Game 29: GMU (22-6 / 13-2) at Duquesne (12-16 / 7-8) on Saturday, March 1, at 2:00 PM.

[Patriotsince81]

Patriots Drop Saturday Contest at Duquesne - George Mason University Athletics

The George Mason University men's basketball team (22-7, 13-3 A-10) could not overcome a hot-shooting Duquesne (13-16, 8-8) squad in an 85-68 loss to the Dukes on

gomason.com

 

[patriot2000]

Everyone has tape of the vcu game, and now this. Now the league knows how to beat us. Time for us to adjust and go on a run in the tournament!

 

[JimP]

Please adjust!

 

[Where's the party?]

GMU can't be knocked out of the NIT, can it?

If they are deciding between a .500 SEC or ACC team and a one and done Mason? You bet they can.

 

[GMU79]

If they are deciding between a .500 SEC or ACC team and a one and done Mason? You bet they can.

You are exactly right.

 

[Jack Strop]

Todays game As far as post season implications it’s irrelevant. They better figure out how to pass the ball or it’s 1 and down in DC.

You keep saying games are irrelevant. OK. OK. We GET IT! Mason has claimed the #2 seed in the A10T. We're all as mathematically inclined as you. Also, as a result of today's irrelevant loss, the "At-Large" thread is now locked. No point in discussing it further. So, please stop saying it.

But, wait a sec... these games ARE relevant after all. You say so in contradiction in the second sentence in your quote above. Mason has clearly taken time off the last two games. From the looks of it, the team has been reading your posts. The team now believes, "Games are irrelevant. Why play them???"

Mason needs to go into the A10T strong. They have some things to figure out. So, figure it all out now during these "irrelevant" games rather than 5 minutes to go in our quarter-final game two weeks from yesterday.

So, which is it?? Are these next few games irrelevant or useful???
Please tell us how you REALLY feel.

**********

The Duquesne game was a trap. Should've seen it coming. Pondering about Wednesday's inglorious victory over Fordham, I'm concluding that Fordham beat us today instead.

I recall many game-afters of a game like Fordham's being a similar sh!t show. In other words, Mason becomes gun-shy and worried about whistles for it's next game. Seen it far too often in all my years of watching Mason Basketball. That's my take and I'm sticking to it.

Skulk back home to prepare and play LaSalle and forget about this one. ( [aside:] ...only after Tony shows the team on video how awful they played today—then forget about it).

 

[Earl the Squirrel]

At least Sivka got a 3 pointer I guess

I'm telling you...Sivka is a key contributor next year and should be brought into the rotation now! This kid can light it up. At this point, I'm in favor of giving all of Zach's minutes to Sivka. How many times has Anderson received a pass with space, but the D closes and he's neutured and can't get off a shot. Sivka - b/c of his height has no such problem. They closed on him tonight and he still splashed a 3.

 

[nchocola]

#1 They need to stop turning the ball over. Period.

#2 Tony needs to simplify the offense. They need to start driving the basket again and crashing the offensive boards. They barely get any second chance opportunities these days. Stop passing the ball around the perimeter for 10-15 seconds and then looking for Haynes with 10 seconds left or just jacking up a bad shot.

 

[Leesburg Chankenstank III]

I love our defense but it’s clear that we cannot take the next step without some sort of coherent, deliberate offense.

It’s also why despite our gaudy win total we are rated so low on Kenpom and Net because even when we win, it is usually just getting by.

We simply need to take more shots and get more possessions per game.

These next two games will be a big test for CTS. We need to change our approach to some degree on offense.

 

[mkaufman1]

Playing Duquense is a horror show for us.

Mason hasn't beaten Duquense since 2017
Mason hasn't won in Pittsburgh since 2014.

None of this is an excuse to not play well, not defend etc. But Mason has a real issue playing Duquense, and we could see them again as our Friday tournament match up.

 

[FreeGunston12]

It was like we’ve reached the point where having a bunch of older guys may hurt us. Everybody was just pressing too hard to make something happen. Urgency can be good, but desperation is not.

I don’t know if the guys were feeling the pressure to keep any hope of an at large alive or chasing individual accolades / trying to put something on tape or what the problem was. Haynes again lacked patience early on, Maddox was launching shots off balance all game, Billups was playing too reckless on defense. Just a total lack of composure from the team.

 

[hoops10]

I just don't understand this repeated offensive weave that produces nothing. In fact the constant handing off the ball to someone speeding by is a recipe for turnovers. it seems pointless because after a series of passes someone has to decide what the hell to do to score. Results, Maddox is hardly ever getting open, he cross dribbles causing forced shots. Maddox needs set plays with screens so he can get open shots, not forced shots. When open Maddox is deadly. Newton gets a pass and he makes these spin moves toward the basket and boom, he loses the ball. Same goes for Haynes, comes to the top of the key and thinks he is a guard. Maybe Im all wet here. Its what i see. In any event, I agree with most, they need to make changes as competing teams have the tape. I still would start Billups instead of Anderson.

 

[GMUgemini]

I'm telling you...Sivka is a key contributor next year and should be brought into the rotation now! This kid can light it up. At this point, I'm in favor of giving all of Zach's minutes to Sivka. How many times has Anderson received a pass with space, but the D closes and he's neutured and can't get off a shot. Sivka - b/c of his height has no such problem. They closed on him tonight and he still splashed a 3.

It’s pretty amazing how gun shy Anderson had been most of the year, but I don’t think we’d like what our defense would look like if Sivka started played 23 mpg at the 4 all of a sudden.

I do think it might be worthwhile to have him come in for a few minutes (like 2-3) if our team is either struggling from 3 or can’t seem to get an open look from 3. Like you said at 6’11 it’s kind of hard to stop him getting a shot off and then other team will either have to use their big to guard him out there or give up a ton of length to protect the paint, which could open things up.

But I’d caution leaving him in there too long because he’ll try some stuff (like driving from the corner, which he did earlier in the season and turned it over immediately).

And yeah if he’s going to get 4-5 minutes per game it should probably come from Anderson’s spot. And if he doesn’t want to get taken out he should take some more shots when he’s open or find a way to crash the boards harder or something.

 

[GMUgemini]

I just don't understand this repeated offensive weave that produces nothing. In fact the constant handing off the ball to someone speeding by is a recipe for turnovers. it seems pointless because after a series of passes someone has to decide what the hell to do to score. Results, Maddox is hardly ever getting open, he cross dribbles causing forced shots. Maddox needs set plays with screens so he can get open shots, not forced shots. When open Maddox is deadly. Newton gets a pass and he makes these spin moves toward the basket and boom, he loses the ball. Same goes for Haynes, comes to the top of the key and thinks he is a guard. Maybe Im all wet here. Its what i see. In any event, I agree with most, they need to make changes as competing teams have the tape. I still would start Billups instead of Anderson.

Tunnel vision is what I would call it. No problem with Haynes getting it at the top of the key, but Anderson should be trying to post his man up and Newton should be trying to set a screen for O’Connor or Maddox to get open so Haynes has someone to pass it to.

And yes we should abandon the weave now that it’s not getting us any driving lanes.

 

[gmutom]

And yes we should abandon the weave now that it’s not getting us any driving lanes.

Adding salt to the wound, many of our unforced turnovers are because most of our players are just going through the motions with the weave and lazily throwing the ball to a spot rather than a player. Opponents don't even bother switching because they know nothing is going to come out of the wasted motion at the top of the key.

It's one thing if we were setting screens to set up backdoor cuts like Davidson or open looks for shooters like Maddox, Anderson, Woody and even O'Connor before he became gun-shy, but we have no plan other than eating a large chunk of the shot clock and then having to settle for a low-percentage shot.

 

[GMU79]

Adding salt to the wound, many of our unforced turnovers are because most of our players are just going through the motions with the weave and lazily throwing the ball to a spot rather than a player. Opponents don't even bother switching because they know nothing is going to come out of the wasted motion at the top of the key.

It's one thing if we were setting screens to set up backdoor cuts like Davidson or open looks for shooters like Maddox, Anderson, Woody and even O'Connor before he became gun-shy, but we have no plan other than eating a large chunk of the shot clock and then having to settle for a low-percentage shot.

If Tony or no one on the present staff know how to draw up offensive plays, AND get the players to execute them, maybe a new assistant needs to be brought in. If the current staff isn't the job done, Tony, find one who will.

 

[jruby]

He’s 4-5 now in his career. Maybe we should turn him into a Tim Burns role the last few games: toss him in for 2-3 minutes, try to get him a few open corner 3s and see if he can knock 1 or 2 down and then put him back on the bench to reload?

If they are deciding between a .500 SEC or ACC team and a one and done Mason? You bet they can.

It was like we’ve reached the point where having a bunch of older guys may hurt us. Everybody was just pressing too hard to make something happen. Urgency can be good, but desperation is not.

I don’t know if the guys were feeling the pressure to keep any hope of an at large alive or chasing individual accolades / trying to put something on tape or what the problem was. Haynes again lacked patience early on, Maddox was launching shots off balance all game, Billups was playing too reckless on defense. Just a total lack of composure from the team.

You keep saying games are irrelevant. OK. OK. We GET IT! Mason has claimed the #2 seed in the A10T. We're all as mathematically inclined as you. Also, as a result of today's irrelevant loss, the "At-Large" thread is now locked. No point in discussing it further. So, please stop saying it.

But, wait a sec... these games ARE relevant after all. You say so in contradiction in the second sentence in your quote above. Mason has clearly taken time off the last two games. From the looks of it, the team has been reading your posts. The team now believes, "Games are irrelevant. Why play them???"

Mason needs to go into the A10T strong. They have some things to figure out. So, figure it all out now during these "irrelevant" games rather than 5 minutes to go in our quarter-final game two weeks from yesterday.

So, which is it?? Are these next few games irrelevant or useful???
Please tell us how you REALLY feel.

**********

The Duquesne game was a trap. Should've seen it coming. Pondering about Wednesday's inglorious victory over Fordham, I'm concluding that Fordham beat us today instead.

I recall many game-afters of a game like Fordham's being a similar sh!t show. In other words, Mason becomes gun-shy and worried about whistles for it's next game. Seen it far too often in all my years of watching Mason Basketball. That's my take and I'm sticking to it.

Skulk back home to prepare and play LaSalle and forget about this one. ( [aside:] ...only after Tony shows the team on video how awful they played today—then forget about it).

1. The last 2 games do not have post season implications. If they lose all 3 and get left out of the NIT then you can say I was wrong. Until then I maintain the bubble is so insanely awful this year they will be perfectly fine. They had a great season already. It was nice going into Richmond with a ‘chance’ it’s been 14 years.

2. The acc is getting at most 7 teams in the post season. Whether that’s the NCAA or NIT they could turn them down and get as few as 5 or 6 but absolutely no more than 7. A GT or VT is not playing in NIT unless the top 2 say no to NIT.

3. They did the exact opposite of what I said, they ran O’Connor at the point for long stretches. They played no one off the bench till late. Begg did get some minutes but not anything majorly different than normal. No matter how you slice it, if you keep running O’Connor at the point it’s not going to work.

4. Why do they play them? Games aren’t predetermined. No one knew their games would not effect their seeding. Strange year in A10, major major problem with unbalanced scheduling.

5. Tony got out coached yesterday, and guys were tired and looked lost and out of it, it happens. Odom, Duquense and Rhode Island not many other games. Lot of bad coaches with talented teams like Anthony Grant and Billy Lange. Injuries killed teams like Loyola.

6. Do the games matter for pride and confidence ? 100%, but already said that. That’s why letting the starters just get killed was a mistake. Do they matter for the NCAA tournament or A10 tournament? No! They do matter for confidence so if their heads weren’t in it you pull them. Tony has to find a way to get them reengaged: this wasn’t a crazy bold prediction. I would have been happy to have been wrong.

7. At the end of the day again, either guys get healthy and back to 100% intensity or they lose. In an ideal world they figure out a way not to turn the ball over 500000 times, not only did they not change anything they got worse by letting same dudes do it over and over. O’Connor needs a mental reset period the end. He’s not horrible but right now he’s gone mentally.

8. KD needs to nut up, Maddox needs to figure out whatever is going on there.

9. I’m happy this was before last 2 games of season. Win at Richmond get up enough to get whole team in game early and get starters out then get ready for A10 tournament.

I’m going to bold prediction they win in DC. vcu gets upset. Tony saving it for DC.

 

[undertherock]

It's just a multitude of factors to go off that we have no offensive sets. I don't think BOC and Zach Anderson are good enough to be A10 players at least offensively. Motivation right now is a big problem these kids know the 1 seed became unattainable and they locked up the 2 seed and are now just going through the motions. It's a big job now by CTS to get these kids pumped up for the next 2 games.

 

[Where's the party?]

Do these guys need some rest? I mean they are mostly 4-5 year players, but aside from Billups and Maddox, didn't the rest of them play significantly lesser minutes last year? Maybe they are hitting the proverbial wall? I'm just spitballing here, but it may be a good idea to play the starters in the first half of the next two games and then bring in the gold squad. Focus on getting a crisp outing from the starters, and don't worry about the game result.

 

[GMUgemini]

Resting starters in any sport tends to backfire. Hopefully the second half against Duquesne and vcu has taught them that there is no real talent gap in this league and they can’t just “turn it on” and expect to overwhelm the other team.