Game 7: GMU (4-2 / 0-0) vs UMass (2-2 / 1-0) on Wednesday, December 30, at 6PM.

[mkaufman1]

Lasalle is probably the most winnable game, but if they play like dogshit like they did against Norfolk State, they wouldn’t beat anyone in the league including Fordham.

 

[gmutom]

Is a Mason "fan" really picking La Salle to win at the EBA in front of over 200 of our fans and cutouts?

The La Salle game will likely be the only one of the six in which we are favored, so that is obviously our best chance for a victory. And before someone from the Community Relations department chimes in, I wouldn't be shocked if we split the vcu and Richmond games since they are at home.

If AJ, Miller and Javon hypothetically decided to show up on the same night, we would have a legitimate chance to beat any team in the conference. Unfortunately, right now all we have is super soph Josh Oduro, fabulous frosh Tyler Kolek and a sporadic supporting cast.

 

[GMUgemini]

Man , Pablo is bringing sauce lately.

 

[GMUgemini]

The La Salle game will likely be the only one of the six in which we are favored, so that is obviously our best chance for a victory. And before someone from the Community Relations department chimes in, I wouldn't be shocked if we split the vcu and Richmond games since they are at home.

If AJ, Miller and Javon hypothetically decided to show up on the same night, we would have a legitimate chance to beat any team in the conference. Unfortunately, right now all we have is super soph Josh Oduro, fabulous frosh Tyler Kolek and a sporadic supporting cast.

Too much shooting themselves in the foot the last two-and-a-half seasons. No one can tell me NSU's defense did anything to actually stop Mason from scoring at the end of the second half or even force those turnovers.

 

[tblack33]

Too much shooting themselves in the foot the last two-and-a-half seasons. No one can tell me NSU's defense did anything to actually stop Mason from scoring at the end of the second half or even force those turnovers.

100% didn't. It was almost all stupid turnovers and shot selection. I'd love to see a graphic of our shot selection from the 15 minute mark to the end of the game. It was horrendous.

 

[gmubrian]

The La Salle game will likely be the only one of the six in which we are favored, so that is obviously our best chance for a victory. And before someone from the Community Relations department chimes in, I wouldn't be shocked if we split the vcu and Richmond games since they are at home.

If AJ, Miller and Javon hypothetically decided to show up on the same night, we would have a legitimate chance to beat any team in the conference. Unfortunately, right now all we have is super soph Josh Oduro, fabulous frosh Tyler Kolek and a sporadic supporting cast.

So, if we go 0-6 to start and split the rest, can we still qualify for the A10 tournament? Asking for a friend on twitter.

 

[tblack33]

So, if we go 0-6 to start and split the rest, can we still qualify for the A10 tournament? Asking for a friend on twitter.

Wouldn't know, I'm a "fan", not a fan.

 

[FreeGunston12]

100% didn't. It was almost all stupid turnovers and shot selection. I'd love to see a graphic of our shot selection from the 15 minute mark to the end of the game. It was horrendous.

I'd love to know how many points in the paint have been scored so far this season.

 

[CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY]

God I always considered myself a cynical asshole, but I must be an optimist, because...

Maybe we were...waiting to show our true offense and...defensive strategies...until...conference play?

There is a fine line between optimist and blissful idiot, but I'll roll with it!!!

Go Mason (look at me, a true fan)

 

[mkaufman1]

Wouldn't know, I'm a "fan", not a fan.

hey they hit a rough patch the final 10 minutes, and played shitty all year but they can still turn the season around! Singing koombaya and giving hugs (in non Covid times) help. That’s what the real fans tell us since we are all “fans”

 

[mkaufman1]

Too much shooting themselves in the foot the last two-and-a-half seasons. No one can tell me NSU's defense did anything to actually stop Mason from scoring at the end of the second half or even force those turnovers.

I don’t know man, the Paulsen magical play of having kolek fall over and shoot a 3 works wonders. The chuck ball out of bounds play also was great too. Gotta give credit to Norfolk state there.

/sarcasm

 

[Petey Buckets]

I'd love to know how many points in the paint have been scored so far this season.

Did somebody put up the Petey signal???

According to hoop-math.com Mason is 78-107 at the rim this season (72.9%). That compares very favorably to 2pt jumpers (27-93, just awful) and 49-164 from 3 (also terrible).

HOWEVA there's a big grain of salt there. Splits show Mason shoots 76.5% at the rim in transition but only 44.4% in halfcourt. 2pt jumpers go from 40% in transition to 18% in halfcourt, and 3s go from 31% to 26%. All shooting percentages are much better in transition, which is to be expected, but those splits seem stark.

TLDR if you think our halfcourt offense sucks the numbers back you up. These are just raw numbers and are not adjusted for quality of opponent, so even more damning when you consider our quality of competition.

One other thing that jumped out is that AJ is 5 of 25 on jumpers and 5 of 7 at the rim. I can't stand when he gets the ball in the post and ends up shooting a 14 foot fadeaway. Absolutely killing any hopes of offensive efficiency.

Anyway there's a bunch of interesting stuff in there, check out hoop-math.com it's really great. Maybe I'll write again at some point if I get the motivation.

 

[GMUgemini]

Also, Oduro has been pretty good but he still doesn't know when to make a move to the basket and when to pass it back out. He kills a lot of possessions trying to do something he shouldn't be doing...sounds an awful like Javon Greene...

 

[gmujim92]

Also, Oduro has been pretty good but he still doesn't know when to make a move to the basket and when to pass it back out. He kills a lot of possessions trying to do something he shouldn't be doing...sounds an awful like Javon Greene...

Hopefully Oduro isn’t still doing the same stupid stuff when he’s a senior

 

[gmubrian]

Hopefully Oduro isn’t still doing the same stupid stuff when he’s a senior

...and we have that hope based on the positive progression we have seen in our seniors.

 

[gmutom]

Hopefully Oduro isn’t still doing the same stupid stuff when he’s a senior

I think the greater hope is that our coaches make him better. Josh has the raw talent to be a threat in the low post, but he's obviously thinking too much when he gets the ball. He will never be as good as Will Thomas or Jai Lewis, but he could learn a lot by watching footage of both of them in the post.

They might have paused a second to let their teammates clear out, but catching the ball on the block and making a move to the basket with Jai and Will was almost instantaneous. Josh needs to be taught that the longer he holds the ball, the more indecisive he becomes.

 

[gmubrian]

I think the greater hope is that our coaches make him better. Josh has the raw talent to be a threat in the low post, but he's obviously thinking too much when he gets the ball. He will never be as good as Will Thomas or Jai Lewis, but he could learn a lot by watching footage of both of them in the post.

Did you see the recent interview with Oduro (might have been one of those weird interviews the TV guy does during our games) where he talks about what he learned when he met with Will Thomas? I thought that was pretty cool.

 

[GSII]

Watch footage?? Improve shooting?? Increase made free throws???

If only we had a practice gym these guys could go shoot all night in.....hmmmm....or a new film room to study the greats.....hmmmm

 

[patriot2000]

This "fan" thinks our team is, and has been for years, a bunch of individuals who have on nights and off nights, but are not a team that has an offensive identity, a defensive identity, or any on-court chemistry. Hence all of our best work comes in transition.

 

[GSII]

This "fan" thinks our team is, and has been for years, a bunch of individuals who have on nights and off nights, but are not a team that has an offensive identity, a defensive identity, or any on-court chemistry. Hence all of our best work comes in transition.

It's telling how when in transition, players are most free from the "Coach"