Game 9: GMU (4-4) vs ODU (3-5) on Saturday, December 4, at 7 PM.

Patriotsince81

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Old Dominion was picked 5th out of the 14 teams in Conference USA. Kalu Ezikpe was selected for preseason All-Conference honors.

ODU is currently 3 - 5 on the season.

Wins: Virginia Wesleyan (80-60), Manhattan (79-58), Longwood (62-61)
Losses: JMU (58-53), Indiana St. (77-36), East Carolina (73-60), Penn (71-63), East Carolina (63-62)

Schedule: https://odusports.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule/2021-22
Roster: https://odusports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster
Stats: https://odusports.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2021-22

The Monarchs have two players averaging double figures. 6’8” Kalu Ezipke (11.4 ppg & 6.9 reb) and 6’3” C.J. Keyser (12.9 ppg) lead the Monarchs. The other starters are 6’0” Jaylin Hunter (9.0 ppg), 6’5” Charles Smith IV (7.8 ppg) and 6’7” Mekhi Long (7.9 ppg & 5.9 reb). Austin Trice, A.J. Oliver II, and Brady O’Connell are the main reserves averaging double digit minutes off the bench.

ODU averages 61.9 points per game while giving up 65.1. ODU shoots 41.3% from the field and 28.7% from 3. Opponents shoot 43.7% from the field and 38.7% from 3. The Monarchs out rebound their opponents by 1.8 boards per game.

The game is on MASN and ESPN+.

My prediction: ODU struggles to score. They don’t have a go to stud to get them points. If we play D like we are capable of this should be a double digit win. Rest reinvigorates the Patriots and our starters respond in kind. GMU 75 - Ol Dirty U 64.

We don’t drink, we don’t smoke, Norfolk!

Discuss.
 
Last edited:

BBride

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If anyone wants a pair of tix to this game just DM me your email address and I’ll transfer them to you. Happy Thanksgiving!
 
Anyone watching the last four games knows that playing a 1-3-1 zone against us will stifle our offense. Talent wise we should beat ODU unless their coaches forget to review tape of our last few games.
 

GMUgemini

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Anyone watching the last four games knows that playing a 1-3-1 zone against us will stifle our offense. Talent wise we should beat ODU unless their coaches forget to review tape of our last few games.

Really depends on how good their offense is. Even with poor shooting, we scored 74, 69, and 76 points in South Dakota, and it was really our inability to stop the other team from scoring (especially late against Washington and SD St -- and with Washington it was a lack of defensive rebounding late) that caused those losses.

If I'm ODU, I wouldn't really count on Gaines being exhausted and Schwartz going 1-10 from 3 on 10 days rest.
 

GMU79

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Okay, just a thought exercise...
We know our PG play stinks due to lack of ability. D may be somewhat due to our guys being slow, or in Hartwell's case slow and short. But, and here's my ask, how much of our failures can be linked to CK and the coaching staff? I know, new team, new coach, but some of the same mistakes over and over again (ie, sloppy passes) have to be coaching doesn't it?
Don't shoot me, it's just a question looking for ideas.
 

tblack33

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Okay, just a thought exercise...
We know our PG play stinks due to lack of ability. D may be somewhat due to our guys being slow, or in Hartwell's case slow and short. But, and here's my ask, how much of our failures can be linked to CK and the coaching staff? I know, new team, new coach, but some of the same mistakes over and over again (ie, sloppy passes) have to be coaching doesn't it?
Don't shoot me, it's just a question looking for ideas.
No, not at this point. There is no opportunity to fix some of the issues we saw in a tournament format. You aren’t working drills like that in a shoot around before a game. Need full practices and film sessions.
 

GMUgemini

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Okay, just a thought exercise...
We know our PG play stinks due to lack of ability. D may be somewhat due to our guys being slow, or in Hartwell's case slow and short. But, and here's my ask, how much of our failures can be linked to CK and the coaching staff? I know, new team, new coach, but some of the same mistakes over and over again (ie, sloppy passes) have to be coaching doesn't it?
Don't shoot me, it's just a question looking for ideas.

Sloppy passes is not a coaching problem, that's a playing together/mental lapse issue. Also, Hartwell isn't slow he just isn't hyper quick like you have to be when you're under 6'0 (think Andre Cornelius, who as a freshman played so fast he would outrun the ball sometimes).

If you're going to fault English and the staff for anything, it's in not installing a zone plan b to help rest the players, but having an effective zone also takes time and he's got to get his primary defense right before he can work on his secondary defense.
 

GMU79

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No, not at this point. There is no opportunity to fix some of the issues we saw in a tournament format. You aren’t working drills like that in a shoot around before a game. Need full practices and film sessions.
True. You can't practice during tourneys.
And CK did mention falling back into old "habits."
 

GSII

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He also mentioned team took care of the ball during scrimmages and practices...so to me, this turnover issue is new.
 

gmutom

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One of my pet peeves is how our guards are being asked to double passes into the post. There were several occasions last night when XJ, Hartwell, Cooper, Gaines, Jones and Schwartz were stranded in the paint, which left SD State shooters wide open on the perimeter.

It’s not hard to figure out why they shot 50% from behind the arc when you think about how open we left several of their best players. If anything, we should have overplayed the perimeter and forced them to score more inside the arc.
 

GMU79

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One of my pet peeves is how our guards are being asked to double passes into the post. There were several occasions last night when XJ, Hartwell, Cooper, Gaines, Jones and Schwartz were stranded in the paint, which left SD State shooters wide open on the perimeter.

It’s not hard to figure out why they shot 50% from behind the arc when you think about how open we left several of their best players. If anything, we should have overplayed the perimeter and forced them to score more inside the arc.
Open shooters. Just like Hewitt and DP.
 

Quentin Daniels

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ODU always has been and always will be filled with horrible people. It is our teams duty as Americans (& Australians) to beat them.


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