2026-2027 Season Schedule Thread

[hoopsjunkie75]

Different times unfortunately

Huh?

Original post: "...now..."

Response: "Different times"

 

[GMUgemini]

Counterpoint, we’ll never fill our 10k arena, improve our NIL, and improve scheduling unless we dance. We have to get over the hump. I think Tony can do it and will be the guy to do it. We pay him 2 million dollars a year to figure out how to get it done, so you just aren’t going to catch me making excuses for him not making the tournament.

I think we could do a hell of a lot better than we do at filling our arena if we had a consistent strategy of maximizing student turnout and something for them to graduate into re: continued attendance. Mason has never had a consistent marketing program it’s always been a try stuff once and abandon it after the first try, try something else abandon that ad infinitum approach to marketing.

I’m not saying we should be selling out every game but given just how many alums live in the area we should be doing better than 3k a game, even during down years.

And if you’re wondering I posted an article about GCU’s approach to this and their goal of having 3,600 students at every game. GCU has less history than we do, exist in an even bigger market than we do with a P5 university even closer than UMD from their campus and all the same professional sports that we have. And their arena rocks every home game.

 

[NewPatriot]

I think we could do a hell of a lot better than we do at filling our arena if we had a consistent strategy of maximizing student turnout and something for them to graduate into re: continued attendance. Mason has never had a consistent marketing program it’s always been a try stuff once and abandon it after the first try, try something else abandon that ad infinitum approach to marketing.

I’m not saying we should be selling out every game but given just how many alums live in the area we should be doing better than 3k a game, even during down years.

And if you’re wondering I posted an article about GCU’s approach to this and their goal of having 3,600 students at every game. GCU has less history than we do, exist in an even bigger market than we do with a P5 university even closer than UMD from their campus and all the same professional sports that we have. And their arena rocks every home game

You have to appeal to this area's vanity.

Give away year's supply to "Rugiet Ready' to the first 500 GMU alum couples that attend every OOC home game.

That would incentivize all the wife's to ..ahem... come...as well.

 

[jessej]

Let me be the first!!

365 Div 1 teams
Rank of 182 or higher/lower means you are in the top half of all D1 BBall teams in the country
GMU at 97 is a few spots out of being in the Top Quarter

with 2 games left to be added to the schedule, this is what we have
only 3 opponents ranked better than 182
1 home, 1 away, and 1 neutral site
90 - South Florida
66 - High Point
179 - Towson

I hope CTS has a bonus for getting to 20 wins
as with this schedule anything worse than 10-2 is a major under achievement
I have no idea what the ticket prices will be, but other posters have stated that there is an increase in pricing this season.

Last season I did not buy the usual 10 game flex pass because i thought it was too expensive for the quality of the schedule and ended up paying between $5 and $10 for most of the OOC home schedule via the resale market.

I will be looking for the $10 tickets for all the home games except the South Florida

Luckily the A-10 schedule has better quality opponents

View attachment 3128

back from a mini-vacation

Schedule update - NCCU and a D3 program
expected OOC record of 12-2
a win over USF or High Point raises GMU to 13-1 which may generate some positive publicity to start the A-10 season

a loss to any of the other teams could be devastating to both team morale and NCAA Tournament bid prospects

 

[NewPatriot]

We might only realistically have 3 Q1 opportunities all season. Have to pretty much be perfect in them if we aren’t perfect in OOC.

Its gonna be 4 Q1 opportunities in conference at least. vcu has the potential to come undefeated and ranked in the top 10 depending how they do in Mauii.

 

[Verdad]

Its gonna be 4 Q1 opportunities in conference at least. vcu has the potential to come undefeated and ranked in the top 10 depending how they do in Mauii.

Could you specify the 4 definitive Q1 opportunities in conference please?

 

[GMUgemini]

Could you specify the 4 definitive Q1 opportunities in conference please?
View attachment 3129

I think they were saying @vcu, @SLU, @Daytom and vcu at home (which is a tough ask).

It’s possible we get a 4th top 75 team. Some people are pretty high on St. Joes. Duquesne could be really good too.

If we want to be as good as the old Mountain West we’ve got to get multiple teams up into that tier. Last year, they only had one team who would have been a Q1 team at home (Utah State), but 6 teams that would be Q1 on the road (USU, SD State, GCU, New Mexico, Nevada, and Boise State).

The A10 had 0 (SLU missed out by 1) and only 3 Q1 road opportunities. The A10 teams that can schedule well need to stop dropping stupid games or collapsing during conference play.

 

[NewPatriot]

ESA

I think they were saying @vcu, @SLU, @Daytom and vcu at home (which is a tough ask).

You are correct but this is not as tough an ask as you may think.

Consider the fact only 12 of last season's 68 tournament teams return at least 50 percent of their scoring.

Florida, Illinois, Michigan State, TCU, Nebraska, Iowa, Saint Louis, Miami (OH), and vcu.

vcu won 28 games, the A10 tourney and beat a blue blood in the tournament last year. They return 91 percent of their scoring and 57 percent of their players(most of their core) from that team.


They have upgraded replacements at two of those positions via the portal and really good HS 2026 class.

vcu's OOC includes: Memphis, Mississippi St, Santa Clara, Hi Point. Their Mauii Slate is Providence and either Colorado or #6 Arizona and then...Ole Miss, Clemson, BYU or Washington.

Given their continuity from last year's roster and upgraded replacements, they have more than a puncher's chance to take at minimum come out of maui 2-1 with at least P4 win and possibly take the whole thing including Zona in the process. Based on what Ivd seen I think Zona is overrated.

IMHO, vcu will be top 25 coming into EBA this coming year.

 

[Verdad]

The A10 had 0 (SLU missed out by 1) and only 3 Q1 road opportunities. The A10 teams that can schedule well need to stop dropping stupid games or collapsing during conference play.

So annoying how our one Q1 win against SLU dropped them to #31, and no longer a Q1 win.

 

[thebiasedannouncer]

This narrative is a little stale in that when he got his first extension Mason basically doubled his salary from 950,000 to 1.8 million and for every year he stays he gets an automatic 100k raise on his base. He’s up to 2 million a year in base salary right now. He’s the third or fourth highest paid coach in the A10. Its not exactly like he’s underpaid here.

I recognize this discussion has now moved far away from the 26-27 schedule, but I am getting a bit tired of the 'boo-hoo, we don't invest like everyone else' narrative. The alleged budget I heard for this years group squarely places us in the top six of the A-10 this season, we've made Tony a top five (in terms of salary) head coach in the A-10, we gave the three assistants who stayed a pay bump this offseason.

This is unquestionably the most invested in Mason squad in the history of the program. With that comes expectations (which are good!) but also needs to come with the loss of the narrative/crutch about money we've had in previous years.

 

[2011WinOverVillanova]

LeBron’s teammate is now the HC at Duquesne. Whether or not he can parlay that into recruits or wins remains to be seen.

 

[gmujim92]

I recognize this discussion has now moved far away from the 26-27 schedule, but I am getting a bit tired of the 'boo-hoo, we don't invest like everyone else' narrative. The alleged budget I heard for this years group squarely places us in the top six of the A-10 this season, we've made Tony a top five (in terms of salary) head coach in the A-10, we gave the three assistants who stayed a pay bump this offseason.

This is unquestionably the most invested in Mason squad in the history of the program. With that comes expectations (which are good!) but also needs to come with the loss of the narrative/crutch about money we've had in previous years.

Not trying to be a jerk, but top-5/6 spending in the A-10 doesn’t make you an at-large team. It’s good by Mason’s historical standards but we are still miles behind the top-3 programs in investment and expecting the coach to overcome that through what, sheer force of will? Let’s be at least somewhat realistic.

 

[GMUgemini]

LeBron’s teammate is now the HC at Duquesne. Whether or not he can parlay that into recruits or wins remains to be seen.

They have an interesting class, and getting Guinyard to come back was a big coup for them. I don’t know if they’re going to be top 75 good but they’re probably going to be tough for us to beat again (which will be annoying if they kill is again).

 

[Ben Chwarmer]

Redskins play that day (assume a 4:40 game). Doubt I'll be going to see a D3 team. Rather do a longer Redskins tailgate.

I have an idea for Mason. They should offer a shuttle to Commanders games and host a tailgate.

At least try to give the students who want it a similar experience to what other universities have.

 

[Verdad]

I have an idea for Mason. They should offer a shuttle to Commanders games and host a tailgate.

At least try to give the students who want it a similar experience to what other universities have.

Excellent idea - lets spend our limited resources on supporting an entirely different and independent sports organization! Where do I donate to make this happen?

 

[mkaufman1]

Two things can be true

Mason has invested more than they ever have and have set expectations higher and higher.

Mason is still light years behind the top peers in the league. And we most likely will never ever catch up.

 

[Patriot Blue]

Two things can be true

Mason has invested more than they ever have and have set expectations higher and higher.

Mason is still light years behind the top peers in the league. And we most likely will never ever catch up.

We will when SLU,vcu, Dayton leave the conference.

 

[Verdad]

Two things can be true

Mason has invested more than they ever have and have set expectations higher and higher.

Mason is still light years behind the top peers in the league. And we most likely will never ever catch up.

Kathy really needs to expand her Chevy empire

 

[Portlandian]

That's not a good look--waiting for better schools to leave...

 

[NewPatriot]

Kathy really needs to expand her Chevy empire

I asked Grok to find me executives in the Safford Auto group with a Mason degree

"Yes. Rachel Pullen, Executive Vice President at Safford Brown Automotive Group (the combined entity after Safford Automotive Group acquired Brown’s in 2022), holds a degree from George Mason University.
Contactout
She earned a Bachelor of Applied Science (or Bachelor of Science in Administration of Justice, with a minor in Sociology) from George Mason, completing it in about three years while working full-time at a dealership. She has been with the Brown’s/Safford organization for decades (previously as President and VP of New Car Operations at Brown’s)."