Game 17: GMU (15-1 / 3-0) vs vcu (11-5 / 2-1) on Saturday, January 10, at Noon.

GM Logo Guy

Hall of Famer
GIVING DAY 2023
I went to the game today and had a great time overall. I think they struck a good balance between the Green Machine and the DJ/hype man, and the intros were especially well done.

My one complaint—very Mason-like—is the Spirit merchandise trailer location. It’s at the south entrance, but most fans park in Lot K and enter through the north entrance. Casual fans aren’t checking social media to know it even exists. It really should be parked outside the box office where the majority of fans pass through.
 

Stoolguy

Preferred Walk-On
I know you worked hard on your end to get more students out. Many thanks for your efforts.
Great job from everyone!!

Usually I sit a little higher to tweet/work on final graphics when the games ending but I sat in row 2 practicing what I was preaching all week. Plenty of times the students were standing up, annd the defense chants from everyone were great. Everyone brought one of the best showings I’ve seen, still work to be done tho!

Hoping this game really gets students and fans behind the team, creating an environment like no other in EBA.
 

GMU79

Hall of Famer
⭐️ Donor ⭐️
GIVING DAY 2023
Great job from everyone!!

Usually I sit a little higher to tweet/work on final graphics when the games ending but I sat in row 2 practicing what I was preaching all week. Plenty of times the students were standing up, annd the defense chants from everyone were great. Everyone brought one of the best showings I’ve seen, still work to be done tho!

Hoping this game really gets students and fans behind the team, creating an environment like no other in EBA.
If our students have a pulse at all, it certainly should help.
 
Been waiting a decade for this win. Brought some old college roommates who hadn't been back since 83 and we all had a blast! Thank you Tony Skinn for making being a Mason fan fun again.

I friggin hate vcu, and today was so awesome, it will last me a while. I do want to see us keep winning and get another run in the NCAA's, but I have to admit, if we just win this game very year, I'll keep paying my money for season tickets.

Please stay and make Mason a powerhouse Tony!
 

mkaufman1

Administrator
Staff member
⭐️ Donor ⭐️
GIVING DAY 2023
Thoroughly impressed with how we played today. Our guys executed to perfection and with poise. The moment was not too big for them as they took care of business.

We took care of the ball. We continue to have less than 10 turnovers. We make free throws and get to the line at a high clip.

vcu looked uncomfortable all game. Their center is very good but their other guys couldn’t get into a rhythm. When they came out on a run early in half 2, our guys didn’t wilter, they punched back.

I can’t say enough about our guys. Jahari Long completely took over in the second half. Everyone was contributing at different points and in ways. Malik had a few big steals defensively that helped us. We completely neutralized their offensive gameplan and sliced their defense up as the second half went on.

That kid Nyk Lewis is a typical vcu kid. Theatrical and dramatic and plays like a total clown. When their player was hurt under the basket he shot the ball so it went off of him.

Hats off to everyone in EBA today. Looked like everyone was on their feet and enjoying a basketball game. Hopefully the geezers had to take some advil and maybe they even joined in.
 

NewPatriot

Starter
Thoroughly impressed with how we played today. Our guys executed to perfection and with poise. The moment was not too big for them as they took care of business.

We took care of the ball. We continue to have less than 10 turnovers. We make free throws and get to the line at a high clip.

vcu looked uncomfortable all game. Their center is very good but their other guys couldn’t get into a rhythm. When they came out on a run early in half 2, our guys didn’t wilter, they punched back.

I can’t say enough about our guys. Jahari Long completely took over in the second half. Everyone was contributing at different points and in ways. Malik had a few big steals defensively that helped us. We completely neutralized their offensive gameplan and sliced their defense up as the second half went on.

That kid Nyk Lewis is a typical vcu kid. Theatrical and dramatic and plays like a total clown. When their player was hurt under the basket he shot the ball so it went off of him.

Hats off to everyone in EBA today. Looked like everyone was on their feet and enjoying a basketball game. Hopefully the geezers had to take some advil and maybe they even joined in.
Jahari Long will go down as one of the most astute transfer portal pickups in Mason History.

Picking up a Big 6'5 Pg who has played 80+ games on Big East and Big Ten experienced at 14 mpg..a guy who has played at Purdue, Indiana, UCONN, Michigan State, Creighton, St. johns, Michigan, Iowa etc on the road mutiple times for a nil song is incredible. He has seen it all. No moment will be to big for this guy down the stretch.
 

GMU79

Hall of Famer
⭐️ Donor ⭐️
GIVING DAY 2023
Been waiting a decade for this win. Brought some old college roommates who hadn't been back since 83 and we all had a blast! Thank you Tony Skinn for making being a Mason fan fun again.

I friggin hate vcu, and today was so awesome, it will last me a while. I do want to see us keep winning and get another run in the NCAA's, but I have to admit, if we just win this game very year, I'll keep paying my money for season tickets.

Please stay and make Mason a powerhouse Tony!
Yep, and this is precisely why I will not ever root for a vcu win anywhere anytime. Win and it won't matter what Quad or NET vcu is. And if it does matter, I'm still pulling against them.
 

jkh1978

Specialist
Sucks that more students weren't out cause its early January. Does the A10 try to screw us on the schedule or am I paranoid?

I can't gamble in Virginia, but I was looking for any news on this game, and I saw lots of "locks" online to take the under in this game..

Why when the game is 51-55 Mason, but vcu turns it around to 56-55 with 9:23 to go, would they call timeout? The jerks start their chant but then quieted because vcu was then stuck on 56 until 6:43 when they were now down 58-63.
 

GM Logo Guy

Hall of Famer
GIVING DAY 2023
Everyone loves to complain about the student section, and honestly I get it. But it’s worth remembering that Mason does have ride or die student fans. They’re mostly in the band, and most schools don’t have a band that shows up and brings energy like ours does.

That said, it’s been years of the rest of the student section being pretty meh. At some point, you stop waiting for it to magically change and lean into reality. Go all in on families. Make EagleBank the place parents actually want to bring their kids. Build future Patriots early.

The concourse is a perfect example. It’s so narrow that at halftime my kid and I could barely move, which is actually a good sign because it means people are there. But instead of feeling fun or lively, it just feels cramped. Add in bathrooms that feel run down with missing or water damaged ceiling tiles, and it hurts the experience. If Mason wants real energy and pride in the arena, the focus has to be on making the whole game day experience better for families and fans, not just hoping the student section figures it out on its own.
 

NewPatriot

Starter
Everyone loves to complain about the student section, and honestly I get it. But it’s worth remembering that Mason does have ride or die student fans. They’re mostly in the band, and most schools don’t have a band that shows up and brings energy like ours does.

That said, it’s been years of the rest of the student section being pretty meh. At some point, you stop waiting for it to magically change and lean into reality. Go all in on families. Make EagleBank the place parents actually want to bring their kids. Build future Patriots early.

The concourse is a perfect example. It’s so narrow that at halftime my kid and I could barely move, which is actually a good sign because it means people are there. But instead of feeling fun or lively, it just feels cramped. Add in bathrooms that feel run down with missing or water damaged ceiling tiles, and it hurts the experience. If Mason wants real energy and pride in the arena, the focus has to be on making the whole game day experience better for families and fans, not just hoping the student section figures it out on its own.
Here's my suggestion.


You have the 3 of the largest high schools in Virginia with a 5 miles of campus.

During conference play:


Have a Lake Braddock Day, A Robinson Day and a South County Day and give
 
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Postgame thoughts! (Actually in person for this one too)
1: I continue to say- Riley can get anything he wants against most of the centers in this league. Showed its again tonight.
2: Mincy and Long each with 5 assists tonight. We went from having no real PGs last year to having two on the court for most of the game. That's fun.
3: Only 12 minutes again from Presley, but thought he was much more effective today than Wednesday. Really shut down Jadrian Tracey, who's a 39% 3pt shooter, and kept him on the bench he was so ineffective.
4: Speaking of shutting down- Terrence Hill only 2/8 from three. That was massive.
5: Fatt Hill being 25/26 from the line is like the moment in Happy Gilmore when Happy learns to putt. It just makes him that much more dangerous.
6: Loved Kanga's chase down of Evans. Don't care that he didn't get the block, that sent a message that this is not the same old Mason.
7: Don't know if anyone else caught Nyk Lewis shooting after the whistle and the shot hitting Djokovic in the head while he was down. That was very funny.
8: Big game for Masai getting to the basket. Got there confidently and made most of his shots. Keep doing that.
9: Let's be real, we were never losing that game after the homie made that putt for 15k. Unimaginable things would've occurred if I were a college junior who suddenly got 15 grand after my school beat our biggest rival.
 

Pikapppatri8

Hall of Famer
⭐️ Donor ⭐️
GOLD SPONSOR
Been waiting a decade for this win. Brought some old college roommates who hadn't been back since 83 and we all had a blast! Thank you Tony Skinn for making being a Mason fan fun again.

I friggin hate vcu, and today was so awesome, it will last me a while. I do want to see us keep winning and get another run in the NCAA's, but I have to admit, if we just win this game very year, I'll keep paying my money for season tickets.

Please stay and make Mason a powerhouse Tony!

iu
 

psyclone

Hall of Famer
Great job from everyone!!

Usually I sit a little higher to tweet/work on final graphics when the games ending but I sat in row 2 practicing what I was preaching all week. Plenty of times the students were standing up, annd the defense chants from everyone were great. Everyone brought one of the best showings I’ve seen, still work to be done tho!

Hoping this game really gets students and fans behind the team, creating an environment like no other in EBA.
Was at the game and then when I got home, I watched much of it again on the dvr. The ESPNU announcers were quite complementary on the game experience for fans.

Sat next to a older vcu couple (but younger than me) who were quietly rooting for their team. Certainly not obnoxious.
 
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