Game 17: GMU (11-5 / 2-1) vs UMass (6-10 / 1-2) on Saturday, January 11, at 2:00 PM.

[Patriotsince81]

They just beat Dayton so we’d better pay attention to them.

UMass was picked to finish 9th in A10 Preseason Polls. Junior Rahsool Diggins was voted onto the Preseason All-Conference 3rd Team.

The game is on ESPN+.

KenPom: Gives us a 90% chance of winning.
GMU - 75
UMass - 223
NET:
GMU - 79
UMass - 265

We are 12-6 (.667) against UMass all-time.

UMass is currently 6-10 on the season and 1-2 in A10 play. They are 5-4 at home, 1-2 on the road, and 0-4 at neutral sites.

Schedule: https://umassathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule

Wins: New Hampshire (103-74), Harvard (62-54), NJIT (80-68), UMass Boston (86-52), Northeastern (77-72), Dayton (76-72)
Losses: West Virginia (75-69), Louisiana Tech (76-66), Hosfstra (75-71), Temple (87-80), Florida St. (92-59), Central Connecticut St. (73-69), UMass Lowell (96-83), Arizona St. (78-62), St. Joe’s (81-72), Richmond (72-64)

Probable Starters:
6’2” Rashool Diggins - 13.6 ppg - Senior
6’0” Jaylen Curry - 12.9 ppg - Sophomore
6’6” Daniel Rivera - 11.5 ppg & 7.4 reb - Senior
6’4” Jayden Ndjigue - 4.9 ppg - Sophomore
6’10” Malek Abdelgowad - 6.4 ppg & 5.4 reb - Senior

Reserves averaging double figure minutes:
6’8” Dani Hankins-Sanford - 9.2 ppg & 6.3 reb - Junior - 8 starts. He injured his right hand on December 1 against NJIT and missed the next 5 games. He has come off the bench since returning to action.
6’10” Shahid Muhammad - 4.6 ppg - Junior - 2 starts
6’4” Nate Guerengomba - 4.0 ppg - Freshman
6’3” Marqui Worthy - 4.4 ppg - Sophomore

Roster: https://umassathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster

Team Stats:

UMass averages 73.5 points per game (12th in the A10) while giving up 75.0 (14th in the A10).

The Minutemen shoot 41.8% from the floor (14th in the A10) and 26.9% from 3 (12th in the A10).
Opponents are shooting 42.2% from the field and 33.0% from 3.

They shoot 64.7% from the free throw line (13th in the A10).

They have out rebounded opponents by .9 boards per game and average 11.7 turnovers per contest.

Stats: https://umassathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2024/pdf

Thoughts: I think it’s fair to say that UMass has underachieved even modest expectations thus far, except for the Dayton game. The Minutemen are 1-8 against Quad 1, 2, and 3 teams. They are 4-2 against Quad 4 opponents. This should be a double digit win. But, we don’t make anything easy.

Discuss.

 

[GMU79]

Hoping for a comfortable win, but which flavor will it be this time?
TOs? Missed FTs? 0fer from 3?
A combination of the above?
Please, 12-5/3-1!

 

[phoenix-arizona]

As much as I love Emily Dickinson, beat UMASS!

 

[NewPatriot]

The scouting report on Mason is to collapse the defense on Haynes and dare the patriots to hit 3's.

Zach Anderson, a career 46% shooter, needs to break out of his slump, knock down some 3's, stretch defense and open up driving lanes.

 

[GMU79]

The scouting report on Mason is to collapse the defense on Haynes and dare the patriots to hit 3's.

Zach Anderson, a career 46% shooter, needs to break out of his slump, knock down some 3's, stretch defense and open up driving lanes.

We're toast. Unless....

 

[GMUgemini]

The scouting report on Mason is to collapse the defense on Haynes and dare the patriots to hit 3's.

Zach Anderson, a career 46% shooter, needs to break out of his slump, knock down some 3's, stretch defense and open up driving lanes.

Easier said than done unless you’ve got a big who can match him physically. Look at second half of Richmond where he just bullied and muscled his way to 6 quick points.

I know he fouled out but I’d say 2 of his 5 were total BS calls.

Gio is also huge and physical but not as gifted at getting through the doubles.

Anderson doesn’t take enough shots to be a factor in changing defenses, what we need is Maddox to break out his funk and O’Connor to continue shooting well. If either Newton or Anderson want to go off as a fourth option that’s great.

 

[GMU79]

Easier said than done unless you’ve got a big who can match him physically. Look at second half of Richmond where he just bullied and muscled his way to 6 quick points.

I know he fouled out but I’d say 2 of his 5 were total BS calls.

Gio is also huge and physical but not as gifted at getting through the doubles.

Anderson doesn’t take enough shots to be a factor in changing defenses, what we need is Maddox to break out his funk and O’Connor to continue shooting well. If either Newton or Anderson want to go off as a fourth option that’s great.

Gio needs to stop bringing the ball down and just go up. Too much faking and putting the ball on the floor. An all too common fault of big men.

 

[Pablo]

"We are 12-6 (.667) against UMass all-time."

The other current A-10 schools that George Mason has an all-time winning record against are the Philadelphia schools: La Salle (9-3) & Saint Joseph's (10-8)

Team .........................................................W............................................L Davidson......................................................5...........................................8 Dayton..........................................................6..........................................10 Duquesne.....................................................6...........................................10
Fordham ......................................................6...........................................10
George Washington................................. 11 ..........................................24
La Salle ........................................................9............................................3
Loyola Chicago.............................................1............................................3 Massachusetts........................................... 12 ...........................................6
Rhode Island ............................................. .8.............................................8 Richmond....................................................31 .........................................42
St. Bonaventure......................................... 5...........................................12
Saint Joseph’s.............................................10 ...........................................8
Saint Louis................................................... 5...........................................11 vcu.............................................................22 .........................................47

 

[Pablo]

Patriots Battle Minutemen Saturday in EagleBank Arena - George Mason University Athletics

The George Mason University men's basketball team (11-5, 2-1) wraps up a two-game homestand Saturday afternoon with a contest vs. Massachusetts (6-10, 0-2).

gomason.com

"UMass averages 71.8 possessions/game (35th fastest team in country) and generates an opponent turnover on 15.8 percent of possessions (70th). UMass also ranks seventh nationally in blocks/game (5.8). Rahsool Diggins leads the team with 13.9 points/contest, while Jaylen Curry adds 12.3 points and a team-best 4.2 assists/contest. Daniel Rivera chips in 12.2 points and a team-best 7.7 rebounds per game."

 

[TweederGMU]

I'll go with 14 Turnovers. Maddox with 15 points

Goodguys 68
Uass 62

 

[OTSCPodcast]

It's gameday! I'm visiting this weekend to look at apartments in Fairfax and will be at the game! Let me know if there is a group meet up at the game!

 

[NewPatriot]

Gio needs to stop bringing the ball down and just go up. Too much faking and putting the ball on the floor. An all too common fault of big men.

This! The ball gets stripped too!

 

[Masonman]

I recognize one of the refs. He is really bad.

 

[GunstonsGhost]

-11.5 spread. Don't think we cover this one, but win by two possessions in another late game nail biter. 68 to 63, Mason wins.

 

[MasonSAE4]

Oh hey the offense is putrid again

 

[GSII]

Lewis Walker, former recruit of ours, committed to Umass. Getting zero mins and will drop to a lessor conference next year. Will be in portal.

 

[Mason Trooper]

Like the energy Begg and KD brought when they got in , seems like they were willing to up the pace

 

[Mason Trooper]

These refs are trash

 

[MasonSAE4]

KD Johnson shut the f**k up challenge

 

[OTSCPodcast]

Wow this officiating is horrible! Skinn needs to pull a Wally Backman LOL.