Game 30: GMU (17-12 / 9-7) vs Fordham (23-6 / 11-5) on Wednesday, March 1, at 7:00 PM.

[Jack Strop]

Raise your hand if you were ready to somehow jump on the court and fight Fordham tonight.

:raises hand:

(Yes thats how I felt from 250 miles away)

Call it what it is... "BASKETBRAWL"!

 

[Jack Strop]

Whom ever was chanting “Fire Paulsen” at the end of the game… come on yall, we’re better than that. Once a Patriot Always A Patriot.

I admit it... it was Sleeperpick.

 

[mkaufman1]

I admit it... it was Sleeperpick.

Lol it was not him but funny

 

[psyclone]

Lol I agree to an extent. Typically I agree we should show class. But I’m happy to see some passion/venom from the fans

Same guy that is always demonstrative standing/hollering at the refs. More than a bit over the top to be hollering "Fire Paulsen".

Paulsen, in my opinion is a decent guy and worthy of respect. I was pleased to see him seek out Josh during the warm-ups and give him a hug (this was shortly after the senior night presentations). Also good to see Paulsen and English sharing a hug and engaging in an extended conversation with each other before the game.

 

[GMU79]

Same guy that is always demonstrative standing/hollering at the refs. More than a bit over the top to be hollering "Fire Paulsen".

Paulsen, in my opinion is a decent guy and worthy of respect. I was pleased to see him seek out Josh during the warm-ups and give him a hug (this was shortly after the senior night presentations). Also good to see Paulsen and English sharing a hug and engaging in an extended conversation with each other before the game.

I agree.

 

[tblack33]

Same guy that is always demonstrative standing/hollering at the refs. More than a bit over the top to be hollering "Fire Paulsen".

Paulsen, in my opinion is a decent guy and worthy of respect. I was pleased to see him seek out Josh during the warm-ups and give him a hug (this was shortly after the senior night presentations). Also good to see Paulsen and English sharing a hug and engaging in an extended conversation with each other before the game.

FWIW I didn’t hear anything other than a few suck on that’s after 2 made FTs directed that way but may have been on the other side of what was surprisingly a very loud EBA tonight. I think the best FU we can give to Paulsen is to just be more successful than he was able to be here, and I think we are getting that so it certainly warms my heart.

 

[MASONscott]

Missed the game live but caught it on Memorex.. Photo courtesy of a text from JasDad. Fwiw I do like Dave and wish him the best.

 

[Patriot Lawdog]

A knock down drag out brawl that we won by being tough and making key FTs without our 2 best players. Crazy that I thought Ronnie was doing exactly what he should in forcing his way to the basket at the end of regulation and OT and got zero calls, and despite that, he kept coming and nailed that key jumper in OT. The boys are officially battling and it’s great to see.

 

[MASONscott]

Rock fight reminiscent of old ODU and UNCW games in the CAA days. Ugggglllleee.

But a good win!

 

[Earl the Squirrel]

No FG’s for Fordham in the last…… 16:53 of the half

I expected to see more discussion on this very point. I was at the game so don't know what Rowland and Esherick had to say while it was happening, but I do not recall ever seeing a team fail to put the ball in the basket for THAT long. Plus, it took Fordham over a minute before they made their first FG in the 2nd half.

To put this in perspective, in January, 2013 Eastern Washington set a record for futility in Div I hoops by scoring just two (2) field goals the entire first half in a game against Dayton. They went 2-25 from the floor -- pretty much in line with Fordham's numbers during the first half of tonight's game.

We all know our defense has been a strength of late and is winning us games, but what we saw during the first half should not be glossed over. I'm sure it (fewest FGs allowed in a 1st half) is a Mason record in the shot clock era and just shows you what this team is capable of, and against a tough-minded Fordham team, no less.

Very reminiscent of the game we won against UNC Wilmington 35-33 in 2001, which sent us to our first NCAA tournament game under coach L. Defense was also a hallmark of our 2006 squad.

Makes me start thinking crazy, titillating thoughts about our prospects moving forward and what this team is capable of. Haven't had these feelings since 2011 when we won 16 straight.

 

[Earl the Squirrel]

A knock down drag out brawl that we won by being tough and making key FTs without our 2 best players. Crazy that I thought Ronnie was doing exactly what he should in forcing his way to the basket at the end of regulation and OT and got zero calls, and despite that, he kept coming and nailed that key jumper in OT. The boys are officially battling and it’s great to see.

Ronnie willed us to the W in OT, no question. Singleton was great and a real difference-maker for us, as well. Nice to know this team can lean on its defense to keep us in games, even when our best weapon in parked on the bench.

The way we are playing this team is D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S. Get Bailey back and look out.

With that said, I would like to see us close Richmond out with a relatively TO-free, solid double-digit win, before I get too over-the-top.

 

[MasonFanatic]

Haven't heard a crowd at EBA stay that engaged for that long at a time (last 3 or 4 minutes of regulation and the entire OT was rowdy every defensive possession) in more than a few years. Awesome to see/hear/feel.

 

[MasonFanatic]

How to make a college basketball game last 3 hours.

A book by Teddy Valentine

 

[BBride]

 

[BBride]

Last game of the year for me. Those going on the road at Richmond and to Brooklyn, have a blast! Stand and scream loud and bring home a title!

 

[jessej]

Last game of the year for me. Those going on the road at Richmond and to Brooklyn, have a blast! Stand and scream loud and bring home a title!

Thank you for all you do

 

[jessej]

After the game

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1631140324327280640

View: https://twitter.com/i/status/1631140324327280640

 

[Patriotsince81]

"That was a hard-fought Atlantic 10 game against a very good ballclub that's 100% bought in to who they are and their identity - but so are we," head coach Kim English said. "We can play any style against anyone. They present some challenges and play a defense that's hard to mimic. But our guys did a great job of finding a way to win. No matter what the conditions are, that's how we like it."

 

[gmujim92]

"That was a hard-fought Atlantic 10 game against a very good ballclub that's 100% bought in to who they are and their identity - but so are we," head coach Kim English said. "We can play any style against anyone. They present some challenges and play a defense that's hard to mimic. But our guys did a great job of finding a way to win. No matter what the conditions are, that's how we like it."

“No matter what the conditions are, that’s how we like it.”

When is the last time our coach could make this statement and we all knew in our bones that it was dead on true?

The word MINDSET is getting tossed around a lot these days, but when you can get a group of people to buy in and genuinely believe that you will find a way to be successful, no matter what, that is powerful stuff.

There is something special happening with this team. They have finally embraced the spirit of physical and mental toughness Kim has been demanding since Day 1. No excuses, no BS, just dig in and get the effing job done whatever it takes.

This is a program culture we can all rock with.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

DP must have experienced some interesting emotions coming back to the PatDome and losing against his old team. Hope there was vodka in that Mountain Dew.