George Mason University Athletics

Head coach Dave Paulsen

Opening statement
“Thats a great win. That’s a great win for our guys against a really talented, tough team. Obviously, Otis [Livingston II] and Jaire [Grayer] were phenomenal offensively. I think the key for our team is some of the stuff that happened, Ian Boyd only had two points, but that defensive rebound off the foul shot, and hitting Otis ahead. Just energy plays like that. Greg Calixte had a career high [points scored], but the play of the game, well he had two, the left handed jump hook, but diving on the floor for that loose ball. And that is what we are starting to get. I thought Javon Greene gave us good energy in the first half, I thought A.J. did as well. Really pleased with our guys, now we just have to continue to work. Give these guys [Mason players] a lot of credit, we were sitting here a week ago after getting our rear ends handed to us and instead of wallowing, they got back to work, and worked on their individual games and really practiced well.”

On adjusting defensively to Saint Louis’ early scoring 
“We played box-and-one there for a bit, then we played zone. One of the things with zone though is you give up offensive rebounds. They [Saint Louis] ran some sets. I think the box-and-one really put them on their heels there for five minutes when we were down maybe five points. Then we went ahead. Then they got their rhythm, like any good team. Good coach, to come out of a hot timeout and they get Jalen Johnson for a couple threes. But I thought what it did was we kind of kept them off balance, and we did enough on the glass. Not as much as I’d like, but we did enough. This is two consecutive games with single figure turnovers, and that is what we need to have.”

On what Calixte has brought to the team
“He just keeps getting better every day. We thought he’d be ready from day one, he wasn’t quite ready, but you would rather be six weeks too late with a guy than six days too early and throw him in over his head. He has worked tirelessly, he gives us an inside presence. He scores on the block, he rebounds and he’s done a pretty good job on the glass. He had a big block late in the game, and he just allows guys a little more room, you know even to just having to turn your head to look at him maybe gives Otis [Livingston II] an open shot, or Jaire [Grayer] an open shot, or whomever it might be.”

On his confidence with Calixte taking hook shots
“You know what, yeah we really do. I mean, he’s worked every day. We said after the Davidson game, it wasn’t so much about x’s and o’s, it’s about each guy making one more, or two more good plays that they’re capable of making, and one or two less bad plays. We had some open shots that we missed, we have to knock those down and take care of the ball. So, I think all of those guys bought in.”

On how he prepared to attack their stingy defense
“Well you have to give a lot credit to Dane Fischer who scouted Saint Louis. They play the 1-3-1 zone a lot and it has bothered teams and have really thrown them off balance. We had basically one day of preparation, because these guys are playing so many minutes it’s hard to practice a day after a game, so we did not do much after Saint Joseph’s. We just wanted to simply our attack and get the ball down the baseline. Two or three things we wanted to run worked, it deflated them and got the ball moving and it helped us be aggressive. It also helps when you are shooting the ball well. Realistically, these are shots we have taken in previous games and missed. Part of it is guys feeling comfortable and guys continuing to make strides. But I thought we had a good plan of attack, and we needed everything we could muster because that is a really good team [Saint Louis].”

On how important is was to go 2-1 in this home-stand
“It is big. The bigger thing for us that I try to emphasize to our guys is that we cannot get caught up in results. We have to get caught up in the process of just trying to get a little better every day. Like we played really well today. If for some reason that hadn’t resulted in a victory, we could not have been ‘all is lost’ because we are better team than we were last Sunday. On the same token, we cannot be like ‘oh we have arrived,’ no. Every game is going to be an absolute battle. But it is good and I think it gives value to our guys, like ‘hey we can be a pretty good team, when we are clicking on all cylinders.’”

On Otis and his rising assist numbers
“He’s playing at a really high level, and he’s working hard and knocking down shots at a high level. It’s kind of like a little bit of everything. He’s shooting the ball so well, now teams really have to pay attention to him, and the thing that he is doing is making the right play. The vast majority of the time he’s making the right play. There were some stretches there where maybe he made the right play, threw it to a guy and the guy missed it and we kind of panic. We have to make the right play. It doesn’t mean it will lead to success, but you make the right play. As our guys continue to develop and get better, the trust level is there. Part of it, teams have to extend an extra five feet than what they were doing before, and that just gives more space to find other guys.” 

Otis Livingston II

On how he is feeling after his fourth straight game with 20 points
“I feel good. I am in pretty good shape so I am not really that tired. As far as scoring, my teammates put me in great positions to score the ball. My coaches do the same, calling certain plays that work to my strengths. So, give all the credit to them. And just working on my game over this winter break with assistant coaches and getting specific on what I need to get better on. A lot goes into that.”

Jaire Grayer

On his play with Otis where he cut on the baseline
“For that play it was mostly like spacing. If I get deep in the corner, Otis attacks a little bit and when the defender turns his head I back-cut. And of course Otis found me, great passing.”

On if he is more confident this year than last
“Yeah, I would say I am more confident in my approach on defense and offense. Being able to stay composed and take my shots that come to me.”

On what he’s been working on the most in practice recently
“Mostly what I have been working on is my shot, staying consistent with that, and my ball handling as well, making sure I don’t create any turnovers for the other team."