George Mason’s Tony Skinn has never shied away from a challenge. It’s not in his DNA.
It’s why no one should blink an eye as the Patriots board a plane for Milwaukee to face 18th-ranked Marquette.
George Mason is coming off a 75-58 win over North Carolina Central, while Marquette made easy work of Stony Brook in its 102-62 win.
Keys:
Point Guard Play: No matter who plays Marquette, all eyes are on the primary ballhandler(s). It will be no different for the Patriots. Against NCCU, Brayden O’Connor started as the primary ballhandler, with first-year player Justin Begg, senior KD Johnson, and sophomore Jeremiah Quigley all getting a crack at the assignment throughout the game.
Marquette’s pressure defense is about more than just turnovers. It’s about pushing pace, forcing bad decisions, and taking an offense out of its actions and rhythm. A quick shot on an unbalanced floor is just as good as a turnover because it will allow Marquette to get into transition quickly.
Decision-making will go a long way in shaping Mason’s offense against the pressure. There are times when shooting early in the shot clock is good and times when it isn’t. The primary ballhandlers must gauge what is best for the team at that moment, and the answer won’t always be the same.
Attacking Bigs: One of George Mason’s big advantages, literally and figuratively, is Giavonni Emejuru (6’11”) and Jalen Haynes (6’8″). The problem with playing Marquette with those types of bigs is the 5-out offense. Because Emejuru and Haynes aren’t quick, Marquette will blow by them if they are tight. If they play loose, that’s going to be a three-pointer, or they’ll attack space.
I don’t anticipate Skinn playing them together for extended minutes.
Marquette has made a living by pressuring the ball to remove size advantages in the post. Their athleticism allows them to guard a big with a longer wing.
Don’t Get Suckered: Out-of-conference foes get suckered into playing faster than they should when they have early success. If they get a few easy baskets early, players decide that they can do it for 40 minutes when they struggle to do it for 14 minutes.
The Patriots must play at a comfortable pace, whatever that pace may be. The pace should include getting the ball to Darius Maddux in areas that make him a threat. Skinn made a point of saying that Maddux didn’t get the ball enough in the opener.
George Mason isn’t a three-point shooting team, so this isn’t a make-the-math-math type of game, so the margin for error is thin.
