Starting slow

[Mason27]

I’m curious what everyone thinks-

What’s the cause of all the slow starts Mason has created this year? Is it partly DP and the coaching staff? Lack of energy? Motivation? Not being prepared well?
We’ve all seen them start slow in many games and then have to play catch up- usually resulting in a loss. How can they fix the slow starts?

 

[Leesburg Chankenstank III]

How can they fix the slow starts?

Cocaine. Lots and lots of cocaine.

 

[masonjoe]

Definitely because our size

 

[mkaufman1]

Lol size and cocaine. Nice.

I point to lack of maturity within the team. For whatever reason, they aren’t where we think they should be. I do think only having one senior active has something to do with it.

I’m hoping having 3 seniors next year will yield a bit more success on the court. They all have to really embrace being leaders and setting an example in hopes that the program can take a next step towards an ncaa.

 

[GMUSig03]

Cocaine. Lots and lots of cocaine.

He was asking for the cause, not the solution

 

[Mason2005]

It's because DP always gives Reuter the first scoring possession and he aways turns it over. Sets the tone for the start of the game.

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[Leesburg Chankenstank III]

He was asking for the cause, not the solution

Fixed it.

 

[gmutom]

We go as our backcourt goes, and our guards have not been great out of the gate. I'm pretty sure Greene and Otis had zero points in the first 15 minutes of the St. Louis game, and that's simply not going to cut it in a guard-oriented league. Rather than running so much crap for Reuter, I'd like to see Dave do more to get Otis involved earlier.

The reality is we need Otis to be Otis, so maybe starting Hartwell at the 1 against vcu and moving Otis off the ball more will help. Greene and Kier have both started slowly several games this year, so maybe it would help to have one of them come off the bench. I get that it leaves us very small with Hartwell and Otis out there together, but it's worth a gamble if it prevents us from being out of a game before the first TV timeout.

 

[Leesburg Chankenstank III]

Rather than running so much crap for Reuter, I'd like to see Dave do more to get Otis involved earlier.

It's because DP always gives Reuter the first scoring possession and he aways turns it over. Sets the tone for the start of the game.

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This. For God's sake please this. Reuter can get his oppurtunites when it presents itself. But forcing Reuter in the start of every game to make a great post play is just killing us and it seems to throw our entire offensive flow off.

I think Paulsen would cut his own finger off than consider not starting Reuter. I really think he would be better off the bench.

 

[GMUgemini]

Lol size and cocaine. Nice.

I point to lack of maturity within the team. For whatever reason, they aren’t where we think they should be. I do think only having one senior active has something to do with it.

I’m hoping having 3 seniors next year will yield a bit more success on the court. They all have to really embrace being leaders and setting an example in hopes that the program can take a next step towards an ncaa.

I second maturity. We have a lot of questinable decision makers on this team and that can manifest itself pretty early in games before they settle in.

I include Kier, Otis, and Reuter on that list.

Our back court is also really Inconsistent and sometimes can shoot themselves right out of the first 3:00 minutes of games.

Our defense when it breaks down, breaks down in really ugly ways — like leaving a shooter so open that the closest person to them is 15 feet away.

 

[Patriotsince81]

Time to shake things up. Sit Reuter, Kier, and Otis.

Start:
Hartwell
Greene
Miller
AJ/Boyd
Calixte

We can't be any worse at the start of games with that line up than we have been! If only one has to go let it be Reuter.

 

[gmujim92]

Time to shake things up. Sit Reuter, Kier, and Otis.

Start:
Hartwell
Greene
Miller
AJ/Boyd
Calixte

We can't be any worse at the start of games with that line up than we have been! If only one has to go let it be Reuter.

You’re going to sit our lone active senior, the No. 4 scorer in the history of our program, on Senior Night?

That’s a bold strategy, Cotton. Let’s see if it pays off.

 

[GMUSig03]

Sitting Otis on senior night...

 

[Patriotsince81]

You’re going to sit our lone active senior, the No. 4 scorer in the history of our program, on Senior Night?

That’s a bold strategy, Cotton. Let’s see if it pays off.

Good point. But, I think it's fair to say he has not played like we hoped/expected this year.

Love the Dodgeball reference by the way.

 

[Patriotsince81]

I’m curious what everyone thinks-

What’s the cause of all the slow starts Mason has created this year? Is it partly DP and the coaching staff? Lack of energy? Motivation? Not being prepared well?
We’ve all seen them start slow in many games and then have to play catch up- usually resulting in a loss. How can they fix the slow starts?

Good first post. Welcome to the boards.

 

[patriot2000]

I'm going to assume you forgot it was senior night. Not starting him on senior night is not something I could imagine ANY coach doing to any senior who is not a horrible person. And in that case he would be off the team anyway.

Even so, I'm not sure how I feel about not starting a player like Otis as a "punishment" for "poor" performance. Rule breaking, lack of effort, etc. I can see. But I don't see, nor have I heard, any evidence of Otis being less than a stellar student athlete and one of the only leaders on the team. What message does it send before a stretch where you need him at his absolute best to say, "I get you're doing your best, but it's not good enough for me." Otis is not able to be what we'd hoped, but (1)he's still very, very good and (2) it's not for lack of trying.

Sitting Kier because you feel like he's taken a play or two off, or whatever, fine. But don't bench a starter at the end of his career because the results are less than what you'd hoped.

Edit: I am not trying to say lack of performance is an invalid reason to mix up your starters. I'm saying Otis is not playing poorly enough to warrant a slap in the face like that. When a great leader and very good player is in a slump, you let him shopt out of it. Not at the expense of a win, but I seriously doubt starting Otis is costing us any wins.

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[Patriotsince81]

I'm going to assume you forgot it was senior night. Not starting him on senior night is not something I could imagine ANY coach doing to any senior who is not a horrible person. And in that case he would be off the team anyway.

Even so, I'm not sure how I feel about not starting a player like Otis as a "punishment" for "poor" performance. Rule breaking, lack of effort, etc. I can see. But I don't see, nor have I heard, any evidence of Otis being less than a stellar student athlete and one of the only leaders on the team. What message does it send before a stretch where you need him at his absolute best to say, "I get you're doing your best, but it's not good enough for me." Otis is not able to be what we'd hoped, but (1)he's still very, very good and (2) it's not for lack of trying.

Sitting Kier because you feel like he's taken a play or two off, or whatever, fine. But don't bench a starter at the end of his career because the results are less than what you'd hoped.

Edit: I am not trying to say lack of performance is an invalid reason to mix up your starters. I'm saying Otis is not playing poorly enough to warrant a slap in the face like that. When a great leader and very good player is in a slump, you let him shopt out of it. Not at the expense of a win, but I seriously doubt starting Otis is costing us any wins.

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All good points.

 

[GMUSig03]

You’re going to sit our lone active senior, the No. 4 scorer in the history of our program, on Senior Night?

That’s a bold strategy, Cotton. Let’s see if it pays off.

Are gmujim and Joe Shannon the same poster? Discuss.

 

[GSII]

We probably start uninspired b/c out of respect these fine kids do what DP says. But deep down they know it doesn't work or isn't a great path all the time. Or maybe DP is prick and they play scared. Who knows. It's year 4 and we are going to finish below 4th in the crappiest year for A10. Maybe we sacrifice an assistant?

 

[smccart5]

Poor shooting. We are not a good shooting team, so every game starts with what feels like a struggle to get the first couple buckets, and everyone tenses up. On the other hand, when St. Luis had that first three they took splash in, everyone on the team felt good and it fed into other made shots.