Game Thread: Loyola University (MD) (2-2) at Mason (4-0), Tuesday, November 19th, 7 PM (ESPN+)

[Washingtonian]

Loyola plays at 6 PM on November 17th against Fairfield (will update the record when the game is completed). The game against Fairfield is viewable on Stadium (https://watchstadium.com/where-to-watch/).

The game is part of the Cayman Islands classic.

Loyola's schedule is here: https://loyolagreyhounds.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule
Loyola's roster is here: https://loyolagreyhounds.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster
Loyola's stats are here: https://loyolagreyhounds.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats#individual
Last season's Loyola's stats are here: https://loyolagreyhounds.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2018-19#individual

Returning players: Andrew Kostecka averaged 21.3 PPG, Brent Holcombe averaged 11.0 PPG/6.0 RPG (12 games), Chuck Champion averaged 10.7 PPG, and Isaiah Hart averaged 10.1 PPG.

EDIT: Loyola won 84-75 in OT over Fairfield.

 

[Patriotsince81]

I always worry about a game like this. Are the players looking ahead to Maryland on Friday or have they adopted the just go 1 - 0 today mentality? Mason 74 - Loyola 67.

 

[GreenLantern]

Us - 74
Them - 66
OT

 

[GMUgemini]

Going to be looking to see if Mar’s scoring is going to be consistent in this game. Can he shoot a reasonable percentage from the floor? Can he get to the line?

The mark of a good bench is having multiple guys being able to come in and give positive contributions to the game. XJ has been super solid so far. Oduro has put in some good minutes. If Mar can get that third guy off the bench, we’ve got ourselves a rotation going forward.

 

[p8triotfan4life]

18 wins away from pay dirt. We keep rollin

Mason 88
Loyola 60

 

[Washingtonian]

7 point favorite, 143 over/under.

 

[Pablo]

https://loyolagreyhounds.com/news/2...-mens-basketball-overtime-win-over-stags.aspx:

"Andrew Kostecka finished one point off his career-high with 31 points to go with six assists, five rebounds and four steals, while Kenneth Jones made all five of his 3-point attempts and scored a career-best 19 points, 13 that came in the second half or overtime.

Two freshmen made their Reitz Arena regular-season debuts with emphasis as Golden Dike finished with 18 points, a game-best eight rebounds, three assists and two steals, and Cam Spencer hit a 3-pointer that put Loyola up two possessions in overtime, and he added six assists off the bench.

The game was Kostecka's fifth with 30 or more points in his last 32 games. During the game, he moved into Loyola's top-20 all-time in scoring with 1,262 points."

 

[GMUgemini]

Would love to see us finally win comfortably (that is going into the half with a decent lead and building on it in the second half). But I’m not holding my breath that that is going to happen.

 

[psyclone]

7 point favorite, 143 over/under.

KenPom: Mason 74-68.

 

[Leesburg Chankenstank III]

......season debuts with emphasis as Golden Dike finished with 18 points .....

Golden. Dike.

 

[Pablo]

Golden. Dike.

• HEIGHT
  
  6-10
• WEIGHT
  
  250
• CLASS
  
  Freshman
• HOMETOWN
  
  Málaga, Spain
• HIGHSCHOOL
  
  Colegio SEK El Castillo International School

• BIO
  
• RELATED
  
• STATS

Biography
Before Loyola: Member of the gold-medal winning Spanish team at the 2019 FIBA U-18 European Championships… Was a member of three championship teams in 2018-19, including the aforementioned European Championships… Also helped Real Madrid 2019 Spanish National Championship and the Euroleague Basketball U-18 Adidas Next Generation Title when he averaged 9.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game in the 2019 competition in Munich… Member of three-straight Spanish National Championshi Teams with Real Madrid, 2017-2019, including when he was the Most Valuable Player of the 2017 tournament… Has played for the Spanish National Team at the age-group level since 2013… Member of the Spanish team that won the FIBA U-16 European Championships in 2017… Graduated from Colegio SEK El Castillo International School in Madrid.

Personal: Son of Uche Egun and Wisdom Dike… Has two siblings, Chelsea and Kelly.

 

[gmutom]

This game should be a good challenge for us defensively, because they have four players averaging double figures (and that doesn't include Dike).

Containing Kostecka is obviously important, but Dike's size could give our players fits on both ends of the court. AJ, Calixte and Oduro need to stay out of foul trouble in this one, and our guards/wings need to penetrate and knock down some mid-range jumpers.

 

[Washingtonian]

This game should be a good challenge for us defensively, because they have four players averaging double figures (and that doesn't include Dike).

Containing Kostecka is obviously important, but Dike's size could give our players fits on both ends of the court. AJ, Calixte and Oduro need to stay out of foul trouble in this one, and our guards/wings need to penetrate and knock down some mid-range jumpers.

It is good that Paulsen has a schedule set up for different types of offenses to face.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

You have got to love that kids name.

Agree that this game could be tough for us in the post.

Nice to be able to post after a few weeks of my account being fubarred.

 

[Pablo]

You have got to love that kids name.

Agree that this game could be tough for us in the post.

It would be even tougher in the post if his teammate Santi Aldama was not out after knee surgery - https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports...0190822-bquxywqavvfuvmglbvjokkks4m-story.html & https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports...0191106-rajmpdwfkfgltitud7o6zmq3du-story.html

 

[Pikapppatri8]

It would be even tougher in the post if his teammate Santi Aldama was not out after knee surgery - https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports...0190822-bquxywqavvfuvmglbvjokkks4m-story.html & https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports...0191106-rajmpdwfkfgltitud7o6zmq3du-story.html

Man that is terrible to hear - hate to see injuries like that.

I still think we will need to find a way to control the post if we are to win - or we are going to have to be lights our from 3 point land.

 

[mkaufman1]

Loyola MD is the best team Mason has faced to date, with a KenPom ranking closest to 200. They have beaten Chicago State and Fairfield (ugh Fairfield), while losing on the road to ODU and Marquette.

That said, I'm hoping for it to not be what this game was back in March 2017 and Mason continues to roll and play good basketball.

I'm also glad that Mason's schedule gets a bit tougher, with Maryland ODU and another two games in Cayman to be determined. Hopefully they can stay course and win a few through this stretch.

For now just go 1-0 today and take care of business.

 

[GMUgemini]

Loyola MD is the best team Mason has faced to date, with a KenPom ranking closest to 200. They have beaten Chicago State and Fairfield (ugh Fairfield), while losing on the road to ODU and Marquette.

That said, I'm hoping for it to not be what this game was back in March 2017 and Mason continues to roll and play good basketball.

I'm also glad that Mason's schedule gets a bit tougher, with Maryland ODU and another two games in Cayman to be determined. Hopefully they can stay course and win a few through this stretch.

For now just go 1-0 today and take care of business.

One potential matchup in the Cayman Islands, Nebraska, has been pretty awful so far. Hopefully, we get past ODU and get the better of the two teams (I mean, who knows, but I suspect Washington St. is going to handle Nebraska in their game).

 

[Pikapppatri8]

Loyola MD is the best team Mason has faced to date, with a KenPom ranking closest to 200. They have beaten Chicago State and Fairfield (ugh Fairfield), while losing on the road to ODU and Marquette.

That said, I'm hoping for it to not be what this game was back in March 2017 and Mason continues to roll and play good basketball.

I'm also glad that Mason's schedule gets a bit tougher, with Maryland ODU and another two games in Cayman to be determined. Hopefully they can stay course and win a few through this stretch.

For now just go 1-0 today and take care of business.

Man you just enunciated my fears. LOL

If we can keep balanced scoring and get good performances from Oduro and Miller - we should win. I would also like to see Gonar Mar do what he did in the second half of the JMU game - penetrate and make those mid-distance jumpers. I also want more Hartwell.

 

[Leesburg Chankenstank III]

Mason does not have one individual in the top 13 scorers in the A10. But does have the 14th, 15th, and 16th top scorers in the conference so far. Pretty balanced scoring thus far.