Fair enough on the stats, GWRising (thanks BM as well). I definitely agree that the missed shots are a much bigger factor in our losses than the defense. I guess what I should have said is the defense has been arguably the bigger disappointment so far this season, because after watching us brick shots during open practice, I'm not exactly surprised by our outside shooting to begin the year truthfully (I am hopeful that improves over the course of the season).

The word "mayhem" was used constantly this offseason, and I figured that our defense would make up our overall identity this year (despite the large volume of threes taking the headlines in the early going). However, I'd be hard pressed (pun not intended) to say that we are playing a style even remotely close to that. I'm not saying play constantly this way (it is an excuse to play more guys on a given night) but we should be doing it more than we currently are. Siena didn't do this as much last year, but I understand that given their personnel. I feel like our athleticism is so much more than the 2018-19 Saints were. This team needs more transition opportunities for offense. At the very least, introduce some ball pressure along the perimeter. A hand in a player's face to swipe the ball away, get out in passing lanes, and trap both in the front and backcourt. Maceo's near steal late in the Morgan State game was a step in the right direction, but I can't really think of any other disruption the rest of that game.

The thing is that we have trapped off inbounds passes and looked good doing it, but it is so infrequent and at random times it makes no sense. The energy is lacking as is the attention to detail. I don't see guys diving for loose balls or show any desire to make things tough on our opponents. Through 4 games, pretty consistently our pressure in the backcourt has been broken, because we tend to retreat within seconds of getting into a pressure scheme, and there is no disruptive activity on the defensive end. Maybe I don't understand what the mayhem scheme is, or that JC doesn't plan on using it at all this season but I figured it would be "VCU lite". If we are gunning from three on offense already, we should start trying the mayhem portion too on defense.

The other thing is adjustments on both ends of the ball. Offensively, taking it to the hoop when the threes aren't falling, or feeding the post. Defensively, changing schemes when what is currently used is not working. Heck, Morgan State showed us several defensive looks over the course of the game which ultimately frustrated us on offense. I lost count of the number of times we were burned at the rim the past few games even if the stats don't show it. For what it's worth, I actually really like JC's defensive strategy (more than his offensive style) in running guys off the three point line. The goal is to force teams to shoot inefficient midrange shots. However, this only works successfully with a strong rim protector near the hoop (watch UC Irvine to see what this looks like successfully - Turner always has at least one player over 7 feet to guard the rim at all costs making their defense really good). Arnaldo and Javier have decent enough height, but are not true rim protectors so I'm not sure this is something we should be doing so much this season. I'm hoping Noel's arrival next year can give us that (If he can, start him immediately. I'll be willing to let him go through some freshman growing pains for the long term). This was more questionable in the Morgan State game. The Bears come in with only one shooter with any kind of range (Burke) but we continued to play with the same defensive approach even after AT went down which seemed quite dumb. So much pressure was unfairly put on Javier. As his fouls were piling up, you would think we would change things up maybe to zone but nope. When Javier fouled out, we were basically helpless the rest of the game. I thought we should have done better about changing things up when clearly we needed to steal as many minutes from Javier as we could with AT down.

Anyways, larger picture we all agree and it's still early. This makes for good discussion though as there are clearly two sides here neither one necessarily wrong.
 

Well I agree with FQ, and also (me) The Dude as well
Reminder, he not only made The Dance he won an NCAA tourney  game, which matches our 2 decade long haul in the tourney.
Needs time, only a few GW fans would read so much into the first few games, inheriting a team expected to finish in the bottom of The A10, hired months ago to begin a rebuild.
 

Well, yes, it is a NCAA tourney win though.

We have the same number of such wins in the last quarter century.

One.  
Not easy making the tourney or winning NCAA tourney games at Mount St Marys. JC's stay there was an unqualified success, and his 1 season at Siena the team did much better than expected, a 9 win turnaround out of nowhere.

 

Last edited by The Dude (11/20/2019 3:18 pm)

Didn't JC beat GW during Lonergan's second year?

The Dude wrote:

Well, yes, it is a NCAA tourney win though.

We have the same number of such wins in the last quarter century.

One.  
Not easy making the tourney or winning NCAA tourney games at Mount St Marys. JC's stay there was an unqualified success, and his 1 season at Siena the team did much better than expected, a 9 win turnaround out of nowhere.

 

Mount St. Mary's played in a one bid league. I don't believe anyone has ever received an at-large bid from NEC. Infinitely harder to make NCAAs because not only do you have to be good in the regular season (so you can host tournament games which is a huge advantage) you must actually win your tournament. In A-10 in a good year perhaps as many as 35% of the teams can qualify.

JC is the real deal. He just inherited a woeful situation ... lack of talent, lack of enthusiasm for program, poor attendance. It will take time to make that uphill climb. He has unlimited energy and positivity. In three years, we will all be worried about who is trying to take him from us.

Every league has 1 auto bid, what makes making the NCAA tourney harder at places like Mount St Mary is you have absolutely zero chance of ever getting an auto bid.  Could go 30-3 and would fail to land an at-large bid.
As to GW, we won 3 NCAA tourney games when I was in High School looking at GW.  In the last 24 years we've combined for the same # of NCAA tourney wins as JC has, one. 

That was now,  14 years ago.

Last edited by The Dude (11/20/2019 4:31 pm)

What is ridiculous is that we have won 1 NCAA tourney game since 1995. Having won 3 in a span of 12 months
Also ridiculous is just one trip in 12 years.
David Pellom has more wins against GW
The point stands JC won an NCAA tourney game and two quick trips as one of the youngest coaches in the country at one of the weaker programs in the country.impressive

The Dude:

1. Using NCAA tournament wins as a barometer of anything regarding a program like ours makes little sense.  The perennial goal should be for GW to make the tournament.  Once they have done so, they are essentially playing with the house's money.  In other words, it has already been a successful season.

2. JC leading MSM to the tournament twice is impressive.  So is the job he did last year at Siena.  Despite our rocky start, I don't think anyone has adopted the attitude that he no longer knows how to coach.  He is coaching his style of play with limited talent.  Not unlike Lonergan or Hobbs during their respective first seasons.

3. If you continue to attempt to have people believe that JC's one play-in victory as a 16 seed over another 16 seed is the same as GW's most recent NCAA tournament victory in an 8/9 game, or is equally as impressive, then that is the very definition of ridiculous.  Even stating factually that both schools have 1 NCAA tournament win since 1995 is completely misleading.  We both know that the two accomplishments should not be perceived as being equal.  Each time you double down on this notion, you only look more and more foolish, IMO.

Thanks Mailvan, your 7th comment on the subject is duly noted.