What separates good teams from great ones? Men’s basketball’s season so far is a perfect case study on the topic.
A great team found its stride in the Smith Center this season as the Revolutionaries began to amass an early slew of nonconference victories — brimming with team-wide cohesion, defensive dominance and playmaking success. A great team came alive in its dominant Atlantic 10 win over a competitive Dayton roster earlier this month. But the signs of a great team fell dormant in GW’s recent three-game conference slump, though a win on Saturday gives me cautious optimism. The energetic crew fans saw early on is creeping closer toward mediocrity.
GW’s recent stumbles against Duquesne, George Mason and Massachusetts revealed three tipping-point issues for the team. Unforced errors like turnovers in key moments derail late-game chances. GW has also spent four straight games giving up at least 15 offensive boards, limiting second-chance opportunities. Plus, the Revs’ failure to capitalize at the line has created unnecessary pressure, especially in close games like double overtime against George Mason last week, where they missed 10 free throws in a game they lost by 3.
Not only do these challenges take a toll on the scoreboard, they also have a broader emotional tax on players. High-stress final minutes and missed playmaking opportunities can demoralize a team and injure momentum.
The Revs had the chance to prove themselves as a great team against George Mason. With 1.9 seconds left in regulation, GW saw a serious chance to snag a road win in Rafael Castro shooting two. The win could’ve been easily secured at the charity stripe, but a pair of misses sent the game into a first overtime stanza. Playing in front of a national audience, they failed to get a shot off in the final seconds of competition, ultimately falling 80-77. Great teams don’t miss game-winning free throws.
Castro finished a staggering 4-10 from the line against George Mason. The team abandoned 10 points total at the line, shooting a subpar .630 against the Patriots, including the pair of misses that could’ve won it all. George Mason ran away with the win in a second overtime period against a foul-ridden GW bench.
GW’s recent win against 5-2 Saint Louis points to what can happen when these issues don’t rear their heads. The team strolled out to an early lead and maintained a strong defensive presence, forcing one of the A-10’s best teams to score over 13 points under their per-game average and shutting down goggled superstar Robbie Avila. Yet, even in the win, the Revs weren’t as comfortable as they should have been. A turnover by graduate guard Gerald Drumgoole Jr. with less than a minute left and a missed free throw by sophomore guard Christian Jones gave the Billikens the ball with the opportunity to tie it late, despite GW leading by double digits just three minutes earlier.
Losing two dominant guards to injury, sophomore Darren Buchanan Jr. and junior Trey Moss, was a significant blow to the team but also an opportunity for new faces to step up. Graduate forward Sean Hansen has been a stepping stone, but not quite a savior in replacing Buchanan in GW’s starting lineup. Hansen provides relief with smooth passing and playmaking abilities but has shown limited dominance on the board for a player of his stature. In the recent loss to UMass, Hansen recorded just one offensive rebound and zero in the backcourt.
But overall guard play has been the team’s Achilles’ heel. In his return to the court post-ankle issues, it is difficult to decipher whether injury or regression is plaguing Buchanan Jr. His recent performances have lacked their usual baseline-to-baseline dominance, tabbing just 3 points against Saint Louis compared to a 13.5 points per game average. On top of this, Drumgoole has shot a baffling 1-27 from the arc over the last four games.
Jones has strokes of greatness, most recently with a 23-point performance against Dayton but often struggles with shot selection and consistency, shooting six of 19 in 41 minutes against George Mason.
Sophomore guard Jacoi Hutchinson has riddled recent games with turnovers, missed shots and defensive lapses. He has a combined 15 points and 10 turnovers in conference play. Hutchinson entered the UMass game and threw away his first inbound pass. Left alone in the corner later in the half, Hutchinson bricked an uncontested three. A redeeming chance manifested in a subsequent open running, which he rimmed out.
Statistically, the Revs improvement has plateaued. GW ranks a 101st in adjusted defensive efficiency on KenPom, which measures opponents‘ points per 100 possessions, marking a 160-spot boost that signals improvement under Head Coach Chris Caputo. It is their highest ranking since the 2015-16 team saw an NIT championship.
Yet offensively, leading up to the win against Saint Louis, GW had spent four straight games under 40 percent from the field and 28 percent from three. An alarming .345 clip emerged in their stagnant second half against George Mason.
The Revs’ fall to UMass showcased blatant rebounding woes. Twenty-seven offensive rebounds were tabbed against GW’s 14, nearly a two-to-one ratio. Great teams showcase more stability than GW has produced recently.
Poor decision-making equally damages a team. GW’s unnecessarily risky plays and forced attempts damage scoring chances. On top of GW’s own faulty choices on the court, a physical UMass roster played to its strengths and exposed GW’s weaknesses, revealing a lack of preparation against opponents on the Revs’ part. The team’s recurring failure to close out tight games and make the most of opportunities is yet another troubling warning signal. Great teams understand how to play under pressure.
It is too soon to determine whether this is just a rut for the Revs or a sign of a deeper inability to rise from good to great.
GW must challenge itself to translate potential into consistent powerful performances. Upcoming games will be a crucial test of both character and capability for a struggling team. The rest of the season will answer a question for players, coaches and fans: Is it enough to be good, or does GW have what it takes to be great?