GW played about 10-12 great minutes. They were the right 10-12 minutes to be great.

Hail to the Buff! Hail to the Blue!!!!!
Things I like:
This team moves the ball around on offense unlike any GW team I have seen in years. None of that one guy dribbles at the point for 20 seconds before trying some wild drive and circus shot crud we had become familiar with. No heroball. In fact, were there any sets in the halfcourt today where fewer than two passes were made before a shot was taken?
This is a GW team that gets to the line and hits its ft´s. In the past, as fans we have tried to downplay the importance of free throws (wink wink, FQ), no need to console ourselves with that now. This is no longer a hole GW´s play.

HOWEVER: This team cannot guard the paint. If Walker had played another 5 mins, would this have been a win? Footwork is soft and switching off screens is a challenge. Once conference play starts, this will become an issue.
I am a little worried about this team adopting a "live by the three, die by the three" attitude, The start to the 2nd half was very worrying, good ball movement only works if you take shots that fall. Sure, Autry bailed out GW tonight, but diversifying the shot selection (or dedicating more bodies to crashing the boards) might lower my blood pressure.
All in all, a positive trip to the USVI. We always knew this team would not be playing for an NCAA #1 seed, we now know this team is not one that is undeserving of a spot in the A10, either

Exhale.
At a few points in the second half, didn't see that coming.
  Would say we stole a win, but we earned it.
  No quit. 
 And ultimately good adjustments.
   Autry, DBJ and Drumgoole came up extra clutch. 
 But good job by all to pick up the W.

Scary start to 2nd half. Typical. But a good comeback. It seems every game it takes a while for the guys start to hit their 3's. Then the floor opens up. Question? There has been questions that the coach will not make adjustments if a game plan goes awry. Did Caputo make a critical adjustment or did we just begin to hit our outside shots? I was out and didn't see the game, just the final score.  Thanks

Tennessee Colonial wrote:

Scary start to 2nd half. Typical. But a good comeback. It seems every game it takes a while for the guys start to hit their 3's. Then the floor opens up. Question? There has been questions that the coach will not make adjustments if a game plan goes awry. Did Caputo make a critical adjustment or did we just begin to hit our outside shots? I was out and didn't see the game, just the final score.  Thanks

The biggest adjustment he made was in the substitution patterns.    Autry played most of the second half while Moss sat.   Likewise, both Jones and Hanson got very few second half minutes.
 

Really nice comeback win.  It's often most difficult to come back on disciplined, hard-nosed teams and that's what this Ill. State team was.  GW finished the game on a 42-21 run, highlighted by a 9-2 run during the late stages of the game.  As Coach Lehman mentioned in the broadcast, Caputo made a brilliant coaching move by having the team get the ball to Jun on the wing rather than at the3 top of the circle where his repeated efforts to drive were denied.  

I'll predict that Gerald's block at the rim will be one of the 5 best defensive plays we see all year.  It occurred immediately after a Trey Autry three which cut the deficit 7 and really served to energize the team from there.  Drumgoole himself scored 12 of his 16 points after that block.  He gets every bit as much of a game ball as Trey Autry does, and that's not a slight on Trey who may not need to start games but is absolutely needed to finish them if scoring is needed.

We can keep on talking about taking too many 3's, more 3's attempted than 2's, not enough points in the paint, etc. but the fact is this will be our formula for better or worse.  This Virgin Islands trip has at least demonstrated that the team has a number of capable shooters from distance.  The offense works as evidenced by the very small number of bad shot attempts along with the high number of wide open looks.  Shooting is often a confidence game when shots are being made (or a con game when they are not) and we should all hope this helps improve the team's collective confidence to sink some threes on a more consistent basis.
  

Tennessee Colonial wrote:

Scary start to 2nd half. Typical. But a good comeback. It seems every game it takes a while for the guys start to hit their 3's. Then the floor opens up. Question? There has been questions that the coach will not make adjustments if a game plan goes awry. Did Caputo make a critical adjustment or did we just begin to hit our outside shots? I was out and didn't see the game, just the final score.  Thanks

He made an adjustments.  Whoever said he doesn’t, doesn’t know what they are talking (probably just spouting message board/talk radio cliches when a team doesn’t win).  He’s actually very good at making adjustments.

Tennessee Colonial wrote:

Thanks for the observation, guys.  Approaching Thanksgiving on a good note. (Just came back from a Bluegrass /Jerry Garcia 2 day event in Owensborough, KY. ) Lot of pickin and grinning was good for the old soul.

The team had a nice Sunshine Daydream today!

Wisconsin Colonial and I had a ball attending the tournament.   As a heads up...next year GW will be playing in a tournament in Caymen and is looking to charter a flight for the team, staff, family and friends.  (They flew commercial this year).   Not sure that I can get away two years in a row, but others should consider going.   I don't know who else is in the tournament.  And as much fun as it was this year, I believe Caymen is more fun than St. Thomas.

FWIW, how about this list of NBA players from Southern Illinois??

Not that long ago they were also a multiple Sweet 16 team, 2007 and 2009Nine Salukis have gone on to play in the NBA:Chico Vaughn - St. Louis Hawks (1963–66), Detroit Pistons (1966-67)
Walt Frazier - New York Knicks (1968–77), Cleveland Cavaliers (1978–80)
Dick Garrett - Los Angeles Lakers (1970), Buffalo Braves (1971-73), New York Knicks (1974), Milwaukee Bucks (1974)
Nate Hawthorne - Los Angeles Lakers (1974), Phoenix Suns (1975–76)
Joe C. Meriweather - Houston Rockets (1976), Atlanta Hawks (1977), New Orleans Jazz (1978–79), Kansas City Kings (1981–85)
Mike Glenn - Buffalo Braves (1978), New York Knicks (1979-81), Atlanta Hawks (1982–85), Milwaukee Bucks (1986-87)
Ashraf Amaya - Vancouver Grizzlies (1996), Washington Bullets (1997)
Chris Carr - Phoenix Suns (1996), Minnesota Timberwolves (1997–98), New Jersey Nets (1999), Golden State Warriors (2000), Chicago Bulls (2000), Boston Celtics (2001)
Troy Hudson - Utah Jazz (1998), Los Angeles Clippers (1999-2000), Orlando Magic (2001-02), Minnesota Timberwolves (2003–07), Golden State Warriors (2007–08)