Game 8: AT University of Northern Iowa, Wednesday, November 30th, 8 PM, ESPN3

[Pablo]

http://gomason.com/news/2016/11/29/mens-basketball-mason-to-play-at-northern-iowa-wednesday.aspx:

"Northern Iowa Series History
Wednesday's game marks the sixth all-time meeting between Mason and UNI. Mason is 2-3 all time against the Panthers.

First matchup: 2/19/11 (W at UNI, 77-71)

Most recent matchup: 12/8/15 (L at Mason, 73-65)

Foul Line and UNI
11/16/13: Marko Gujanicic goes 10/10 from the free throw line in a 76-70 win vs. Northern Iowa, part of a 4-0 start for the Patriots.
2/19/11: Ryan Pearson shoots 13/13 from the free throw line in a 77-71 win on the road vs. Northern Iowa, marking the Patriots' 13th straight win and 23rd overall of the season.

Scouting The Panthers
The Panthers were picked third in the Missouri Valley preseason poll behind Wichita State and Illinois State. UNI is 3-2 on the year. The team picked up wins over Power 5 schools Arizona State (82-63) and Oklahoma (73-67 OT) in the Tire Pros Invitational Nov. 17-18, while both losses have come at the hands of seventh-ranked Xavier. MVC Preseason Player of the Year Jeremy Morgan leads UNI in scoring (16.4 points/game), rebounding (6.8 rebounds/game), steals (19), blocks (13), assists (13), field goals made (24), free throws made (17) and three-pointers made (17). Historically, the Panthers have been particularly tough at home during the non-conference slate. UNI is 26-1 all-time in November games inside the McLeod Center and 56-10 overall in out of league contests in the building."

 

[psyclone]

kenpom: UNI favored by 12
rpiforecast/sagarin: UNI favored by 16.8

 

[Patriotsince81]

This is a game I had down as a loss from the beginning. UNI 75 - Mason 61. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[Pablo]

http://www.panthernation.com/showthread.php?t=65534:

"George Mason has slipped back a little the last few years but it was/is a good deal to get. Nice to get out of the region a little for home and homes with other mid-majors. We lost those from BracketBusters but its good to try and keep doing those since we can't buy many and get enough quality. Don't want to simply pad on cupcakes like Evansville, Missouri State, Illinois State...."

 

[Petey Buckets]

This is a "hope like hell I'm wrong" prediction but I think UNI waxes us:

- They're very stingy defensively and we've struggled to score against the only good defensive teams we've faced.
- Almost half their shots are threes, and they're shooting 40%. We don't defend the perimeter very well, though this may improve depending on who gets playing time (eyes on Boyd and Kier).
- They don't put their opponents on the line too much. One of our biggest advantages game to game is that we shoot a bunch of free throws.
- They force more turnovers than we do (who doesn't?), but they also turn the ball over at a higher rate.
- They give up a lot of offensive rebounds and we're a very good offensive rebounding team, so this is potentially something that works in our favor.

Something to note is their opponents have taken 40% of their shots from deep. I haven't watched them play, but if their strategy is to pack the paint and make us shoot over it, it's probably a long night for us.

To compete, we'll need a big night from Marquise at the line and crashing the boards, and we'll need to get hot from distance. The more likely scenario is that they start hitting threes, we struggle to hit anything per usual, and we're behind the entire second half.

 

[G M U]

Waiting for our 3 point shooting outlier night, where our team hits like 10 three's in a game. Until that happens:

U-n-I : 76
GMU: 62

 

[EXpatriot13]

BracketBusters were fun. Can we bring them back?

 

[PDGL Hoops]

Mason 65
UNI 70

 

[GMU_DCU]

UNI 77
GMU 58

 

[Pablo]

http://wcfcourier.com/sports/colleg...cle_0ad90769-a4b9-56ab-8712-9a13887c594b.html:

"Despite starting four players who are 6-foot-4 or shorter, the Patriots have been solid on the boards this season, averaging almost five more rebounds a game than their opponents.

Leading the way for the George Mason offense is senior guard Marquise Moore, who is scoring at an 18 points-per-game clip.

Perhaps most impressive about Moore is that despite being just 6-2, he’s currently second in the Atlantic-10 with 9.3 rebounds a contest.

“He’s a highly competitive guy,” Jacobson said of Moore, who’s averaged 17.5 points and nine rebounds in the last two meetings with UNI. “He does a great job of putting pressure on your defense and he’s extremely active and a highly competitive guy.”

SCHEDULE STRENGTH: Though the teams have similar records, the numbers show the Panthers have thus far had a much tougher schedule than the Patriots.

UNI is currently ranked fourth in RPI. Boosting that ranking were the two games against Xavier, which currently sits atop the RPI list.

Conversely, George Mason has a ranking of 254 and has yet to beat a team rated higher than 279. The Patriots needed overtime to beat a winless James Madison team Saturday, and also lost an overtime game to a Mount St. Mary’s team that is currently 1-7."

 

[JBiggs]

I'm seeing an even opening line. Do they know something we don't?

 

[psyclone]

I'm seeing an even opening line. Do they know something we don't?

vegasinsider: opened with UNI as a 14 pt favorite; currently 13.5.

 

[psyclone]

This is a "hope like hell I'm wrong" prediction but I think UNI waxes us:

- They're very stingy defensively and we've struggled to score against the only good defensive teams we've faced.
- Almost half their shots are threes, and they're shooting 40%. We don't defend the perimeter very well, though this may improve depending on who gets playing time (eyes on Boyd and Kier).
- They don't put their opponents on the line too much. One of our biggest advantages game to game is that we shoot a bunch of free throws.
- They force more turnovers than we do (who doesn't?), but they also turn the ball over at a higher rate.
- They give up a lot of offensive rebounds and we're a very good offensive rebounding team, so this is potentially something that works in our favor.

Something to note is their opponents have taken 40% of their shots from deep. I haven't watched them play, but if their strategy is to pack the paint and make us shoot over it, it's probably a long night for us.

To compete, we'll need a big night from Marquise at the line and crashing the boards, and we'll need to get hot from distance. The more likely scenario is that they start hitting threes, we struggle to hit anything per usual, and we're behind the entire second half.

I agree with this analysis. Both Morgan and Carlson shoot 3's at a > 45% rate and as already indicated above, UNI get almost half their points from 3's. And for whatever it's worth, Kenpom gives each of those guys very high offensive efficiency ratings (122.1 and 118.9, respectively). Jalen is our best on that scale (116.6, ranked 475 nationally).

 

[JBiggs]

vegasinsider: opened with UNI as a 14 pt favorite; currently 13.5.

This makes much more sense.

 

[Five Two]

the Direct TV channel guide in my hotel room is showing CSN+ Chicago will air tonight's game.

 

[Pablo]

UNI's Jeremy Morgan is second in D-I in steals per game (3.8):

UNI Basketball ‏@UNImbb 28m28 minutes ago
Tip is set for 7 p.m. tonight in the McLeod Center for George Mason at UNI. #UNIFight

 

[EXpatriot13]

Is GoMason.com down for anyone else?

Edit: It's back up.

 

[Pablo]

http://giantkiller.co/2016/11/29/masongameday-george-mason-vs-northern-iowa/

 

[Pablo]

http://www.panthernation.com/showthread.php?t=65534:


Northern Iowa Panthers 3-2 (0-0)

No.....Name..................Ht..Yr.....Ppg....Apg ....Rpg.....Mpg
#2 Klint Carlson............6-7 Jr.....12.2....2.2....3.4.....29.0
#13 Juwan McCloud.....5-11 Fr.....3.2....2.0....1.6.....24.8
#20 Jeremy Morgan......6-5 Sr....16.4....2.6....6.8.....33.8
#25 Bennett Koch........6-9 Jr......9.8....0.4....2.4.....19.2
#33 Wyatt Lohaus........6-2 Jr......3.3....0.5....1.6.....24.8

Off the Bench:
#3 Ted Friedman..........6-9 Jr
#21 Hunter Rhodes.......6-1 Jr
#23 Jordan Ashton.......6-4 Sr
#24 Isaiah Brown.........6-5 Fr
#30 Spencer Haldeman..6-1 Fr
#34 Luke McDonnell......6-9 Fr

Vs. George Mason Patriots 4-3 (0-0)

No.....Name..................Ht..Yr.....Ppg....Apg ....Rpg.....Mpg
#3 Justin Kier...............6-4 Fr......6.1....1.0....5.3.....25.0
#4 Otis Livingston II....5-11 So...14.0....3.4....2.1.....35.1
#5 Jaire Grayer.............6-4 So....9.4....0.7....3.9.....26.1
#22 Marquise Moore......6-2 Sr...18.0....2.6....9.3.....35.7
#25 Troy Temara..........6-8 Fr.....2.3....0.3....1.5.....12.7

Off the Bench:
#10 Karmari Newman....6-4 Fr
#31 Jalen Jenkins.........6-7 Sr
#32 Ian Boyd..............6-3 Fr

Gametime:
Wednesday, November 30, 7:00 p.m. in Cedar Falls, Iowa

Media:
Tv: Panther Sports TV Network
Radio: Panther Sports Radio Network
Internet: ESPN3
Gamecast: StatBroadcast

Official Website:
http://gomason.com/

Message Board:
masonhoops.com

 

[Pablo]

Mason Basketball ‏@MasonMBB 1h1 hour ago
Shootaround pano inside the McLeod Center Tip tonight at 8 p.m. (ET)

#GetPatriotic