Game 31: University of Richmond, Saturday, March 3rd, 7 PM, MASN

[dr. gunnie]

Good news is as the #5 seed, if we can win the first game, we will be wearing our green uniforms against St Joes. That always seems to work out well.

 

[Leesburg Chankenstank III]

A month ago some people were just hoping to stay out of the PIG. Those same people are now trying to find ways of discrediting a final finish of 5th place. That really says all you need to know about the fickle nature of sports fans ....... and their short memories.

With everything we have going against us on paper:

• short 8 man roster,
• 4 freshmen (two starting freshmen) playing significant minutes.
• Grayer knee issues that he never seemed to fully recover from
• Otis needing to play insane amount of minutes to the point of exhaustion

This team dug in and played through so much because they have a coach they’d be willing to play their hearts out for.

But no, The reason was we got lucky becuause of a favorable schedule and timely injuries to our opponents. Yea that’s what it was because you know we had no injuries ourselves.

 

[Washingtonian]

The Washington Post is too lazy to send a reporter to Fairfax, but Richmond does.
http://www.richmond.com/sports/coll...cle_a042fe9d-9b65-5d49-a0b3-5c3e4191c168.html

 

[gmubrian]

I’ll take the blame for the loss as that was the first game I watched this season. I obviously jinxed them.

 

[FreeGunston12]

A month ago some people were just hoping to stay out of the PIG. Those same people are now trying to find ways of discrediting a final finish of 5th place. The really says all you need to know about the fickle nature of sports fans ....... and their short memories.

With everything we have going against us on paper:

• short 8 man roster,
• 4 freshmen (two starting freshmen) playing significant minutes.
• Grayer knee issues that he never seemed to fully recover from
• Otis needing to play insane amount of minutes to the point of exhaustion

This team dug in and played through so much because they have a coach they’d be willing to play their hearts out for.

But no, The reason was we got lucky becuause of a favorable schedule and timely injuries to our opponents. Yea that’s what it was because you know we had no injuries ourselves.

Other than maybe Jim, you won’t find a bigger fan of Paulsen than me. But if you honestly think fortune didn’t favor us this season, I respectfully disagree.

AJ missed a couple of games due to the flu and part of a game due to head injury. Grayer missed 1 game and dealt with a nagging foot sprain that is a much more significant injury than most people realize. Still, that’s a pretty healthy season, especially for an 8 man roster.

And it’s not to discredit our team, they did a hell of a job for playing on such an inexperienced, short-handed roster.

I guess my point is: I’m feeling fortunate to have buzzer-beaten our way into the 5 seed with a 9-9 conference record. I think our record more accurately describes us than our seed, and I wouldn’t call us significant favorites on Thursday no matter who we play. This season isn’t over, and I would feel a whole lot better after a win in the A-10 tournament. That’s all I’m asking for. Otherwise, this hard-fought season would end on a down note.

Either way, we all know next year is promising. I called posters crazy for doubting that just last week. We don’t need to add a bunch of other pieces. We will have the experience and depth needed to compete with the top of the A-10.

 

[GMUgemini]

I didn’t say every single shot was highly contested, and I didn’t say that they are a great team. If you don’t understand the concept of a team getting hot for a game then you don’t understand basketball- sometimes it just happens.

I watched the game on TV so maybe I saw it different, but they were consistently hitting very difficult shots all game. Good for them. I wish we won. On to the tournament!

I understand a team getting hot, but if a team is hitting 65% from the floor for the entire game and hitting difficult shots, it's because we gave them way too many easy looks and now they're swinging their dicks around and having fun.

We're going to have to figure out something different to do to stop Sherod next season. He scored 60 points over 2 games against us this year.

 

[Cedric Dempsey]

Just a few observations from the cheap seats.

- There is program growth and obvious player development despite the ‘win now’ frustration of many.
- DP and staff are executing a long term plan for stability and culture despite the ‘win now’ frustration of many.
- BE understands the importance of culture and process better than anyone, despite the ‘win now’ frustration of many.
- DP is adapting to the A10 style of disparate coaching, recruitment and institutional philosophies (read vcu).
- It appears that Mason has kicked up the funding for facilities and program support. EBA, band, practice facility, locker room upgrade (from video).
- Really likeable kids.

I remain all in on the vision.

 

[GMUgemini]

Just a few observations from the cheap seats.

- There is program growth and obvious player development despite the ‘win now’ frustration of many.
- DP and staff are executing a long term plan for stability and culture despite the ‘win now’ frustration of many.
- BE understands the importance of culture and process better than anyone, despite the ‘win now’ frustration of many.
- DP is adapting to the A10 style of disparate coaching, recruitment and institutional philosophies (read vcu).
- It appears that Mason has kicked up the funding for facilities and program support. EBA, band, practice facility, locker room upgrade (from video).
- Really likeable kids.

I remain all in on the vision.

All solid points.

I think the question is what is the ceiling for this team over the next two seasons? Next year Grayer and Otis will be seniors. The year after that, Kier, Boyd, and Reuter will be seniors.

Question 1: are the reinforcements brought in next year enough to get us over the hump in what will most likely be an improved A-10?

Question 2: Can the following season's team overcome the loss of Otis and keep whatever momentum we might have going?

I'm totally for being patient, but if by the end of year 5 we're still hovering around a .500 team in conference and somewhere between a 6-8 seed, one has to then wonder if Paulsen is the guy who can take us to the next step?

I'm totally behind Paulsen, but I'm also taking a let's wait and see approach.

 

[Quentin Daniels]

If you told me at the before the first game of the season I could have Mason as the #5 seed and vcu as the #8 seed after beating them on Senior night in their own house I’d not have hesitated to take it.

Anyone fan who tells you they’d have chosen different is lying or a schmuck. Probably both.


Also, Basset Hounds are the Gunston mascots of the canine world.

 

[CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY]

The potential is there and we clearly showed improvement. All I care about.

Obviously fortunate to finish fifth. We've had a lot of luck. But to even be in the position to receive that luck says something.

Next year I expect much more, from the get go. Hopefully depth improves our defense because even with Reuter and a year of improvement this bunch of guys isn't nearly explosive enough to get away with the D we showed this year.

 

[patriot2000]

I'm going to agree with, and riff off of, what Jollay just said about luck. Luck happens, one way or the other, to every team. Some capitalize on it better than others. We took what we got and made something out of it. We had unexpected transfers, lingering symptoms of an old virus, and some minor but nagging injuries. We also had a desirable league schedule and some good luck with others' injuries. We turned it into a top 5 finish. Laranaga would have, too. Hewitt would have had us in the bottom 4.

The same luck that, in 06, gave us two overrated teams in the early rounds and home games against the two good teams we faced could have put us out on the west coast, had us facing Florida early, or any number of other things. Slightly different luck and we'd be just another good program that never made a final 4. Did luck get us a final 4? No, the most balanced attack we've ever had with the best defense we've ever played did. But you're a fool if you don't think a little different luck could have sent us home a round or two earlier. Every national champion had some luck that got them there. Every "Overall One Seed" that didn't even make the Elite 8 had some luck that stopped them. So what?

What happened, happened. Every year DP has been here, we've finished higher I, the standings than the year before.

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[MASONscott]

Happy this team exceeded expectations. Really fun group to cheer for despite being sub 200 in RPI.

Everyone keeps saying the A10 will be better next year. Aren’t Rhode Island, St Bonn. and Davidson’s starters senior laden? Not sure why we can’t look to next year with two senior guards, chemistry and a little talent infusion with optimism.
Meaning we could be part of why the A10 is better.


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[MasonSAE4]

Happy this team exceeded expectations. Really fun group to cheer for despite being sub 200 in RPI.

Everyone keeps saying the A10 will be better next year. Aren’t Rhode Island, St Bonn. and Davidson’s starters senior laden? Not sure why we can’t look to next year with two senior guards, chemistry and a little talent infusion with optimism.
Meaning we could be part of why the A10 is better.


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Davidson loses Aldridge but not much else of their core. URI and SBU become winnable games, but not gimme games in the way GW and I suspect vcu may be next year. For all the talk this year of the A10 being self-canabalizing, I think next year stands to be even worse. There probably won’t be a clear cut front runner in the way we had this year. And no one from the bottom of the standings is going to get much worse, GW aside. I think it’s gonna be an absolute car wreck in the upper middle part of the standings next year.

 

[MasonSAE4]

The potential is there and we clearly showed improvement. All I care about.

Obviously fortunate to finish fifth. We've had a lot of luck. But to even be in the position to receive that luck says something.

Next year I expect much more, from the get go. Hopefully depth improves our defense because even with Reuter and a year of improvement this bunch of guys isn't nearly explosive enough to get away with the D we showed this year.

Reuters big contribution will be allowing us to not double the post. Hopefully with guys much closer to their man other teams won’t get nearly the same open looks we gave up this year.

 

[GMU1983]

Yes Reuter will make the difference next year! Doubling the post and lack of depth killed us all year!

 

[patriot2000]

Happy this team exceeded expectations. Really fun group to cheer for despite being sub 200 in RPI.

Everyone keeps saying the A10 will be better next year. Aren’t Rhode Island, St Bonn. and Davidson’s starters senior laden? Not sure why we can’t look to next year with two senior guards, chemistry and a little talent infusion with optimism.
Meaning we could be part of why the A10 is better.


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The A10 as a whole will be better, and yes we will be a part of that. I think we will see better parity next year. It's gonna be a slog. But I'm looking forward to it.

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[MasonCrew]

We're gonna be good next year, and I think one of the preseason top 4 teams. I was bummed about this loss, but also kind of expected it. All in all this season has surpassed all of my expectations. Would love to get a win in DC, but am also content with how this season has played out.

 

[Cedric Dempsey]

All solid points.

I think the question is what is the ceiling for this team over the next two seasons? Next year Grayer and Otis will be seniors. The year after that, Kier, Boyd, and Reuter will be seniors.

Question 1: are the reinforcements brought in next year enough to get us over the hump in what will most likely be an improved A-10?

Question 2: Can the following season's team overcome the loss of Otis and keep whatever momentum we might have going?

I'm totally for being patient, but if by the end of year 5 we're still hovering around a .500 team in conference and somewhere between a 6-8 seed, one has to then wonder if Paulsen is the guy who can take us to the next step?

I'm totally behind Paulsen, but I'm also taking a let's wait and see approach.

If DP got 5 more, then BE is in it for the long haul. I also can’t imagine anyone more competitive than he and his sidekick DG. I think they understand process.

 

[sleeperpick]

Davidson loses Aldridge but not much else of their core. URI and SBU become winnable games, but not gimme games in the way GW and I suspect vcu may be next year. For all the talk this year of the A10 being self-canabalizing, I think next year stands to be even worse. There probably won’t be a clear cut front runner in the way we had this year. And no one from the bottom of the standings is going to get much worse, GW aside. I think it’s gonna be an absolute car wreck in the upper middle part of the standings next year.

Davidson loses like 4 of their 8 players that get minutes. Kellan Grady is good but no way Davidson is better than us next year

 

[MasonSAE4]

Davidson loses like 4 of their 8 players that get minutes. Kellan Grady is good but no way Davidson is better than us next year

I wouldn't say better, but they won't be a bad team. Considering we have to go there next year, I wouldn't take them lightly. Like I said, A10 is gonna be a ton of teams hovering around the same record.