Game Thread - Makeup game @GMU Monday 2/15 ESPN+

[Section9_RowD]

GMU lost at home to Rhody on Saturday and a Spiders win tomorrow will pretty much finalize a 1st or 2nd finish for us in the A10. ESPN projects a 70% probability of a win. I agree - Spiders 72-60 and we have the benefits of GW on this holiday being a bit higher profile than GM just like our team is.

 

[Sections 204and5]

I watched the second half of the URI-Mason game and Mason looked terrible. Granted, Walton was in foul trouble much of the half but the GMU defense was like a sieve. There were constant 1-on1 blow-bys and they couldn't do anything to stop Brooklyn Gray. And maybe they ware having a bad shooting game but Walton from the field was 3-13 and Kennedy Harris was 3-22. As a team Mason shot 31.5% from the field and 11% from three. It was some seriously ugly basketball which I hope they repeat tomorrow.

 

[SFspidur]

Spiders have three blocks and several deflections already...8–3 at the first media timeout.

 

[SFspidur]

Two fouls on Maggie right at the end of the quarter, including a hold on offense without the ball, so she's on the bench. 12–11 Mason after one.

 

[SFspidur]

We're looking all sorts of discombobulated on both ends...16–11 Mason. Doogan back in to try to spark us without picking up another foul.

 

[SFspidur]

Tough slogging all around, both teams shooting around 25%. 21–20 Mason at the half. No player on either team has more than five points.

Need one of those patented third-quarter explosions for the Spiders.

 

[Spider17]

Sloppy first half. Spiders down 21-20.

 

[SFspidur]

Ugh, Patriots drain three straight triples to go up 30–20. Roussell calls a timeout.

 

[Section9_RowD]

Need to turn this around quick

 

[SFspidur]

We've got no legs, everything coming up short.

 

[SFspidur]

38–28 after three.

Sweeney was 1-for-7 in the first half and hasn't looked to score at all in the second. Not all on her of course, they're obviously all struggling.

 

[Spider17]

Well this stinks.

With this loss, we’re likely out of regular season title contention and at-large as well.

I’m not going to sugarcoat it, we looked awful this game. Having tired legs should not be an excuse. This was only the 2nd of our 3 game road stretch after a days rest. If we want to win the A10 title, we’re going to have to win 3 games in 3 days, which now is looking like it’s going to mean going through George Mason and then a Rhode Island/Davidson/Saint Joe’s.

 

[SFspidur]

Awful game for the Spiders. And I’m surprised we seemed to concede so early…no desperation down the stretch to try to close the gap.

 

[Long Time UR Fan]

The team really struggled today, no one had a good game. Our defensive rebounding was abysmal, GMU had 4 offensive rebounds on one possession. Our usual strong 3 point shooting was just not there.

 

[PhillySpider]

Costly loss for sure. And the 2nd time this year we have really laid an egg against a good, but not great team. Well, i think the good news now is that we know we have to win the A-10 tourney and that's what we should be preparing for. To me, that means some meaningfully lighter minutes for the Big 3 who have carried a heavy load. I thought Maggie looked tired last game as well and Ally has played more minutes than Maggie the last 10-12 games and I think that showed today as well. Time to back off them a bit and get 'em ready for the tourney. Another loss or two isn't going to matter and we need to do whatever to be ready for a three day grind if we want to dance!

 

[RichmondNative]

Costly loss for sure. And the 2nd time this year we have really laid an egg against a good, but not great team. Well, i think the good news now is that we know we have to win the A-10 tourney and that's what we should be preparing for. To me, that means some meaningfully lighter minutes for the Big 3 who have carried a heavy load. I thought Maggie looked tired last game as well and Ally has played more minutes than Maggie the last 10-12 games and I think that showed today as well. Time to back off them a bit and get 'em ready for the tourney. Another loss or two isn't going to matter and we need to do whatever to be ready for a three day grind if we want to dance!

Agreed.

Lots of things had to go right to get an at-large, so could be a mixed blessing that the team lost. I agree that the minutes should be tapered and let some of the younger players get some more court time.

Definitely not a good sign though that everyone looked gassed at the same time. I often wonder about the conditioning regimen that is in place at Richmond. Seems to be lacking on both the Men’s and Women’s teams at times.

 

[32counter]

Two fouls on Maggie right at the end of the quarter, including a hold on offense without the ball, so she's on the bench. 12–11 Mason after one.

Doogan sat for the 2nd quarter.Devastating for any offensive fluidity.Big negative.

 

[SFspidur]

Doogan sat for the 2nd quarter.Devastating for any offensive fluidity.Big negative.

She actually played half the second quarter with the two fouls, but it didn't really help...she had to play a little tentatively and they had her blanketed so she only managed one bucket and wasn't really able to facilitate others either.

 

[Sections 204and5]

Well, i think the good news now is that we know we have to win the A-10 tourney and that's what we should be preparing for.

Philly - you may be 100% correct but I'm a bit more bullish on our chances. Unless it updated since this morning, The Athletic bracket has us in as an at large 10 seed. If we run the table in the regular season, that would likely include a Top 25 win if URI can sneak up one spot. Make it to the tournament finals and I think we'd be in. Given our performance in last year's NCAA tournament, I also think the committee might give us the benefit of the doubt - or they could go with an 8th place SEC team. Who know?

 

[PhillySpider]

Philly - you may be 100% correct but I'm a bit more bullish on our chances. Unless it updated since this morning, The Athletic bracket has us in as an at large 10 seed. If we run the table in the regular season, that would likely include a Top 25 win if URI can sneak up one spot. Make it to the tournament finals and I think we'd be in. Given our performance in last year's NCAA tournament, I also think the committee might give us the benefit of the doubt - or they could go with an 8th place SEC team. Who know?

Much as I'd like to believe this, I just don't see it. Our resume is interesting - - no bad losses at all, but no really good wins either. And if we beat Rhody, they won't be a Top 25 team when the Committee is looking at us as a possible at-large. When lined up against that 9th place SEC or Big 10 Team, they are going to have a marquee win or two that we lack and that has been and I suspect will be the thing that the big boys all point to while they all take care of each other in the committee room!