Up Next: George Mason

[CyCarp]

Re: Up Next: George Mason

Even with how up and down we were last year, I don't remember a game where we just shot the ball so terribly, given that we had some pretty good looks.

UPDATE - I was correct, our worst game last year, Loyola at home: 27% shooting. We were 25-26% tonight. If I recall Loyola actually played better defense than George Mason did tonight.

We had a ton of good looks, and a lot of terrible shots too. At least 4-5 times we had a lane yet settled for a 3. I hate to bash our best player, but Morgan was awful tonight. Didn't shoot well, and his decisions on O were even worse. Not what you expect out of a guy of his caliber. Hopefully learn from it an get better. Jake needs to get on these guys when they watch this video. Everything from shot selection at times to boxing out.

[hoopfan]

Re: Up Next: George Mason

Odd box score.

Played an undersized team and Koch only had 4 FG attempts.

58 shots...32 threes and 26 inside the arc.

25% shooting from inside and outside the arc.

Almost doubled up on rebounds.

Never liked our devotion to the 3 pointer cuz when it's not there you get nights like this. But that's who we are.

Liked the move to the smaller line up....but Klint's gotta look to score when we do that.

That panic 3 by Jeremy with 15 on the shot clock...couldn't believe my eyes.

That's on Bennett for only getting 4 attempts. He got post touches, but just doesn't know how to use his size and bring the ball down below his waist letting guards strip him. This is his 4th year on campus and it is time to wonder if he will figure it out.

[unifan]

Re: Up Next: George Mason

What a bummer of a night. Want so badly to have high hopes for the year, especially after the football season turned out to be what it was.

[BCPanther]

Re: Up Next: George Mason

I'm starting to question rotation.

We can't win with Jordan Ashton playing 37 minutes. He's nowhere near a good enough player to be on the floor that much, even accounting for the Lohaus injury.

The big one is that you can't tell me Dahl and McDonnell can't be more effective than Friedman and, honestly, Koch at this point. Recruiting services raved about McDonnell having all Big 10 potential and Dahl was an absolute rebounding machine in high school.

I get that Jake loves sliding Carlson to the 5, but that played right into what Mason wanted to do tonight and won't be great against some of the smaller league schools.

[UNIChippewa]

Re: Up Next: George Mason

I'm starting to question rotation.

We can't win with Jordan Ashton playing 37 minutes. He's nowhere near a good enough player to be on the floor that much, even accounting for the Lohaus injury.

The big one is that you can't tell me Dahl and McDonnell can't be more effective than Friedman and, honestly, Koch at this point. Recruiting services raved about McDonnell having all Big 10 potential and Dahl was an absolute rebounding machine in high school.

I get that Jake loves sliding Carlson to the 5, but that played right into what Mason wanted to do tonight and won't be great against some of the smaller league schools.

How long is Lohaus going to be out for?

I'm suddenly a bit less excited to be going up to Laramie for the game on Saturday. I really hope we've now gotten the utter crap games we inevitably play at least once or twice during every single season out of our system now.

[Zakelsta]

Re: Up Next: George Mason

I'm starting to question rotation.

We can't win with Jordan Ashton playing 37 minutes. He's nowhere near a good enough player to be on the floor that much, even accounting for the Lohaus injury.

The big one is that you can't tell me Dahl and McDonnell can't be more effective than Friedman and, honestly, Koch at this point. Recruiting services raved about McDonnell having all Big 10 potential and Dahl was an absolute rebounding machine in high school.

I get that Jake loves sliding Carlson to the 5, but that played right into what Mason wanted to do tonight and won't be great against some of the smaller league schools.

Jake actually mentioned changing the rotations in his interview with Rima after the game. More motivated by limiting Carlson and Morgan (who he said both seemed tired before the game even started tonight) to more realistic minutes. Said we can't be consistently good with guys going 37, 38 minutes in each game.

Gotta hope that means we give Brown, Dahl, McDonnell some time. I know it's scary to let 5 freshmen play on the same team, but at this point, I really believe we will be a more effective team with 12 fresh players. Even if some of those guys are inexperienced and make some freshman mistakes. (Like Haldemans late foul tonight)

[LA_Panther]

Re: Up Next: George Mason

I just saw the score. My first reaction: What the ...

Then I realized that this feels like deja vu. It feels like last year. In other words, I am optimistic the team will get it together and exceed expectations. Coach Jake will get this team on the right path.

[SteinPizza]

Re: Up Next: George Mason

Jake actually mentioned changing the rotations in his interview with Rima after the game. More motivated by limiting Carlson and Morgan (who he said both seemed tired before the game even started tonight) to more realistic minutes. Said we can't be consistently good with guys going 37, 38 minutes in each game.

Gotta hope that means we give Brown, Dahl, McDonnell some time. I know it's scary to let 5 freshmen play on the same team, but at this point, I really believe we will be a more effective team with 12 fresh players. Even if some of those guys are inexperienced and make some freshman mistakes. (Like Haldemans late foul tonight)

Glad to hear he said that. Just IMO, but overuse of players has been an issue for this program going back to McDermott's era. Some of that was out of necessity, but I agree with you about getting some younger guys some spot minutes. Brown and Dahl would be likely candidates, with Ashton's minutes being used more to rest Morgan. Getting Lohaus back probably helps that latter point though.

[achrist70]

Re: Up Next: George Mason

Couple thoughts from last night,

1. Jeremy was clearly off, but I would much rather have him taking open looks then the forced 3 he took with about 90 secs to go.

2. As mentioned earlier we need to figure out a rotation, Wyatt not playing hurt us more than some realize, but last night when no one was able to score maybe try Brown, try Dahl who would have matched up well with their two big slow guys, and if McDonnell is close to 100% physically then start looking at him a bit, it took Jake so long to get Buss on the floor because he didn't like his defensive inabilities, but his offensive abilities were so much greater that you got a positive out of it. I really think with those 3 you would get something, and the only way they get better is by playing. Also you look at Wichita, most years they aren't afraid to use a 12 or 13 man rotation in some games, and use 3 different guys at the 5.

3. We need to attack the hoop more, there were dozens of times last night that we could have drove to the hoop, drive and get fouled, I know they helped well but we have to attack the basket better.

4. We miss those 3 seniors more now then ever, I feel confident that Wes would have gotten to the hoop, or found the correct open man, and there was no way that both Bo and Paul would have shot that bad.

5. That game reminded me of a middle school girls game last night.

[UNIdad]

Re: Up Next: George Mason

So, how would we be feeling if one more of our shots and one less of theirs had gone in? That is a very small variation to what actually happened, but would provide us with such a sense of relief. The line between winning and losing in college sports is so thin.

[Khan4Cats]

Re: Up Next: George Mason

So, how would we be feeling if one more of our shots and one less of theirs had gone in? That is a very small variation to what actually happened, but would provide us with such a sense of relief. The line between winning and losing in college sports is so thin.

That is the big thing. I am not concerned, yet, that this is not a good shooting team so much as it seems the whole team is in a bit of a funk. I don't know if it's like a baseball pitcher with "dead-arm" in spring training or what but I would agree with those that have said we looked tired or simply off. I made the comment to those around me that Haldeman looked like he was shooting with tired legs early in the second half.

Anyways, that's my hope and that we will emerge out of this and revert to more of a Jake-coached team mean than what we are currently. Maybe that means we have a night of making everything in a couple weeks in Chapel Hill.

[Born-a-Panther]

Re: Up Next: George Mason

My husband and I both mentioned on the way home last night that Morgan looked exhausted from the start. On top of that, he plays so hard on defense that expecting him to get up to the other end of the floor and be hot on offense - playing that many minutes and that hard on defense - that's going to catch up to him, and I think last night was that night. We need Wyatt back. It's messed with our rotations, and that's not a good thing to be happening when I think the team is lacking some confidence right now. Koch needs to make his decisions quicker - get the ball and pass or go up. He cannot wait around for teams to collapse on him or steal the ball away. Four shot attempts is not good when you're the guy underneath the hoop. And Klint -- maybe he should get a technical every game? That's what fired him up during the win against Oklahoma. He's been in a funk again since.

I trust Jake - they'll get it turned around. But we're going to have to be patient.

[PanthersMBB]

Re: Up Next: George Mason

Wow a lot great anyalists making comments on this game and team. Yes it was a bad game and they will learn from it. We aren't at practice everyday to see how everyone performs and does their jobs. If jake isn't playing some of these players there is a reason that jake feels they aren't ready or he would give them some minutes. Jake said from the beginning it is going to be a work in progress. They just need to keep working hard and they will get there. I do give the kids that weren't expected to play as many minutes as expected a lot of credit for stepping up in a game like this especially haldeman even if we lost this game he has been stepping up when we needed it. He suppose to be playing off guard and then he is point guard the second half. We need to have the presence of a true point guard to run this team and juwan will get there. I think haldeman will continue to battle and get better and better as season goes.

[SteinPizza]

Re: Up Next: George Mason

Couple thoughts from last night,

1. Jeremy was clearly off, but I would much rather have him taking open looks then the forced 3 he took with about 90 secs to go.

2. As mentioned earlier we need to figure out a rotation, Wyatt not playing hurt us more than some realize, but last night when no one was able to score maybe try Brown, try Dahl who would have matched up well with their two big slow guys, and if McDonnell is close to 100% physically then start looking at him a bit, it took Jake so long to get Buss on the floor because he didn't like his defensive inabilities, but his offensive abilities were so much greater that you got a positive out of it. I really think with those 3 you would get something, and the only way they get better is by playing. Also you look at Wichita, most years they aren't afraid to use a 12 or 13 man rotation in some games, and use 3 different guys at the 5.

3. We need to attack the hoop more, there were dozens of times last night that we could have drove to the hoop, drive and get fouled, I know they helped well but we have to attack the basket better.

4. We miss those 3 seniors more now then ever, I feel confident that Wes would have gotten to the hoop, or found the correct open man, and there was no way that both Bo and Paul would have shot that bad.

5. That game reminded me of a middle school girls game last night.

As for #3 above, from what I've seen, McCloud could be that guy. Give him some time to acclimate. That also assumes the coaches give him the green light to attack the rim. I'm sure they have/will, since taking a bunch of stationary jump shots is no way to win. Or, it's no way to win against the better competition we'll face. It's too easy for good teams to defend.

I think I've seen Ashton drive a few times too. It would be nice to have a one-two punch in that regard, to set up guys like Lohaus, Morgan, Klint, etc for better looks.

[UNIhoops]

Re: Up Next: George Mason

One thing I miss that can be helped with Brown and Luke is height.

Bo was 6'4 and Jespersen 6'6.

Having Wyatt, Spencer, Juwan, and Hunter makes it difficult to play them at the same time on the court. Along with Ashton this group seems to easily get blocked or miss layups. Beyond Spencer if I was the other coach I'd be double teaming Morgan and the post until they can consistently hit an open 3.

Even though George Mason played small the entire night. We may have been in better shape if their big man didn't get in foul trouble and would have been forced to play. I wasn't a fan of Koch sitting out forever after both big men got in foul trouble.