Game 1: GMU (0-0) vs Monmouth (0-0) on Monday, November 6, at 7:00 PM.

[Patriotsince81]

It counts now.

Monmouth is a member of the Coastal Athletic Association (Formerly known as the Colonial Athletic Association). The Hawks were picked to finish 13th out of 14 teams in preseason CAA polls.

KenPom: Gives us an 84% chance of winning.
GMU - 22-23 season 144. This season 164.
Monmouth - 22-23 season 348. This season 294.
NET:
GMU - 22-23 season 139. No rankings yet for this season.
Monmouth - 22-23 season 351. No rankings yet for this season.

We are 3-2 (.600) all-time against Monmouth.

Monmouth was 7-26 (5-13) last season and lost to Drexel in the second round of the CAA tourney.

Schedule: https://monmouthhawks.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule
Roster: https://monmouthhawks.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster

The Hawks return second leading scorer from last year in 6’5” Sophomore Jack Collins (10.5 ppg & 4.1 reb). 6’9” Klemen Vuga (9.5 ppg & 5.3 reb) started 23 games for the Hawks last year and returns for his senior season. 6’2” Jakari Spence (4.1 ppg) also returns for his senior season after starting 18 games last year. 6’8” Andrew Ball (4.0 ppg) started 7 games last year and averaged 13.2 minutes per game. 6’6” Senior Jack Holstrom (2.9 ppg) started 3 games and averaged 16.9 minutes per game.

Transfers/Newcomers to the Monmouth line-up include 6’3” Xander Rice from Bucknell who averaged 14.1 ppg and 3.8 assists last year. He is a quality player who will help the Hawks. 6’10” Nikita Konstantynovski averaged 1.0 ppg last season in 5.5 minutes of action over just two games for Tulsa last season. During the 21-22 season he averaged 2.0 points over 27 games in an average of 8.7 minutes of action. To describe him as being a project would probably be best.

Monmouth averaged 61.7 ppg while giving up 74.7 ppg last year. As a team they shot 40.2% from the field and 28.8% from 3. Opponents shot 45.9% from the field and 37.0% from 3. The Hawks shot 66.7% from the free throw line and averaged 12.0 turnovers per game. They were out rebounded by opponents to the tune of 3.4 per boards per game.

The game is on ESPN+. Live in the DMV? Get out to EBA and support the team in person!

My prediction: On paper this should be an easy win. In a game closer than it probably should be GMU wins 72-66.

Discuss.

 

[mkaufman1]

Special game of sorts for me since before Mason, Monmouth was the team I grew up going to see in the 90s in NJ. I connect in a fan group on Facebook with some fans. Nice people.

Expectations are higher than last year and it appears King Rice is now working to try to save his job and continue at Monmouth even though he has another 3 years on his contract. Generally he’s very quiet and allows no insight to the program but he opened up recently on a podcast. Ever since the two years the program was terrific he’s slid a bit and still hasn’t made the ncaas in 10 plus years at the helm.

Anyway, Xander Rice, king son, is the guy to watch out for. He’s a scoring guard who could have played higher but wanted to come home.

Also, Monmouth has a stud frosh in Jaret Valencia who redshirted but is 6’9 and had a slew of high major offers. They also have the 6’10 transfer so they will probably give us problems up front.

That said, can’t imagine them surprising us at home on opening night.

Mason 70
Monmouth 60

 

[GMU79]

Special game of sorts for me since before Mason, Monmouth was the team I grew up going to see in the 90s in NJ. I connect in a fan group on Facebook with some fans. Nice people.

Expectations are higher than last year and it appears King Rice is now working to try to save his job and continue at Monmouth even though he has another 3 years on his contract. Generally he’s very quiet and allows no insight to the program but he opened up recently on a podcast. Ever since the two years the program was terrific he’s slid a bit and still hasn’t made the ncaas in 10 plus years at the helm.

Anyway, Xander Rice, king son, is the guy to watch out for. He’s a scoring guard who could have played higher but wanted to come home.

Also, Monmouth has a stud frosh in Jaret Valencia who redshirted but is 6’9 and had a slew of high major offers. They also have the 6’10 transfer so they will probably give us problems up front.

That said, can’t imagine them surprising us at home on opening night.

Mason 70
Monmouth 60

King Rice? The KR who played at Carolina in the '80s?

 

[Patriotsince81]

King Rice? The KR who played at Carolina in the '80s?

Yes.

 

[EXpatriot13]

Never thought this would be a “bragging rights” matchup, but I have a bunch of friends who went to Monmouth. Hope we wax them.

Looking forward to seeing what rotations will look like now that we’re into real games.

 

[GMU79]

Yes.

Thanks!

 

[phoenix-arizona]

You'd hope Monmouth would be running into a buzzsaw with this being the home opener for an ex-player new head coach.

 

[GMU1983]

Pappas for the dunk!

 

[GreenLantern]

Us 77
Them 66
OT

 

[Patriotsince81]

Us 77
Them 66
OT

I've missed this! LOL. I hate the offseason.

 

[Walter]

That could be a nice feel-good story to tell the grandchildren about that time Xander transferred to help save his dad’s job.

But they will start with a loss.

 

[Where's the party?]

Total shot in the dark here, but I really think this will be one of the better Mason teams we've seen in a while. We are deeper than we've ever been, and the transfers include some real players. This should be CTS's coronation game.

Blowout
Us - 80
Them 58

 

[TweederGMU]

Still knocking rust off and getting our team cohesively working together to find our identity. But should get a W.

Goodguys 68
NY Moth Men 61

 

[phoenix-arizona]

Is Monmouth like a reverse NY Giants where even though the school's in NJ they play their games in NY?

 

[psyclone]

Is Monmouth like a reverse NY Giants where even though the school's in NJ they play their games in NY?

Nope..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OceanFirst_Bank_Center

 

[Old Man]

I had heard the C in CAA had changed to Coastal, but when did Monmouth join the Association?

 

[psyclone]

I had heard the C in CAA had changed to Coastal, but when did Monmouth join the Association?

MONMOUTH ACCEPTS INVITATION TO JOIN THE CAA - Monmouth University Athletics

Monmouth University has accepted an invitation to join the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in all sports the league sponsors, effective July 1, 2022.

monmouthhawks.com

A layup for Google.

 

[mkaufman1]

I had heard the C in CAA had changed to Coastal, but when did Monmouth join the Association?

Last year, and they struggled. But they have football so that helps support the move. They’ve moved 3 conferences in like 10 years.

 

[Old Man]

MONMOUTH ACCEPTS INVITATION TO JOIN THE CAA - Monmouth University Athletics

Monmouth University has accepted an invitation to join the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in all sports the league sponsors, effective July 1, 2022.

monmouthhawks.com

A layup for Google.

Sure, but Google doesn't provide the same level of sarcasm this site does.

 

[mkaufman1]

Sure, but Google doesn't provide the same level of sarcasm this site does.

I wish let me Google that for you didn’t truncate their links to look malicious. It could've come in handy in this situation haha.