Game 23 HOMECOMING: GMU (12-10 / 5-4) vs vcu (15-7 / 8-3) on Saturday, February 12 at 4PM.

[JimP]

Well - throw out the vcu numbers on offense - they look pretty good today.

And 3 of those wins are in Richmond, somehow.

Weird stat...

 

[mkaufman1]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1492646452107124742

View: https://twitter.com/RamboRowdy/status/1492646452107124742?t=UeUTPxb2IRMyLwgqrjGiWw&s=19



Apparently vcu came in with extra motivation.

I don’t condone behavior like this at all and there’s bad eggs in every fanbase. But I’m not sure why vcu fans act so surprised when it happens to their team and that’s why they play so well or something. Would it be better if mason rolled out a red carpet to confuse them? Lol

 

[NewPatriot]

I don’t condone behavior like this at all and there’s bad eggs in every fanbase. But I’m not sure why vcu fans act so surprised when it happens to their team and that’s why they play so well or something. Would it be better if mason rolled out a red carpet to confuse them? Lol

I am not trying to make a point. I jiust happen to read this and found it interesting dynamic to this game.

Some Mason fans pissed off the team as they got off the bus; the rams used it as "bulletin board" material.

 

[mkaufman1]

I am not trying to make a point. I jiust happen to read this and found it interesting dynamic to this game.

Some Mason fans pissed off the team as they got off the bus; the rams used it as "bulletin board" material.

Yeah I know they always like to use this, but I find it hard to believe that this is the only time they got disrespected. It’s just easy to point to it and say “motivation”. Fact is they just outplayed mason and mason played like crap.

 

[NewPatriot]

Yeah I know they always like to use this, but I find it hard to believe that this is the only time they got disrespected. It’s just easy to point to it and say “motivation”. Fact is they just outplayed mason and mason played like crap.

Definitely not the main reason. But a component.

I think had more to do with playing a team with an inferior defense the last 2 game (UR) and sub consciously expecting thinking it would be enough to get past a defense like vcu.

The same thing happened to vcu. vcu wins a 2 pt game in richmond then plays with same intensity the follwing game at home and Dayton clocks them by 30 pts!

I think Mason will use this as a wake up call and take it out on st. Joe's.

 

[illayin]

Yeah I know they always like to use this, but I find it hard to believe that this is the only time they got disrespected. It’s just easy to point to it and say “motivation”. Fact is they just outplayed mason and mason played like crap.

You're right that the "bulletin board" material didn't win the game for them by any means.

But Mason had at least 5 threes rim out and vcu had a bunch of shots bounce in. There were bad turnovers for us and some bad breakdowns on D for sure...lots where they didn't rotate quickly enough to the perimeter and obviously the wide open cuts, but I don't think Mason played like complete crap. A few of those threes don't rattle out and Mason was basically even with them.

They are very aggressive on defense as always, so it was going to be a sloppy game, but I do not think we could have expected much better on offense...they just exposed our weaknesses.

 

[Earl the Squirrel]

Definitely not the main reason. But a component.

I think had more to do with playing a team with an inferior defense the last 2 game (UR) and sub consciously expecting thinking it would be enough to get past a defense like vcu.

The same thing happened to vcu. vcu wins a 2 pt game in richmond then plays with same intensity the follwing game at home and Dayton clocks them by 30 pts!

I think Mason will use this as a wake up call and take it out on st. Joe's.

We knew with their D (9th best in the country) it was going to be difficult. We make a few more 3s, they miss a few, and we take care of the ball, the results would be very different. We can turn the tables on them in Richmond.

 

[psyclone]

post-game press conference:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=641778373599730

View: https://www.facebook.com/MasonAthletics/videos/641778373599730/

 

[NewPatriot]

We knew with their D (9th best in the country) it was going to be difficult. We make a few more 3s, they miss a few, and we take care of the ball, the results would be very different. We can turn the tables on them in Richmond.

Also, mason went 1-7 from the ft line in one strerch in the second half. Make those 6 and its a 2 posession game.

 

[DRK331]

It always sucks to lose to vcu.

This team depends on the starting 5 to do pretty much everything. But keep in mind, this is only Year #1 of the Kim English era. Kim English said during the post game press conference after the second Richmond game, that Mason will have depth in the future. Year #3, year #4, and year #5 of Kim English is going to be much better and deeper, so I'm excited for the future of Mason basketball.

 

[Junkees9]

I have to give vcu credit as they played a very good game. However, this is probably the first game I've seen this year where I thought Mason lacked intensity and drive. It seemed the overall effort was subpar. Not sure why that is but this game had a different intangible feel to it and it was not positive.

 

[gmujim92]

Felt like the guys were flat and at least a step slow most of the game, but vcu also played as well as it possibly could have on offense. Even with Mason’s poor defense, their players deserve credit for making the open shots when they got them.

 

[TweederGMU]

The presser makes me freaking sick. Yea Josh.... you need to step the F up in a heated rivalry game like this and take no prisoners. Praising the other teams bigs on defending you is something you need to not dispose publicly... a phrase you should of used is I'm going to be a junk yard dog and come bite their heads off and go right at them next time is what we need to hear. Ward is a pussy.

His timidness is getting old. Time to grow the F up and be that dominant player every damn game! Especially against an average vcu team at home. Jesus H Christ.

 

[MasonSAE4]

The presser makes me freaking sick. Yea Josh.... you need to step the F up in a heated rivalry game like this and take no prisoners. Praising the other teams bigs on defending you is something you need to not dispose publicly... a phrase you should of used is I'm going to be a junk yard dog and come bite their heads off and go right at them next time is what we need to hear. Ward is a pussy.

His timidness is getting old. Time to grow the F up and be that dominant player evert damn game! Especially against an average vcu team at home. Jesus H Christ.

He had 18 points. Was it his best game? No. But if your issue is with anything out of the almost literally zero production from our bench, or our defense, I don't know what to tell you.

 

[TweederGMU]

He had 18 points. Was it his best game? No. But if your issue is with anything out of the almost literally zero production from our bench, or our defense, I don't know what to tell you.

He had a solid game. Never questioned his output tonight. But our offense flows through him.

I don't want him up there stating the other team shut him down.... say the team had a tough fight and our shooting needs to be better ALL AROUND. He needs to learn to take responsibility and state that this won't happen again in our house and lead his team in to getting better or trying to get better and go after teams moving forward. Thats what leaders do.

 

[MasonMojo]

Morning after..and it still sucks. Good news is we get one more shot at striking them down and possibly another should we meet in the tournament.

 

[GSII]

Schwartz tanks, team tanks. That simple. Anyone else goes missing and we are in the game atleast.

 

[CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY]

Hey Man.....I feel a little bad about calling you a buttmunch. Apologies, I should only really be using that language with Jollay.....As an old school CAAZone poster, I guess I'm still a little salty about the Samnang takeover on the vcu boards back in the old days.

Hoping for a fun and injury free game, also...feel free to keep @duncanlamb full time. We'll take him on alternating weekends. We'll pick him up at the Chick-fil-A near Fourmile Fork as that is the halfway point between RVa and Fairfax. Make sure he has clean underwear and his prescription foot powder.

Also, @CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY , stop being such a buttmunch.

I was so confused reading this post yesterday hammered...makes more sense this morning.

Just an old vcu friend saying hello!

Hello!

 

[Where's the party?]

I really hate watching another loss to vcu. I have to agree with several of the above posts in stating the obvious - Schwartz and Oduro had bad games. Yes, Oduro got 18 points but many of those were easy layups in mop-up time when vcu was just milking the clock. Oduro missed several open layups early in the game and Schwartz missed wide open threes. If those two have bad games (it happens) we have no chance.

On the bright side (such as it is) XJ did a pretty good job bring the ball up the court on the inbounds. I was truly expecting lots of turnovers/layups in the backcourt and that didn't happen. I'd also like to see Kim tell Cooper to shoot it or pass it, but stop the out of control charges to the basket. He's just not a good enough ball handler to pull it off. Lastly, free throw shooting will doom this team in tournament play.

Will enjoy what's left of this season but I'm already looking forward to next year with the already commits and the possibility of 3-4 more.

 

[mkaufman1]

If yesterday was the worst game of the Kim English era, then so be it. Lets hope it is. I just overall was disappointed with how the guys played especially defensively. vcu is playing some really good ball now and probably had one of their best offense games of the season, but its still no excuse to give them the opportunity to shoot wide open threes and drive into the paint at will. On offense, they denied Mason to get any flow and it led to a lot of 1 on 1 play instead of spacing and ball movement.

That said, Mason gets a rematch and I expect them to play much better.

It would be nice at some point of our lives to see Mason beat vcu in Fairfax. 2 wins over the last decade is not good at all. 2012 and 2016. Some of the losses have been downright bad as well.