Next Up - GMU (2-4) vs Davidson (3-3) Saturday, Jan. 25 at 6PM.

[hoops10]

Keeping Paulson as head coach is just swimming upstream. Cant recruit worth a s..t. He insists to play man to man, when they have below average athletes. who cant shoot. B Edwards also is responsible. he is the one who brought in this div III coach. Looks like George Mason does not care about the basketball program. Why dont they go division III, then they can keep Paulson.

 

[Falco]

I can’t really comment on this game because I didn’t watch. But I don’t understand having a roster full of guards and not playing up tempo.

 

[By George.]

How are we feeling? I reset expectations before this game and I feel much...much better. The game didn’t seem like a blowout but....

 

[mkaufman1]

How are we feeling? I reset expectations before this game and I feel much...much better. The game didn’t seem like a blowout but....

partly better partly bleh

I saw some really good effort at points on both ends, loved what I saw on the glass.

but I also saw more of the same stagnant offense, giving guards too much space, and poor defense allowing Davidson get to the rim.

I didn’t expect a win, and I don’t believe in moral victories. Going to still be tough going forward to stay out of the PIG. They needed a win to help stay above, and this was probably one of the more winnable games.

 

[mason lawyer]

How are we feeling? I reset expectations before this game and I feel much...much better. The game didn’t seem like a blowout but....

Avg Davison team at best. New expectations set by Paulsen defenders is staying out of pig.

 

[tblack33]

How are we feeling? I reset expectations before this game and I feel much...much better. The game didn’t seem like a blowout but....

Apathetic. This doesn’t feel like after GW but there are some glaring deficiencies with the basketball we are playing.

My hot take at this point in the season, I think we play better basketball without Kier. Maybe it’s because he wasn’t at 100% but I do think top to bottom the chemistry looks a little better without him out there.

 

[GMUgemini]

How are we feeling? I reset expectations before this game and I feel much...much better. The game didn’t seem like a blowout but....

The team isn't going to go anywhere this year, so the expectations are we'll beat teams that are demonstrably worse than us, but will not win any games we are not favored to win. Scheme wise, I do not like our offensive or defensive philosophies at all and think we are too passive and predictable on both sides of the ball.

 

[mkaufman1]

Apathetic. This doesn’t feel like after GW but there are some glaring deficiencies with the basketball we are playing.

My hot take at this point in the season, I think we play better basketball without Kier. Maybe it’s because he wasn’t at 100% but I do think top to bottom the chemistry looks a little better without him out there.

i can see this point. All we can do is hope this time together pays off dividends since the majority of the guys, if not all, of the players are coming back.

 

[gmutom]

We simply do not have the skilled shooters.

And yet we we took a mind-numbing 24 threes. Rather than playing to our strength of having Johnson, Greene, Miller and Wilson aggressively drive to the basket, we played right into their hands by passively succumbing to our weakness. It really is the difference between great and average coaching.

Even when Dave was smart to take Greene out after the technical to let him cool off emotionally, he sat him way too long and let him physically cool off. We were only down 2 points when he was benched, and we were outscored 21-8 the rest of the way.

 

[patriot2000]

we played right into their hands by passively succumbing to our weakness. It really is the difference between great and average coaching.

This is my big thing over the past year+. We just don't exert our will, or maximize our strengths, against anyone. Even most of our wins, it was just our players out-balling or out-athleting the opponent. A lot of people criticize the recruiting but (maybe this is just my general warm and fuzzy feeling about good kids playing a sport as hard as they can) I actually believe our players could win more games with a better coach. I really think it's the schemes and the stubbornness that kill us.

 

[FreeGunston12]

How are we feeling? I reset expectations before this game and I feel much...much better. The game didn’t seem like a blowout but....

For me, it's not about expectations. It is about waiting to see us try something different offensively. I'm still waiting. So this is still more damning evidence against Paulsen's coaching for me.

 

[Falco]

Well I’m extremely discouraged because this will be the same team next year. Unless we really expect the freshman to be studs.

 

[tblack33]

This is my big thing over the past year+. We just don't exert our will, or maximize our strengths, against anyone. Even most of our wins, it was just our players out-balling or out-athleting the opponent. A lot of people criticize the recruiting but (maybe this is just my general warm and fuzzy feeling about good kids playing a sport as hard as they can) I actually believe our players could win more games with a better coach. I really think it's the schemes and the stubbornness that kill us.

I think I’m about halfway there. I think we’ve got a couple of kids who in the right system would be 1st-2nd team A-10 type players in the right system. It’s frustrating to watch us squander what weve got going on with guys like Javon and AJ on this style of basketball. When was the last time an A-10 player was even top 10 in the country in blocks?

 

[tblack33]

Well I’m extremely discouraged because this will be the same team next year. Unless we really expect the freshman to be studs.

Agreed, I don’t see us getting a ton better and I don’t see a lot of the teams ahead of us getting a ton worse next year.

 

[mkaufman1]

Agreed, I don’t see us getting a ton better and I don’t see a lot of the teams ahead of us getting a ton worse next year.

if paulsen can’t win with the team coming back next year, plus the new recruits he’s never going to win. On paper it’s going to be the most talented team he’s had. Knowing our luck everyone gets hurt.

 

[Walter]

if paulsen can’t win with the team coming back next year, plus the new recruits he’s never going to win. On paper it’s going to be the most talented team he’s had. Knowing our luck everyone gets hurt.

I agree with this. If we aren't competing for a championship next year, it is time to look for a new coach.

 

[mkaufman1]

I agree with this. If we aren't competing for a championship next year, it is time to look for a new coach.

agreed. Dave has helped the program but at this point it’s time to win. It was time to win last year too and it didn’t happen.

 

[Falco]

if paulsen can’t win with the team coming back next year, plus the new recruits he’s never going to win. On paper it’s going to be the most talented team he’s had. Knowing our luck everyone gets hurt.

No disrespect to the players, I just don’t see the talent. All the players have flashes but they are not consistent.

 

[GMUgemini]

No disrespect to the players, I just don’t see the talent. All the players have flashes but they are not consistent.

Why are they inconsistent, though? Why does Miller go 0-9 against Davidson? Does he lack talent or is he not being put in a position to excel at what he does?

 

[mkaufman1]

Why are they inconsistent, though? Why does Miller go 0-9 against Davidson? Does he lack talent or is he not being put in a position to excel at what he does?

I think it’s those two things, but it’s also he’s a sophomore, and still probably adjusting to d1 basketball. Dave mentioned that he has to find a way when they are keying in on him.