Jan 31 / Rob

JMU Collapses in Loss to William & Mary

matt bradyJMU lost to William & Mary by the score of 68-62 tonight. The Dukes were up 18 points in the first half. And again, they lost. If you didn’t see the game, I’m sure you can deduce that it was one heck of a collapse. We don’t want to take anything away from the Tribe players who turned it around and pretty much ran circles around the Dukes after the break. But JMU gave this one away. The offense was less than inspiring in the second half. Unless of course you enjoy watching players pass back and forth on the perimeter before launching ill advised shots. Or if you really love watching players fumble passes in the paint. If you like either of those things, then I hope you saved the game on the DVR. Here are a few quick thoughts on the game.

6

That’s the number of free throw attempts JMU had. For the entire game. I wasn’t kidding about players just aimlessly passing back and forth before launching bad jumpers. That’s what they did. Of course when you shoot jumpers (especially bad ones) instead of going to the hole, you don’t get a lot of fouls called on the opposition. JMU hit 3 of the 6 free throws for 50% in case you were wondering.

987

That’s the number of times I screamed at my television tonight because the Dukes were playing catch by the three point line instead of running anything resembling an offense.

5

That’s the number of double-doubles Shakir Brown has on the season. He managed to score 13 points and grab 11 boards tonight. Ron Curry also did Ron Curry things, scoring 19 points to go along with 6 rebounds. Both guys played well enough that JMU actually had a chance to steal the game at the end.

12.5

That’s the Dukes three point shooting percentage in the second half. JMU hit just 2 of 16 from behind the arc after halftime. No further explanation necessary.

3

That’s the number of Tribe players who reached double digits in scoring. Daniel Dixon, Terry Tarpey, and Omar Prewitt had 17, 11, and 16 points respectively. It wouldn’t be fair if my disappointment in the Dukes caused me to fail to credit the Tribe’s big trio. They’re good. So is that Cohn kid. Per usual the William and Mary roster looks like a group of extras from Hoosiers, but the Tribe is deceptively athletic and sure to be a tough out in Baltimore.

4

Thankfully, that’s the number of days until the Dukes get back out there. Thursday night JMU will play at Drexel. If there’s a slump buster in this year’s CAA, it’s the Dragons. Curry and the Dukes will have a great chance to right the ship and get their groove back. That’s a very good thing.

7 Comments

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  1. Marc / Jan 31 2016

    Great points. It was so frustrating watching the passing and poor shot selection. Also, when the team tried to move it in the paint, on several occasions the player in the paint tried to put it on the floor rather than take it to the basket, resulting in several turnovers. Taking it to the basket may have resulted in fouls on the Tribe and additional free throws. It seemed as though Coach Brady wasn’t really into this game by his demeanor on the sideline and management of the team.

  2. Xerk / Feb 1 2016

    You hit it on the head with those numbers. I was at the game and was thinking the same thing in the second half. There were some fast break opportunities where the Dukes pulled back and started passing it around the arc. It was puzzling. I have to think that was Brady’s instruction. It happened for too long for it to not have been.

    Also, I don’t understand why Joey McLean is getting so many minutes. I realize Curry was probably too tired to play point the entire half. Devontae Morgan has provided a spark late in a couple games this year, and I like his size and willingness to drive to the basket. And while it can be blamed on the big men inside for fumbling and bumbling the passes, some of McLean’s passes were literally at the feet of those guys headed to the basket – and he kept doing it.

    I also think Lukic is a much better rebounder than Cabarkapa. Cabarkapa looks like he has changed his shooting motion. He was clanging his shots in pregame warmups. Just not the same smoothness he had earlier in the year.

    Anyway it was a disappointing loss and I miss the days when JMU used to blow out the Tribe whenever they played.

  3. Mike in Ohio / Feb 1 2016

    I listened to the game on Madizone and was disappointed in the team’s performance after going ahead by 18 points but when WM came out in the second half and immediately got the lead down to around 6 points I knew we were in trouble. I listened to Brady’s post game interview and he sits and answers the questions unlike the previous 2 football coaches but some of his answers were a little puzzling. He seems to have few answers as to why the team seems so inconsistent and sometimes it seems like there is no game plan or the players quickly go away from what the coach’s plan is. Have always liked him but wondering whether he is the guy to lead the program. Drexel should be there for a road win so go Dukes on Thursday night.

  4. ShadyP / Feb 1 2016

    You have no idea what team will showup from half to half or game to game no matter WHO the opponent is.

    But these are almost certainties:
    – If there is a home game against a decent team with a chance to really get the student body engaged and win over the students…..they will lay an egg.
    – If they are playing a game where it appears they have some good momentum and you should feel good about a ‘W’ chances are they will lose.
    – If they are in a situation where it feels like they should lose and be outplayed and get an ‘L’, chances are they will win.

    The inconsistent play is what drives me crazy about Brady’s teams. What ever they can do to make a game or situation hard on them, count on them doing it. Brady teams lack killer instinct to deliver knockout punches and step on an opponents neck when they got them on the ropes. JMU will ALWAYS let a team back into the game.

    I have no clue why Brady did not go to Morgan in the 2nd half when the team clearly needed spark and needed some athleticism to try an get an easy bucked or two off of defense. I like McClean but if he ain’t scoring look elsewhere. I also understand giving Curry a break at the point…..but McClean basically ran the offense the entire 2nd half, you know the one where we could not score. Curry is out best player by far and one of the few that can create his own shot, JMU needs the ball in his hands more not less — Brady helped out the W&M defense there. And Brady needs to get more fired up on the sideline — heck go ahead and draw a ‘T’ now and again to try an light a fire under your guys.

  5. 76 / Feb 1 2016

    I was at the game also and thought Coach was as animated as I have ever seen him. He was constantly chewing on the refs. It looked like our guys inside had board hands for at least 6 possessions in the second half. They were trying to make the catch while looking “downfield” and muffed the pass.
    I was looking for someone to slash to the basket and draw some fouls but that
    didn’t happen. Don’t know if that was a product of tight D or what, it did look pretty packed in.
    Kudos to their fans. That place got loud.Hope we can do the same on the teams return to the Convo.

  6. Nkelley62 / Feb 1 2016

    5 in a row we’ve lost to the nerds……..

  7. Charles F. Sweet / Feb 2 2016

    I think Brady suspects this season is it for him unless he wins it all. Why else invest in a roster almost entirely of upper classmen and still not redshirt the only eligible freshman?

    And that stuff in his press conference about his team being unfamiliar with a 3-2 zone is nonsense. His team played almost exclusively in a 3-2 last season. Yes, there were lots of crappy calls by the refs in that game, but Brady and his staff were out coached.

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