Welcome AJ WIlson

[tblack33]

Why do you think GW would have beaten us twice with a fully healthy Kier?

Also, Duquesne barely beat us missing both Kier and Javon in that game, so projecting them into the top 4 next year way ahead of us is probably not a great idea if AJ, Kier, and Javon all come back.

First game was nowhere near as close as the final score indicated, GW was getting whatever it wanted most of the game. I don’t think Kier is near a strong enough defender to have made a huge difference on that side of the ball. I don’t think he’s any better than XJ/Javon/Miller. Second game having a healthy Kier would have eaten into XJs minutes so he wouldn’t have had nearly as good as an offensive game. I just don’t think our style/players matched up well with GW and they scouted us well to sweep us.

 

[Dawgs99]

First game was nowhere near as close as the final score indicated, GW was getting whatever it wanted most of the game. I don’t think Kier is near a strong enough defender to have made a huge difference on that side of the ball. I don’t think he’s any better than XJ/Javon/Miller. Second game having a healthy Kier would have eaten into XJs minutes so he wouldn’t have had nearly as good as an offensive game. I just don’t think our style/players matched up well with GW and they scouted us well to sweep us.

Earlier in his career Kier was a defensive stopper of sorts, often guarding the opponents best perimeter player. Don't know or really care how that would have changed the outcome of the GW series, but Kier is a much better defensive player then XJ.

 

[tblack33]

Earlier in his career Kier was a defensive stopper of sorts, often guarding the opponents best perimeter player. Don't know or really care how that would have changed the outcome of the GW series, but Kier is a much better defensive player then XJ.

That was more as a result of us not having a great on the ball defender. I would never describe Kier as a defensive stopper, even when he was healthy. He was a league average defender at best.

 

[Dawgs99]

That was more as a result of us not having a great on the ball defender. I would never describe Kier as a defensive stopper, even when he was healthy. He was a league average defender at best.

Defensive stopper for Mason, I'm not talking league wide. Its criminal to say that he and XJ are equal defenders.

 

[tblack33]

Defensive stopper for Mason, I'm not talking league wide. Its criminal to say that he and XJ are equal defenders.

I guess it’s an agree to disagree here then, I do think that XJ is a better on the ball defender than Kier.

 

[sleeperpick]

Kier before bad foot was a better on ball defender than XJ but he wasn’t very good at all this past season which unfortunately might be the new norm.

 

[GMUgemini]

First game was nowhere near as close as the final score indicated, GW was getting whatever it wanted most of the game. I don’t think Kier is near a strong enough defender to have made a huge difference on that side of the ball. I don’t think he’s any better than XJ/Javon/Miller. Second game having a healthy Kier would have eaten into XJs minutes so he wouldn’t have had nearly as good as an offensive game. I just don’t think our style/players matched up well with GW and they scouted us well to sweep us.

Two things: one, Kier is a better defender than XJ, definitely, and would have changed the defensive dynamic of both games.

Two, in the second game Hartwell played 27 minutes in that game and shot 1-7. Who is to say XJ plays fewer minutes with the kind of game he was having?

 

[gmujim92]

Anyone who pretends we weren’t significantly impacted by losing a borderline first-team all-conference player does so only because it doesn’t jibe with the anti-Paulsen narrative.

Y’all may as well admit it at this point.

 

[tblack33]

Anyone who pretends we weren’t significantly impacted by losing a borderline first-team all-conference player does so only because it doesn’t jibe with the anti-Paulsen narrative.

Y’all may as well admit it at this point.

Kier was not a borderline first team all conference player. Hot take; he wouldn’t be a starting 2 guard on any of the teams from the top 4 last season.

 

[GMUgemini]

Kier was not a borderline first team all conference player. Hot take; he wouldn’t be a starting 2 guard on any of the teams from the top 4 last season.

He was pre-season all second team. He might have started on SLU, certainly they would have loved to have his FT shooting on that team late in games (Collins, Goodwin, Kier would make a pretty damn nice backcourt). Nick Sherod vs. Justin Kier would be an interesting argument. Sherod could fill it up, but is he a better defender than 100% Kier? Probably not. URI would have loved to have Kier on their team. Would he have started over Fatts or Martin? Maybe, maybe not.

 

[sleeperpick]

Two things: one, Kier is a better defender than XJ, definitely, and would have changed the defensive dynamic of both games.

Two, in the second game Hartwell played 27 minutes in that game and shot 1-7. Who is to say XJ plays fewer minutes with the kind of game he was having?

Did you watch 2019-20 kier play defense in his short amount of games this year? He played no defense. No doubt it was because of his injury but how are you so confident the defense he played in 2018 and before will ever come back? He was very clearly 75% this year in his few games played. That might be the new Kier unfortunately. These foot injuries can screw up a career.

 

[GMUgemini]

Did you watch 2019-20 kier play defense in his short amount of games this year? He played no defense. No doubt it was because of his injury but how are you so confident the defense he played in 2018 and before will ever come back? He was very clearly 75% this year in his few games played. That might be the new Kier unfortunately. These foot injuries can screw up a career.

We aren't talking about what happened after he broke his foot, we're talking about what would have happened had his foot not been broken and he was healthy all year.

Also, he looked better in the Cayman Islands before his sprained his ankle (remember, he had the stress fracture, came back, then strained his ankle and then rebroke his foot). I don't know what he'll be like now that he had to get surgery to repair his fracture.

 

[sleeperpick]

We aren't talking about what happened after he broke his foot, we're talking about what would have happened had his foot not been broken and he was healthy all year.

Also, he looked better in the Cayman Islands before his sprained his ankle (remember, he had the stress fracture, came back, then strained his ankle and then rebroke his foot). I don't know what he'll be like now that he had to get surgery to repair his fracture.

His defense was hobbled and not very good after the stress fracture. He did not play great defense this year after the stress fracture. He was very clearly hobbled this year playing offense and defense after the stress fracture. I’m no doctor but I think the broken foot might be worse for his future.

if you are talking 2018 kier before injury to XJ this year defense you are completely right. But lord knows why we would be talking about that

 

[gmujim92]

Kier was not a borderline first team all conference player. Hot take; he wouldn’t be a starting 2 guard on any of the teams from the top 4 last season.

He was in 2018-19. How quickly our own fans forget.

 

[gmujim92]

Is Mason the only school where the fans consistently place higher value on other teams’ players than their own?

I find this phenomenon ridiculous but fascinating at the same time.

 

[JPgmuswim]

Is Mason the only school where the fans consistently place higher value on other teams’ players than their own?

I find this phenomenon ridiculous but fascinating at the same time.

Its pretty easy to place a higher value on other teams players when you finish 12th out of 14 teams in the conference.

Most of us probably place a higher value on our opponents recruiting too and that’s before the students even step foot on a college court.

Counter point, I don’t believe this was true when we were battling for the top spot under Coach L in the CAA.....and No I do not want to return to the 1 bid CAA.

 

[mkaufman1]

Is Mason the only school where the fans consistently place higher value on other teams’ players than their own?

I find this phenomenon ridiculous but fascinating at the same time.

probably not but it’s easy to when

1) coming off a 12th place finish
2) recruiting while improving lacks the “sizzle” and hype that many other schools have with pulling in valued prospects rated well. Mason pulls “good talent”, but everyone else is equivalent or seems better. Mason gets guys considering the a10 as the highest level, other schools are competing with BCS programs.
3) there’s nothing to show as of yet that anything is going to drastically improve. Many of the same players have been around and together for many games, and the wins haven’t come other than being .500 in a weaker time for the league.
4) yes we need seniors but other schools have won decently with young squads. This team didn’t even sniff .500.
5) various programs seem to be improving all around, Mason seems to circle the same block.

im not saying it’s right or wrong, but it’s completely justified to not value what we have at face value.

 

[tblack33]

Is Mason the only school where the fans consistently place higher value on other teams’ players than their own?

I find this phenomenon ridiculous but fascinating at the same time.

I think Kier has been great for us, however I don’t think he’s among our all time greats like some people have. While maybe I’m forgetting how great he is, it’s just as easy to put his game on pedestal when we haven’t really seen him play since the A10 tournament in 2019 and even then teams weren’t keying in on him.

If we can’t say that he would be clearly be the starting 2 guard on any teams in the top 4 last year, is he really going to be the difference maker that pulls us out of the gutter? Would all of those teams love to have a Justin Kier? Absolutely. Would he be starting for them? I personally don’t think so.

 

[gmujim92]

I’m just wondering why I find myself arguing with certain Mason fans about the importance of a guy who was one of the best players in our conference as a junior.

I get people are pessimistic, but revisionist history is silly.

 

[GMUgemini]

I think Kier has been great for us, however I don’t think he’s among our all time greats like some people have. While maybe I’m forgetting how great he is, it’s just as easy to put his game on pedestal when we haven’t really seen him play since the A10 tournament in 2019 and even then teams weren’t keying in on him.

If we can’t say that he would be clearly be the starting 2 guard on any teams in the top 4 last year, is he really going to be the difference maker that pulls us out of the gutter? Would all of those teams love to have a Justin Kier? Absolutely. Would he be starting for them? I personally don’t think so.

Yeah, he had 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists in his last game that year against St. Bonaventure; 28, 8, and 6 against GW in the game before it.

Some other notable performances:

26, 12, and 4 against Davidson
18, 14, and 5 against St. Joes
32 and 4 against Vermont
22 and 9 against UMass
14 and 7 against Duquense
19 and 10 against URI
12, 6, and 5 against SLU