Matt Moyer has scored 36 points in his first 3 games at GW, after scoring 49 in 25 games at Vanderbilt next year.  He is another high conference recruit playing against low conference competition.  The level of competition really does make a difference.

Post Game Press Conference



 

6th in The Nation in assist % for James Bishop, wow, that's impressive.  He's also scored at least 20 points in his first 3 GW games, to go with the nation's 6th best Assists %.  

I second the notion James Bishop is the most talented GW Point Guard since Carl Elliott 

Thanks for the nice message fungerhall!

Gwmayhem, I really appreciate it!! Unfortunately, I don't believe I meet the height requirements to be a guard in JC's system haha.

GWAA, that's totally fair - it's funny you bring that up, because I was considering how exact to be with the mileage when I was writing that section. It's crazy how far away Honolulu is from the nation's capital - it's nearly equivalent from DC to Moscow!

Great team win. Nice to get the monkey off our back and get on the board in the W column. A much better effort when it comes to energy, as there was a clear improvement with a lot of the hustle plays like trying to save the ball from going out of bounds on a deflection (although I think we still left some loose ball opportunities on the table by not diving completely). Coppin seemed to lack a true post presence that Navy and Hampton had (Sarvan was more of a "stretch" big), but we did a much better job securing the rebounds on the defensive end. It also definitely felt like JC took timeouts with a bit more urgency when the momentum was starting to shift in CSU's favor. Nice to see Tarke was okay and was able to return to the game after suffering a shoulder injury earlier. That guy could definitely play at a higher level.

Offense - the team did a much better job finishing off baskets near the hoop and executing in transition, minus some miscues early on. Continued a great effort getting to the line and fared well there. JC did mention postgame that he would like to get Jamison and Sloan 10 attempts each from deep, but when we got something good going on inside, it's hard to make an argument of launching constantly from deep right now. I don't doubt that we will fare better from deep in the future despite the past couple of games, but I think it should be opportunistic, much like we did today. I will say that the lack of passing stuck out more in a bad way when we decided to slow things down a bit in the halfcourt in the second half ("slow down" nowadays is a relative term - we are now a top 50 team in pace!). There were definitely times where there were up to four CSU defenders near the hoop but we still decided to force up a shot that were luckily bailed out by a whistle, or Chase cleaning it up and creating a second possession. I do think in these cases we could perhaps pass it out and take a few more threes. Jamison was calling for it a few times in the second half but never got the ball. Drawing up plays for him, Sloan, and Maceo will boost the offense even more. Maybe someone like Chase or Matt screening for them would also give them cleaner looks instead of them having to create space themselves.

Turnovers were bad at times, but some were due to the nature of us playing very fast and guys getting used to the pace (some passes thrown with guys not anticipating it). James, Matt, and JNJ accounted for 75% of them, but the good news is that they were not because of the lack of ball security, but rather passes that were overthrown which is less concerning as it's more of a timing thing. In the case of Bishop and JNJ, passing it out instead of forcing a shot will help as well.

Defensively, there were improvements as well. Obviously, in the first half the corners of our zone defense were exposed, and the Eagles hurt us several times from there. I did see some adjustments in the second half, specifically in the last eight minutes of the game where we did well to not let the game slip away like in the Hampton game and kind of played a couple guys back closer towards the baseline to not give up that corner three nearly as often as before. Conceding the corner three for much of this season has been particularly confusing because from an analytic perspective it's the shortest three point shot and the most desirable one to take, so I assumed the staff would do their best to take it away. The deeper threes that Coppin took from elsewhere I was more okay with - a couple crazy ones went in like the unfortunate ones late in the Hampton game but some of those you just have to tip your cap to the opposition as long as we do our best to close out on them. Coming down with rebounds defensively was key as well - we were fantastic there even if Coppin did not have a true big - 55 defensive boards with Chase, Jamison, and Matt combining for 34. It was also a much better showcase of Mayhem for periods of the game - moreso in the first half of the game where there was admittedly a bit more sloppiness on both sides. We still had periods where we probably could have been more aggressive and we are still working to even the turnover balance (something to watch all season), but overall we are continuing to improve, even if Coppin ends up finishing bottom 10 in the nation offensively.

Player Breakdown:

James - it's clear thus far that the team slumps offensively when he's off the floor. While his decision making in the halfcourt is still a work in progress, there is no doubt that he is a very talented scorer who can also create his shot better than most on the team. His ability to knock down the midrange shot when we go on droughts is critical (although hopefully he becomes more consistent from the line - that might hurt us late in close games). JC's system is truly a heaven for the point guard - it was mentioned that Bishop currently ranks 6th in assist percentage and it's clear that this system provides those opportunities (Armel ranked third in the nation in assist % last year and Jalen Pickett ranked 5th in the country in JC's lone year at Siena) and it's really cool to always be among the best in that category. James has done a great job there - his Russell Westbrook-like line with a near triple-double today shows that, but having one guy account for the majority of assists is always something I'm torn on, especially when it leads to a lack of ball movement in the halfcourt. I look at a play late in the game where JNJ found Jamison who then passed to a cutting Matt for a dunk as an example. If the lone pass had been made to just Jamison, it basically puts a lot of pressure on him to convert the shot (and also make it very predictable for defenses to key in on him). Will be something to watch as the season goes on. I have already made comments about his defense previously, so I will just say that I'm glad he was able to avoid picking up further fouls after he was whistled for #3 at a critical juncture of the second half.

JNJ - unfortunately fell into the same problem as James in the halfcourt at times of forcing things when there wasn't a whole lot of space to operate, but was fantastic defensively today. That early play where he intercepted an inbound pass and had the vision to find James near the basket before landing is an early candidate for play of the year. He had a few other nice moments getting into passing lanes and generating some nice fastbreak dunks as well. At one point, it definitely looked like he was on a double-double pace with points and steals which is pretty incredible. Perhaps the craziest early season stat is that he leads the team in three point percentage - if left open, he definitely has the ability to knock down that shot. I definitely think some of JNJ's hustle plays on defense will end up being the difference in some of our wins this year.

Matt - definitely had a sloppy first half which appeared more to be overthinking on some plays more than anything else - reminded me of Mezie last year where the athletic ability and potential was there, but not yet realized. However, once he calmed down in the second half he became a dominant force that couldn't be stopped near the hoop - closer to a Bo Zeigler where it was best to get out of his way on the way to the hoop. He's overall had a strong past two games and has really done a good job setting the tone in rebounding. If he continues to bring the energy, this team will do well. A very underrated free throw shooter as well. His stats at Vanderbilt can't be looked at too closely - especially last year since I believe he wasn't healthy for a good portion of the season. He shot 50+% from the field in his freshman year at Syracuse, so the potential was always there. Glad he's getting the opportunity here in his final campaign.

Jamison - I mentioned his slight frustration of not getting the ball in the second half during some halfcourt possessions, but the fact that he failed to convert on all his three point attempts yet still notch a double double shows how far his game has evolved, to the point where he is a go-to option in transition - not something I think would have been possible last year. His free throw shooting is outstanding. His shots are always nothing but net, and I could honestly watch him shoot that all day. I do think we could do a better job of handling his minutes - it's crazy to think that he's dealing with fatigue so early in the season especially with his improved conditioning, but Battle has played 35, 37, and 38 minutes in the three games this season. We may very well need him to play those kinds of minutes in conference play, but during OOC it might be best to keep him fresh and probably lower that total by 5 minutes or so. Those minutes could go to Maceo (who I think should play closer to 20 minutes), or guys like Lincoln and Tyler (who unfortunately did not see any minutes of action today, was hoping to get an early look at them before conference play starts).

Chase - there have been a couple mentions of someone comparing him to Cimino and Goss which I can only imagine is hyperbole based on being a bit out of position defensively the first two games, because Chase was one of our better defenders overall last season (something that could not be said about the former two in previous seasons). I would go as far as to say he had one of the better seasons as a freshman big than any other I can remember in recent memory. While he isn't a true rim protector, Paar more than held his own against A10 competition, which was even more impressive considering he missed all of OOC play with a wrist injury. He played really well down low on both ends today, and made some really key plays defensively down the stretch when Coppin had cut the lead to 2 (the 5 offensive rebounds were also real difference makers). Paar is really good at finishing down low, and it was nice to see him be a bit more involved in the game plan. I am curious to see how the frontcourt minutes will shake out once Hunter is eligible with Chase and Matt performing well. If Hunter's play is anything like what was seen in the scrimmage, I can't imagine he would get only few minutes of action. A good problem to have!

Noel - showed really good passing as a big and is pretty mobile. While there were periods of times where the freshmen mistakes were evident (going up strong with the ball), I am glad he is getting the minutes early on. A really good sign that he doesn't play with his hands on defense which points to potential quicker development. It's nice that we are able to ease him in his first year.

Sloan - glad he was able to get a couple long range shots to go, although I'm still not a fan of the really deep contested shots (as mentioned earlier, would like us to draw up plays for him to get a cleaner shot a bit closer to the line - right now we are forcing him to make something out of nothing). He had a nice board pulled down in traffic. Did see some effort closing out on shots defensively.

Maceo - like Sloan, wish there was more of an effort to get him involved within the system. There are periods where it feels like Bishop or JNJ have the ball in their hands all the time, so when Maceo actually gets a touch naturally he will want to put up a shot with the thought that he may not get many more touches in the game. That can lead to some forced shots, so hopefully he gets better opportunities moving forward. It is commendable that he has agreed to play fewer minutes and an off the bench role in his final year. The mark of a true leader.

Brandon - was constantly rooting for his teammates along the sideline, so it was nice to see that appreciated by getting him in the game at the end.

Quick turnaround as the team faces Darnell Rogers and the UMBC Retrievers Monday at 4. Odom's squad has already played Georgetown tough and notched a win against a not bad St. Francis PA squad. Hope we can carry the momentum over and there is no fatigue from today.
 

That is a very "glass half-full" perspective of a game in which GW allowed its opponent to take 78 shots from the floor and made 20 turnovers and went 0-5 from behind the arc in the 2nd half and only got 8 points from the bench. Did I mention four starters had to play over 30 mins against a team that will finish bottom of the MEAC? Or that GW got a grand total of 7 second chance points despite missing 29 shots and some fts? If this makes you feel good about upcoming games against So. Carolina and the A10, then have at it.
 

fungerhall wrote:

The Dude wrote:

6th in The Nation in assist % for James Bishop, wow, that's impressive.  He's also scored at least 20 points in his first 3 GW games, to go with the nation's 6th best Assists %.  

I second the notion James Bishop is the most talented GW Point Guard since Carl Elliott 

Dumbest post post I’ve seen on this board. Bishop doesn’t hold a candle to Joe Mac much less Elliot. GTFOH with this nonsense

@dmvpiranha - My bad, I overreacted. Maybe not the dumbest post (close) but I actually enjoy most of your posts and love your write ups. I just don’t buy Bishop is the most talented GW PG. Not even top 5 based on two games we’ve seen. Let’s reevaluate mid-season.

GWAA, I'm not sure that my post suggests that Saturday was a great performance or even a good one.  The point of the post was to discuss the zone and specifically, the reactions by many to us playing it.  Each game offers a somewhat different result.  Navy knew exactly what to do to compete against it and had the players to execute this.  The same could not be said for Coppin State.

Go back (if you're inclined) and read the running play-by-play that is a part of this thread once the game started.  When anyone on Coppin attempted a 3, the reaction can be summarized by "here we go again."  If the made a 3, it was "I hate this fucking zone, why are we even playing it".  And if God forbid Coppin made two in a row (the number was actually 3 at one point), the reaction was akin to people ready to jump off of a ledge.

Here's the thing:  yes, Coppin made 3 in a row to get back into the game.  But before that, they had made 1 of its first 9 three point attempts.  Would you want to have eliminated the open misses and have great defense on every miss?  Ideally, of course you would.  But that just doesn't happen.  While we were building a first half lead and they were shooting 1-9 from 3, the comments still resembled the "what the hell are we doing" variety.

We will hopefully get better at playing the zone, and we will hopefully show more defensively than this one zone, as the season progresses.  In the interim, my suggestion is that we save "the sky is falling" until metaphorically, the sky is falling.  That wasn't the case against Coppin State. 
 

Last edited by Gwmayhem (12/07/2020 10:24 am)

Dr. Mike, I took you up on your offer.  We've had a difference of opinion the entire thread.  Maybe you're right and the way JC treats his players and the things he says to them are no different than most coaches.  My disagreement is based on the specifics I know about and the way in which certain players have responded to him.  The point that I was trying to make (as well as 22ndandF and GWRising) is that the way JC treats his team is a process.  If the players are made to feel that they are not expendable laborers, if they are made to feel that their thoughts and opinions count and will actually be respected, if they are made to feel, yes, loved, then this should translate to a better performing, more cohesive, and more successful team.  You are correct that a long term subpar won-loss record will shoot many holes in this theory.

Two things I know: 1) the team that beat Davidson and Duquesne last year looked very different than the one that lost to AU and Morgan State; and 2) one season + three games is not nearly enough time to conclude that JC's manner doesn't work (or is no different than most other coaches).  A head coach in his 8th season as a head coach is entitled to more time to change a culture.

GWRising wrote:

Perhaps a bit of perspective is needed ...

Hobbs through his first 35 games as GW coach: 16-19 overall; 5-11 A-10
Lonergan through his first 35 games as GW coach: 12-23 overall; 5-11 A-10
Christian through his first 35 games as GW coach: 13-22 overall; 6-12 A-10

Not really too much difference. And it should be noted that both Hobbs and Lonergan inherited more talent than Christian. By the third year, both Hobbs and Lonergan were playing in the post-season. 

As I said before, "let the bread bake". There are going to be ups and downs. It will never be a straight line trajectory. We have many new players and it will take some time to get them to play at both the pace and style JC would prefer. Hobbs and Lonergan both had stunning losses in year 2. Hobbs to American and Lonergan to Mount St. Mary's. Can someone please bring up the old GW Hoops board for discussions after those games? lol. It turned out OK shortly thereafter.  
 

GWRising, thank you for sharing your wisdom on this subject. I feel you captured the way I feel, but better. Let the bread bake!

I happen to think a lot of the frustration shown thus far on this board has to do with the fact that the program has been through a tough period, most of which JC was not responsible for. I don't believe people recognize how much the program had truly declined in part due to the ML situation and in part due to GW handing the reigns to Mojo, who was not yet ready for that opportunity. JC inherited a borderline LM/D2 roster. For that team to win 6 conference games and 12 overall was a minor miracle. But in any event, we shouldn't expect JC to work miracles so quickly. That is just unreasonable. I would expect that much like Hobbs and Lonergan, it will take to year 3 before we really see sustained success. That doesn't mean that we can't win some games this year but I expect it to be more of a roller coaster of ups and downs with the number of ups exceeding the downs as the season progresses. To me, that is what you really should be looking for - are we better in March than we were in November/December.

There is a reason there was huge roster turnover again this offseason. Our talent level has increased without doubt - we still need more but we are heading in the right direction. Now the trick is to get everyone on the same page and figure out how to maximize the talent. That doesn't happen overnight especially in the era of COVID. Absent COVID, JC would have had the summer, a full fall practice schedule, a scrimmage and a exhibition game to work some of this out. He essentially had none of those. While you can say it is the same for every team, it is particularly hard for programs that are trying to establish culture with a lot of new parts. As a result, it is just going to take this program longer this year to jell. If JC had a large number of returning experienced players then I believe we would be 3-0 and not 1-2 at this point.