Game 5: gmu (2-2) at paradise jam vs Belmont (1-3) on Saturday November 19th 545pm

[GSII]

Bad free throw shooting I think starts with the leader of the team. It's a focus thing. is our coach perhaps too friendly with everybody on the team and is this negatively impacting their focus? I'm not saying he has to be a dictator and no one like him I'm just saying there needs to be a balance. Because right now it looks like it doesn't matter as long as the coach likes me.

 

[Patriotsince81]

My son tells me I’m crazy and laughed at this suggestion but have the team spend one whole practice just shooting free throws. No drills or game situations, two hours of nothing but free throw shooting. No excuse to be this bad at free throws.

And sprints after each miss.

 

[gmujim92]

Bad free throw shooting I think starts with the leader of the team. It's a focus thing. is our coach perhaps too friendly with everybody on the team and is this negatively impacting their focus? I'm not saying he has to be a dictator and no one like him I'm just saying there needs to be a balance. Because right now it looks like it doesn't matter as long as the coach likes me.

I know this is a message board and people type all kinds of crazy nonsense, but “We’re missing free throws because the coach is too nice” is an all-timer for me.

It’s pretty obvious at this point that the team lacks confidence and is pressing instead of just playing loose and free. As much as we had big expectations for this season, those pale in comparison to those of the players and coaches … for some of them this is the last go-round. Wouldn’t be surprised if getting destroyed by Auburn right out of the gate was a pretty big mind-f*ck.

Somebody needs to get Dr. Bob Rotella’s number from Coach L and see if he’ll come up here and de-scramble our guys’ brains while the season can still be saved. As bad as it seems, there’s lots of ball still to be played.

 

[gmubrian]

I tend to agree with Jim in this side debate. They practice free throws plenty. For example, I watched a game they play in practice where the team shoots free throws and we get 1 point for each make and the opponent gets 3 points for each miss. Mason won both times.

They run plenty of sprints. Losing team in every segment of practice gets to run. I heard they had to run something like 150 laps around the Gym after the BC loss. So, he isn’t going easy on them if that is what people think.

A third point on free throws, if you read the book that CKE recommended, “The Talent Code”, the Shaq free throw phenomenon is discussed specifically. They suggest he was probably training wrong and only practicing free throws from the line whereas he should have tried it short sometimes and long others to learn to modulate his shot.

 

[tblack33]

After being able to sleep on it I’ve accepted that this year probably just isn’t the year. We would have to win the A10 regular season to realistically get in the discussion for an at large. There’s no reason we can’t have a good, competitive season though to attract talent that we are going to need out of the portal with all the expected departures.

Dayton dropped three games early last season to worse opponents and even though it was under different circumstances, was able to turn it around and dance. I don’t think we have last years Dayton team, but who knows, maybe we can play our way into the NIT.

 

[Patriotsince81]

Not trying to beat the dead horse in the room but I was curious so I looked it up. We currently rank #350 in DI for our free throw shooting. Come on guys, we can hit rock bottom! Just a few more misses and the trophy is ours!

Vanderbilt at an even 50% is the worst.

 

[Patriot Lawdog]

I know this is a message board and people type all kinds of crazy nonsense, but “We’re missing free throws because the coach is too nice” is an all-timer for me.

It’s pretty obvious at this point that the team lacks confidence and is pressing instead of just playing loose and free. As much as we had big expectations for this season, those pale in comparison to those of the players and coaches … for some of them this is the last go-round. Wouldn’t be surprised if getting destroyed by Auburn right out of the gate was a pretty big mind-f*ck.

Somebody needs to get Dr. Bob Rotella’s number from Coach L and see if he’ll come up here and de-scramble our guys’ brains while the season can still be saved. As bad as it seems, there’s lots of ball still to be played.

Agree with this…One specific instance was where Josh went to the line and missed 2 by as bad a margin as I’ve ever seen from him…I saw it and was like “Wow, he is totally pressing.” Need a full mind reboot at this point.

 

[EXpatriot13]

I’ve accepted that this year probably just isn’t the year.

Ah yes, the slogan of George Mason basketball. 2012-present.

 

[gmubrian]

I didn’t see this posted yet. CKE’s comments on the Belmont game:

George Mason Men's Basketball on Instagram: "Coach English on the loss to Belmont. #RockWithUs"

George Mason Men's Basketball shared a post on Instagram: "Coach English on the loss to Belmont. #RockWithUs". Follow their account to see 1955 posts.

www.instagram.com

 

[GMUgemini]

Free throw shooting is one thing, the inability to stop teams from getting into the paint is entirely another.

Auburn: 20-42 — 47.6%
Longwood: 25-46 — 54.3%
Boston College: 24-51 — 47%
Belmont: 19-35 — 54.2%

Only game you could say they guarded the 2 well was against American and 1) American sucks and 2) they made 11 3s in that game.

This is the scary long-term problem for me. Reminds me of that dreaded Georgia Southern game where Mason was ahead by something like 20 and Georgia Southern wound up dropping 90+ on the team without taking a single 3 in the second half.

Team utterly gets lost on screens and too much scrambling to fill gaps that shouldn’t exist on the floor.

 

[Patriotsince81]

I'll summarize the season thus far. Individually and collectively we're waiting for something good to happen instead of making it happen.

 

[gmujim92]

I'll summarize the season thus far. Individually and collectively we're waiting for something good to happen instead of making it happen.

Respectfully disagree. I think the guys that play the majority of the minutes are trying too hard and thinking too much about the outcome, which is leading to misery and frustration, instead of simply focusing on the process and playing to their respective strengths.

The terrible free throw shooting is the clearest sign to me that they need to find some way to relax and get back to having fun. It’s a kid’s game. For all of his coaching acumen, knowing when to push and when to pull back and play some Wiffle ball may have been L’s greatest gift.

 

[Junkees9]

I've heard the Coach say many times that because we have more depth he will no longer tolerate certain types of mistakes. He said he will take guys out when they mess up. I understand the philosophy, but could that have gotten into our players' heads to the point they are now afraid to make mistakes for fear of being pulled from the game, thus leading to playing too tight instead of free and easy? Just a thought for consideration.

 

[mkaufman1]

After being able to sleep on it I’ve accepted that this year probably just isn’t the year. We would have to win the A10 regular season to realistically get in the discussion for an at large. There’s no reason we can’t have a good, competitive season though to attract talent that we are going to need out of the portal with all the expected departures.

Dayton dropped three games early last season to worse opponents and even though it was under different circumstances, was able to turn it around and dance. I don’t think we have last years Dayton team, but who knows, maybe we can play our way into the NIT.

I like where you are coming from here but I think it’s a stretch at this point. The league is down and most likely Mason would have to run the OOC table to help anything they do in conference. I mean most games coming up are winnable against weak opponents other than Tulane.

Maybe if they win against Tulane that helps but considering how Mason looked against BC, that’s a dream. Need much better consistent basketball.

 

[GSII]

There is a focus problem. I don't care what yall say.

 

[PoorManProfit]

Overmatched...

 

[JimP]

I like where you are coming from here but I think it’s a stretch at this point. The league is down and most likely Mason would have to run the OOC table to help anything they do in conference. I mean most games coming up are winnable against weak opponents other than Tulane.

Maybe if they win against Tulane that helps but considering how Mason looked against BC, that’s a dream. Need much better consistent basketball.

I watched a bit of Toledo this year. I think they're gonna beat Mason by double digits.

 

[gmujim92]

I like where you are coming from here but I think it’s a stretch at this point. The league is down and most likely Mason would have to run the OOC table to help anything they do in conference. I mean most games coming up are winnable against weak opponents other than Tulane.

Maybe if they win against Tulane that helps but considering how Mason looked against BC, that’s a dream. Need much better consistent basketball.

Toledo, Tulane and Hofstra are all really good.

 

[mkaufman1]

Toledo, Tulane and Hofstra are all really good.

True but I have no idea if beating anyone listed moved the needle needed at this juncture to make up for the shitty losses.

 

[gmujim92]

True but I have no idea if beating anyone listed moved the needle needed at this juncture to make up for the shitty losses.

We can be assured there will be no at-large barring winning all of the rest of our games, and we know that’s not happening