Game 22: AT Virginia Commonwealth University, Saturday, February 2nd, 6:30 PM, NBCSN

[Washingtonian]

vcu comes into this game with a 14-6 record, 5-2 in the Atlantic 10 and a 10-1 home record. They have their "bye" week this week, after beating Duquesne (in Pittsburgh) 80-74 on Saturday.

The schedule is here: http://www.vcuathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2018-19/schedule
The roster is here: http://www.vcuathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2018-19/roster
The stats are here: http://www.vcuathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2018-19/files/teamcume.htm

Last season's box score from the game in Richmond is here (an 81-80 win, on Ian Boyd's buzzer beater): https://gomason.com/boxscore.aspx?id=8293&path=mbball

Marcus Evans is averaging 13.8 PPG, De'Riante Jenkins is averaging 12.0 PPG (9 points and 4 rebounds in last season's game), Isaac Vann is averaging 10.9 PPG (18 points and 6 rebounds in last season's game), and Marcus Santos-Silva is averaging 7.1 RPG. vcu is shooting 29.7% percent from 3 on the season. vcu has had 11 players play in at least 17 of 20 games this season.

vcu got their game thread started around 6 PM on Saturday and it is here: https://www.vcuramnation.com/forums...he-goomoo-patsies-in-the-animal-thread.17914/

Discuss.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

This will be a tough game - we have beaten them on their home floor before - but it depends on how tight we are on defense, free throws and post play.

It also depends on which vcu team shows up. They have had games where they look great and others where their defense has oddly disappeared. (Kinda like tonight for us).

 

[mkaufman1]

My brain

Mason 800
jani King janitors -2

My heart

Mason 68
vcu 61

We don’t like them and they don’t like us. They are always classy and apparently we are always animals.

The key is going to be getting into some rhythm on offense and continuing the defensive intensity. Keeping them under 70 will give mason a shot. Fortunately mason is a game up, but obviously this is a really big one to win.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

My brain

Mason 800
jani King janitors -2

My heart

Mason 68
vcu 61

The key is going to be getting into some rhythm on offense and continuing the defensive intensity. Keeping them under 70 will give mason a shot. Fortunately mason is a game up, but obviously this is a really big one to win.

The good news is this year we play them twice - so we can get two bites at them.


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[Mason2005]

F vcu. We might start off slow because we are not use to playing in HS gym but we'll be victorious in the end.

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[TweederGMU]

Soooooo cocky these rednecks, art majors, and McDonalds scum are. Otis is going to light them up!

Punch them in the face and never look back.

Goodguys 68
Scum of the Earth 64

 

[Pikapppatri8]

Soooooo cocky these rednecks, art majors, and McDonalds scum are. Otis is going to light them up!

Punch them in the face and never look back.

Goodguys 68
Scum of the Earth 64

I like the enthusiasm but this will be the toughest conference game to date.

Watching their game against Duquesne now. If we let them run uptempo not sure if we will have the same defensive success we have enjoyed to date. Jenkins (vcu) was running at Duquesne full tilt all night. Their post and paint play is sting but they are “ok” on the perimeter.

On the defensive side - vcu still looks strong with a softer version of “Havoc” - but it could cause us fits.




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[undertherock]

This will be my first time watching Mason at the Seigel Center. I really hope me and my wife aren't the only GMU fans there. Please come out in droves fellas it's only a 2 hour drive!

 

[Patriotsince81]

Well, since protocol has been ignored.......This will be another good road challenge in front a packed house of toothless, ignorant, and unwashed inhabitants of the art school we all hate. It's going to take 40 minutes of quality play, we can't just play a half and expect to win. GMU 66 - VCWho 64. A state of emergency is declared in Richmond after losing to us at home for the second year in a row.

 

[The Great PATSby]

McDonald’s night shift starts around 6pm so hopefully there will be a light crowd.

Like others have said, we’ll have to be on our A game to win against a good team in arguably the toughest places in the A10. I would rather rip my nails out with pliers while being motor boated by Big Red than to hear vcu chant “overrated.” So please boys, don’t let that happen.

 

[Copes4Three]

Another road challenge, hopefully the performance and composure carries over from Dayton. Prediction mason 69 vcu 66.

Question, if mason were to win out but lose in the championship round to either Saint Lous, Davison or vcu, would we be considered in the automatic bid? (at least near last 4 in). I know our OCC doesnt have a big win but I'm wondering how much our RPI would increase over the next few weeks

 

[JPgmuswim]

Anyone else planning on coming down for the game? I’d love to see some more green in the crowd. The local Mason Alumni group is having a get together beforehand in Scott’s Addition starting at 2. Lots of breweries within walking distance to visit.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

Another road challenge, hopefully the performance and composure carries over from Dayton. Prediction mason 69 vcu 66.

Question, if mason were to win out but lose in the championship round to either Saint Lous, Davison or vcu, would we be considered in the automatic bid? (at least near last 4 in). I know our OCC doesnt have a big win but I'm wondering how much our RPI would increase over the next few weeks

I am hoping this is a road game where we are more balanced and can step on it offensively. If we would have beaten K-State and Davidson, and not lost to American. I think we could be. But I personally think we need to win in the A-10 tourney.

 

[GMUgemini]

Another road challenge, hopefully the performance and composure carries over from Dayton. Prediction mason 69 vcu 66.

Question, if mason were to win out but lose in the championship round to either Saint Lous, Davison or vcu, would we be considered in the automatic bid? (at least near last 4 in). I know our OCC doesnt have a big win but I'm wondering how much our RPI would increase over the next few weeks

I don't know, we are still hovering around 140 RPI and 130 NET rating despite all of our winning. Our early losses are not doing us any favors: Penn, American, and Georgia Southern all having fairly mediocre seasons and are anchors around our necks at this point. The Baylor, Vermont, and Kansas State losses were opportunities we just couldn't afford to miss on all three (had we taken one or two this season is different).

Now, we haven't beaten any of the other top 4 teams yet in conference so I don't know what would happen with those above numbers if we go 17-1, but I suspect we'd be NIT bound if we failed in the conference tournament to get the auto-bid no matter what we do in conference.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

I don't know, we are still hovering around 140 RPI and 130 NET rating despite all of our winning. Our early losses are not doing us any favors: Penn, American, and Georgia Southern all having fairly mediocre seasons and are anchors around our necks at this point. The Baylor, Vermont, and Kansas State losses were opportunities we just couldn't afford to miss on all three (had we taken one or two this season is different).

Now, we haven't beaten any of the other top 4 teams yet in conference so I don't know what would happen with those above numbers if we go 17-1, but I suspect we'd be NIT bound if we failed in the conference tournament to get the auto-bid no matter what we do in conference.

Solid post - and spot on. If we won three of those notable losses - we are in better shape.

Lets just take this one game at a time. Focus solely on vcu.

 

[mkaufman1]

I don't know, we are still hovering around 140 RPI and 130 NET rating despite all of our winning. Our early losses are not doing us any favors: Penn, American, and Georgia Southern all having fairly mediocre seasons and are anchors around our necks at this point. The Baylor, Vermont, and Kansas State losses were opportunities we just couldn't afford to miss on all three (had we taken one or two this season is different).

Now, we haven't beaten any of the other top 4 teams yet in conference so I don't know what would happen with those above numbers if we go 17-1, but I suspect we'd be NIT bound if we failed in the conference tournament to get the auto-bid no matter what we do in conference.

I agree with you. Even in the miracle that they went 17 and 1 I think they’d be NIT bound. But you never know, maybe with playing such good basketball someone gives them a chance at first four. I of course don’t think 17 and 1 is realistic.

Anyway back to vcu

 

[Pikapppatri8]

Its interesting to watch their game against Duqeusne and see how their offense played against a good team. Two players stood out for me - Jenkins and Silva (post play). Jenkins is dangerous when hot.

Silva is going to have to be contained by Rueter. Both are similarly sized and play the same type of game. Reuter will have to work to get him out of position for his shots like he did Holloway at UMASS.

Again - vcu can get cold on perimeter shots and we should look to keep them to the outside and date them to beat us on threes. Dangerous in a game at their place - but probably best bet.

 

[gmubrian]

I love this post: https://www.vcuramnation.com/forum...atsies-in-the-animal-thread.17914/post-879525

Everyone else on that thread is pretending that Mason sucks, but one of their “Top Members” accidentally admits that we are the better team. Too funny.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

I love this post: https://www.vcuramnation.com/forums/threads/the-official-beat-the-goomoo-patsies-in-the-animal-thread.17914/post-879525

Everyone else on that thread is pretending that Mason sucks, but one of their “Top Members” accidentally admits that we are the better team. Too funny.

Brian - maybe you can translate the post because I cannot understand that he is afraid of receiving a blowout from us - or that he hopes their team clicks and blows us out. The sentence structure and grammar is difficult to decipher.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

I love this post: https://www.vcuramnation.com/forums/threads/the-official-beat-the-goomoo-patsies-in-the-animal-thread.17914/post-879525

Everyone else on that thread is pretending that Mason sucks, but one of their “Top Members” accidentally admits that we are the better team. Too funny.

To be honest and fair - we don't suck but are solid with flashes of being really good. Consistency is the issue (re: OOC play and sometimes going cold on offense - yesterday). vcu is about the same. They aren't unbeatable but they are good and have flashes of really great play. And they have been inconsistent in offensive performance.

So in this kind of match up - -- it is a crapshoot. From a talent and experience perspective - we are a more complete team than last year. So we can win on their court - its isn't guaranteed.