Mason is 203rd in pace and GW is 300th. This game should be slow. Some other notes:
- The three-ball is the only thing that keeps GW's offense afloat. They are 288th in FG% at the rim and 225th in FG% on 2 point jumpers, but they hit 36% of their threes (138th), and 40.6% of their shots come from three. Mason defends the perimeter exceptionally well as opponents hit 31% of their threes, 32nd in the country.
- On the other side, GW is very good at protecting the rim (98th in opponent FG%) and Mason is very good at finishing (51st in FG% at the rim). GW is awful at defending the perimeter, as opponents hit 38.1% of attempts, 313th in the country. Mason is near the bottom of the country in three-point attempts (331st) so this isn't really the sort of thing we're built to take advantage of.
Otherwise, the teams are similar stylistically. Both get to the free-throw line a lot, both keep opponents off the line, and both are top-30 in the country in total rebound rate. Neither forces many turnovers, but GW is really bad at turning the ball over (313th in the country). They'll probably help Mason here.
If Mason keeps the rebounding battle close and keeps GWs three-point shooting in check, this is a very winnable game. Since Otis's dad and I have made peace and GW can't defend the three, I predict Otis breaks out of his funk.
