Game 21: GMU (12-8 / 4-3) at vcu (15-5 / 6-1) on Wednesday, January 25, at 7:00 PM.

[NewPatriot]

Yeah - I mean GW looks like they are now headed in the right direction with Caputo. Same thing with English and Mason.

With two local schools, Caputo's ties to Mason, etc, there is hope that something can really be built out. I'd love to have Mason/GW play for a 1st place spot or something of that ilk at some point.

GW students/alums care less about sports than our alums, so we'll see what materializes. It still could take years.

Until their fans start to take over Eaglebank like a JMU or vcu type crowd, and the product improves more, there won't be much of anything. Mason fans have taken over the Smith Center to some degree.

Don't you want patriots to take over EBA and keep the vcu fanbase out of seats?

 

[mkaufman1]

Don't you want patriots to take over EBA and keep the vcu fanbase out of seats?

I mean yes, but why would we think there’d be anything close to that at this juncture? Even on our best year it probably wouldn’t happen.

 

[DRK331]

I wish we could play vcu at EBA this year

 

[Where's the party?]

Mason has a few rivals regionally.

JMU is always the first one. We’ve played them the most.

beyond that, in my opinion, our rivals are

vcu
odu
gw
richmond

Everyone can argue since Mason has been stuck in our post L black hole, that we haven’t been relevant enough to be anyone’s rival. its true.

However, Mason has been playing these schools a lot over the years and they are close enough regionally to be a rival.

vcu fans can think that mason isn’t a rival but we are. Maybe not as much as Richmond or odu, but we are.

I think that GW can really become our new ”JMU” but neither team has been good on the court in years. Until that changes, it’s all just talk.

Agree with virtually everything you wrote. The JMU games were always great fun and I remember EBA being almost full for some of those games. We should replace ODU with JMU as a non-conference staple. I also think GW could become a natural rival given their proximity. Neither will replace the public school in Richmond for sheer hatred among the Mason faithful.

Wish and hope that we make it a good game. Still glad we don't have to play them at home this year. As others have said, you can't beat vcu without good guard play and "we ain't got no good guards"

GMU - 49
Hamburger U - 57

 

[TweederGMU]

Need Oduro to but his big boy pants on this game and come out aggressive. Need big games from our guards and three's to be on to beat this team. It's a tall order, but could be done. Can't turn the ball over more than 10 times and expect to win.

Scumbags of Richmond 70
Goodguys 72

 

[mkaufman1]

Agree with virtually everything you wrote. The JMU games were always great fun and I remember EBA being almost full for some of those games. We should replace ODU with JMU as a non-conference staple. I also think GW could become a natural rival given their proximity. Neither will replace the public school in Richmond for sheer hatred among the Mason faithful.

Wish and hope that we make it a good game. Still glad we don't have to play them at home this year. As others have said, you can't beat vcu without good guard play and "we ain't got no good guards"

GMU - 49
Hamburger U - 57

JMU seems like they have improved in basketball. I’d be fine with them on it but I also think our profile needs to go up too in general.

Unfortunately odu hasn’t and I don’t think we will see them on the schedule which is a good thing.

I’m hoping a rivalry comes out naturally. We’ve seen mason have some good games with St. Louis, St Joes, Umass over the years as well as the local programs we’ve mentioned but nothing has ever felt right. It’s probably because Mason hasn’t won much in general but hopefully that will be corrected at some point.

 

[tblack33]

vcu right on the edge of being a quad 1 game for us, to date we’ve had 1 quad 1 game and 1 quad 2 game, all others are 3/4. We are 0-2 in those games, with an average loss in the double digits.

 

[tblack33]

vcu right on the edge of being a quad 1 game for us, to date we’ve had 1 quad 1 game and 1 quad 2 game, all others are 3/4. We are 0-2 in those games, with an average loss in the double digits.

To be fair the sample size of two games with one being the Auburn beat down makes the average loss amount irrelevant statistically

 

[GSII]

Are we hunting on Wed? That's the real question. KE has said he don't understand this team when it's the hunted. But when we are the hunters, he has no issue with our approach. Another positive following the URI game. We shall see.

 

[psyclone]

Are we hunting on Wed? That's the real question. KE has said he don't understand this team when it's the hunted. But when we are the hunters, he has no issue with our approach. Another positive following the URI game. We shall see.

Got to be the hunters against vcu. Kenpom has us with only 2 "A tier" (top 50, taking into consideration home court) games remaining. We're 7 pt dogs on Wednesday and 8 pts at Dayton.

 

[GMUSSTN]

Got to be the hunters against vcu. Kenpom has us with only 2 "A tier" (top 50, taking into consideration home court) games remaining. We're 7 pt dogs on Wednesday and 8 pts at Dayton.

You say this like we're in the hunt for an at large bid...A tier games are a fart in the wind at this point. Just gotta beat all the other crabs in this bucket to a double bye.

 

[PDGL Hoops]

Road games are tough - not sure we pull this one out. Need to cut the turnovers down A LOT, control the pace of the game, and dominate the paint.

 

[mkaufman1]

Part of me thinks as always Mason will be ready to play, have a game plan that matches well to the opponent, and the game will be close.

vcu has been playing very good ball, they come in winning 11/12 at home (only loss at home was to Jacksonville) and 5 in a row and 10 of 11. They have settled in after a slow start that got many folks ready to send Rhoades out of town.

They have a transfer David Shriver who doesn't look like a traditional vcu player as he doesn't have lanky athleticism. He has been lights out from 3 in recent games shooting at a very high clip. Defensively he can be a liability, but he absolutely can shoot lights out. Whoever guards him will have his hands full.

Otherwise, they are led by Ace Baldwin who is a terrific PG and have Brandon Johns up front who is a transfer from Michigan. I obviously haven't dove into their roster so much but this will be a very tough challenge.

I expect to see Mason play like they did at St Louis and give their very best effort. I'm not sure it will be enough to take down vcu down.

vcu 72
Mason 66

 

[The Great PATSby]

I think Dinkins is going to have a larger role in this game because of vcu's press style defense. He's a better, more natural ball handler than Polite. This game is going to depend on how we can protect the ball.

 

[mkaufman1]

I think Dinkins is going to have a larger role in this game because of vcu's press style defense. He's a better, more natural ball handler than Polite. This game is going to depend on how we can protect the ball.

I don't think they are pressing as much these days. Now granted, maybe they press us because we are so turnover prone that they will try to force the issue with us. I definitely would like to see Dinkins take on more of a role to protect Polite and Singleton from dribbling which I am sure they will want.

 

[gmujim92]

I think Dinkins is going to have a larger role in this game because of vcu's press style defense. He's a better, more natural ball handler than Polite. This game is going to depend on how we can protect the ball.

While all of our guards are susceptible to turnovers, I’d be more comfortable with Polite and Singleton against vcu’s length and trapping. Don’t see this as a good matchup for Dinkins at this point in his development unless the other guys are throwing up all over themselves.

 

[DRK331]

I'm not sure if this is just for students or if anyone can join:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1613914080334446592

 

[thebiasedannouncer]

Folks we at GiantKiller want to hear your predictions for the vcu game for Joe's Preview podcast that'll be up on Wednesday morning. Comment on the below video and he'll read it out on the pod!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXc2GQWxmf0

 

[hoops10]

As indicated by others look for a major press on our guards. Polite, Singleton and Devins are in for a difficult night. Also expect them to double on Oduro, forcing outside shots. If Cooper, Bailey and Fernandez can get hot, maybe an outside chance. Also let Oduro facilitate outside and get the ball to Ojiako and Henry underneath. Of course subbing with Blake Jones isn't the answer. In any event if we play better defense and hit 12 threes we might have a chance.

 

[gmutom]

Breaking their press is an obvious key to this game, but I would argue that our defense and defensive rebounding are even more important. vcu's full-court press and half-court traps have always been predicated upon scoring. If they miss shots, they can't set up their press, and it gives us a chance to get out in transition and put them on their heels.

We want this game to be a rock fight in the 60s. If it's a high-scoring game, it will be a long ride back to Fairfax.