Welcome to #ToBeFrank: Daniel Frank’s hot takes, analysis and recap of today’s Mason game.
The Bad
No. We start with the bad today.
George Mason in the 6th year of Dave Paulsen’s tenue lost at home to KenPom #246 Norfolk State. I’m not sure how else to put it.
I'm so, so tired of being the laughingstock of the A10.
— Alan (@MasonFanatic) December 26, 2020
The first half sucked. Again. Mason went 3/16 from three, and trailed by nine with 7 minutes left in the half. But then they closed the half on a 15-3 run. That was nice. Mason built a 17 point lead in the second half. But even as big as that lead ballooned too, you just had that gut feeling that this game was far from over.
Norfolk State surged all the way back and took the lead with 2:24 left. Mason got the lead back on a very friendly goaltending call with 1:47 left. But then after a turnover after a timeout, and an easy layup, the Spartans took the lead back for good.
Still, Mason had their chances. There was this possession with ~15 seconds left down just one…
Charge pic.twitter.com/73TPKzcrHT
— By George. (@ByGeorgeGMU) December 26, 2020
Then there was this down three with 8 seconds left…
Yikes pic.twitter.com/Ectp4Zn4u3
— By George. (@ByGeorgeGMU) December 26, 2020
But yeah no. We all know how this story ends. Mason loses 68-65.
Final score: Norfolk State 68, George Mason 65.
Photo for @gmuhoops #CollegeBasketball pic.twitter.com/1Ix8ifAEsr
— Bill Bride (@DMVSportsShots) December 26, 2020
I want to know where the leadership is? I understand that half the battle of being a captain is leading off the floor, but George Mason’s three captains (Calixte, Hartwell & Miller) combined for NINE POINTS. The only reason this team was even in a position to have a lead is because three underclassmen, Oduro, Kolek and Haidara, combined for 37 points.
But Mason’s upperclassmen? Javon had 9, Jordan had 6, XJ had 5, AJ had 5, Greg had 3, and Jamal had 0.
The underclassmen? Tyler had 19, Josh had 10 and Behaide had 8.
Free throws also sucked. 9/17 today (53%), bringing down their already poor 57% on season entering today. On the other end of the floor, Norfolk State went 17/25. Yikes.
This loss needed to happen, I’ll say that much. Because this team and this coaching staff need a long hard look in the mirror. We all knew their 4-1 record was fools gold, and now the blinders are off. Do we really think Mason finishes any better than 11th in the A-10 this year? Especially with the conference as good as it is.
And it would be one thing if this was just one bad loss. But c’mon man. Penn, American and Georgia Southern in 2019. William & Mary and Georgia Southern in 2018. Mount St. Mary’s and Towson in 2017. Colgate, Mercer, and Manhattan in 2016. And those are just the non-conference ones in the last 5 years. Add Norfolk State to that list.
Change needs to happen.
I’m trying hard not to be overly harsh, but dammit this is frustrating.
The Good
Tyler freaking Kolek. He was amazing. 19 points on 6/14 shooting and 5/11 from three. He was electric, and was just about the lone bright spot today.
Looking Forward
Mason opens A-10 Conference play on Wednesday at UMass at 6PM on ESPN+.
