Game 9: GMU (4-4) vs Toledo (5-2) on Saturday, December 3, at 2:00 PM.

[GMUSSTN]

So we're all agreed on one thing then: The singer needs to be nixed.

Doc Nixed?

 

[Leesburg Chankenstank III]

Doc Nixed?

Richard Millhouse Nixed

 

[gmubrian]

Not sure if we can hang with Toledo. Kinda wish this game was in a week from from bc we are emerging in certain areas. Mainly JF.

Not impressed with Toledo. Yet again, we faced a team not 100%. I thought our help D was bad, they looked like a middle school team.

So we just beat a team you implied ahead of time was going to be a tough one. Then, after we kept one of the top offenses in the country (12th highest scoring in the country) from scoring their usual amount, you insult our defense. Hmmmm… you seem to have a heavy anti CKE bias.

Do you have another nephew playing college ball that was passed over by CKE?

 

[dr. gunnie]

Great win. Can’t keep getting down early, but this hopefully shows some of the other starters that we can still beat good teams without Josh. We need these other starters to get some confidence.

Cooper was phenomenal late. Having depth this year at forward is awesome. Gotta figure out some sort of role for Singleton. Plays great D and gets to rim well, but such a liability from the free throw line.

 

[GMUSSTN]

Great win. Can’t keep getting down early, but this hopefully shows some of the other starters that we can still beat good teams without Josh. We need these other starters to get some confidence.

Cooper was phenomenal late. Having depth this year at forward is awesome. Gotta figure out some sort of role for Singleton. Plays great D and gets to rim well, but such a liability from the free throw line.

If my arms were that long I'd just place the ball in the hoop gently from the free throw line without moving my feet

 

[GMU79]

If my arms were that long I'd just place the ball in the hoop gently from the free throw line without moving my feet

Or get a running start, take off from the foul line, and "Be Like Mike."

 

[Mason2005]

Great win. Can’t keep getting down early, but this hopefully shows some of the other starters that we can still beat good teams without Josh. We need these other starters to get some confidence.

Cooper was phenomenal late. Having depth this year at forward is awesome. Gotta figure out some sort of role for Singleton. Plays great D and gets to rim well, but such a liability from the free throw line.

Perhaps he should apply the Ginika solution and take a full jumper at the line.

 

[gmujim92]

Perhaps he should apply the Ginika solution and take a full jumper at the line.

Ginika isn’t jumping anymore. I noticed yesterday, he gets up on his tiptoes but doesn’t leave the floor

 

[Mason2005]

Ginika isn’t jumping anymore. I noticed yesterday, he gets up on his tiptoes but doesn’t leave the floor

Yeah the coaches got him to do that bc his ft shooting was way off in practice, it looks good now. Perhaps that'd work with Saquan too.

 

[GSII]

So we just beat a team you implied ahead of time was going to be a tough one. Then, after we kept one of the top offenses in the country (12th highest scoring in the country) from scoring their usual amount, you insult our defense. Hmmmm… you seem to have a heavy anti CKE bias.

Do you have another nephew playing college ball that was passed over by CKE?

It was a nice win.(ya happy now?) But there are glaring defiencies that keep reoccurring. Its annoying. But I guess CKE takes more time to address turnovers, kinda like he is doing with his rotations. Ie trying different things. The defense, i just feel could create more easy buckets for us. Since we have depth, length, experience why not use the defense, at minimum, to get deflections? And hopefully some run outs. This current defense is too much like DPs for my liking. I love Kim, as our coach, make no mistake. I'm just confused at what he wants. Faster pace? OK, but the defense isn't creating that for you, but it could, imo.

Had my nephew stayed here, we probably wouldn't have Kim. But I'm sure I don't have to tell you that.

 

[ProfessorCFK]

Great win and really happy to be undefeated at home, just super bummed I couldn't get my Gunston pint glass.

 

[GMU79]

Great win and really happy to be undefeated at home, just super bummed I couldn't get my Gunston pint glass.View attachment 1575

Love the plate! And I still say Gunston should be a secondary mascot. Now if we could only come up with a logo...or three.
GMU, GM, and an angry Patriot.

 

[Petey Buckets]

After noodling on it for a while I think I finally put my finger on what felt so satisfying about this win - after one year and nine games, it felt like we finally got to see what it looks like when we play KimmieBall as Kim intends.

- Tons of pace (fastest game of the season at 73 possessions; Toledo is one of the fastest teams in the country, so this was largely their doing, but damn we look good in the open court)

- Tons of size (nine guys played 10+ minutes and eight of them were over 6'4", the other was Polite at 6'2")

- Defended like crazy, using all that size to hold a top 30 kenpom offense to 1ppp. Multiple instances of a Toledo player having his shot blocked by the guy who was guarding him (pretty sure Ronnie, Saquan, and Ginika all did this - super impressive as the large majority of blocks across cbb come from a help defender).

- Deep but tightening rotation - 9 guys getting 10+ minutes with Dink getting a few spot minutes at point due to Ronnie's foul trouble and Blake getting a minute forty of "let's see if he's still a defensive disaster today"

- Tons of DRIVES into the paint from our GUARDS - can't tell you how satisfying this was to watch after screaming about it for over a year now. I don't know if KE kidnapped one of Cooper's family members or what but he looks so gosh darn good when he puts his head down and gets to the bucket - whatever message was sent needs to get through like that every game for the rest of the season. He was possessed, a completely different player, and we were much better for it. KE has talked a lot about how much he loves 3s (duh), but he also talks about FTs, and the whole team getting to the line 27 times was a victory in itself.

Feels like a defined rotation is starting to emerge. Also feels like Saquan is finally figuring out his role as a defensive stopper on one end and a slasher/facilitator on the other. He was a +10 in 18 minutes as he logged 2 blocks and 4 assists. He's going to be a very important player for us.

Cautiously optimistic that a tighter rotation and more clearly defined roles is the start of a new beginning for us. Onward!

 

[sleeperpick]

After noodling on it for a while I think I finally put my finger on what felt so satisfying about this win - after one year and nine games, it felt like we finally got to see what it looks like when we play KimmieBall as Kim intends.

- Tons of pace (fastest game of the season at 73 possessions; Toledo is one of the fastest teams in the country, so this was largely their doing, but damn we look good in the open court)

- Tons of size (nine guys played 10+ minutes and eight of them were over 6'4", the other was Polite at 6'2")

- Defended like crazy, using all that size to hold a top 30 kenpom offense to 1ppp. Multiple instances of a Toledo player having his shot blocked by the guy who was guarding him (pretty sure Ronnie, Saquan, and Ginika all did this - super impressive as the large majority of blocks across cbb come from a help defender).

- Deep but tightening rotation - 9 guys getting 10+ minutes with Dink getting a few spot minutes at point due to Ronnie's foul trouble and Blake getting a minute forty of "let's see if he's still a defensive disaster today"

- Tons of DRIVES into the paint from our GUARDS - can't tell you how satisfying this was to watch after screaming about it for over a year now. I don't know if KE kidnapped one of Cooper's family members or what but he looks so gosh darn good when he puts his head down and gets to the bucket - whatever message was sent needs to get through like that every game for the rest of the season. He was possessed, a completely different player, and we were much better for it. KE has talked a lot about how much he loves 3s (duh), but he also talks about FTs, and the whole team getting to the line 27 times was a victory in itself.

Feels like a defined rotation is starting to emerge. Also feels like Saquan is finally figuring out his role as a defensive stopper on one end and a slasher/facilitator on the other. He was a +10 in 18 minutes as he logged 2 blocks and 4 assists. He's going to be a very important player for us.

Cautiously optimistic that a tighter rotation and more clearly defined roles is the start of a new beginning for us. Onward!

good post. it was Bailey that blocked the guy which came out of nowhere had to rewind 3 times to make sure it wasn't Ticket from help side it was that unbelievable

 

[mkaufman1]

After noodling on it for a while I think I finally put my finger on what felt so satisfying about this win - after one year and nine games, it felt like we finally got to see what it looks like when we play KimmieBall as Kim intends.

- Tons of pace (fastest game of the season at 73 possessions; Toledo is one of the fastest teams in the country, so this was largely their doing, but damn we look good in the open court)

- Tons of size (nine guys played 10+ minutes and eight of them were over 6'4", the other was Polite at 6'2")

- Defended like crazy, using all that size to hold a top 30 kenpom offense to 1ppp. Multiple instances of a Toledo player having his shot blocked by the guy who was guarding him (pretty sure Ronnie, Saquan, and Ginika all did this - super impressive as the large majority of blocks across cbb come from a help defender).

- Deep but tightening rotation - 9 guys getting 10+ minutes with Dink getting a few spot minutes at point due to Ronnie's foul trouble and Blake getting a minute forty of "let's see if he's still a defensive disaster today"

- Tons of DRIVES into the paint from our GUARDS - can't tell you how satisfying this was to watch after screaming about it for over a year now. I don't know if KE kidnapped one of Cooper's family members or what but he looks so gosh darn good when he puts his head down and gets to the bucket - whatever message was sent needs to get through like that every game for the rest of the season. He was possessed, a completely different player, and we were much better for it. KE has talked a lot about how much he loves 3s (duh), but he also talks about FTs, and the whole team getting to the line 27 times was a victory in itself.

Feels like a defined rotation is starting to emerge. Also feels like Saquan is finally figuring out his role as a defensive stopper on one end and a slasher/facilitator on the other. He was a +10 in 18 minutes as he logged 2 blocks and 4 assists. He's going to be a very important player for us.

Cautiously optimistic that a tighter rotation and more clearly defined roles is the start of a new beginning for us. Onward!

Great post as usual.

I don't like to get too high or too low with wins/losses (which is close to impossible for me), but Saturday felt like it could be a "we turned the corner" game with English. Not only did we defend like you said, but we played overall very competent basketball on both sides of the ball for 30-35 minutes with a "next man up" type mentality. Mason looked like a program that could be reckoned with at the mid major level.

My concern is that we turn the corner and circle the same block, but if Mason can find a way to play like they did on Saturday, they are going to be just fine in conference play and have a chance to win quite a few ballgames.

 

[DRK331]

Hear from the players post game:

 

[DRK331]

Kim English post game:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1599871233692155904