Game 1: GMU (0-0) at #15 Auburn (0-0) on Monday, November 7, at 8:00 PM.

[GSII]

Was the pressure something new for Auburn that they just started doing or has that been Pearl's style?

 

[JC_FoodcourtBandit]

I'm liking Singelton from what I've seen

We must have watched different players

 

[gmujim92]

Was the pressure something new for Auburn that they just started doing or has that been Pearl's style?

Nothing new at all.

 

[dr. gunnie]

Watching it again right now to see if I can find anything positive. Not seeing anything yet.

I was optimistic because of our experience. We didn’t look like a team starting 5 seniors. Our returning starters just disappeared after missing their first few looks… after all the summer talk about how great Ticket and Coop looked shooting the ball at Kenner it sure didn’t translate to the real basketball last night.

I thought this year might be different with a couple of guys that can drive to the basket and kick it out, but I saw no difference last night. Justyn barely played and Singleton didn’t show much.

I hope this result was all because Auburn is that good (and I think they are very good defensively), but offensively they are just average. We’ll see.

Really jealous of their atmosphere. They are a chippy bunch that love to talk, but when you have a full house filled with students that feed off of it, it adds a huge advantage. Unfortunately if our guys tried to play with this much emotion at home, it would look silly with only about 50 fans reacting. What a huge advantage it must be to have a full student section right on top of the court like they do.

After a full off-season of waiting, that game sucked… only highlight is a couple of our bench guys came in and didn’t throw up all over themselves.

 

[GSII]

Nothing new at all.

Then this is on KE. We didn't look lost. We looked like we didn't want to run whatever he was calling bc players knew it wasn't gonna work. Like I said before, where were the back door cuts.

 

[JC_FoodcourtBandit]

Notes:
-I wonder what our offense approach will be moving forward. Last night, especially in the first 10 minutes, was some of the worst offensive basketball I’ve ever watched. The hyper speed clearly did not work.
-Our defense seemed improved outside of the rebounding effort, but the technique they were using was puzzling.
-Liked what our bench brought to the table, will only improve especially at home
-Bailey seemed to be the only player in our starting 5 who could create his own shot as erratic as they were.
-Oduro played his worse game of the season or his draft training and shift in play style will make him considerably less useful to our team

While most of these are negative I am surprisingly optimistic about A-10 play. Auburn would be the heavy favorite if they were in our conference

 

[p8triotfan4life]

if I were CKE, I'd send a message and start the entire bench of Polite, Henry, Nnaji, Ojiako, and Dinkins the next game vs. Longwood

The starting 5 sucked bigly. That was embarrassing from a bunch of seniors.

How much did ya'll lose last night taking that +9.5-12.5 line? LOL

 

[GMU79]

Lots of negative comments here. And there should be. We stunk. Even a few shots taken at CKE. And rightly so. The buck stops with him.
Looks like my comment that generated so many thumbs downs was pretty much spot on.

 

[gmutom]

Watching it again right now...

 

[dr. gunnie]

Fair question.

1) Watching a second time allows me to watch the guys away from the ball.

2) I spent much of the second half refreshing the cash out option on my phone debating if/when I should pull my bet on Mason +12.5, so I missed a lot. Ended up pulling out with around 10 min left and making a life changing $8 in the process. Just happy I didn’t lose.

 

[GSII]

No post game press conference?

 

[GreenLantern]

I'm glad I had choir practice at the same time as the game. It's one game and I'm not going to draw any long term conclusions playing against a ranked team. This team has alot of work to do to get to that level

 

[mkaufman1]

Lots of negative comments here. And there should be. We stunk. Even a few shots taken at CKE. And rightly so. The buck stops with him.
Looks like my comment that generated so many thumbs downs was pretty much spot on.

I’m gonna break it down very simple for you because I don’t think you’re getting it. Maybe you won’t but regardless.

1) my comment to you was sarcasm. You are commenting about CKE not doing anything 1 game into year 2. Last night sucked but you reacted like it was year 4 or something. Saying all he does better is talk, is tone deaf at this juncture.

2) we all have big expectations, myself included. But I’m not going to panic over last night. If that was Richmond Dayton or vcu, yes. But last night, no.

3) you’re missing the point with the dislikes. Don’t take them as compliments.

 

[gmujim92]

One of the few positives is that VJ was able to consistently get free for open shots against a really good defensive team. He missed a bunch of wide-open shots that I’m sure he’ll make — first game in a new role with a new team, I’m sure he was amped and pressing — but my bigger hope is he finds opportunities to create for others as well.

Unlike last year, I do think he gives us somebody with the quickness to just give him the ball and let him break down the defense. That’s not nothing if he’s used correctly going forward.

 

[mkaufman1]

One of the few positives is that VJ was able to consistently get free for open shots against a really good defensive team. He missed a bunch of wide-open shots that I’m sure he’ll make — first game in a new role with a new team, I’m sure he was amped and pressing — but my bigger hope is he finds opportunities to create for others as well.

Unlike last year, I do think he gives us somebody with the quickness to just give him the ball and let him break down the defense. That’s not nothing if he’s used correctly going forward.

Agree that the potential is there but he also took a lot of forced awkward shots too. Let’s hope those were forced and not by choice. 4-17 from the field is not good.

 

[EXpatriot13]

Anyone have any deeper insight into Justyn Fernandez's usage last night? Simply because we were playing Auburn and wanted to go the experienced route?

I've heard some say he hasn't been practicing well. I'm just surprised to see a recruit of his caliber, with a year in the program under his belt, essentially only getting garbage minutes. Seems like we could have used some of that "best athlete I've ever been around" athleticism/physicality last night.

 

[Junkees9]

Auburn had a lower FG% than we did, a lower 3 point FG% than we did and still beat us by 18. Turnovers and rebounding killed us.

 

[gmujim92]

Agree that the potential is there but he also took a lot of forced awkward shots too. Let’s hope those were forced and not by choice. 4-17 from the field is not good.

I think if you do a @dr. gunnie and watch it again, most of his shots were wide open, clean looks. Not surprisingly he did force a couple during that stretch in the first half when nobody else was doing anything. Don’t think 4 of 17 is representative of the quality of shots created, he just didn’t make them.

 

[gmujim92]

Auburn had a lower FG% than we did, a lower 3 point FG% than we did and still beat us by 18. Turnovers and rebounding killed us.

They had 22 offensive rebounds, shot 29 FTs to our 8 and attempted 71 FGs to our 56. When you also force 19 turnovers, it doesn’t matter if you can’t shoot … all about extra possessions.

 

[tblack33]

They had 22 offensive rebounds, shot 29 FTs to our 8 and attempted 71 FGs to our 56. When you also force 19 turnovers, it doesn’t matter if you can’t shoot … all about extra possessions.

So many offensive rebounds. Like many others, I am wildly perplexed at the face up box out attempts that resulted in many, many missed defensive rebounds.