better and maybe some plays to free them up would be helpful.

There’s an idea! Maddox has to force a lot, teams know to leave Billups wide open. Love the kid but he’s not a shooter.

This all goes back to having a pg though. How do you run plays? Run back door cuts for woody ?

This is all overreaction. Only losses by more than a bucket are Duke and Marquette. I’m sure we score pretty low on the “luck” metric.

Haynes and Maddox had a combined 9 points in the first half. It’s not like they were carrying the team on their backs to build that lead. What I’m seeing is that other guys like Newton, O’Connor, Billups are starting to step up. The movement was much better in the first half, but the ball stuck in Haynes and Maddox’s hands too much in the second half.

We were just coming off our best game of the season. More of Davidson and the first half against Rhode Island moving forward and we will be just fine.

This is all overreaction. Only losses by more than a bucket are Duke and Marquette. I’m sure we score pretty low on the “luck” metric.

Haynes and Maddox had a combined 9 points in the first half. It’s not like they were carrying the team on their backs to build that lead. What I’m seeing is that other guys like Newton, O’Connor, Billups are starting to step up. The movement was much better in the first half, but the ball stuck in Haynes and Maddox’s hands too much in the second half.

We were just coming off our best game of the season. More of Davidson and the first half against Rhode Island moving forward and we will be just fine.

Except it’s not overreaction it’s literally fact. They are not only bad at foul shots they are an epic joke! Their pg’s turn the ball over way too much. Those aren’t debatable. So Maddox and Haynes didn’t score? Say it ain’t so it’s almost like you’re arguing for me… they score we win. They don’t we lose!

They have a major turnover problem, fact. I’ll never understand people who argue facts. Can look them up. They only have 1 road win over a ‘bad JMU’ team which I guess is debatable but that’s only part that’s debatable. Can they shoot better on the line? Sure but haven’t seen it.

So again either they start shooting better, find a pg who can hold onto the damn ball or find a way to win games in a way that literally goes against every logic.

Your top 2 scorers, (stats for that) don’t score it’s hard to win. If you are going to argue they have a pg just save it.

Can they go 17-1 sure but not turning ball over not shooting 50% on line and going 2-17 from 3. So it’s not an overreaction, they played like shit and that won’t cut it. Period the end, either figure out how to be better or they won’t win on road.

Also already said if they beat that stupid clown faced loser hipster team it’s a successful season. If they had last years schedule I would 100% say top 4 is possible but they probably have one of worst schedules in A10 but I suppose that’s an overreaction too?

I’ll never understand the debate in sports on what’s fact and not fact. I mean they ‘COULD’ win the national championship but it would defy all normal logic so I would say that’s an overreaction. Making assumptions that go against the numbers are normally overreactions but whatever.

Point blank, fix the turnovers learn how to make a damn foul shot and win games. Don’t they lose. End of story, have a good one.

 

[jruby]

I still think the 4th spot is open. But unfortunately we play all four of the above on the road with no return game. Going to have to beat one of them to have a chance.

And to anyone lamenting a 12-6 finish. If we do finish with that record, a, it will be our best finish in the A10 to date and, b, probably be a top 4 record.

Depends they finished 5th 3 times and 4 one time. Not sure 12-6 gets them top 3, think that’s rare. I don’t think 12-6 would be bad it just likely means no post season again. Maybe 5-8 is just what the expectation is.

a win Vs Odom and those clowns and who cares about anything else and it’s a successful season. When’s last time they won in Richmond? Tony’s senior year? Ha I’m sure that can’t be last time but feels like it. That win would make up for all the other crap like bricking 500000 billion foul shots.

 

[FreeGunston12]

There’s an idea! Maddox has to force a lot, teams know to leave Billups wide open. Love the kid but he’s not a shooter.

This all goes back to having a pg though. How do you run plays? Run back door cuts for woody ?



Except it’s not overreaction it’s literally fact. They are not only bad at foul shots they are an epic joke! Their pg’s turn the ball over way too much. Those aren’t debatable. So Maddox and Haynes didn’t score? Say it ain’t so it’s almost like you’re arguing for me… they score we win. They don’t we lose!

They have a major turnover problem, fact. I’ll never understand people who argue facts. Can look them up. They only have 1 road win over a ‘bad JMU’ team which I guess is debatable but that’s only part that’s debatable. Can they shoot better on the line? Sure but haven’t seen it.

So again either they start shooting better, find a pg who can hold onto the damn ball or find a way to win games in a way that literally goes against every logic.

Your top 2 scorers, (stats for that) don’t score it’s hard to win. If you are going to argue they have a pg just save it.

Can they go 17-1 sure but not turning ball over not shooting 50% on line and going 2-17 from 3. So it’s not an overreaction, they played like shit and that won’t cut it. Period the end, either figure out how to be better or they won’t win on road.

Also already said if they beat that stupid clown faced loser hipster team it’s a successful season. If they had last years schedule I would 100% say top 4 is possible but they probably have one of worst schedules in A10 but I suppose that’s an overreaction too?

I’ll never understand the debate in sports on what’s fact and not fact. I mean they ‘COULD’ win the national championship but it would defy all normal logic so I would say that’s an overreaction. Making assumptions that go against the numbers are normally overreactions but whatever.

Point blank, fix the turnovers learn how to make a damn foul shot and win games. Don’t they lose. End of story, have a good one.

Yeah, none of this tone or length of post says overreaction AT ALL. FACT!

 

[mkaufman1]

I wish a post like that would be posted after Mason won a buy game by 30.

 

[psyclone]

This is all overreaction. Only losses by more than a bucket are Duke and Marquette. I’m sure we score pretty low on the “luck” metric.

...

Kenpom has us at #292 on the Luck metric...that's the unlucky end.

Other Kenpom numbers after this game--we are now #80 nationally (were #82 before the game). He projects us finishing at 11-7, behind the Bonnies, vcu, and Dayton all at 13-5 and ahead of URI, St Joe's, and Davidson (all 10-8). SLU and GW project to be 9-9. So we're still projected to be top 4.

Clearly, we would be even in better shape had we managed to hang on to take a winnable game. But the loss is certainly not the season-ender that the "woe is us" crowd is moaning about.

 

[GMU79]

Kenpom has us at #292 on the Luck metric...that's the unlucky end.

Other Kenpom numbers after this game--we are now #80 nationally (were #82 before the game). He projects us finishing at 11-7, behind the Bonnies, vcu, and Dayton all at 13-5 and ahead of URI, St Joe's, and Davidson (all 10-8). SLU and GW project to be 9-9. So we're still projected to be top 4.

Clearly, we would be even in better shape had we managed to hang on to take a winnable game. But the loss is certainly not the season-ender that the "woe is us" crowd is moaning about.

Yeah, what a bunch of losers!

 

[gmujim92]

We’ve now lost seven games by four points or fewer over the past 1+ seasons — five in conference. Gotta start finishing off these close ones to get a double bye for the first time.

 

[hoops10]

You would think after losing 2 games by one point we would work extra hard with better strategy/plays to stop losing close games. For me the issue is lack of A10 talent. Best bet for TS is to convince the school that we need better players who can score, and better players are going to require more funds. Right now it's hit or miss, and obviously a lot more misses. It's not too early to start thinking about next year. TS go find better players. As for this year I'd guess 15- 18 wins and ninth place in the standings..

 

[jruby]

You would think after losing 2 games by one point we would work extra hard with better strategy/plays to stop losing close games. For me the issue is lack of A10 talent. Best bet for TS is to convince the school that we need better players who can score, and better players are going to require more funds. Right now it's hit or miss, and obviously a lot more misses. It's not too early to start thinking about next year. TS go find better players. As for this year I'd guess 15- 18 wins and ninth place in the standings..

Haynes is 100% good enough. Maddox is good enough. O’Connor may even be good enough just not at pg.

The issue is a lack of a pg. Okie was an A10 pg for sure, Tony doesn’t have a problem with getting talent. It’s ’enough talent’ I agree It’s likely not having the money to buy the full team. vcu, clowns the armpit of VA whatever you want to call them using future student fees to pay basketball players needs to be fully blown up. There needs to be a full investigation into this BS, either that or Mason needs to double down and throw everything it has at basketball.

 

[CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY]

Avila couldn’t stop Jollay in the post.

Agreed. This is pretty much literally the only mostly true comment I've read in this thread.

Tough loss yesterday. Life moves on.

 

[GMUgemini]

Depends they finished 5th 3 times and 4 one time. Not sure 12-6 gets them top 3, think that’s rare. I don’t think 12-6 would be bad it just likely means no post season again. Maybe 5-8 is just what the expectation is.

a win Vs Odom and those clowns and who cares about anything else and it’s a successful season. When’s last time they won in Richmond? Tony’s senior year? Ha I’m sure that can’t be last time but feels like it. That win would make up for all the other crap like bricking 500000 billion foul shots.

You forgetting Ian Boyd’s buzzer beater (2018 season)? We also beat them in Richmond in the 2019-2020 season.

This year’s vcu team also isn’t unbeatable.

 

[Old Ram]

I still think the 4th spot is open. But unfortunately we play all four of the above on the road with no return game. Going to have to beat one of them to have a chance.

And to anyone lamenting a 12-6 finish. If we do finish with that record, a, it will be our best finish in the A10 to date and, b, probably be a top 4 record.

I guess the upside to this schedule is that our H&H’s are pretty pathetic- UR, URI, DAV and GW. Try to sweep as many of these games and beat the other Sisters of the Poor on our schedule and we may only need to win one of those four difficult road games.

Don‘t forget that most of those four schools are playing each other twice. They will have multiple losses. We just need to bank wins.