Game 2: Princeton University, Sunday Nov 16th, 1 PM, NO TV

[Pablo]

I sent one that basically said:

If the fact that just about every Mason fan was secretly rooting for Cornell and Bill Courtney to win doesn't help you understand and make the decision you need to make on our current coach, then I fear for the future of Mason athletics.

Regardless of what you think of the coach, real fans do not root for their opponent to win.

 

[gmujim92]

Regardless of what you think of the coach, real fans do not root for their opponent to win.

Courtney is basically family. He personally recruited most (or all) of the starting 5 of the greatest team in Mason basketball history.

I'll cheer for him before Hewitt every time and I really don't care who likes it.

 

[KAOriginal]

I'd love to be a fly on the wall of Edwards' office when he reads that one.

From what I have heard, being a former pro athlete, he is that aggressive, focused and motivated type.

Hope thats "motivational".....

 

[Pablo]

Courtney is basically family. He personally recruited most (or all) of the starting 5 of the greatest team in Mason basketball history.

I'll cheer for him before Hewitt every time and I really don't care who likes it.

I like Bill Courtney too, but I would never root for his team to defeat Mason.

 

[gmujim92]

From what I have heard, being a former pro athlete, he is that aggressive, focused and motivated type.

Again, just what we needed -- somebody who's not gonna be afraid to do what needs to be done.

Just hope it's sooner than later because even our wins don't inspire any confidence.

 

[99 Patriot]

I think a number of folks are reading Edwards reactions the wrong way. This weekend I've seen the guy loving being the new BMOC, posing for pictures, kissing babies and shaking every hand he can. Most of the second half he sat behind the bench cheering us on and when we finally won he was the first to greet Hewitt coming off the court to shake his hand and congratulate him. Didn't seem like any tension or angst at all to me.

 

[Washingtonian]

Just speculating, but I wonder if Thompson forgot the score, because if it was a 3 point game, it would have been a smart move what he did by fouling. Of course, you would think the coaches (there was a timeout before the free throws were shot) would have told the players what to do.

 

[gmujim92]

I think a number of folks are reading Edwards reactions the wrong way. This weekend I've seen the guy loving being the new BMOC, posing for pictures, kissing babies and shaking every hand he can. Most of the second half he sat behind the bench cheering us on and when we finally won he was the first to greet Hewitt coming off the court to shake his hand and congratulate him. Didn't seem like any tension or angst at all to me.

Win or lose, he's gonna look supportive in public. Bad for attracting future coaches if the AD is undermining the current guy from the stands.

But if he's satisfied with this mess of a basketball program and thinks we're heading in the right direction, we are well and truly screwed.

 

[KAOriginal]

I think a number of folks are reading Edwards reactions the wrong way. This weekend I've seen the guy loving being the new BMOC, posing for pictures, kissing babies and shaking every hand he can. Most of the second half he sat behind the bench cheering us on and when we finally won he was the first to greet Hewitt coming off the court to shake his hand and congratulate him. Didn't seem like any tension or angst at all to me.

I cant speculate on Edwards current demeanor. But I have no doubt he will do and act the same way when he reaches his into Hewitt's chest and pulls his heart out with his bare hand and then holds it still beating in front of him, all with a smile on his face on 3/12/15.

That's what professionals do when there's a job to be done.

 

[mkaufman1]

I know it is only two games, but we are not good offensively.

View attachment 83

Not that it will change that much, but I'm pretty sure that only counts the first game, due to the fact the FG% is what Mason shot against Cornell.

 

[wijg]

Just speculating, but I wonder if Thompson forgot the score, because if it was a 3 point game, it would have been a smart move what he did by fouling. Of course, you would think the coaches (there was a timeout before the free throws were shot) would have told the players what to do.

In the post game, Krieder seemed to confirm that. He indicated that the team was instructed to foul if it was a 3 point game. It seems that Thompson just forgot about the first shot going in, or something of that sort.

As much as I want to blame Hewitt for everything, I don't think this one is on the coaches.

 

[Pablo]

In the post game, Krieder seemed to confirm that. He indicated that the team was instructed to foul if it was a 3 point game. It seems that Thompson just forgot about the first shot going in, or something of that sort.

As much as I want to blame Hewitt for everything, I don't think this one is on the coaches.

Actually, as Hewitt correctly indicated in the post-game press conference, it was his fault that Thompson was in the position to commit a foul in this situation.

 

[wijg]

Actually, as Hewitt correctly indicated in the post-game press conference, it was his fault that Thompson was in the position to commit a foul in this situation.

Damn, I try to find a reason not to blame Hewitt, and you blow it out of the water. I stand corrected, this is Hewitt's fault as well...

 

[GMU_DCU]

Just looked at the box score, only 4 assists for the whole game? I'm guessing it was more of the stagnant run around like a chicken with it's head cut off offense? Currently we are ranked 309th in the country in assists per game

 

[GMU_DCU]

Also saw Cornell lost to Loyola of Maryland this weekend...

 

[Five Two]

Thompson's foul with just 2+ seconds left with a 4 pt lead on the far end of the court was a real bone-headed move. I'm thinking that the coach should have pulled everyone off the lane on the second foul shot to prevent that sort of mistake. Hopefully more experience for Thompson (isn't he relatively new to basketball?) will make him more savvy about such things.

Somebody else might have pointed this out in the 3+ pages since this was posted, but-
Hewitt had instructed the team to foul if Jenkins were to miss both free throws. We'd be up by 3 and he didn't want to give them a chance to tie the game. I totally agree with this strategy. Anyway, after Thompson committed the foul, Hewitt blamed himself. After Jenkins made the first, Hewitt thought, incorrectly, that the players realized there was no need to foul on a miss.
We can blame a lot on Hewitt, but this one is on Thompson.

 

[GSII]

Can anyone who attended game explain if we are using a 3 ou 2 in offense? I briefly listened to Bill & Lamar and heard Bill say "we are in a 3 out, oh wait now its a 4 out as Porter launches a 3"....

 

[wijg]

Regardless of what you think of the coach, real fans do not root for their opponent to win.

What someone does in the privacy of their own head has no bearing on what happens on the court. Can we stop the "real fans" garbage?

We have no idea what Edwards criteria for making a change is, but let's try a simple mental exercise that assumes his criteria is to show significant improvement over last year, and that turns out to be finishing .500 or above for the season (just arbitrary for the exercise). Let's also say we get to the last game of the season and we are one game below .500. You know Hewitt is the problem and winning the game means he stays with a short extension (can't be a lame duck and recruit in his 5th year), thus dooming us to mediocrity or worse for years to come. While you might not outwardly root for a loss, wouldn't you think to yourself that you would want this one loss to spare many more losses in the coming years?

 

[Pablo]

Somebody else might have pointed this out in the 3+ pages since this was posted, but-
Hewitt had instructed the team to foul if Jenkins were to miss both free throws. We'd be up by 3 and he didn't want to give them a chance to tie the game. I totally agree with this strategy. Anyway, after Thompson committed the foul, Hewitt blamed himself. After Jenkins made the first, Hewitt thought, incorrectly, that the players realized there was no need to foul on a miss.
We can blame a lot on Hewitt, but this one is on Thompson.

Five Two,

I respectfully disagree with you on this! Once Jenkins made the first FT for a 4-point lead, you pull the other players back while he shoots what should be a meaningless 2nd FT.

 

[wijg]

Actually, as Hewitt correctly indicated in the post-game press conference, it was his fault that Thompson was in the position to commit a foul in this situation.

Somebody else might have pointed this out in the 3+ pages since this was posted, but-
Hewitt had instructed the team to foul if Jenkins were to miss both free throws. We'd be up by 3 and he didn't want to give them a chance to tie the game. I totally agree with this strategy. Anyway, after Thompson committed the foul, Hewitt blamed himself. After Jenkins made the first,

Hewitt thought, incorrectly, that the players realized there was no need to foul on a miss.
We can blame a lot on Hewitt, but this one is on Thompson.

Pablo and Five-Two are disagreeing on something. My world is in conflict.