Game 30: Virginia Commonwealth University, Tuesday, March 5th, 7:30 PM, Stadium/MASN

[Washingtonian]

According to my Xfinity guide, MASN has picked up this game for telecast. This is the final home game of the season.

For those outside the MASN viewing market, you can watch the game here: https://watchstadium.com/live/2019-03-06-vcu-at-george-mason-mens-basketball/

vcu comes into this game with a 23-6 record, 14-2 in the A-10 and 7-4 in away games.

vcu's roster is here: http://vcuathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2018-19/roster
vcu's overall and conference only stats are here: http://vcuathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2018-19/files/teamcume.htm (through February 26th - the conference stats are next to the overall stats for each player)
vcu's schedule is here: http://www.vcuathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2018-19/schedule

The box score from the February 2nd game in Richmond (a 79-63 loss) is here: https://gomason.com/boxscore.aspx?id=8927&path=mbball

Marcus Evans is averaging 13.9 PPG (14.5 PPG in A-10 games and got 11 points in the Feb. 2nd game),
De'Riante Jenkins is averaging 11.4 PPG (11.4 PPG in A-10 games and got 6 points and 7 rebounds in the Feb. 2nd game), Isaac Vann is averaging 11.0 PPG (10.3 PPG in A-10 games and got 21 points in the Feb. 2nd game) and Marcus Santos-Silva is averaging 6.9 RPG and 11.1 PPG in A-10 games (got 10 points and 5 rebounds in the Feb. 2nd game). vcu has had 11 players play in at least 20 games this season. vcu is allowing an average of 61.8 PPG in all games and 60.3 PPG in A-10 games.

vcu's game thread is here: https://www.vcuramnation.com/forums/threads/the-official-beat-the-goomoos-in-nova-thread.18006/

Discuss.

 

[mkaufman1]

Oooh ooooh I’ll go first

My brain

Mason 750
McDonalds workers now at Burger King 2

Reality

vcu 78
Mason 65

Prove me wrong, Mason. Prove me wrong.

 

[VVRams!]

Good luck

 

[Mason2005]

Their defense is too legit. Otis and Kier combine for 36 turnovers and we lose 103 to 45. Otis quits the team and joins Grayer. Paulsen gets a 5 yr extension.

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

 

[MudKat]

You mean Strayer right?

 

[mkaufman1]

Good luck

Ha, mason will need it. Just like most vcu mason games in Fairfax, it’ll probably be close for a while but Mason has to play really good ball to have a chance. The experienced guards aren’t playing at the high clip they were midseason and the underclassmen have been outplaying the juniors and seniors.

They’ll really have to take care of the ball, get out on shooters, and keep the game slower. Fortunately Hartwell is back and playing well.

vcu is just playing out of this world though. They get it done defensively and shoot well from deep. It’s going to be a tough order.

 

[PoorManProfit]

This will be a vcu “home” game. Dem boys are rolling.

 

[Patriotsince81]

I was out running some errands yesterday and got a little hungry so I stopped into Subway for a quick bite and ran into a vcu grad. He made a pretty good sandwich.


If we are able to win this game it will give me some confidence that we’ll have a shot in the A10 tournament. The Captain Obvious report says that we need to handle pressure, limit turnovers, shoot well, win the battle of the boards, and play tough D for 40 minutes. Our margin of error is tiny. Compete from the start we have a chance!


Winning will largely depend on which Otis shows up. If Otis (26 against Baylor) shows up we win. If Otis (Ga. Southern, NC Central, K-state, St. Louis, etc. shows up) we lose. Kier played horribly against vcu last time out shooting just 1 - 10. We’ll need a lot more production from him as well. Greene was a no show against St. Louis which matters, as does our lack of post production.


My heart says that we’ll handle pressure, counter punch, play great D, and frustrate them. GMU 69 - vcu 65. There will be much rejoicing!


My head says 2 things:

1. We stumble out of the gate as has become our pattern. vcu goes on a 45 - 1 run to open the game and wins going away 97 - 36. In other words it’s Vern Troyer (GMU) vs Shaq (vcu) in a game of one on one. Paulsen, in the post game press conference will state that we had two great days of practice leading up to the game and he doesn’t understand what happened.


2. We will have a stretch, or several, where we don’t handle pressure and turn the ball over. They will go on a few 10 - 15 point runs at some point. If it happens early they will blow us out 85 - 55. If it happens later in the game we fall 77 - 67. We messed up Senior Night for them last year. This year the favor is returned. This is yet another game where we are physically outmatched and as a result struggle to be competitive. Heart can only take you so far.


My final prediction is that far too many Mason fans will sell their seats which vcu fans will buy. I will be surrounded by droves of obnoxious vcu fans who only have one thing to hang their self esteem on. Can’t make it to the game? Eat the cost, don’t put them up for sale. An announced crowd of 7,200 will include 3,500 vcu fans. They travel well and have all kinds of free time. They can pick up a double shift at Micky D’s to cover the cost of the Greyhound bus ride up here.


I hate vcu.

 

[Patriotsince81]

Meet Dean Bob of vcu’s heralded School of Business. vcu’s partnership with Wal-Mart ensures that business students can go straight to work upon “graduation.”

 

[Patriotsince81]

vcu’s College of Science is 2nd to none! Meth Cooking 101 is required of all vcu students. Here you see “Bubba” practicing what he learned in his dorm room! At vcu we encourage all of our students to go that extra mile to ensure that the residents of Richmond never run out of quality product. We guarantee you’ll pay off your student loans/tuition in no time!

 

[Patriotsince81]

Thinking about attending vcu? Come on down to Richmond. Make your mark and join the College of “Hospitality.” Learn how to work the streets with confidence! We guarantee a Happy Ending to your time at vcu!

 

[Five Two]

We usually don't start playing until 30 minutes after tip. Since this game is starting at 7:30 instead of our normal 7:00, I think we won't spot them 10-16 points before we score.

We will win because we have no business winning this game. We'll all scratch our heads saying "where was that kind of game these past few weeks?" late Tuesday and all day Wed.

 

[gmujim92]

vcu only won by 3 at Richmond yesterday.

We just beat Richmond on our court by 14.

Transitive property says we win by 11.

F it, it’s Senior Night. Hopefully Otis gets to go out the right way.

 

[PoorManProfit]

Patriot don’t beat good teams. Maybe it happens here, but I’ll believe it when I see it.

vcu 71
G Mas 67

 

[JPgmuswim]

Meet Dean Bob of vcu’s heralded School of Business. vcu’s partnership with Wal-Mart ensures that business students can go straight to work upon “graduation.”View attachment 728

I recently read Walmart is getting rid of their Greeters, I feel bad for Bob now.

 

[mkaufman1]

I recently read Walmart is getting rid of their Greeters, I feel bad for Bob now.

So much for the greeter gig, and my sources say McDonald’s has too many grads working for them already.

Hopefully Burger King or Taco Bell can welcome him.

 

[GMUgemini]

vcu only won by 3 at Richmond yesterday.

We just beat Richmond on our court by 14.

Transitive property says we win by 11.

F it, it’s Senior Night. Hopefully Otis gets to go out the right way.

If the refs call all the handchecks they’ll be throwing at Otis, he should score 10 at the line alone. He needs to stay out of the corners and keep to the middle of the floor. Tons of off the ball movement to give him options ( Richmond does this really well, which is probably why they played vcu so close). We cannot stand around.

 

[GMUgemini]

I recently read Walmart is getting rid of their Greeters, I feel bad for Bob now.

God if they get rid of their greeters there will literally be no one to help you find anything in that chaotic mess they call a store.

 

[GMUgemini]

My hope is that this turns into the GW away and home games from last season.

The away match was actually pretty similar. We kept it close in the first half and then the game just go away from us. Otis was completely shut down by Watanabe and scored only 3 points on 1-7 shooting and we lose 80-68. (I guess you can say in Richmond, it was Kier and Greene who were both completely shut down, going a combined 1-15 from the floor -- that can't happen again).

In Fairfax, we make adjustments to both our offense and defense and don't allow GW's size to overtake us (Ziegler with 18 in D.C., 8 in Fairfax, for example). We get Otis free and he scores 14 on 4-10 shooting. AJ also had himself a game in Fairfax, playing 20 minutes and scoring 11 points (AJ didn't even play in D.C. -- was he hurt? I forget).

It'll be interesting to see if they use the same defensive strategy of single covering the 4 and 5 and forcing our bigs to beat them. If that's the case, we better see some AJ at the 4 so we can run four players in those two positions and keep everyone fresh.

 

[gmutom]

We usually don't start playing until 30 minutes after tip. Since this game is starting at 7:30 instead of our normal 7:00, I think we won't spot them 10-16 points before we score.

On the contrary, my friend. If Brad Edwards tells the coaches and players that the game starts at 7, that could theoretically negate the 30 -minute lull you are addressing.