After the white-knuckling, brow-furrowing, hand-wringing opening week to the season, is there any better justice than last season’s seven-win team garnering the first big victory of the season for the conference? Seriously, on the heels of Mason’s gift to the Big East (more on that in a minute), anyone with a warped brain could’ve said UNCW was going to beat Penn State.
And let me get this out of the way right now: congratulations to Benny Moss and the UNCW basketball team. There.
Here’s Mull’s final thoughts with links to the guts of the game.
I’ll say this: UNCW “looks” different, and if you saw the game you would agree. Will OhHAYerbee and Keith Rendelman, along with John Fields, allow the Hawks to defend with size and athleticism and importantly not give up easy shots. OhHAYerbee displayed some nifty post moves, even if he carries a trowel in his shorts, just in case. (He banked in a free throw.) Ahmad Grant is a threat, and even that Basnight kid looks comfy–half the battle for a freshman.
As Mull pointed out, an under control Tomko is huge for this team. They have some weapons. It makes me wonder: did the reason Tomko was so dangerous his freshman season have more to do with playing alongside good players, as opposed to seniors?
I say that because as I watched the game unfold, I kept thinking Johnny Wolf looked slow and in the way, and Dom Lacy (a fave in these parts) looked average. They were mainstays last year.
***
It was something I tweeted in the heat of the moment, but 16 hours later I stand by my belief: Mason losing to Villanova is on Jim Larranaga’s head. The Patriots spent 35 minutes taking the game to the Wildcats. With every Villanova punch to the teeth, Ryan Pearson or Andre Cornelius or Luke Hancock absorbed it, and countered.
For some reason, Larranaga switched to a zone in the final minute, when Nova needed a three. They got two. It took six seconds before the first one was drained.
And even though some kid (who never plays and will end his career with that gamewinner being his career highlight) hit a one-in-ten three to end it, the final minute was a colossal breakdown: the Patriots gave up two threes and then basically dribbled out the clock and lost by one point.
The big however: they looked awfully good. The comment I made to a couple of onlookers was that their freshmen looked like JMUs freshmen from last year–unafraid, and winners. I haven’t seen ODU yet, but Mason has looked better than anybody so far. It will be interesting to see how Mason comes out today against Georgia Tech.
***
It may have slipped under the radar, but William & Mary pulled off a big win last night. Richmond is going to be a very good team in the A10 come February, and this will be more impressive the deeper we get into the season. (Side note: somebody tell the W&M president that they could be 1-0 in conference now.)
Four cliches at work here in a blueprint victory:
- You need contributions from unheralded players to win big games. Steven Hess, mostly a punch line for two years, had nine points and nine rebounds in 17 minutes.
- Win the sneaky stat category. Richmond’s Ryan Butler had more field goal attempts than all conference player Dan Geriot, in fewer minutes. Nice defensive gameplan from Shaver.
- Shoot the ball well. The Tribe shot 56% in the second half and 51% overall. Hard to beat that many swishes, no matter who you are.
- Make free throws late. The Tribe was 10-12 from the stripe down the stretch.
***
It probably slipped under the radar, and rightfully so. Old Dominion drilled Liberty. The Monarchs are in major league “taking care of business” mode right now. I gave up when I checked in and the score was 29-6, or some similar football score.
Note: Gerald Lee got 30 minutes last night, probably in the “get your closer an inning in a non-save situation” mode. Lee probably needed the work.
Also, let’s not discount Blaine Taylor learning a thing or two. In 2005-06, the last time ODU was predicted by everyone to win the conference (eerie parallel: and the last time they replaced just one role player, and the last time they had a senior big man from outside the USA) the Monarchs opened with Georgia and Wisconsin.
Note the ODU schedule this year: cupcakes, rev up to Marshall, then rev up to teh Texas trip and Missouri. Very smart scheduling.
November 20th, 2009 at 10:51 am
Wow…at least you said something positive about Mason in your last paragraph on the game yesterday. You really don’t like Larranaga, do you? You’d think the winningest coach in CAA history would get some respect…Come on.
Again, kudos to W&M, UNCW, and also ODU for their big wins. I hope Mason can somehow beat Ga. Tech, but I worry about the after-effects of that heartbreaker vs. Villanova. Yes, the future is bright (again) in Fairfax.
November 20th, 2009 at 10:59 am
I’m open to debate…what’s your view on how Mason gave up a four point lead in 47 seconds by giving up two wide open threes and not getting off a final shot?
November 20th, 2009 at 11:36 am
OK, let’s debate. I apologize, in advance, for the long-winded retort:
Pretty sure if you go back and watch the video (I’ve got it on DVR, if you’d like a replay), only the second 3 was wide open. The first one was taken under duress from the 6-9 Morison, but the freshman Wayns made a great shot. As you know, sometimes you have to give credit to the other team.
As for the final shot, we got exactly what we wanted: the one player on Villanova’s team that Jay Wright didn’t want to shoot taking a 3. He made the shot. Again, that happens. Good job by Armwood. But if we had to play it all over again 100 times, I’d still let him take that shot.
If we go man-to-man in that sequence and Reynolds or Fisher blows down the lane for an easy layup, and we lose in OT, all the “experts” would be killing Larranaga for not trying to keep Villanova out of the lane when all they needed was a two to tie. Too easy to second-guess from the comfort of the living room sofa, IMO.
Now I wholeheartedly agree that final possession offense, with the exception of last year’s Monroe-to-Vaughan sweet backdoor layup at UNCW, has never been L’s strong suit. So he’s not perfect. He is, however, the winningest coach in the history of the CAA, and all we ever seem to hear from you is the mocking of his “cornball” routine.
When you constantly slobber over Coen, Flint, Brady and all the other guys who haven’t accomplished a fraction of what L has done at Mason, it’s not so difficult for someone to envision you having some sort of ax to grind.
November 20th, 2009 at 11:59 am
First: that play at UNCW last year was phenomenal. Brought me off the couch.
Second: I think I’ve given Larranaga all kinds of credit, as well as hit Bruiser and the others when called for.
Third: never apologize for being long winded. Good chatter is what it’s about and I appreciate it.
Now, the the debate…there’s no help on the wing in the zone. MIkeMo flew out there on his own. You may be correct in the whole drive the lane scenario, but a smaller player would have to navigate the big guys to make the layup. And it’s still two points as opposed to three. If Mason goes down and makes just one FT as they did, the lead is still three. If the worst happens, you are still in OT.
Now, on the second three is all about couch potato second guessing. I tried to say that the shot will be the kid’s career highlight, and it will be. But again there was no help in the zone. Even if it is 1-in-10 you cannot give him the opportunity to beat you. Take the tie and the basketball.
Just a curious decision.
As for the final possession, that’s where I’m more apt to hand it to the other guy. I’m sure there was a plan, but ACorn was stymied at every turn by a Villanova kid playing great defense.
And I quite enjoy the cornball routine and it isn’t mocking. I’d rather poke fun at a guy having fun than deal with a prickly guy who cannot enjoy everything.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Good stuff, Mike. Always two sides to everything that happens in sports — just like the Belichick call, I thought it was incredibly ballsy and all my friends thought he had completely lost his mind. That’s what makes it all fun.
Didn’t mean to be too over the top in my earlier comment, just thought I might help you out by riling up some folks who always seem to show up wherever a Mason fan happens to post. And a spirited but good-natured back-and-forth can never be a bad thing, right?
New media’s all about the page views now, or so I’ve been told.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Eh–smart debate is always welcomed. Intelligent thought is never over the top. Anytime, and truly appreciated.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
“Dom Lacy (a fave in these parts) looked average”
That’s because he is. Those of us in these parts (Wilmington) have been onto that dirty little secret since his freshman year. He makes highlight-film plays once or twice a game – and makes you want to pull your hair out many, many more times. Watch for his playing time dwindle dramatically as the season progresses.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Mike & Jim: Good stuff. Good, good stuff. Two very intelligent and thoughtful debators. Masters, if you will.
Well, Mason just totally sucked to end the 1st half. 24% shooting in the 1st half? We gotta do better to have any chance of not getting blown out. Come on, Coach…wake ‘em up…