So... Too Early to Talk About Next Year?

[tblack33]

I guess it felt like more ... XJ played a ton of minutes in conference because Jamal was sick and then hurt.

XJ had a stretch of about 3-4 games where he played 35+ if I remember correctly, towards the beginning of conference play. It gradually went down as hartwells minutes gradually increased going into the middle of conference play.

 

[sleeperpick]

Without Kier only an insane person would think we’d compete for top 4 next season. My optimism about really making a significant jump is rooted in him getting the medical redshirt and coming back healthy to play alongside AJ, Javon and Jordan.

With Kier only an insane person would think we come top 4 lol

 

[GMUgemini]

XJ had a stretch of about 3-4 games where he played 35+ if I remember correctly, towards the beginning of conference play. It gradually went down as hartwells minutes gradually increased going into the middle of conference play.

XJ averaged 33.6 mpg in conference games (including the last game). He played a lot of minutes in some late games as well (39 against Richmond, 36 against St. Joes, 37 against Dayton, and 38 against Duquesne).

Miller averaged 36.9 mpg in conference play.

 

[mkaufman1]

With Kier only an insane person would think we come top 4 lol

If Kier comes back (which again I dont' think he will), there is a chance that Mason could compete for the top 4, but a LOT would have to go right. Things do go unexpected in league play.

At this point, as you said, that would have to be borderline insanity.

But that's why you play the games.

 

[sleeperpick]

XJ averaged 33.6 mpg in conference games (including the last game). He played a lot of minutes in some late games as well (39 against Richmond, 36 against St. Joes, 37 against Dayton, and 38 against Duquesne).

Miller averaged 36.9 mpg in conference play.

Yea like they said when Hartwell had mono and a concussion and we had no guards off the bench

 

[Patriot8]

So what i'm seeing is:

With Kier = Potential Top 4 team
Without Kier = No chance at Top 4

The argument that we will have a potential Top 4 team with Kier vs. the notion that it is "insane" to think we would have a potential Top 4 team without Kier, is the most telling variable when you look at the state of the program.

What Jim is saying is this: If we don't get a miraculous return from a 5th year senior (who was set to graduate and leave) , Dave's 6th year will almost assuredly be another mid-to-lower level finish in the conference.

 

[Mason2005]

Haven't we all agreed that DP can only get Mason to average. We should all just be content with that until we upgrade him.

So what i'm seeing is:

With Kier = Potential Top 4 team
Without Kier = No chance at Top 4

The argument that we will have a potential Top 4 team with Kier vs. the notion that it is "insane" to think we would have a potential Top 4 team without Kier, is the most telling variable when you look at the state of the program.

What Jim is saying is this: If we don't get a miraculous return from a 5th year senior (who was set to graduate and leave) , Dave's 6th year will almost assuredly be another mid-to-lower level finish in the conference.

 

[sleeperpick]

Haven't we all agreed that DP can only get Mason to average. We should all just be content with that until we upgrade him.

but we aren't even average

 

[Dawgs99]

I am not sure where you got your minute info from. Nobody was at or within 3 mins of playing 35 per game even with a roster that looked much like Fordham's in quality.

I also agree with a lot of what you posted.

Lets say Kier isn't coming back (I think he is but NCAA are notable f*ckers in situations like his). You have Hartwell at 6th man and then what would your bench rotation be? Yours, not DP's. We all know Mar will be 7th and shouldn't but I am curious about yours. Polite is the only recruit I am unfamiliar with. Kolek is bleh to me and Henry is going to be great in two years. You have Daddy and Calixte as well to divvy up mins with. If Kier doesn't come back nowhere on Paulsen's track record can we say he will go out and get a grad transfer that can play right away.

Here is my answer: 1. XJ 2. Javon 3 Miller 4 AJ 5 Oduro (not because I think he is good but we have nobody good at the position), 6. Hartwell, 7. Calixte (not good either but 5 is our weakest position), 8. Polite (just from everything you and the DMV guys cream your pants about daily on here about how he is the best recruit Paulsen has ever had even though his offer sheet was of the quality of Daddy's) 9. Mar (again Paulsen will have him a lot higher which is just straight wrong) 10. Henry 11. Kolek 12. Daddy

That roster is not of the quality to be top 4 like some have said on here.

I get that this is the place to come vent frustrations about last season and/or DP's mostly failed tenure here, but your incessant complaining about everything is over the top. Here we go again bashing our incoming recruits and making fun of our current players. I'll ask again, what makes you an authority on all things basketball? You put out your opinion as though its fact. Whats your basketball resume? Coaching, scouting, player evaluation and/or development? At this point you've really become nothing more than a troll.

 

[mkaufman1]

but we aren't even average

I don't think 1 year of 5-13 (not counting year 1), drops the program that significantly. Dave was 29-26 the three years prior, but obviously a bad year dropped him.

In general, I think you could still make the argument that Mason is a below average to average program in the A10 for the past 3-4 years.

Since joining the A10 Mason is more below average than average.

Doesn't really matter other than it rounds to the point that until better recruits come in and or better coaching or whatever other variables, this is what it is.

 

[mkaufman1]

So what i'm seeing is:

With Kier = Potential Top 4 team
Without Kier = No chance at Top 4

The argument that we will have a potential Top 4 team with Kier vs. the notion that it is "insane" to think we would have a potential Top 4 team without Kier, is the most telling variable when you look at the state of the program.

What Jim is saying is this: If we don't get a miraculous return from a 5th year senior (who was set to graduate and leave) , Dave's 6th year will almost assuredly be another mid-to-lower level finish in the conference.

I think bringing back a 5th year senior who was close to being an all conf player, fully healthy, elevates Mason a LOT.

It is a lot on one player, but Kier is that important.

 

[tblack33]

I get that this is the place to come vent frustrations about last season and/or DP's mostly failed tenure here, but your incessant complaining about everything is over the top. Here we go again bashing our incoming recruits and making fun of our current players. I'll ask again, what makes you an authority on all things basketball? You put out your opinion as though its fact. Whats your basketball resume? Coaching, scouting, player evaluation and/or development? At this point you've really become nothing more than a troll.

LOL what is anyone's basketball resume here? At the end of the day, we are all just fans and casual observers of the program. No one on here is a college basketball coach. Maybe a couple on here have some assistant/HC experience at the small highschool level, which means you are the tiniest step above the average fan. Anyone posting anything on here that doesn't have stats on it is making an assessment. Anything that isn't simply W/Ls, averages,, and stats is just an assessment. You want to read just facts? Go get a kenpom account and salivate over the numbers all day. This is a forum, literally a place for people to go post their thoughts on the program.

As much as Sleeper is a troll, so many of y'all are just as bad on the other side, gobbling up mediocrity like your lives depend on it.

So on the other side of it, what makes you, or anyone else here really, any kind of authority on anything basketball related? Is everything you post absolutely rooted in fact with no assessments attached to it?

 

[tblack33]

I think bringing back a 5th year senior who was close to being an all conf player, fully healthy, elevates Mason a LOT.

It is a lot on one player, but Kier is that important.

Eh I'll disagree here, I'm still of the mindset that if we get Kier back next year, he's not top 4 in the conference at his position. Is he head and shoulders better than anyone else we have to throw at that spot? Absolutely. But I don't think that Kier returning gives us more than 2 wins in conference than if he doesn't come back. His best year was when teams were doubling Otis everywhere which opened up the floor for him to do what he does best. We haven't seen Kier in a full season as "the guy" who we run the offense through, and I've got some doubts about his ability to be the go to guy to take us to the next level when he's getting the opponents best defender night in night out and teams are scheming around him and doubling him.

He makes us better, but not that much better to make such an enormous difference.

 

[sleeperpick]

I get that this is the place to come vent frustrations about last season and/or DP's mostly failed tenure here, but your incessant complaining about everything is over the top. Here we go again bashing our incoming recruits and making fun of our current players. I'll ask again, what makes you an authority on all things basketball? You put out your opinion as though its fact. Whats your basketball resume? Coaching, scouting, player evaluation and/or development? At this point you've really become nothing more than a troll.

Probably played at a higher level than 90% of posters on here. Wasn't sitting in NEPSAC B like our recruits, played in the higher leagues. Decent AAU team with 3 D1 players (one went to Gonzaga) and littered with D2 guys that won many tournaments in New England and Florida and then had a torn hip flexor that ruined my career in basketball and soccer (had a couple D1 offers). I don't claim to be an expert. Met many posters on here and most are great (p8triofan4life) is not. Come introduce yourself in the gold room next year, I am not a bad guy, I just hate the mediocrity this program guzzles. I am also a Mason graduate which seems to be in the minority on this board (not a bad thing, I actually find it weird but cool)
I have a friend that is the assistant coach on one of the top NEPSAC teams and I get a lot of my thoughts on Kolek from him. My friend coached 3 D1 recruits this year (2 high major and one low major)
My opinion is we don't have the roster to get where we want to be. A good coach (which in my opinion Paulsen is not) can only get us so far

 

[p8triotfan4life]

Maryland's Mitchell Twins are going to Rhody. Huge gets for David Cox.

https://twitter.com/GoodmanHoops/status/1244641505131798541

 

[sleeperpick]

I get that this is the place to come vent frustrations about last season and/or DP's mostly failed tenure here, but your incessant complaining about everything is over the top. Here we go again bashing our incoming recruits and making fun of our current players. I'll ask again, what makes you an authority on all things basketball? You put out your opinion as though its fact. Whats your basketball resume? Coaching, scouting, player evaluation and/or development? At this point you've really become nothing more than a troll.

nobody answered me on what a successful rotation would look like next year. They reply to other things on the post. I guess that means we probably don't have any thoughts on how you can make a successful rotation out of this roster?

 

[sleeperpick]

Maryland's Mitchell Twins are going to Rhody. Huge gets for David Cox.

https://twitter.com/GoodmanHoops/status/1244641505131798541

@gmujim92 remember when you posted on here and on Twitter about how the sky is falling at Rhode Island because of two transfers out. Well looks like it was part of the plan. Huge gets for Rhody and A10. From right up the road from us but I doubt we even made a call

 

[Dawgs99]

Probably played at a higher level than 90% of posters on here. Wasn't sitting in NEPSAC B like our recruits, played in the higher leagues. Decent AAU team that won many tournaments in New England and Florida and then had a torn hip flexor that ruined my career in basketball and soccer (had a couple D1 offers). I don't claim to be an expert. Met many posters on here and most are great (p8triofan4life) is not. Come introduce yourself in the gold room next year, I am not a bad guy, I just hate the mediocrity this program guzzles. I am also a Mason graduate which seems to be in the minority on this board (not a bad thing, I actually find it weird but cool)
The facts are we do not have the roster to get us where we want to be.

LOL what is anyone's basketball resume here? At the end of the day, we are all just fans and casual observers of the program. No one on here is a college basketball coach. Maybe a couple on here have some assistant/HC experience at the small highschool level, which means you are the tiniest step above the average fan. Anyone posting anything on here that doesn't have stats on it is making an assessment. Anything that isn't simply W/Ls, averages,, and stats is just an assessment. You want to read just facts? Go get a kenpom account and salivate over the numbers all day. This is a forum, literally a place for people to go post their thoughts on the program.

As much as Sleeper is a troll, so many of y'all are just as bad on the other side, gobbling up mediocrity like your lives depend on it.

So on the other side of it, what makes you, or anyone else here really, any kind of authority on anything basketball related? Is everything you post absolutely rooted in fact with no assessments attached to it?

I have no problem saying that I'm not a basketball authority and thus I don't post like one. I'm just a long time fan that enjoys a substantive back and forth about the program we all pretend to support. I really do believe that most of the posters on this board are really very similar in their assessment of the program. However, when someone posts anything positive about any part of the program they get lumped into the " lips around DP's cock group" and its simply not true. I really can't think of any poster who is sold that DP is the right guy or that the program isn't mediocre at best, but it is possible to write a post on these boards without taking a swipe at the program every time.

Also I dropped the gold room pass this season and I didn't miss it one bit. That room is far too crowded, most times you have to balance your 2 beers and your plate of food because you can't get a table. I went down to the green room twice this year and that wasn't any better.

Sleeper, I agree that our recruiting hasn't nearly been good enough and that our bench looks pretty thin going into next year.

 

[sleeperpick]

I have no problem saying that I'm not a basketball authority and thus I don't post like one. I'm just a long time fan that enjoys a substantive back and forth about the program we all pretend to support. I really do believe that most of the posters on this board are really very similar in their assessment of the program. However, when someone posts anything positive about any part of the program they get lumped into the " lips around DP's cock group" and its simply not true. I really can't think of any poster who is sold that DP is the right guy or that the program isn't mediocre at best, but it is possible to write a post on these boards without taking a swipe at the program every time.

Also I dropped the gold room pass this season and I didn't miss it one bit. That room is far too crowded, most times you have to balance your 2 beers and your plate of food because you can't get a table. I went down to the green room twice this year and that wasn't any better.

We are thinking of dropping Gold Room as well. A couple of our friends did it and they shared your sentiments on not missing it.

 

[Dawgs99]

I was pretty excited about JDS when we signed him 2 years ago, loved his HS tape. Obviously he didn't work out for what ever reason. So while I like the tape on Polite, I'll take a wait and see approach on how/if he pans out. The reason I like Kolek is his ability shoot. It boggles my mind that DP has yet to recruit a knock down shooter. I figured coming from the Patriot league he would at least sign kids that could shoot.