Game 5: AT Iona, November 23rd, 2 PM, NO TV

[GSII]

This will not be a close game.

Mason 78
Iona 54

 

[EXpatriot13]

This will not be a close game.

Mason 78
Iona 54

I wish this would happen and I hope you're right. You have every right to your opinion (maybe you're joking?), but you're insane.

 

[gmujim92]

He's not insane, just bipolar.

 

[GSII]

Jim, Since you have to live in Richmond with vcu in your face all day...I can understand your unwarranted manic behavior.

 

[psyclone]

we're 5 pt underdogs --rpiforecast

 

[GMUJETS24]

I see us losing by about 6pts, however if BA is healthy I think we could keep it close. I would love Moore to be put in the starting lineup, but Hewitt wont do that for obvious reasons. My only concern is keeping our big men out of foul trouble...and which JW wants to show up.

Mason 58
Iona 64

 

[gmutom]

I read that Iona shoots a lot of 3s and likes to play a lot of zone, two things that do not bode well for us. I don't have it in my DNA to ever predict us to lose, so I will just say that in order to win we need to:

1. Defend the 3. Pure and simple. We need to fight through screens, switch when applicable and rebound any long misses to avoid 2nd-chance opportunities.

2. Our guards need to aggressively penetrate their zone and either score, draw fouls or dish it off to whatever big men we have left. Gray looks like a different player this year, but I can't recall him driving once with the ball. If he is going to replace Sherrod in the starting lineup next year, he can just stand on the perimeter and lost 3s.

 

[GSII]

Playing zone makes it harder to rebound. I like our chances to shoot well and grind out a victory. Our press, if ran with traps, should help us speed up the game.

 

[Enforcer]

Good calls, there Tom. If BA is good to go, he can def help w/ #2, driving the lane to score, kick-out to teammates and draw fouls. Moore has show at times that he can get in the paint quickly.

W/ defending the wings and rebounding being of high importance - do y'all think Okoloji will get some more pt?

 

[Bricker]

Playing zone makes it harder to rebound. I like our chances to shoot well and grind out a victory. Our press, if ran with traps, should help us speed up the game.

I dunno-- our press makes me nervous. I could be way off, but it feels like it leads more to any easy layup at the other end than a turnover...

Anyone have some stats on this?

 

[gmutom]

W/ defending the wings and rebounding being of high importance - do y'all think Okoloji will get some more pt?

Good question, Enforcer. I complimented Hewitt on his substitution patterns prior to the St. Francis game, but I wasn't thrilled at all that he went big with Okoloji, Jenkins and Marko at one point. Instead, I thought he should have gone small and only had one of the three in there. He tried to press with the big lineup and it led to an easy layup for them.

I realize his hands are tied with so many people out, so the margin of error is small in terms of who he can play; but I do think he can get creative with how he packages the players against Iona. If Okoloji does get minutes, I hope it's not with the other guys his size.

 

[Cool Disco Dan]

he can just stand on the perimeter and lost 3s.

No lost 3s!! Just busting your smart phone's balls...

 

[gmutom]

No lost 3s!! Just busting your smart phone's balls...

Haha, I wish I could blame my smart phone for that, Dan. Instead, it's from the Victoin I took after having some out-patient surgery yesterday. Sadly, I'm not sure what word I was trying to say. Maybe "toss" or "loft" instead of "lost."

 

[Washingtonian]

Jon Rothstein ‏@JonRothstein 4m
George Mason's Bryon Allen returned to practice today + should play Saturday vs. Iona, Paul Hewitt told @CBSSports....

 

[JBiggs]

That's fantastic news. I was thinking a loss without Allen, but with him back and the way our bench frontcourt has been playing, I like our chances.

 

[Leesburg Chankenstank III]

Tom, I think you were trying to say "Launch 3's"

 

[gmutom]

Tom, I think you were trying to say "Launch 3's"

I'll have to take your word for it, Chank. haha

 

[EXpatriot13]

I only live about an hour away from Iona. I was seriously considering going to the game. But having said that, I've been to three away games (GW, Hofstra, Bucknell) and all three were losses.

So, my other option is to run around Atlantic City like a lunatic this weekend. I'll go with that option. Let there be blackjack, scotch, and questionable decisions made.

 

[Patriot Lawdog]

I read that Iona shoots a lot of 3s and likes to play a lot of zone, two things that do not bode well for us. I don't have it in my DNA to ever predict us to lose, so I will just say that in order to win we need to:

1. Defend the 3. Pure and simple. We need to fight through screens, switch when applicable and rebound any long misses to avoid 2nd-chance opportunities.

2. Our guards need to aggressively penetrate their zone and either score, draw fouls or dish it off to whatever big men we have left. Gray looks like a different player this year, but I can't recall him driving once with the ball. If he is going to replace Sherrod in the starting lineup next year, he can just stand on the perimeter and lost 3s.

So it would be a bad idea this game to consistently double down on a big who averages 3 pts a game? Is that what you're saying? I'd agree.

 

[GSII]

so much for rpi forecast...

congrats to Coach Coen and NE on that win vs gtown. Good Coach and great guy.

possible NE vs vcu final if the lambs can beat fsu and mich.