Game 15: GMU (7-7/ 0-1) vs Dayton (12-6 / 4-1) on Saturday, January 22 , at 7PM.

[dr. gunnie]

Coach English was able to flip the starting rotation in one offseason. He will need another offseason to fix the bench, but he’ll get it done.

 

[gmujim92]

On the bench where he belongs. I cringe watching both Polite (33.3%) and Hartwell (27.6%) shoot bricks but at least Polite can occasionally get to the rim. Hartwell is also abused by anyone and everyone when he tries to play D. In a nutshell that sums up the team. We're 4.5 players deep with nothing on the bench.

And just beat one of the better teams in the league. Imagine what Kim will be able to do after 2-3 recruiting classes.

 

[psyclone]

It did. Thanks!!

Thanks! Is this Mason Athletics facebook page always the one to turn to for the post games? I'd been checking the twitter accounts without much success.

 

[tblack33]

Brilliant! Force him into a position he’s not suited for while simultaneously moving him out of the position he plays better than anyone else on the roster.

How have you not been offered a D1 head coaching job yet w/those insights? Maybe we can get Oduro running the point when he’s on the bench.

There is nothing folks on these boards love more than talking about wildly asinine ways to play our best players out of position to make them worse. It’s like a sick fetish.

 

[tblack33]

Reading this thread I’d think we lost by 18 last night. We f**king won against a very good ball team, even though it wasn’t pretty, why can’t some of you pricks just enjoy the team when they win?

 

[Mason2005]

Reading this thread I’d think we lost by 18 last night. We f**king won against a very good ball team, even though it wasn’t pretty, why can’t some of you pricks just enjoy the team when they win?

Exactly!

 

[mkaufman1]

There is nothing folks on these boards love more than talking about wildly asinine ways to play our best players out of position to make them worse. It’s like a sick fetish.

The Mets always do this with their players and I hate it haha. Nothing more annoying than putting a square peg in a round hole

 

[GMUgemini]

There is nothing folks on these boards love more than talking about wildly asinine ways to play our best players out of position to make them worse. It’s like a sick fetish.

Everyone just needs to admit that overall this team is better when XJ is playing. Who would you prefer to start over him? Otis? Hartwell? Blake? Polite? That’s a solid no, no, no, and no.

I personally think a little bit of nerves got to him at the end of the Dayton game (way too hard on the FT, panicking when the ball almost got stolen and throwing it out of bounds when he could have regathered it and been fine). Cut the TOs down and he will be a fine point guard this year.

Also, be careful of thinking any freshman is going to be a savior next year. XJ may be starting over Dinkins (especially in the first 10 games).

 

[ephoops]

Also, be careful of thinking any freshman is going to be a savior next year. XJ may be starting over Dinkins (especially in the first 10 games).

I would be very surprised if Dinkins is not the starting PG, if healthy, for the first game next season.

 

[gmutom]

Everyone just needs to admit that overall this team is better when XJ is playing. Who would you prefer to start over him? Otis? Hartwell? Blake? Polite? That’s a solid no, no, no, and no.

I agree with this, but my main issue is when XJ and Polite are on the court together. It literally gives us a backcourt that can't score consistently outside of two feet. Defense was the primary reason we blew the GW game, but we did ourselves no favors in the last few minutes offensively when Johnson was left with the ball at the top of the key with the shot clock running down.

I was encouraged last night when we were faced with the same situation with XJ at the top of the key, but instead of forcing up a perimeter shot or driving into traffic, he found an open shooter who hit a clutch 3. Kim needs to do a better job of playing to Xavier's strengths rather than putting him in situations that play to his weaknesses.

 

[Falco]

Brilliant! Force him into a position he’s not suited for while simultaneously moving him out of the position he plays better than anyone else on the roster.

How have you not been offered a D1 head coaching job yet w/those insights? Maybe we can get Oduro running the point when he’s on the bench.

Definitely unnecessary tone. It was just a thought I had after seeing Schwartz successfully bring the ball up the court once. But clearly it was a horrible idea.

 

[GMUgemini]

I would be very surprised if Dinkins is not the starting PG, if healthy, for the first game next season.

I wouldn’t make any predictions right now about how ready he will be on day one. Even Malachi Smith didn’t start right away.

 

[Falco]

Not the first time Schwartz played Dayton.

View: https://youtu.be/YYCyzyg601w

 

[gmujim92]

Everyone just needs to admit that overall this team is better when XJ is playing. Who would you prefer to start over him? Otis? Hartwell? Blake? Polite? That’s a solid no, no, no, and no.

I personally think a little bit of nerves got to him at the end of the Dayton game (way too hard on the FT, panicking when the ball almost got stolen and throwing it out of bounds when he could have regathered it and been fine). Cut the TOs down and he will be a fine point guard this year.

Also, be careful of thinking any freshman is going to be a savior next year. XJ may be starting over Dinkins (especially in the first 10 games).

I see Dinkins backing up a 1-year transfer next year. No offense to XJ, he seems like a terrific young man, but there are dozens of PGs in the portal every year and I have to believe Kim will land one who gives us a clear upgrade at that position.

 

[sleeperpick]

I wouldn’t make any predictions right now about how ready he will be on day one. Even Malachi Smith didn’t start right away.

Such a bad comparison didn’t they lose to three Q4 teams before they inserted him lol

 

[DRK331]

Highlights from the game yesterday:

 

[Earl the Squirrel]

Otis didn’t play at all tonight. He is not part of the rotation and hasn’t been for most of the season. So it’s strange to think he’ll be any factor in whether Blake gets minutes or not. Blake is playing out of necessity at this point because the rest of the bench is so tragically awful.

This is undeniably true. We have no bench and 4.5 A10 starters, as Gemini pointed out. It's just that according to my eye test, Jones is not measurably better than Frazier. However, I'm not privy to practices... and also may need glasses. Like everyone, I'm really looking forward to what Kim can put together next year.

Also like your suggestion that KE may opt to bring in a starter-level PG next year. I'm excited about Dinkins but it's always good to have some insurance.

 

[psyclone]

Interesting stat:

Dayton-only 7 assists on 18 field goals (38%)
Mason- 12 assists on 17 made baskets (71%)

So, although both teams shot poorly overall, it's clear that we were playing better "team" ball.

 

[Pablo]

Eh I’d prefer him making the unpleased faces to these stupid questions. Have to wonder if it’s that Daniel kid on Twitter has he may have less basketball knowledge than GSII.

I could be mistaken, but I don't believe that was Daniel Frank asking those questions. If you watch any of the postgame pressers for the women's games, I assume that Daniel is the guy sitting in the first row.

 

[sleeperpick]

I could be mistaken, but I don't believe that was Daniel Frank asking those questions. If you watch any of the postgame pressers for the women's games, I assume that Daniel is the guy sitting in the first row.

Can’t say I even knew we had a womens team