Game 2: GMU (1-0) vs Penn (0-1) on Friday, November 12, at 7 PM.

[dr. gunnie]

Really good performance last night. It’s only 2 games and you don’t want to overreact, but things are different.

It’s so nice to have three to four true threats to shoot around the perimeter on the floor at once that can still defend the 1 through 4 spots on the other end. And we aren’t talking about guys who take 3 seconds to release the ball (cough Kier cough), true shooters that can catch and shoot.

And then you add a stud down low that can score at will. Just a real dangerous team.

I live by the motto that things are never as good or as bad as they seem. We aren’t always going to hit the shots we did last night, but it’s good to know that it’s possible.

 

[Patriotsince81]

There has been a lot of love for XJ and it is all well deserved. I was talking with a friend last night and commented that he is becoming/could become Marquise 2.0. That is high praise! Play hard, get to the rim, take good shots, rebound, and defend like hell. Not to mention they both have the ugliest jumpers in history.

 

[mkaufman1]

There has been a lot of love for XJ and it is all well deserved. I was talking with a friend last night and commented that he is becoming/could become Marquise 2.0. That is high praise! Play hard, get to the rim, take good shots, rebound, and defend like hell. Not to mention they both have the ugliest jumpers in history.

Agreed with this comparison although I always thought of XJ as like a Bryan Allen. Bruising big scoring guard who could get to the rim. I can watch XJ in the open floor getting to the rim for an and1 all day. That was the explosiveness we saw in his frosh year.

On a side note- I’m not sure we’ve had a lanky defender like Gaines since…John Vaughan? That’s like the best comparison I can think of.

 

[mkaufman1]

Remember when we got hyped the first time we saw paulsen run actual plays tho after Hewitt? This is so much better mwahhahaha.

That was a very low bar to clear, but then again the competition was low as well. But they weren’t winning by a ton either.

I agree this is a ton better.

 

[Patriotsince81]

Agreed with this comparison although I always thought of XJ as like a Bryan Allen. Bruising big scoring guard who could get to the rim. I can watch XJ in the open floor getting to the rim for an and1 all day. That was the explosiveness we saw in his frosh year.

On a side note- I’m not sure we’ve had a lanky defender like Gaines since…John Vaughan? That’s like the best comparison I can think of.

Ticket is already my favorite player. No man crush yet, but it could be coming. LOL

 

[mkaufman1]

Ticket is already my favorite player. No man crush yet, but it could be coming. LOL

I can’t blame you. The guy is everywhere. Defensively, rebounding. Hits threes. Just a lanky wing who gets up in everyone’s business defensively and provides value offensively as well.

Jack of all trades.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

I can’t blame you. The guy is everywhere. Defensively, rebounding. Hits threes. Just a lanky wing who gets up in everyone’s business defensively and provides value offensively as well.

Jack of all trades.

Aside from all the improvement in offense - the defense has most impressed me - it is high energy and aggressive. Even when it looks like a shot is open for the opponent to make - they attack - even if it looks like its going to sink - they are going after a potential rebound. They can make something happen out of nothing.

Very entertaining to watch. This is a hard mean team.

 

[mkaufman1]

Aside from all the improvement in offense - the defense has most impressed me - it is high energy and aggressive. Even when it looks like a shot is open for the opponent to make - they attack - even if it looks like its going to sink - they are going after a potential rebound. They can make something happen out of nothing.

Very entertaining to watch. This is a hard mean team.

Agreed 100 percent. There’s no effort lapse at all. I saw a few open shots from Penn yesterday but it wasn’t continuous and they were already up big. The lateral movement on defense and moving through screens has been great too. It’s easy to be one step ahead against lower competition but it’s better to be doing that now than not.

 

[gmujim92]

Agreed with this comparison although I always thought of XJ as like a Bryan Allen. Bruising big scoring guard who could get to the rim. I can watch XJ in the open floor getting to the rim for an and1 all day. That was the explosiveness we saw in his frosh year.

On a side note- I’m not sure we’ve had a lanky defender like Gaines since…John Vaughan? That’s like the best comparison I can think of.

I don’t think we’ve ever had a player like Ticket. He’s the wing vcu always has who makes life miserable for opponents just by being long, athletic and defending like crazy. Gonna be a huge weapon for us in the A-10.

 

[GMUgemini]

I don’t think we’ve ever had a player like Ticket. He’s the wing vcu always has who makes life miserable for opponents just by being long, athletic and defending like crazy. Gonna be a huge weapon for us in the A-10.

Gabe Norwood is probably the closest.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

Agreed 100 percent. There’s no effort lapse at all. I saw a few open shots from Penn yesterday but it wasn’t continuous and they were already up big. The lateral movement on defense and moving through screens has been great too. It’s easy to be one step ahead against lower competition but it’s better to be doing that now than not.

And to give props to Penn - their defense was not weak either - they were really pressing and aggressive. Yet we pressed through and handled it well.

 

[GMU79]

There has been a lot of love for XJ and it is all well deserved. I was talking with a friend last night and commented that he is becoming/could become Marquise 2.0. That is high praise! Play hard, get to the rim, take good shots, rebound, and defend like hell. Not to mention they both have the ugliest jumpers in history.

MM was a bulldog!!

 

[sleeperpick]

And Malik dove on the floor and grabbed a loose ball with 20 seconds left and Mason leading by 21 points. These dudes are getting after it and it’s great to see.

my play of the game... shows what CKE has instilled in the guys. LOVE to see that

 

[sleeperpick]

Remember when we got hyped the first time we saw paulsen run actual plays tho after Hewitt? This is so much better mwahhahaha.

"some of you" not we lol. I liked DP because he wasn't Hewitt but it took 3 games of the same inbounds play starting year 2 that never worked in 5 years to tell me what I didn't want to know

 

[GMU1983]

Pump the hate brakes Fox & Friends. Mason is winning and it’s a beautiful sight. Smell the Roses.

roger snowflake!

 

[sleeperpick]

Gabe Norwood is probably the closest.

and look at his career. a damn king in the Phillippines (he was so much shorter than I realized at his sisters wedding last fall)

 

[gmujim92]

and look at his career. a damn king in the Phillippines (he was so much shorter than I realized at his sisters wedding last fall)

Yep listed 6-5, he’s 6-3 tops lol

 

[gmutom]

A few observations I had from the game last night:

• Our ball movement was great, regardless of what they threw at us defensively. In the past, our offense would come to a grinding halt if teams threw a 1-3-1, half-court traps or full-court pressure at us. Granted, it was Penn, but we were prepared for everything.
• Who knew that a healthy XJ would be our X-Factor this year? It's almost like bringing in a new recruit. He pushes the ball on offense, keeps the ball moving in our half-court sets, gets to the basket like Marquise, and is relentless on defense.
• Hartwell is much more effective coming off the ball rather than trying to generate an open shot off the dribble. There was a beautiful segment in the second half when XJ and Hartwell played off one another and assisted on each others 3s (two by Jamal, one by Johnson). Their two-man game accounted for 9 quick points in a 60-second span.

 

[mkaufman1]

If you are around at 2 today, and want to hear/talk mason basketball join me and @MasonFanatic for a twitter spaces session recapping the week and looking ahead.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1459567117234286596

View: https://twitter.com/MasonFanatic/status/1459567117234286596?s=20

 

[GMU79]

I think they were related to "the Squad."

Oops, wasn't deleted. Nevermind me. I'm always old. Sometimes an idiot. No comments necessary. I've got enough detractors on here as it is.