Mason Opens Up Conference Play With Davidson

93
797
Picture credits to ByGeorgeGMU on Twitter/X

Your 9-4 George Mason Patriots are taking on the 10-3 Davidson Wildcats in their conference opener. This is a huge game for both teams, as both teams are considered unknowns by the public.

Davidson was part of the Providence sweep, where the A10 went 3-0 against the Friars.

The Wildcats are coached by Matt McKillop, son of Davidson legend Bob McKillop. Matt is in his third season at the helm, with an overall record of 41-36 and a 13-23 record in conference play.

Davidson may be missing their starting center, Sean Logan, who was their main defensive presence inside. He got a knee injury early into their game against Temple, then missing their games on December 21st and 28th. Per TheBelkReport on Twitter/X, Logan was at the end of the bench in street clothes. That means that he was not in a “he stays out unless we need him” situation.

Since Logan got injured, the Wildcats have been running Reed Bailey at center with Bobby Durkin at the four. They aren’t small, as they were running pretty big before.

Davidson By The Numbers

Davidson is the 108th ranked team on KenPom, with the 77th offense and 172nd defense. This is the highest that the offense has been ranked during the young McKillop’s run as head coach by a sizeable margin.

McKillop has his guys playing at a pretty slow pace, but this is more because they are waiting for a great shot, which can come at any time throughout the shot clock.

The Wildcats go about 9 deep, but have gone 8 deep since Logan went out.

Davidson has 59.2% minute continuity between last year and this year, which is 22nd highest in the country. This is the main reason I was higher on the Wildcats this season.

Another big thing for the former SoCon member is that they have an average height of 6’6.5, which is 23rd tallest.

On offense, the biggest revelation is the three-ball finally going down. In Matt McKillop’s first two seasons, his teams shot 31.9% and 30.7% from three, while being ranked 209th and 107th in three-point attempt rate. They’re taking 42.2% of their shots from behind the arc, and making 37.2% of them, which is 54th.

With that profile, this year’s Davidson smokes last year’s Mason. Luckily Mason’s three-point defense has much better this season, albeit with mostly sub-A10 competition.

The Wildcats have an eFG of 54.7% and turnover rate of 15%, which are 56th and 48th best in the country. Taking and making a lot of shots is a good recipe for success.

Their main offensive weakness is offensive rebounding, as they are ranked 258th at 27.3%, but that is more of a choice, as Davidson plays a lot of five-out.

It seems like their bigs like to set up on the left side of the paint, as those hexagons are bigger in that side. Along with that, the Wildcats are shooting better on the right side of the court from three. I guess the gravity of Reed Bailey gives that side of the court more space.

Reed Bailey, 1, takes up 30.9% of the Wildcats’ possessions, which is 39th in the country. As you may guess, he is also the leading shot taker. The big man draws 7.3 fouls per 40 minutes, which is 17th in the country. When you look at Bailey’s eFG, it is a fine 50.7%. When you add in free throws (true shooting), it shoots up to 57.8%.

The 6’10 forward is 6-12 on his threes this season, which is probably not “real”, but real enough that you do not want to leave him wideee open from deep. I’m not sure if this is related, but Reed has not taken a three since moving from the four to the five. The big man also leads the team in assist rate at 23.8%. Welcome back, Josh Oduro.

Connor Kochera, 23, a 6’5 wing, has been very solid for the Wildcats, hitting 35% of his threes and 64% of his twos. This is college Corey Kispert. The former William & Mary player had made strides as both a playmaker and foul drawer, setting career highs in both assist and free throw rate. Kochera has been the secondary playmaker this team needs.

Bobby Durkin, 2, a 6’7 wing, has truly broken out this season, leading the team in three-point shots at 90, and making 44.4% of them. Bobby Buckets leads the team in minutes and is second in shots.

Mike Loughnane, a 6’4 guard, has been Davidson’s best shooter efficiency wise, hitting 48.4% of his 31 threes this season.

Robert Blums, 45, a 6’4 guard, was on some deep preseason NBA prospect lists, but considering he only has an assist rate of 7.3%, and is only hitting 27.3% of his threes, Blums will not be in one-and-done considerations.

Zach Laput, 20, yet another 6’4 guard, transferred up after four years at D2 Bentley University, and has been decently efficient, with a 52.7% eFG. He’s made 55.3% of his twos and 32.1% of his threes, which is good enough.

On defense, a lot of their weaknesses and strengths are the inverse of their offense.

The Wildcats struggle to force turnovers, with only a 15.5% rate, 295th in the country.

On the bright side, they only allow a 26.9% offensive rebound rate, which is 74th lowest. This is likely due to playing that Bailey-Logan lineup for a while.

Davidson allows teams to shoot 35.6% from deep, which is 264th in the country. It does help that teams are only taking 36.1% of their shots from behind the arc, which is 82nd lowest.

That is pretty good paint protection, but I can tell that whoever is generally in the right corner helps down more often than the guy in the left corner. Also, that left wing three is looking awesome. Zach Anderson, I’m looking at you.

Sean Logan, 15, is possibly out, but if he does play, Logan has a 8.4% block rate. The center also commits 6.2 fouls per 40, so he may be a bit of a block/jump bot.

Joe Hurlburt, 8, a 6’11 center, is getting pretty limited playing time, likely due to his 6.7 fouls per 40.

This is a pretty odd stat, but Bobby Durkin, Zach Laput, and Robnert Blums have zero blocks on the year. Along with that, Blums also doesn’t have a single steal. If you look down the block and steal rates of this team’s players, there is a concerning lack of defensive playmaking.

Davidson Scouting Report (First Half vs. Temple)

I picked this game since it is pretty recent, and I will get to see how Davidson plays with and without Sean Logan.

Logan got hurt very early on, grabbed his knee, went back in, and then came out a bit later and never went back in. It sounds like he was not on crutches or anything at their most recent game, so they may have just been saving him for conference play.

On offense, they’re Davidson, so everyone without the ball is pretty much moving at all times. There are a ton of off-ball screens.

The shot clock essentially does not matter against the Wildcats until it hits 0. They can get the same shot with 5 seconds left that they may have with 25. You have to finish the possession. Davidson can also run multiple concepts within one possession, which can make it very difficult to defend such a variety.

There are lots of curl cuts to the basket, and if that guy gets the pass, if someone helps onto him, he can find the open man.

Occasionally the off-ball movement works against Davidson, as the ball handler can make a move to the basket and a guy will cut right in line with him, causing awful spacing and a traffic-y dribbling environment.

In regard to the center position, there are lots of dribble hand-offs. They play a similar role to the Richmond/Princeton enter. It isn’t exactly the Princeton system, but it is not far from it.

If the Wildcats happen to get an offensive rebound, the chances of them getting an open three are pretty high.

You cannot lose Davidson’s shooters in transition, as they will not hesitate to take open threes. Even if someone is close, Wildcat shooters consider themselves open until a hand is put up. Mason needs to put their hands up. If you go under a screen, Davidson will shoot it.

The Wildcats generally shoot off of two foot at the rim, which gives them better control.

Connor Kochera is a movement shooter, like pretty much everyone on Davidson. He can also post up, if given a smaller defender.

Sean Logan sets lots of ball screens, and does not have the best touch around the rim.

Reed Bailey seeks more contact than I remembered him doing in the past. Bailey is not the best when he gets the ball in the far paint area. If the 6’10 forward is within easy post hook range, it is over. If he is past that, it gets rough. The location of him getting the ball heavily dictates how successful he is. Pretty much, Bailey is not a huge advantage creator, but he takes advantage of whatever the defense gives him. A caveat to this is that the big man does pretty well if he gets the ball on the perimeter with a clear paint, as Bailey can probably beat in his man in a race to the rim.

The Hunter Adam-Reed Bailey pick and roll is deadly. Your 4 and 5 running that can cause some serious problems. Adam, 12, is a 6’7 wing who play the 3 and 4 for them.

Bobby Buckets likes to put defenders in jail, where he gets them stuck behind him.

Laput loves the reverse layup.

On defense, the Wildcats play a pretty man-heavy defense, trying their absolute best to avoid switches.

Davidson went into a 1-3-1 zone out of a timeout and forced an airball three early in the shot clock. Every possession that they ran this, which I saw four of, Temple was shocked and had no clue what to do. I really hope that was more of a Temple problem than the doing of the Wildcats. This is one of the most worrying things I gathered from this.

Kochera is a decent point-of-attack defender, but is not a lockdown guy by any means, especially on slashers.

Bobby Durkin is a decent perimeter guy, but he will likely not be on any of Mason’s self-creators.

Bailey is pretty good in the paint, but struggles a bit if he has to go out to the perimeter.

Blums seems to be a pretty good perimeter defender, although he was never used as a point-of-attack guy.

What Does This Mean for Mason?

I would be much more worried about this game if I didn’t watch a home JMU team shoot 10-40 from deep against Mason. Skinn seems to be able to handle three-point shooting teams with the current configuration.

Mason’s 2-3 or 1-3-1 zone will either work crazy well or crazy awful against Davidson. Either they completely shut down the passing lanes, or they are just giving up open threes to a team that is blazing from deep. I would like to see them try it if the normal defense is not working too well.

Speaking of zone defense, Davidson’s 1-3-1 worries me a little bit. I could see it working well early on in the game, and becoming their main defense.

Davidson’s weaknesses, offensive rebounding and forcing turnovers, line up with what Mason struggles with. If the Patriots don’t turn it and over do win on the defensive glass, it will be tough for them to lose.

My prediction is that Mason wins 71-65. A comfortable win, but not a blowout. This would be a very good start to conference play.

This is a losable game, and it is up to Skinn to make sure his team comes out on top.

93 COMMENTS

  1. Grat post.I ussed to be chcking continuously this wblog andd I’m inspired!
    Verry helpful innfo specially tthe ulltimate sction 🙂 I care for such informatioln much.
    I wwas looking for tjis certain ihfo for a veey long time.
    Thanks and best oof luck.

  2. I’d must check with you here. Which is not something I normally do! I take pleasure in studying a publish that can make folks think. Also, thanks for permitting me to comment!

  3. Fireline offers Contents Restoration Training and Restoration Eductaion. For the best Contents Restoration Education Training Classes, sign up and learn from the pros at Fireline Contents Network

  4. Nice post. I was checking continuously this blog and I’mimpressed! Very helpful information particularlythe closing section 🙂 I maintain such information a lot. I was seeking this particularinfo for a very lengthy time. Thank you and best of luck.

  5. ⚡️ เว็บดีๆที่คุณต้องการ ⚡️✨เล่นง่าย✨จ่ายจริง✨❇️โปรโมชั่นเพียบ🌠#บoล⚽️มวย🎮#หวย สล็Oต🎳#บๅคๅร่ๅ🤖🌠🌠ฝากถอนระบบอัตโนมัติ🌟เว็บ ตรง มั่นคง ปลอดภัย 💯

  6. Hello there! Do you know if they make any plugins to help with Search Engine Optimization? I’m trying to get my blog to rank forsome targeted keywords but I’m not seeing very good results.If you know of any please share. Thanks!

  7. I am not sure where you are getting your info, but good topic. I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more. Thanks for excellent information I was looking for this info for my mission.

  8. Thanks for any other informative blog. The place else could I get that type of info written in such an ideal method? I’ve a project that I am simply now operating on, and I’ve been at the look out for such info.

  9. I have been surfing on-line more than three hours nowadays, yet I by no means discovered any fascinating article like yours. It’s beautiful worth enough for me. In my view, if all site owners and bloggers made excellent content material as you probably did, the internet might be a lot more useful than ever before.

  10. I blog quite often and I genuinely thank you for your information. The article has truly peaked my interest. I’m going to book mark your blog and keep checking for new information about once a week. I opted in for your Feed as well.

  11. This bodybuilding back exercise is considered one of many premium workouts
    within the StrengthLog app, which you can obtain for free using the buttons under.

    Whether Or Not you aspire to compete on stage or just need a robust and aesthetic
    again, this article will guide you thru a complete
    bodybuilding back exercise. With 6-rep units, weights will be too heavy to use
    a really long eccentric or concentric phase. So, for 6-reps we want to energy the burden up
    and decrease it as controlled as we can, usually
    in the two second vary. Each days will construct size, however the 6-rep
    sets will be the strengthening part to help us add weight on higher rep days.

    With your left side to thepulley, seize the
    handle with yourright hand. Pull the deal with upand across your physique until yourhand is
    over your head.
    Whether it’s under the bar or underneath
    the stress of life, you’d be amazed at how just getting stronger ends up being a cure for most issues.
    To develop slabs of again meat you’ll need to maneuver massive weights
    both horizontally and vertically. You’ll be strong throughout at just about everything you do…
    and you’ll look impressive as hell whilst you do it.
    Truly impressive backs are a rare sight, although
    there are many extensive backs out there. Greg has covered the 4 main sports activities for six
    years and has been featured on sites corresponding to Sports Activities Illustrated, Fox Sports
    Activities, SB Nation, NJ.com, and FanSided.
    Now, he is transitioning into the world of bodybuilding and energy sports activities.

    Training the back rigorously translates to increased power
    in each pulling and lifting actions across varied workouts.
    It encourages growth in secondary muscles like biceps and hamstrings since they play a role as stabilizers or synergists throughout compound again actions
    such as rows or pull-ups. In conclusion, incorporating these best workout routines for a thicker again into your exercise
    routine can result in significant improvements in muscle and
    strength. When it involves building a strong and thick back,
    the practical tips and efficient exercises supplied may help you
    obtain your fitness objectives successfully.
    That’s why, as a veteran personal coach with over three decades of
    expertise, I tend to put in writing shorter programs that emphasize just some primary
    lifts. Most of my clients choose this extra minimalist approach, and
    missed exercises are a rarity. The floating clean pull is an train you will solely
    see in Olympic Weightlifting. But Weightlifters have thick backs due to their big pulling volumes.
    The bonus with carries is you have to deadlift the awkward loads to hold them, putting extra stress in your again muscles for thickness.
    Keep pushing your self to new limits and watch as your back turns into thicker
    and stronger with every workout session.
    There are plenty of deadlift variations, and they’re all
    glorious back builders. However, in my experience, sweeping deadlifts are the ultimate exercise
    for growing a picture-perfect again. Running up both
    facet of your back, the erector spinae muscle tissue are liable for extending, laterally flexing, and stabilizing your backbone.
    Well-developed spinal erectors add a lot to the form and measurement of your
    again. They also present your backbone with much-needed support, doubtlessly
    lowering your threat of again ache and damage.
    When writing their workouts, lots of trainers like
    to include an extended record of workout routines to work the target muscular tissues from every conceivable angle.
    They then prescribe set after set for each train, creating a program that can take a few hours to finish.

    Strengthening these muscle tissue enhances the thickness and energy of
    the back of the neck. If you are wanting to
    build a much bigger and stronger again, now you know precisely what to do.
    So next time you’re within the health club working again,
    give attention to the 3 steps above, and I guarantee that you will see higher ends in your back improvement.
    1) Develop Your Rear DeltsAlthough not technically a “back”
    muscle, well-developed rear delts are actually a key part of again thickness.

    The T-bar row is one of the more superior back actions for including mass and thickness to your again. Simply just like the weighted pull-ups,
    this train is tried and examined and there has but been another or substitute to show higher outcomes than the deadlift.
    Often an excellent exercise for mid-late in a workout, higher results are seen from deadlifts as quickly as
    other muscles have already been targeted and
    warmed up. Right Here is a great article that can educate you
    on the top 10 greatest back workout routines for adding width and thickness.
    Using analysis from private experience, skilled bodybuilders, fitness
    models and highly rated bodybuilding and health literature.

    This article will go over the best actions that
    an individual can do for a higher back exercise. The dumbbell pullover is an old-school train utilized by golden-age bodybuilders to expand the rib cage and for constructing muscle within the chest and
    again.
    Landmine workouts are a superb method to develop a large, thick again while minimising lower again strain. By incorporating
    actions just like the landmine row, Meadows row, and landmine deadlift to
    row, lifters can target a quantity of muscle teams effectively.
    These workout routines offer a safer, joint-friendly various to traditional barbell lifts
    while selling progressive overload and practical energy. Implementing them right into a well-structured training programme can result in vital improvements in back hypertrophy and overall
    athletic performance.
    It addresses the lats responsible for width and all the other muscle tissue for thickness as nicely.
    The lats will truly work more durable while getting addressed
    with many other muscle tissue as a result of concurrent activation potentiation. Broad,
    overhand grips along with vigorous stretching will permit for
    more width. Due to the broad insertion of the latissimus dorsi, you also want to drag into many different areas of your torso to raised
    hit particular fibers. The deadlift, an train that must be current in any back exercise designed for adding muscle.

    Not solely does it hit more muscle than most movements it additionally has other benefits similar to hitting core muscle tissue.
    The deadlift is perfect for general back development, energy and enhancing stabilization to your trunk, which in turn will help aid you on your other lifts.

    It Is additionally important to notice that the erector spinae
    assist in lateral backbone movement, so including some unsupported unilateral work is a good idea.
    As Quickly As youcan do greater than 5 reps,
    addresistance with a weighted vestor a dumbbell between your
    feet.This one hurts, however it’s the finalpiece in your again jigsaw.
    Face pulls are highly effective in terms of training the traps and
    rhomboids, they usually also hit the rear delts and rotator
    cuffs as properly. For that cause, a superior possibility is to carry out your pullovers from a standing position utilizing a
    cable machine.
    Elevate your torso slightly with every rep.
    T-bar rows provide a higher stretch than barbell rows as a result of you can simply begin each rep from a deeper position and due to your narrower hand place.
    Building a world-class back requires targeting the major muscle teams, including the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, and decrease back.

    Workouts like deadlifts, rows, pull-ups, and shrugs are important for stimulating growth in these areas.
    Symmetry and proportions are essential in competitions, as a very wide again with out enough thickness, or vice versa,
    can throw off a physique’s stability. To obtain a again like these legendary
    bodybuilders, consistency, proper approach, and attention to element are important.
    The landmine row is amongst the best workouts for growing a thick, muscular back.

    Use a weight that you can pull for a full contraction and decrease for a full stretch of the lats.
    They are two-dimensional and have zero front-to-back thickness, which you need substantial beef within the pecs and lats to display.
    Having some width to your upper back might make
    you appear to be you at least lift weights, but a significantly thick,
    dense again screams rugged power. It Is nearly impossible to construct
    a great back without at least one rowing exercise in your
    routine. Choopan’s speedy rise in aggressive bodybuilding has
    been largely because of his back growth, which has turn into a key think about
    his success against top opponents worldwide. His dedication to strict type and high-intensity coaching has helped
    him construct some of the complete backs in modern bodybuilding.

    Keep In Mind, your objective is to warm up, not cardio fitness, so preserve a low to average train depth.
    You need to protect your energy for the main bodybuilding again workout.
    The last pieces within the puzzleare the muscles around yourshoulder blades, that are thefoundation for every upper-bodylift.
    Analysis from the Universityof Minnesota discovered they increaseoverall power.
    They also giveyou the rounded shoulders (andforearm shots) of Rafael Nadal.
    Suppose you want racks (and racks) of barbells, kettlebells and dumbbells to pack
    size?
    Dedication to enhancing back muscle thickness plays a important
    role in boosting an athlete’s performance throughout varied sports activities.
    Stronger, extra developed muscular tissues present the ability and stability wanted for explosive movements, whether it’s propelling by way of water in swimming or maintaining type
    throughout a heavy Olympic carry. Building a thick and powerful
    again isn’t nearly aesthetics; it’s a cornerstone for functional strength and on a daily basis wellness.

    Rest intervals are crucial for allowing your muscles to get well and develop.

    His background in energy sports allowed him to construct a
    powerful physique that translated perfectly into bodybuilding.
    Not Like a lot of his contemporaries, Haney’s coaching mantra was to “stimulate, not annihilate” the muscular tissues.
    He targeted on stopping overtraining and damage, prioritizing
    longevity in the sport. This balanced strategy helped him
    turn into one of the most consistent champions in bodybuilding historical past.
    Whereas the chest and biceps are the upper physique muscular tissues each
    exerciser wants to concentrate on, your back probably deserves more of your consideration.
    For greatest leads to attaining a strong and sculpted back,
    it’s important to emphasize consistency not just in exercise but also
    in relaxation, hydration, and nutrition. – Add in strongman workouts for a fun and difficult way to
    construct again thickness. Successfully constructing such a strong frame
    hinges on greater than mere repetitions; it requires precision in train choice.
    Amongst my arsenal of top-tier workouts is the Dumbbell Palm
    Rotational Bent-Over Row—a powerhouse transfer geared in direction of amplifying again depth whereas participating pivotal
    assist muscle tissue.
    A full range of movement ought to encompass a lockout on the descent and be raised as excessive
    as your decrease stomach. You also can use a chest-supported row machine
    if you have entry to 1. The dumbbell row is not only top-of-the-line higher back workout routines however one of the best dumbbell
    workouts, interval.
    You just don’t have the lower again stability to bend on the waist holding on to a heavy barbell anymore.
    Cable rows are another versatile movement as any decent health club could have a nice assortment of grip attachments to select from and clip on. There’s the usual attachment
    that most people use, which sets your palms shut and in a neutral place (palms facing every other), or you must use
    a lat pull-down bar for a wide overhand grip. For instance, he not often went heavier than 225
    kilos on barbell rows or seventy five pounds for his one-arm dumbbell rows.
    “But,” he noted over 30 years ago, “I go all the finest way up and all the way down.”
    It’s fairly widespread to see guys with a dumbbell as heavy
    as 120 to 200 pounds in a single hand pulling it only about
    halfway up. Jay Cutler’s back was noted for its unbelievable width, particularly through his
    upper again, giving him one of the broadest
    appearances on stage.
    You could discover it finest to keep your toes on the
    ground and easily lean up slightly, in order that the barbell plates keep elevated.

    BARBELL ROWSBarbell rows require no more equipment than their name suggests, and yet they’re arguably the only greatest lift for constructing overall back mass.
    Other rows provide better stretches and contractions, however
    this tried-and-true classic permits you to load on the free weight.
    Bannout’s again coaching relied heavily on excessive repetitions
    and precise form, focusing on contractions to construct element and muscle separation. He believed in lifting with excellent technique to create both muscle definition and longevity in his profession. Wheeler’s
    exercises have been about sculpting his muscle tissue with careful consideration to type and angle, somewhat than simply focusing on mass.

    With Out the platysma, it might be tougher to show feelings via facial movements.
    Be sure to do high-rep dumbbell rows every every
    now and then, however what you actually wish
    to focus on most of the time is getting stronger on this exercise.
    Notably, it’s not potential to completely isolate the decrease lats while coaching.

    That’s because all latissimus dorsi muscle fibers have the same insertion point
    on the upper arm. Nonetheless, you can better activate
    the decrease portion of the lats by modifying your train form
    and training approach.
    Try to hit some rep PRs, then take one week off from
    again training. At the lowest level within the vary of movement, the bar ought to be slightly under the knee.
    If you’re working your left lat, the bar could be to your left, and stand to the proper to work your right lat.

    You will instantly feel a deep contraction if you’re doing
    these accurately. And don’t worry one minute about machines not
    being “hardcore,” as a end result of Dorian Yates at all times included at least one Hammer Power row when he trained his legendary again that blocked out the solar.
    Wheeler’s rear double biceps was a signature pose,
    the place his intricate back particulars have been on full display.
    His consideration to symmetry gave him a highly aesthetic
    and refined look in this pose.
    The difference is that you’re starting with your
    arms in front of you instead than overhead, slicing the range of motion in half and lowering the expansion stimulus.
    Rows are still good for your lats, however they’re
    even better for your different back muscle tissue.
    Workout #1 is tailor-made to cater to numerous preferences and health levels by providing a range
    of rowing exercises designed to emphasise proper type and method.

    As we purpose for maximum muscle development with these exercises, injury prevention remains a high priority—because what’s power without resilience?
    Now let’s dive into the highest 10 workouts that can pack on again thickness and bulletproof your physique towards
    setbacks. Traditionally, rowing exercises have long been known for constructing thick backs and this move is not any exception. The heavy pull blasts the lats in addition to the opposite depth-building muscles
    of your middle back including your teres
    main and minor. Meadows recommends slightly kicking
    your hips away from the bar and emphasizing the stretch, you’ll really feel this within the lower lats.
    We’ll begin off the with Lat pull-down, in all probability the most broadly recognized and well-liked exercise for the
    again. If performed appropriately it can be a great train to enhance back width and add some mass.

    My web site :: legal over the counter steroids
    (Erwin)

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here