Game 6: AT Manhattan College, Wednesday, November 25th, 7 PM, NO TV

[GSII]

I'd rather these guys go thru the process and learn what to do during the coarse of the game, than watch them in late Feb making the same mistakes. So far, Shevon is showing consistent errors in dealing with doubles and turnovers. I am confident that he will improve. Good coaches can make a kid better than he was in November.

 

[GMUgemini]

If nothing else, I think we can put off silly comments about a contract extension and losing DP. There will be lots of highs and lows this year. Let's hope we win Saturday to get the bad taste of tonight out of our mouths.

Next two seasons...just imagine this team without Shevon and Marko. This is a team where we have to hope all the minutes our next two classes are going to get will pay off when we have Otis, Boyd, Grayer, Dixon (or Temara), and Relvao starting together in Paulsen's third season.

 

[Vurbel]

This sucks in the micro. In the macro? Ask me in a few years. Could be used for motivation.

 

[gmujim92]

Gonna have games like this when you're playing freshman guards 30-plus minutes every game.

i don't like it any more than anyone else. Just reality.

 

[polepino]

This is really what killed the game anyway:

17:01 Otis Livingston II Turnover
16:48 Otis Livingston II Turnover
16:23 Otis Livinston II Turnover
15:52 Marquise Moore missed jumper
15:31 Otis Livingston II turnover
14:02 Marquise Moore made Jumper
12:23 Marko Gujanicic turnover
11:46 Jalen Jenkins Turnover

That's 8 possessions in a row (granted there were one or two other missed baskets in there with offensive rebounds leading to turnovers, but you get the point)

If I remember correctly, Manhattan pretty much did the exact same thing for the second half. It was tied 60 - 60 forever, and then when we scored they scored a three I think and that was it. You could see the mental break. But damn, all those missed opportunities to break away. Manhattans incompetence kept us in the game for that stretch as well.

 

[TweederGMU]

Blowing a 16 point lead is pretty bad. Gotta take that player, or players, out to set discipline. Pretty unexpected after this high coming out of Charleston. Yea we are young but these are D1 players who should know better and Coaches who should know better. Ugh

 

[Washingtonian]

Jon Rothstein ‏@JonRothstein
Two surprises from Wednesday night: Penn beats La Salle by 16 and Manhattan edges George Mason -- with five available scholarship players.

 

[GSII]

If Fordham blows out manhattan, should we get mad?

 

[JimP]

As embarrassing a loss as any from the Hewitt era - as long as it doesn't become a consistent thing like it was then...

Something for Mason to put in their Wright State game notes...George Mason is 0-4 in games I've watched live.

 

[Patriot Lawdog]

As embarrassing a loss as any from the Hewitt era - as long as it doesn't become a consistent thing like it was then...

Something for Mason to put in their Wright State game notes...George Mason is 0-4 in games I've watched live.

OK, let's just slow down here. I think you're way too much in the moment here. These same things happened except with much more experienced players on the floor.

 

[KAOriginal]

Didn't catch the detials today....but I did notice people talking about the players looking tired....

With a bunch of freshman....not only left over drag from Charleston....but come late January/February, those poor kids are going to be gassed not being used to a "college season."

 

[Pablo]

This is really what killed the game anyway:

17:01 Otis Livingston II Turnover
16:48 Otis Livingston II Turnover
16:23 Otis Livinston II Turnover
15:52 Marquise Moore missed jumper
15:31 Otis Livingston II turnover
14:02 Marquise Moore made Jumper
12:23 Marko Gujanicic turnover
11:46 Jalen Jenkins Turnover

That's 8 possessions in a row (granted there were one or two other missed baskets in there with offensive rebounds leading to turnovers, but you get the point)

I like to ask myself what Larranaga would have done if he was coaching the Patriots in this situation. My guess is that if his PG (i.e., Otis Livingston II) turned the ball over in 3 consecutive possessions, he would have been quickly replaced by a walk-on (i.e., Myles Tate).

 

[JimP]

OK, let's just slow down here. I think you're way too much in the moment here. These same things happened except with much more experienced players on the floor.

Good point - though since Manhattan was only playing with 5 scholarship players it's gotta rank among GMU's most embarrassing losses.

 

[JimP]

I like to ask myself what Larranaga would have done if he was coaching the Patriots in this situation. My guess is that if his PG (i.e., Otis Livingston II) turned the ball over in 3 consecutive possessions, he would have been quickly replaced by a walk-on (i.e., Myles Tate).

Yeah...and why give the senior Thompson the quick hook as opposed to the freshman?

 

[Cedric Dempsey]

Paulsen arrives in April (?) and five guys (?) exit the program. He has to patch together a roster with 11th hour recruits to field a team and he coaches a style that is directionally opposed to the prior four years. Two starters were playing HS hoops eight months ago. Add a five game extended road trip that was gifted to him and we have what we have. Consistency is coming, but not as fast as many of you want in my opinion. There's a reason this job was open.

 

[GSII]

I am leaning towards the side which is claiming DP cared little to win and more to prove some kind of point. What that point was, I cant tell. If benching Shevon due to turnovers fine, but you cant bench the whole team if suddenly and unexpectedly they start doing it too. So looks like things backfired on DP. In this case, he should of coached to win, atleast that unites the team somewhat.

 

[gmutom]

I agree, GS. There's a fine line between trying to teach and over-coaching to the detriment of the team. Whereas Hewitt tried too hard to be a players coach with little structure (or success), Dave is all about exerting his my-way-or-the-highway style. I'm pretty sure that's why he had so many defections after just a few practices.

I think DP just needs to find a balance that is fair to every player. Like someone pointed out, he needs to hold Otis to the same standard as Thompson. That obviously didn't happen last night.

 

[GMUSig03]

Only 1 word to describe this game - UGHHHHH

Have no explanation for why Shevon did not play more, but I'm hoping the rest of the issues are mostly attributable to fatigue.

During these growing pains, it's going to be important for us to not have knee jerk reactions to individual games, especially considering how Paulsen had the team perform in Charleston.

And while we have questions that don't have obvious answers, we all had TONS of questions during the Coach L era (George Evans being benched at Richmond one year when the #1 seed was on the line?!) and in hindsight after witnessing the Coach L and Hewitt era's, I think we should realize even the soundest basketball fans are sometimes going to be stumped at the decisions even really good coaches make.

There is a trend now of the team falling asleep about 5 minutes into the 2nd half, but I'm sure he has acknowledged and will address it.

In our 3 non-UVA losses, we have had second half leads of 5 or 6, 13 and 16, we could easily be 5-1 and receiving votes if this team was able to finish better and play a full 40 minutes consistently. Paulsen has us in the position of being able to say that previous sentence in only about 6 months, which is pretty incredible all things considered.

 

[JimP]

Only 1 word to describe this game - UGHHHHH

Have no explanation for why Shevon did not play more, but I'm hoping the rest of the issues are mostly attributable to fatigue.

During these growing pains, it's going to be important for us to not have knee jerk reactions to individual games, especially considering how Paulsen had the team perform in Charleston.

And while we have questions that don't have obvious answers, we all had TONS of questions during the Coach L era (George Evans being benched at Richmond one year when the #1 seed was on the line?!) and in hindsight after witnessing the Coach L and Hewitt era's, I think we should realize even the soundest basketball fans are sometimes going to be stumped at the decisions even really good coaches make.

There is a trend now of the team falling asleep about 5 minutes into the 2nd half, but I'm sure he has acknowledged and will address it.

In our 3 non-UVA losses, we have had second half leads of 5 or 6, 13 and 16, we could easily be 5-1 and receiving votes if this team was able to finish better and play a full 40 minutes consistently. Paulsen has us in the position of being able to say that previous sentence in only about 6 months, which is pretty incredible all things considered.

Good post - puts things into perspective.

 

[Pablo]

I think we should realize even the soundest basketball fans are sometimes going to be stumped at the decisions even really good coaches make.

While this is certainly true, as far as I'm concerned the honeymoon is now officially over!