Game 4: California State University, Northridge (CSUN), Saturday, November 18th, 6 PM, A-10 Network

[masonjoe]

True, but Coastal Carolina is the #5 team in the country right now. Using the RPI to determine how good a team is this early is misleading either way.

When using Kenpom, which is better anyway, Coastal is # 193

 

[GMU1983]

Can’t the student section and the green machine get on the same page?


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Yes you are correct it is driving me crazy. if they coordinated it would be so much louder!! Ridiculous that a cheerleader or someone cannot cordinate this..

 

[GMUgemini]

I'm not using RPI I'm using Kenpom, which is better anyway, Coastal is # 193 on there

I don't think any ratings system is accurate until at least 10 games into the season. Kenpom also is careful about saying that his system does not rank teams, it only predicts how well they are currently playing.

For whatever it's worth, I was pretty impressed with Dawson, Gomez, and Warren for CSUN (granted we might have made them look good). That team beyond those three, though, not much there.

 

[Petey Buckets]

Easily one of the most fun wins of the Paulsen era - struggling player comes off the bench, goes nuclear, and saves the day after our most important player goes down. Definitely up there with the home game against vcu in his first season. It felt hopeless for a minute there after Jaire clearly wasn't 100% in the 2nd half. Big weekly recap coming tomorrow, but a few quick thoughts for now:

- The freshmen tied the rest of the team in scoring (39+39). Go had 22, AJ had 12, Javon had 3, and Calixte had 2.

- Javon's breakout game is coming once he gets over the jitters. Karmari had almost the exact same start last season. One of Javon's threes didn't even catch rim and only hit backboard, which tells me it's more nerves than anything. He's a fine shooter and once he sees a couple go in he'll become a contributor.

- Calixte started the 2nd half for Jaire. Paulsen was probably trying to neutralize CSUN's size, but it's interesting to me that after AJ's five first half blocks he didn't get the start.

- Mar is going to LOVE being on the floor with AJ. He's built to be a destructive small-ball four and AJ playing along side him gives us athleticism, shooting, rebounding, and means Go doesn't have to guard opposing 5s.

- AJ is the 4th player since 2010 to have 12 points + 8 blocks in 22 minutes or less:
https://twitter.com/peteybuckets/status/932074631879675906

 

[gmujim92]

Easily one of the most fun wins of the Paulsen era - struggling player comes off the bench, goes nuclear, and saves the day after our most important player goes down. Definitely up there with the home game against vcu in his first season. It felt hopeless for a minute there after Jaire clearly wasn't 100% in the 2nd half. Big weekly recap coming tomorrow, but a few quick thoughts for now:

- The freshmen tied the rest of the team in scoring (39+39). Go had 22, AJ had 12, Javon had 3, and Calixte had 2.

- Javon's breakout game is coming once he gets over the jitters. Karmari had almost the exact same start last season. One of Javon's threes didn't even catch rim and only hit backboard, which tells me it's more nerves than anything. He's a fine shooter and once he sees a couple go in he'll become a contributor.

- Calixte started the 2nd half for Jaire. Paulsen was probably trying to neutralize CSUN's size, but it's interesting to me that after AJ's five first half blocks he didn't get the start.

- Mar is going to LOVE being on the floor with AJ. He's built to be a destructive small-ball four and AJ playing along side him gives us athleticism, shooting, rebounding, and means Go doesn't have to guard opposing 5s.

- AJ is the 4th player since 2010 to have 12 points + 8 blocks in 22 minutes or less:
https://twitter.com/peteybuckets/status/932074631879675906

If Grayer is out or significantly limited for a period of time, I would like to see a lineup with Calixte, AJ and Go up front.

Go has proven to be a better and more instinctive scorer than anyone could've expected at this point, especially given his rep as a defensive stalwart.

AJ is most dangerous defensively as an off-ball rim protector who erases mistakes by our guards. He can do that more effectively when he's playing the 4. And he showed a nice stroke from beyond the arc so he gives something on offense, too.

And having Calixte in the game means we have a big body and the other two don't get worn down guarding 5s for 40 minutes a night.

Not saying I want them in there all the time, but it's certainly an intriguing option against teams that play with a traditional lineup.

 

[GMUgemini]

I thought the same thing, Jim, especially because I'd love to see us be able to "go big" at some points next year with Kier, Grayer, Mar, AJ, and Reuter all on the floor together (not that I want that to be our starting lineup, but it would be nice to be able to impose some size on an opponent for once).

And the beautiful thing about that lineup is you've still got reliable 3-point shooting (Kier, Grayer, Mar, even AJ) and guys who can drive to the basket (Kier, Grayer, Mar) as well as some freakish length at the 2 and 3 positions.

 

[masonjoe]

If Grayer is out or significantly limited for a period of time, I would like to see a lineup with Calixte, AJ and Go up front.

Go has proven to be a better and more instinctive scorer than anyone could've expected at this point, especially given his rep as a defensive stalwart.

AJ is most dangerous defensively as an off-ball rim protector who erases mistakes by our guards. He can do that more effectively when he's playing the 4. And he showed a nice stroke from beyond the arc so he gives something on offense, too.

And having Calixte in the game means we have a big body and the other two don't get worn down guarding 5s for 40 minutes a night.

Not saying I want them in there all the time, but it's certainly an intriguing option against teams that play with a traditional lineup.

Quiet night from Boyd and Kier scoring wise you want to bench one of them for Calixte. Yeah I'm not there yet, unless you are viewing all the remaining non-conference games as meaningless.

 

[GMUgemini]

Quiet night from Boyd and Kier scoring wise you want to bench one of them for Calixte. Yeah I'm not there yet, unless you are viewing all the remaining non-conference games as meaningless.

I don't think he means benching them, I think he means being able to go big (as well as go small) would be nice.

 

[dr. gunnie]

Bottom line is your wrong about this kid like very very wrong. And you're going to eat it.

You’re going to eat it? Are you 12?

Kier took so few shots, because CSUN was playing a packd line 1-3-1 zone all night and cutting off his drives to the basket (he also still only takes 3 point shots only when he's wide open). And then he picked up an ankle injury, which slowed him down at the end of the game. But he did end the game with 5 assists.

It's the same problem Boyd had most of the night...he just couldn't find any space to get to the basket.

Got it - thanks!

 

[gmujim92]

I don't think he means benching them, I think he means being able to go big (as well as go small) would be nice.

As unofficial president of the Ian Boyd Fan Club, I would never advocate benching him. Your analysis was spot on.

 

[Petey Buckets]

Otis went down?


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I'm not gonna argue super hard against anyone who believes the most important player is Otis, because that argument is very legitimate, but Jaire is our leading three-point shooter, rebounder, and shot-blocker (at least prior to AJ's emergence). Yes, I believe the 6'4" guy playing power forward and making our four-guard lineup somewhat viable is our most important player.

 

[Cedric Dempsey]

That's cool. I think Otis, Jaire, and Justin are 1, 1a, and 1b.

It won’t be long before Mar enters this debate.

 

[gmujim92]

It won’t be long before Mar enters this debate.

He might already be there. We'd probably be 0-4 without him.

 

[Patriot05]

That's cool. I think Otis, Jaire, and Justin are 1, 1a, and 1b.

You're nuts if you think Grayer isn't more important to this year's team than those two

 

[sleeperpick]

You're nuts if you think Grayer isn't more important to this year's team than those two

I think it's 1 otis and 1a Jaire. Otis is floor general and our best player with the ball. Jaire has so many unnoticed intangibles as well as those we can see (3pt shooting and rebounding). Can't put kier with those two yet

 

[GMUgemini]

You're nuts if you think Grayer isn't more important to this year's team than those two

I think it's hard to argue against the entire starting 5 are equally important to this year's team. You lose any one of those five for any length of time and this team is screwed.

 

[p8triotfan4life]

good thing Reuter is redshirting, he's been in a walking boot the past two games.

 

[dr. gunnie]

Ok, here’s a fun debate: when we have Reuter next year assuming he starts which of our current 5 doesn’t?

I think Otis, Jaire, and kier are locks. So that would just leave mar and Ian.

#GoodProblems

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I would think Ian would be the 6th man - not so much because the others are better, but because he could come in off the bench a pretty much go in at any position - a very nice luxury to have. I wasn't as high on him last year because I thought he forced up some shots at times (plus I was really high on Newman's game), but I haven't felt like that at all this year.

 

[Petey Buckets]

Weekly breakdown is up. Caution - this one is fawning and indulgent (even more than the others):

http://giantkiller.co/2017/11/19/pe...-george-mason-mens-basketball-week-2-rundown/

One anecdote: having shooters on the floor at all times really changes the dynamic of this team. I was sitting behind the CSUN bench and before every inbounds pass near the basket their coaches were yelling to watch out for the three. I'm convinced this led to AJ's catch-and-slam from Otis's out of bounds pass - he cut hard to the basket and there was no one in the paint to stop him, because CSUN felt like they had to defend everyone out to the three-point line.

 

[MasonSAE4]

I would think Ian would be the 6th man - not so much because the others are better, but because he could come in off the bench a pretty much go in at any position - a very nice luxury to have. I wasn't as high on him last year because I thought he forced up some shots at times (plus I was really high on Newman's game), but I haven't felt like that at all this year.

Interesting...I feel the opposite. It seems like he's forcing three's that aren't there. A few times he's shot over the top of what looks like someone setting a pick for him, preventing both him and whoever sets it from crashing for a rebound. He has the ability to hit a three here and there, but I think his three pointer has been overhyped. Granted, still love his game. His driving to the hoop and short turnaround has been phenomenal.