Games Decided by 3 or Fewer Points

Pablo

Hall of Famer
Coach Hewitt's record at Mason in games decided by 3 or fewer points is 12-6.

2011-12 (4-2):

Mason 92-Rhode Island 90
Florida International 79-Mason 76
Mason 61-Georgia State 58
Mason 62-vcu 61
Northeastern 85-Mason 82
Mason 61-Georgia State 59

2012-13 (6-3):

Mason 52-Mercer 49
New Mexico 70-Mason 69
Mason 48-Boston U. 45
Mason 55-Rhode Island 52
Mason 67-Richmond 64
Mason 60-William & Mary 58
Northeastern 69-Mason 67
Mason 78-College of Charleston 77
Santa Clara 80-Mason 77

2013-14 (2-1):

Mason 63-American 60
South Florida 68-Mason 66
Mason 65-St. Mary's (CA) 63
 

GMUSig03

All-Conference
If this is intended to imply Mason does well in close games, I believe it is misleading as it does not include games that we let slip away and then lose by 3 or more due to having to foul
 
OP
Pablo

Pablo

Hall of Famer
If this is intended to imply Mason does well in close games, I believe it is misleading as it does not include games that we let slip away and then lose by 3 or more due to having to foul

I assume that you mean games lost by more than 3 points (vice "by 3 or more").
 

Patriotfan49

Starter
Agreed, if this is trying to imply that we are good in the clutch or in close scoring games, this is entirely misleading and wrong.
 
I think it is helpful to examine, but I would go up to five or six points and then wonder if we should be in close games with those teams to begin with.

I will say I have been a coach, sit 15 feet from Hewitt behind his bench at home games and have rarely had a problem with what Hewitt draws up or says to the team.

My questions with him are more of the motivational/team building in general variety.
 
OP
Pablo

Pablo

Hall of Famer
Actually, I wasn't implying anything. I read in Penn's game notes that the Quakers are 13-12 in games decided by 3 points or less during the Coach Jerome Allen era. So, I calculated Hewitt's record here under the same criteria. And, frankly I was surprised.

No one is saying that Hewitt is an outstanding coach like Bill Coen of Northeastern. But, is he really as bad as he's generally described on this board?

Agreed, if this is trying to imply that we are good in the clutch or in close scoring games, this is entirely misleading and wrong.
 

GSII

Hall of Famer
⭐️ Donor ⭐️
GOLD SPONSOR
GIVING DAY 2023
No one is saying that Hewitt is an outstanding coach like Bill Coen of Northeastern. But, is he really as bad as he's generally described on this board?

Yes. He is that bad. For example, he took how many games to switch the defense to zone? And ask yourself why he has to switch to zone with all the "athlete's" we have on this team that are supposedly gonna "run" all season? It's all mental and he's mind f**ked every player with this overthinking. Other coaches refer to him as a deep thinker. I guess this is why he can't get out of his own way. I wish he'd get help b/c I actually like him.
 

The Great PATSby

Starter
⭐️ Donor ⭐️
Of the 18 games...
9 were close the entire game
4 blown leads
5 come from behind

Notable Wins:
Mason 62-vcu 61: Mason down by 5 with :43 remaining
Mason 67-Richmond 64: Mason down by 12 with 7:31 remaining
Mason 60-William & Mary 58: Mason down by 13 with 11:14 remaining
Mason 78-College of Charleston 77: Mason down by 5 with 2:09 remaining
Mason 65-St. Mary's (CA) 63: Mason down by 9 with 12:06 remaining

You can look at this information both ways just like how one can crop and interpret Bible passages as being bad. I credit Hewitt's teams being able to close out close games and that sort of experience is huge down the season's stretch. However...

There's no doubt that Hewitt's teams needs to work on...
A) Keep Leads - There's been way too many times that I've witnessed us build a significant lead and blow it away and win or lose by a margin.
B) Start off Hot - Often we're too cold and stagnant at the beginning. It takes our players a significant time to calibrate and get into the flow of the game where we have to spend a lot of the game catching up.
 

gmutom

Hall of Famer
⭐️ Donor ⭐️
GOLD SPONSOR
GIVING DAY 2023
GSII, if you didn't see mental, physical and philosophical changes from our three games in Hawaii, then you weren't watching (or refuse to acknowledge them).

It's no secret that Hewitt is stubborn to a fault, but he's shown more willingness to change in the last few weeks than his first two years here. And I'm not just talking about defensively where we are ranked #76 nationally. I'm referring to him finally saying that no player is guaranteed playing time if he doesn't perform (something you've been begging for).

In addition to Sherrod getting benched in Hawaii, we also saw the minutes for Edwards and Copes getting severely diminished. Marko was yanked one game for two unforced TOs, as was Okoloji for committing two dumb fouls.

You mention this garbage about him mindf**king the players when I don't think the players have ever had a more concise idea of what he expects from them (yes, I include Gray here). You play defense and rebound, you get minutes; you run the offense without turning the ball over, you get minutes. If you don't want to do those things, you can sit your a** on the bench.

Jenkins, Holloway and Moore are getting rewarded with more playing time, because they completely get what's expected of them. Playing the younger players won't solve all of our offensive deficiencies (we are admittedly very limited here), but it will make us more competitive this season and certainly bodes well for the future.
 
OP
Pablo

Pablo

Hall of Famer
In the St. Mary's (CA) game with the Patriots leading 65-62, let's not forget that Hewitt had Bryon Allen foul with 3 seconds remaining before the Gaels could attempt a tying 3-pt. FG. IMO, this is the smart basketball call that many coaches decline to make.
 

KAOriginal

All-American
It could very well be...that stress of the past 5+ years has finally caught up with Hewitt that (as evidenced by witness accounts on here) he has just gotten to the point of "play like I ask or don't."

No deep analysis, strategy, in terms of getting players to another level etc. Just pure execution.

Maybe this is the turning point of things getting back ona good track.
 

GSII

Hall of Famer
⭐️ Donor ⭐️
GOLD SPONSOR
GIVING DAY 2023
Tom,
I don't think he intentionally mindf**ks the players, but his offensive scheme might be better suited for high caliber BCS type players...ie strong pg's. I'd like to see more inside and out attack. But all that depends on J2 drawing the D down to him.
 

gmutom

Hall of Famer
⭐️ Donor ⭐️
GOLD SPONSOR
GIVING DAY 2023
Tom,
I don't think he intentionally mindf**ks the players, but his offensive scheme might be better suited for high caliber BCS type players...ie strong pg's. I'd like to see more inside and out attack. But all that depends on J2 drawing the D down to him.

I definitely agree his offense would work better with better players. Hopefully, like you said, J2 and some of the younger players step up.
 

The Great PATSby

Starter
⭐️ Donor ⭐️
Yes, Paul won a close game tonight after one of the worst down the stretch coaching jobs I have ever seen on a DI level.

Because missing free throws is the coaches fault.

Maybe he could have played Marko who is a slightly, but not much better free throw shooter. But most coaches are going to want to go with a senior player who has the experience in close games.
 
Because missing free throws is the coaches fault.

Maybe he could have played Marko who is a slightly, but not much better free throw shooter. But most coaches are going to want to go with a senior player who has the experience in close games.[

Of course you could also play four guards if they are pressing you and leave a big, especially one who just missed his first two FTs, on the bench.

Prettt crazy he asked if Okoloji was ready to play with under a minute left after he hadn't played the whole game as well.

Good thing Okoloji said no. Sure a guy on the bench the whole game playing at the very end and shooting clutch free throws would have been a good idea.
 

gmujim92

Hall of Famer
GIVING DAY 2023
We need a veteran bench coach very badly.

Someone to remind Hewitt of who his best FT shooters are and remind him that it's OK to put 4 guards on the floor when the opponent is pressing.

Obviously, he gets lost mentally during games and needs help keeping track of substitutions and strategic decisions.

That we barely had enough to beat a bad Penn team is quite telling.
 
We need a veteran bench coach very badly.

Someone to remind Hewitt of who his best FT shooters are and remind him that it's OK to put 4 guards on the floor when the opponent is pressing.

Obviously, he gets lost mentally during games and needs help keeping track of substitutions and strategic decisions.

That we barely had enough to beat a bad Penn team is quite telling.

I might miss our sssistants more than L.

I do know my assistants, even as a JV girls coach, would never have let me sub like Hewitt wanted to do down the stretch tonight.
 

gmujim92

Hall of Famer
GIVING DAY 2023
I might miss our sssistants more than L.

I do know my assistants, even as a JV girls coach, would never have let me sub like Hewitt wanted to do down the stretch tonight.

For all of our talent limitations, I think the most glaring is on the bench.

I get that Kreider and Skeeters are recruiters first and foremost, and that's fine, but I wonder what Houston is bringing to the table if he's not the guy who has Hewitt's ear in high-stress, end-of-game situations.

I know it's never going to happen, but I'd be very happy if Houston was sent packing in favor of a veteran bench coach (like Mike Deane at JMU) in time for next season.

Hewitt clearly needs help and he's not getting it from the current assistants.
 
Top