Game Thread: Toilet Bowl - Mason (1-4) vs UMass (1-4) Wednesday, Jan 22. 7PM

[FreeGunston12]

Man, I wish we had a Gabe Norwood on this team...someone who could play the 1, 2, or 3 and keep our guards fresh.

Sounds like Daddy's role in an ideal world.

 

[gmujim92]

I’m tired of all the excuses. If Paulsen didn’t suck, he would’ve prevented those guys from suffering season-ending injuries.

We need a coach who simply won’t tolerate such foolishness.

 

[tblack33]

It’s weird to say this early in conference play but this game is probably the last chance we have to get things somewhat back on track to avoid the play in game. UMASS is one of the only A-10 teams I haven’t seen play yet this season, but I imagine it’ll be a close one. Need to keep this one low scoring, because we aren’t going to beat anyone in a track meet the rest of the season. If we lose this I don’t see how we stay out of the bottom 4 with the rest of our schedule.

 

[FreeGunston12]

I’m tired of all the excuses. If Paulsen didn’t suck, he would’ve prevented those guys from suffering season-ending injuries.

We need a coach who simply won’t tolerate such foolishness.

Just 1 man's opinion, but I honestly don't think any injury would have changed 1 result this season.

 

[GMUgemini]

Just 1 man's opinion, but I honestly don't think any injury would have changed 1 result this season.

Hard to say...but having Kier and Hartwell available against Richmond might have made a different, and having Kier available against GW might have made a difference...enough to move an L to a W? That's just speculation, but it's also true that one player can make a big difference on the basketball court.

 

[gmujim92]

Just 1 man's opinion, but I honestly don't think any injury would have changed 1 result this season.

Yeah I mean Kier was only second-team all A-10 and the most improved player in the conference. I’m sure losing him, getting him back for a while and losing him again has had no impact whatsoever on our team.

 

[FreeGunston12]

Hard to say...but having Kier and Hartwell available against Richmond might have made a different, and having Kier available against GW might have made a difference...enough to move an L to a W? That's just speculation, but it's also true that one player can make a big difference on the basketball court.

Let us not forget that GW and Richmond both had injuries of their own that they were dealing with. And although I do recognize that Kier is one of our best players, I think his minutes spread between XJ, Greene, & Miller isn't such a huge dropoff.

Yeah I mean Kier was only second-team all A-10 and the most improved player in the conference. I’m sure losing him, getting him back for a while and losing him again has had no impact whatsoever on our team.

I guess the narrative of the team improving by having to play without him early season is no longer accurate then. An idea that Kier himself said.

So far, which losses do you think become wins?

 

[Mason32]

I’m tired of all the excuses. If Paulsen didn’t suck, he would’ve prevented those guys from suffering season-ending injuries.

We need a coach who simply won’t tolerate such foolishness.

starting to think they have the equivalent of the redskins med staff that was just canned

 

[sleeperpick]

UMASS is really bad so I have faith (shame on me). If AJ can contain Mitchell down low we have a legitimate chance. Pierre and East are both streaky but not afraid to pull it from anywhere on the court. Javon and XJ have got to be in their face refusing space.

I think Jordan should be able to dominate this game so GMU by 4

 

[gmujim92]

Let us not forget that GW and Richmond both had injuries of their own that they were dealing with. And although I do recognize that Kier is one of our best players, I think his minutes spread between XJ, Greene, & Miller isn't such a huge dropoff.


I guess the narrative of the team improving by having to play without him early season is no longer accurate then. An idea that Kier himself said.

So far, which losses do you think become wins?

When healthy Kier is our best player and it’s not particularly close.

And while they did play well without him in the OOC, I’m sure it’s not easy to adjust to not having a guy of his stature, then integrate him back into the lineup, then adjust to not having him again in a relatively short time span.

Then again, if our coach didn’t suck ballz it would be a moot point because a good coach would make our players indestructible and they’d never ever get hurt ever.

 

[sleeperpick]

When healthy Kier is our best player and it’s not particularly close.

And while they did play well without him in the OOC, I’m sure it’s not easy to adjust to not having a guy of his stature, then integrate him back into the lineup, then adjust to not having him again in a relatively short time span.

Then again, if our coach didn’t suck ballz it would be a moot point because a good coach would make our players indestructible and they’d never ever get hurt ever.

If Kier was playing vs Richmond (I agree on your GW take) Greene probably would not have went off for 39 points and Kier at 75% which is what he was at is not helping us stop Richmond defensively. I don't particularly buy it.

Our coach does suck but that has nothing to do with the injuries. You can't watch a game and say his game management skills are on point. He doesn't take timeouts right before media timeout every time like Hewitt did but he has this strange habit of substituting the hot players out the second they get going and putting in someone like lets say Goanar Mar

 

[GMUgemini]

Let us not forget that GW and Richmond both had injuries of their own that they were dealing with. And although I do recognize that Kier is one of our best players, I think his minutes spread between XJ, Greene, & Miller isn't such a huge dropoff.


I guess the narrative of the team improving by having to play without him early season is no longer accurate then. An idea that Kier himself said.

So far, which losses do you think become wins?

Well, when the only guards on your bench are JDS and walk-ons, I'd say you're in trouble.

As for the Richmond game, Hartwell did a really good job on Gilyard in our last home game against him (2-10 from the floor), but I don't know if this current Hartwell could have done something similar to this current Gilyard.

Richmond is a bigger match-up nightmare for this team than even Bona or vcu, because their big is not only huge compared to ours, but also is skilled outside of the paint, and a really good passer (sure he's not a good defender, but does that matter when he's guarding Calixte/Oduro? Not really).

Unless the players look gassed, not sure why you'd bring in Mar for anyone (maybe save their legs for late-game?).

 

[FreeGunston12]

When healthy Kier is our best player and it’s not particularly close.

And while they did play well without him in the OOC, I’m sure it’s not easy to adjust to not having a guy of his stature, then integrate him back into the lineup, then adjust to not having him again in a relatively short time span.

Then again, if our coach didn’t suck ballz it would be a moot point because a good coach would make our players indestructible and they’d never ever get hurt ever.

Best player? Sure. Most important player, no. And it is not even close.

So basically what I'm hearing is that we would've beaten Richmond and/or GW if there were no injuries on either team?

 

[sleeperpick]

Best player? Sure. Most important player, no. And it is not even close.

So basically what I'm hearing is that we would've beaten Richmond and/or GW if there were no injuries on either team?

who is the most important player this year? I am torn because healthy Kier definitely is but he was never healthy and seemed to be rushed back

I mean we would have probably 3 wins without AJ this year so I guess I would go with him but Jordan also has a sneaky shot at it as well

 

[FreeGunston12]

who is the most important player this year? I am torn because healthy Kier definitely is but he was never healthy and seemed to be rushed back

AJ. Without him, what do we have for interior defense? And how many times has he made up for our guards getting beat to the basket?

 

[sleeperpick]

AJ. Without him, what do we have for interior defense? And how many times has he made up for our guards getting beat to the basket?

yea I edited post to clarify thoughts. you are 100% right

 

[FreeGunston12]

yea I edited post to clarify thoughts. you are 100% right

Yeah. It's not a knock on Kier at all. He's a leader for sure. It just comes down to where our depth is. I'd rather see more of our backup guards than Mar, Calixte, and Oduro at this point in the season.

The bigger point is, I still think this is a fair year to evaluate Paulsen on. Even if you're in the pro-Paulsen camp still, I'd hope you could look back at the end of this season and take away some conclusions about our coach.

Take away all injuries from all teams this year, and I don't think a single result would change thus far for us. Maybe there will be some the rest of the season.

 

[GMUgemini]

Yeah. It's not a knock on Kier at all. He's a leader for sure. It just comes down to where our depth is. I'd rather see more of our backup guards than Mar, Calixte, and Oduro at this point in the season.

The bigger point is, I still think this is a fair year to evaluate Paulsen on. Even if you're in the pro-Paulsen camp still, I'd hope you could look back at the end of this season and take away some conclusions about our coach.

Take away all injuries from all teams this year, and I don't think a single result would change thus far for us. Maybe there will be some the rest of the season.

We don't have any healthy backup guards right now...Kier, Boyd, and Haidara are hurt; Hartwell has been sick. Our entire guard depth chart right now: XJ, Greene, Miller, JDS, Tempchin, and McCray.

Haidara has been out since the third game of the season, I'm not sure if it's even worth it to try to play him again this season, even if his wrist has healed.

Hopefully we can get Hartwell back and get his endurance back up (Bronchitis, if that's what he has, will kill his gameday fitness).

 

[GMUgemini]

When healthy Kier is our best player and it’s not particularly close.

And while they did play well without him in the OOC, I’m sure it’s not easy to adjust to not having a guy of his stature, then integrate him back into the lineup, then adjust to not having him again in a relatively short time span.

Then again, if our coach didn’t suck ballz it would be a moot point because a good coach would make our players indestructible and they’d never ever get hurt ever.

AJ is definitely on this team the most important player.

The one thing about losing Kier (and to a lesser extent Boyd), is that other than Miller, they were our "biggest" guards. We have no flexibility with how we line up.

So, even when Hartwell comes back, when Miller isn't on the floor (or is forced to play the 4 because AJ has to slide over to the 5), our backcourt will go 5'10, 6'1, 6'2, and will be exploited by most A10 backcourts.

Kier could play the 1, 2 or 3 and that allows him to slide over for any of the three starting guards when they aren't on the floor. But, yeah, Kier at 75% isn't ideal. I remember watching him limping around after play would stop in the last game he played in thinking he is definitely not 100%.

 

[PoorManProfit]

GMU by 1 - on a Mar 3 pointer with the clock running out

Mar could be all by himself on the floor right under the basket and miss.