Hysteria aside, what can realistically be changed?

[TweederGMU]

The thing that makes me sad about that is the fact that I allowed myself to believe this was an NCAA tournament season. The A-10, obviously, ain't the CAA. "It's all about the conference" was hard enough in the CAA; it's damn near impossible now. Our 0-3 start means we have to actually win the damn A10 now. I thought we could finish 3rd and skate into the tournament. Now, you spend the rest of the OOC tinkering and figuring shit out, you actually do it and shut all of the haters up, you win 15 games in the A10, make it to the semi finals of the tournament, and still end up sitting at home sweating out a low-seed NIT bid. It's depressing.

It's all about the conference now. But if Paulsen has BY FAR the best conference season we've ever seen, we still don't dance because either St. Louis or St. Joe's, or both, plus some surprise team no one expected, over-perform.

I became a Mason fan in 1995 - the first time I had ever heard of George Mason University, and eventually committed to go there in 1996. We danced in 99, 01, 06, 08, and 11. The longest drought I've ever endured was 5 years. Now we're in year 8 and there's a 98%+ chance we're not doing it this year. Then we graduate 2 1000 point scorers, 2 players near the top of the career 3pt list, a player near the top of the assists list, and it's hard to imagine it happens next year, either.

It's depressing that, after 3 games, we already know there's a huge chance we're looking at a 10 year tourney drought. That sucks.

I still don't think it's time to fire DP, though

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The way we are playing now we will end up playing Fordham the first day and lose.

 

[patriot2000]

The selection committee is more forgiving of early bad losses. Start winning and keep winning. Finish top three in conference and play in title game. At-large still possible.

Never said it wasn't possible. It's just crazy how quickly it became so improbable

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[gmujim92]

Still have to change the effing defense.

I was watching UVa on Friday night and their guys almost never go outside the 3-point line on defense. They make it basically impossible to get the ball into the paint.

Our guards are going out 40 feet from the basket and trying to pressure the ball, but all that does is spread us out and leave us susceptible to penetration.

Not sure why the coaches aren’t stressing this, but they need to. We need to get back to playing our packed-in defense from last season and it’s not gonna get any better until we do.

 

[GSII]

Coaching staff "Make him drive"....all day from the bench.. Isn't this going against us trying to take away the layup line?

 

[Patriotsince81]

Coaching staff "Make him drive"....all day from the bench.. Isn't this going against us trying to take away the layup line?

It's called the "Matador Defense". Players are trained to yell "Ole" as their man blows by them in the hope that a teammate, who is NOT in the paint, will help.

 

[mkaufman1]

It's called the "Matador Defense". Players are trained to yell "Ole" as their man blows by them in the hope that a teammate, who is NOT in the paint, will help.

Reuter definitely embraces that lol

 

[JR Leonard]

It's not gonna be hard replacing otis.

No it's not. We got two more Otis': Kier and Green put your head down and drive to the basket and turn the ball over.

 

[GMUgemini]

No it's not. We got two more Otis': Kier and Green put your head down and drive to the basket and turn the ball over.

Otis averaged 2 turnovers a game before this year, you know. This is actually uncharacteristic for him. So is being 0-7 from 3. Replacing his minutes next year is not going to be easy.

 

[Falco]

I would be interested to run a press deffemse with the following lineup.
Otis
Kier
Green
Grayer
Aj

 

[GMU_DCU]

I would be interested to run a press deffemse with the following lineup.
Otis
Kier
Green
Grayer
Aj

You think we give up a lot of layups now....

 

[GSII]

No it's not. We got two more Otis': Kier and Green put your head down and drive to the basket and turn the ball over.

Hartwell will do just fine.

 

[PoorManProfit]

Reuter definitely embraces that lol

Why do you think he left UVA? He can’t move.

 

[GMUSig03]

Some noteworthy stats so far:

AJ is 7th in Country at blocks per game - 3.3 (2nd in A10) and would be leading in FG% if he had enough attempts to qualify.

Boyd and Grayer are 5th and 9th in the A10 in 3pt%.

Javon is 8th in the A10 in RB's per game and 4th in FT%.

Otis is 2nd in A10 in assists per game.

Otis (4.8) and Justin (3.8) are 1st and 3rd in TO's per game in A10 and Otis' 19 total TO's are "good" for 17th most nationally.

These statistical rankings pretty much confirm the root of everything we have been complaining about (aside from defensive issues).

 

[GSII]

All your fault Otis!! Kidding. Not really.

 

[psyclone]

Some noteworthy stats so far:

AJ is 7th in Country at blocks per game - 3.3 (2nd in A10) and would be leading in FG% if he had enough attempts to qualify.

Boyd and Grayer are 5th and 9th in the A10 in 3pt%.

Javon is 8th in the A10 in RB's per game and 4th in FT%.

Otis is 2nd in A10 in assists per game.

Otis (4.8) and Justin (3.8) are 1st and 3rd in TO's per game in A10 and Otis' 19 total TO's are "good" for 17th most nationally.

These statistical rankings pretty much confirm the root of everything we have been complaining about (aside from defensive issues).

Hey, you're forgetting that we're 16th in the country in FT% DEFENSE (55.9%)!

 

[GSII]

https://theathletic.com/663980/2018/11/20/kenpom-so-your-team-has-limped-out-of-the-gate-fear-not/

 

[psyclone]

https://theathletic.com/663980/2018/11/20/kenpom-so-your-team-has-limped-out-of-the-gate-fear-not/

Tempted to try their free trial but concerned that it won't be all that easy to cancel within the time limit and once they have your credit card, I'll get billed regardless of whether I cancel in time.

Anyone a subscriber that can summarize the rest of the article?

 

[Quentin Daniels]

Some other noteworthy stats:

Otis is #15 all-time at Mason in career points. If he stays healthy and consistent w/what he's done in years past, he'll end the season as the #3 all-time scorer at Mason surpassing George Evans and just behind Yates & Sanders.

His career scoring average is in the Top 20.

He is #15 currently in 3 pt. % and made 3 pointers.

He is #1 in Free Throw %.

He is currently #7 in assists and if he maintains pace and stays healthy, is on track to be #2 all-time and only behind Curtis McCants.

Not too shabby for a guy whose other offers were the likes of Niagra, Delaware State, and Robert Morris.

 

[Patriot Lawdog]

Tempted to try their free trial but concerned that it won't be all that easy to cancel within the time limit and once they have your credit card, I'll get billed regardless of whether I cancel in time.

Anyone a subscriber that can summarize the rest of the article?

Yea, I do. It's really not expensive and worth it....But this article is summarized as such: Don't panic. It's early. Although most of the teams mentioned were losing to bad BCS teams not American.

 

[psyclone]

Yea, I do. It's really not expensive and worth it....But this article is summarized as such: Don't panic. It's early. Although most of the teams mentioned were losing to bad BCS teams not American.

Thanks! I'm already subscribing to Kenpom.....would have thought the article would have been reproduced there seeing he wrote it.