After close losses to start the season Paulsen talked a lot about how the team was still learning how to win games down the stretch. It appears we've turned a major corner:
The bad:
- Led Towson 35-30 early in the second half. Outscored 37-26 over the rest of the game.
- Led Mount Saint Mary's by 7 with 11 minutes left. Blew the lead to go to overtime and lost in overtime.
The adequate:
- Kent State led 64-58 with 10 minutes left. Mason outscored them 21-11 over the rest of the game to win by four.
- Bradley took a lead early in the second half, but Mason outscored them 51-41 over the entire second period, leading by as many as 21 in a game that wasn't ever close in the last 12 minutes.
- JMU lead 60-56 with four minutes left. Mason outscored them 11-7 to close out the game, then 13-10 in overtime.
The really, really good:
- UNI went up five 44-39 with four minutes left. Mason outscored them 15-6 to end the game.
- Mercer was down by two, 49-47, with 13 minutes left. Mason outscored them 30-21 to end the game.
- Penn State led by one at the half. Mason outscored them 48-28 in the second.
- Penn led 44-40 with 16 minutes left. Mason outscored them 39-16 down the stretch.
My favorite thing about this win streak is the way we choked the life out of Penn State and Penn, both on the road, both coming from behind in the second half to win big. This team is mentally tougher than at any other point in the Paulsen era, and they're not going to be afraid of anyone we play this season.
The bad:
- Led Towson 35-30 early in the second half. Outscored 37-26 over the rest of the game.
- Led Mount Saint Mary's by 7 with 11 minutes left. Blew the lead to go to overtime and lost in overtime.
The adequate:
- Kent State led 64-58 with 10 minutes left. Mason outscored them 21-11 over the rest of the game to win by four.
- Bradley took a lead early in the second half, but Mason outscored them 51-41 over the entire second period, leading by as many as 21 in a game that wasn't ever close in the last 12 minutes.
- JMU lead 60-56 with four minutes left. Mason outscored them 11-7 to close out the game, then 13-10 in overtime.
The really, really good:
- UNI went up five 44-39 with four minutes left. Mason outscored them 15-6 to end the game.
- Mercer was down by two, 49-47, with 13 minutes left. Mason outscored them 30-21 to end the game.
- Penn State led by one at the half. Mason outscored them 48-28 in the second.
- Penn led 44-40 with 16 minutes left. Mason outscored them 39-16 down the stretch.
My favorite thing about this win streak is the way we choked the life out of Penn State and Penn, both on the road, both coming from behind in the second half to win big. This team is mentally tougher than at any other point in the Paulsen era, and they're not going to be afraid of anyone we play this season.
