George Mason Basketball

George Mason misses out on Devin Wilson, recruit commits to Virginia Tech

2013-04-16T10:00:00.000-04:00

Well 2013 point guard prospect Devin Wilson has committed to Virginia Tech. I'm surprised he picked them over both George Mason and a school close to his hometown, Saint Joseph's. You have to wonder that since he has a big interest in football and even had aspirations of playing in college, if that had something to do with the decision. Either way it's a solid get for former George Mason assistant James Johnson, now the head coach at Virginia Tech. The Mason staff was very high on Wilson but will have to move on to other prospects.

With few good point guard prospects remaining in the 2013 class where does the staff go from here? Let's take a look at some options:

6'3" PG Jalen James - We recently talked about James and on paper he's a more highly rated player than Wilson. His skill set sounds perfect for Paul Hewitt's system but being a former Big Ten recruit he will continue to have big programs after him. The transfer period isn't over yet and BCS teams losing guys between now and the end of May could be suddenly enter the mix for this kid. James is probably the best prospect that Mason has a realistic shot at landing.

6'1" PG Marquise Moore - The former Hofstra recruit is still considering the Pride after the coaching change but is also considering George Mason. He is from the same prep school as Bryon Allen, St. Thomas More in Connecticut. ESPN recruiting describes him as a "breakdown style guard", who can get wherever he wants with his dribble. He doesn't shoot the ball particularly well but is fast and is very effective in both half-court and uptempo settings. Another negative for Moore is that like Allen he also didn't start playing the point guard position full time til his year at prep school. Moore is basically a quicker, more athletic Corey Edwards who doesn't shoot the ball as well.

GMU Hoops Season Awards Results

2013-04-15T14:15:00.001-04:00

Thanks to everyone who voted, here are the results for this year:

Team MVP: Sherrod Wright

Offensive Player of the Year: Sherrod Wright

Defensive Player of the Year: Erik Copes

Rookie/Newcomer of the Year: Patrick Holloway

Most Improved Player: Jonathan Arledge

Guard of the Year: Sherrod Wright

Forward of the Year: Jonathan Arledge

Hustle Award: Bryon Allen

Individual Performance of the Year: Sherrod Wright's game-winning three-pointer against Richmond

Game of the Year: vs Virginia 63-59 win (11/9/12)

John Powell photo of the year:

[Photos by John Powell]

Manhattan added to 2013-2014 non-conference schedule

2013-04-15T11:30:00.001-04:00

Looks as though a game at Manhattan will be on George Mason's non-conference schedule next season:

Steve Masiello again loading up Manhattan's non-conf schedule for 13-14. Home: GW, George Mason, Fordham. Away: La Salle, South Carolina.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 13, 2013

Also there is news that Davidson is close to joining the A-10. An excellent replacement if Dayton and St. Louis due in fact leave after next season.

2012-2013 GMU Hoops Season Awards, vote now!

2013-04-10T15:16:00.000-04:00

With the college hoops season officially over it's time for the GMU Hoops 2012-2013 season awards. You may remember voting in this last season. See below to vote and I've saved the best poll question for last:

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[Photos by John Powell]

Another 2013 PG recruit set to visit George Mason

2013-04-10T09:12:00.001-04:00

We now know of at least one open scholarship for next season with the news that Vertrail Vaughns is leaving the program. The coaching staff has already been going after point guard prospects including Devin Wilson who visited George Mason recently. Wilson is set to announce his commitment before April 17. He might choose Mason, he might not, so there's always other kids in the mix. A new name that has popped up is 6'3" point guard Jalen James from Chicago, Illinois. He was originally committed to Illinois but when head coach Bruce Weber left the program he reopened his recruitment. James plans to visit George Mason in early May but obviously that could change if Devin Wilson commits before then.

James has offers from a few SEC schools, Alabama, Auburn, and Arkansas but looking at the schools he has planned to visit he must be looking for early playing time. A new point guard would allow Bryon Allen to play the two spot even more and Corey Edwards is the only other guard capable of running the point, so the opportunity is certainly there.

Reading what ESPN recruiting has to say about him, it sounds like he is a perfect fit for Paul Hewitt's philosophy:

Jalen is defined by his explosiveness in transition. He has good size for the point guard position and possesses terrific court vision. He's also a good passer. He's at his best on the break finding guys or finishing. Defensively, he can guard the 1 or 2.

Jalen's an athletic point guard who will fit well in a motion offense and pressure defense. He's a highlight reel on the break.

It seems very likely that there will be a new freshman point guard on the roster next season. Stay tuned.

Luke Hancock, a hero in the national championship game for Louisville

2013-04-09T09:22:00.001-04:00

Former Patriot Luke Hancock has been having one hell of a week. Last night be became one of the most memorable 6th men in national championship history. Despite how you may feel about his exit from George Mason it's hard not to proud of the kid, especially when you read stories like this. Hancock earned Final Four MVP honors after going on "a shooting spree for the ages" last night scoring 14 straight points at the end of the first half. He was also the first reserve player ever to win the award, that's pretty impressive.

So yeah, this year's AP Coach of the Year and Final Four MVP were at George Mason together in 2011. Crazy part in all this is that Jim Larranaga wasn't even that impressed when recruiting him and initially wanted to pass on him. Hancock was certainly a hero to Mason fans back in March of 2011 but he really has turned a corner with Rick Pitino. While in Fairfax he was a great glue-guy, held everything together, rarely made mistakes and would give a scoring lift when needed. His leadership qualities and work ethic definitely made Louisville a better team and I think you attribute a lot of that from what he learned while playing two years under Larranaga.

Will Johnny Williams and Vaughn Gray be the next to transfer?

2013-04-08T16:21:00.003-04:00

With news today that confirms redshirt junior Vertrail Vaughns is leaving the program, their is talk that he won't be this off-season's only transfer. Sophomore Vaughn Gray and redshirt junior Johnny Williams are the names being mentioned and there is evidence to support both requesting a transfer.

Vaughn Gray had been suspended earlier in the season but never seemed to get out of the coaching staff's doghouse. He played more minutes and averaged more points per game in his freshman year and only appeared in 16 games this season. Personally I think the kid has plenty of potential but for whatever reason it wasn't going to work out with this coaching staff. His most memorable moment from this season was appearing on Sportscenter for missing a breakaway dunk.

Johnny Williams is a different case. A lot was expected of him returning after a shoulder injury that sidelined him all of 2011-2012. He was supposed to provide Mason with inside scoring with the departure of seniors Ryan Pearson and Mike Morrison. Early in the year he had his moments but was very inconsistent and had trouble staying out of foul trouble. On paper you wouldn't think he'd want to transfer but since his injury in late January (concussion) he's been rarely seen on the Mason sidelines. In fact he's wasn't on the bench at the CAA tournament or for any of the CBI games. Seems weird that more than a month after his injury he wouldn't be supporting his teammates on the sidelines. Williams, like Vertrail Vaughns, could play right away if he transferred since he is also graduating this May.

Paris Bennett is another graduating redshirt junior to throw in the discussion but my hunch is he stays. Paul Hewitt seems high on him and he was one of the team's captains this year. If you were watching the CBI finals he was the player who accepted the runner-up trophy. He probably has the highest basketball IQ on the roster and rarely makes bad decisions. Every team needs a utility guy with veteran leadership and Bennett does that for this team. Is that enough of a role for him to stay in Fairfax, we'll see.

Jalen Jenkins will be playing next season so that could also be a factor here. He's another Paul Hewitt recruit that was pretty highly rated. We saw how much Hewitt favored freshman Marko Gujanicic and Patrick Holloway over some of the Larranaga holdovers and that will most likely happen again next year.

Still no confirmation from the school on any of these transfers but I'm certain that it will come soon.

Vertrail Vaughns is transferring

2013-04-08T09:36:00.000-04:00

A lot of people were wondering who was leaving program given that the coaching staff had been offering scholarships to 2013 recruits. It looks as though Vertrail Vaughns is transferring by word of one of his former AAU coaches. Still waiting to hear back confirmation from the team but Vaughns was one of the obvious front runners to be leaving the team. Vaughns, the redshirt junior, is graduating this May and would be eligible to play immediately anywhere.

Vaughns started all games during Paul Hewitt's first season at Mason but was limited to around 15 minutes per game and two DNPs this season off the bench. It was obvious early on Hewitt favored freshman Patrick Holloway over him despite his lack of experience.

Vaughns best season was in 2010-2011 when he was an intergal part of the Patriots' huge 16-game winning streak. His three-point shooting off the bench helped drive the team's efficient and balanced offense that helped get them into the NCAA tournament.

Vertrail Vaughns 6'2 combo will be transferring from George Mason and will be eligible to play his 5th year right away.
— Andre Johnson (@UncleDreRozay) April 8, 2013

Ben Standig from CSNwashington.com confirms the transfer news:

Source familiar with George Mason program confirms Vertrail Vaughns expected to transfer. More coming. #GMU (h/t @gmuhoops )
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) April 8, 2013

[Photo by John Powell]

George Mason falls to Santa Clara in CBI championship finale

2013-04-06T10:41:00.000-04:00

The Patriots lost a hard fought battle to Santa Clara last night in the CBI championship finale. It was a game of runs as each team traded had their moments on offense with George Mason coming up short in the closing moments. The Broncos Kevin Foster (24 points, tournament MVP) and Marc Trasolini (20 points) were too much for the Patriots in this one. Trasolini was dominate early in the second half and got Mason players into foul trouble. Foster did what he did best from behind the arch to put the Patriots away when they tried to make a comeback. Keep in mind that Kevin Foster is one hell of a dominate player was only a handful of three-attempts away from the NCAA career record. Mason still could have had this game but they didn't make the stops on defense when they needed to. The story of the season.

Trasolini posterizes Copes vine.co/v/bT133EQwmMv
— gmuhoops (@gmuhoops) April 6, 2013

What's truly amazing is how the Patriots dominated the glass, collecting 20 offensive rebounds and turning them into 27 second chance points. That's a recipe for a win most nights but turnovers and fouls doomed them in the second half. Not a surprise given how this season has went for them. They tried everything on defense to try and slow down Kevin Foster but Patrick Holloway and Vertrail Vaughns couldn't keep him in front of them. Paul Hewitt went with his more veteran guys, Paris Bennett and Vaughns as opposed to Holloway and Marko Gujanicic for long stretches in the second half. It was probably the right move as Holloway and Gujanicic were struggling but having two guys that have barely played much this season out there for crucial parts of the game didn't help much either.

Sherrod Wright put back vine.co/v/bT129j3Ir5E
— gmuhoops (@gmuhoops) April 6, 2013

Mason's big three heading into next season, Sherrod Wright, Bryon Allen, and Jonathan Arledge didn't have their best game of the tournament but certainly kept them in this one. Bryon Allen's slow start and bad night from the field was a hole they couldn't seem to dig out of. Arledge got two fouls in the first and saw a lot of time on the bench. That left Erik Copes handling the ball a little more than you'd like to see in the post early on. Wright really tried to carry the team on his back and he was impressive. He was getting to the line and hitting outside jumpers. The only problem was Santa Clara seemed to have an answer on the other end to every one of his big plays.

The Patriots didn't fix all their problems in this tournament but they certainly leave us a feeling a bit more confident about next season than after that loss to Northeastern in the CAA tournament.

[Photo by John Powell]

NCAA Basketball Stats

College Basketball

George Mason and Santa Clara duke it out for CBI Championship tonight

2013-04-05T10:22:00.004-04:00

So here we are, the last game of the season for George Mason. Win or lose tonight I think it's safe to say that playing in this tournament was beneficial to the Patriots. In this final game that will determine the CBI champion I think we will see a much closer one than the previous two. I don't expect Santa Clara to come out as flat as they did on Wednesday night. Kevin Foster having only two first half points was a big reason why Mason maintained a lead for the entire game. The Patriots did a better job not giving them as many open looks on the perimeter and not fouling as much. The Broncos will no doubt come out firing tonight, keep in mind they have a few seniors who are playing in their final game. Mason can't get behind early like they did at Santa Clara on Monday night.

The big difference for Mason between games one and two was how much they got to the free-throw line. On Wednesday night they got 43 attempts, their highest amount of the season by a big margin. They are tough to stop when Sherrod Wright and Bryon Allen are constantly driving the lane. The Broncos have been leaving the lane open a lot on defense during this series and the Patriots need to continue to attack there. Where they can get into trouble is if they start trying to trade three-pointers, that's a battle they won't win.

Mason didn't get much from Jonathan Arledge in the last game after his big night in game one but they will most likely need him tonight. Erik Copes continues to run hot and cold on offense, mostly cold. Arledge can provide inside scoring in a variety of ways. The Broncos game plan on defense has to be heavily focused on Sherrod Wright and Bryon Allen. This could provide an opportunity for Arledge tonight.

What I really want to see tonight from Mason, more than anything, is a solid effort on defense. That was their main problem all season and I'd like to see them finish strong in that area.

[Photo by John Powell]

Ryan Pearson credits his entire basketball career to Lamar Odom

2013-04-04T14:13:00.000-04:00

It's not often TMZ and George Mason basketball come together for a story but today that's the case. Former Patriot Ryan Pearson, who now currently plays in the Ukraine, says Lamar Odom "rescued him from the streets". Pearson apparently owes his entire career to Odom whom he met when he was 11 years old at a basketball event:

Pearson says Lamar saw potential in him ... and knew he needed help ... so L.O. put him on a "life scholarship" and paid for Ryan to play on a traveling team, so he could develop his game and become visible to college programs.

Leslie (Pearson's mother) says Lamar "paid for everything ... including team travel, team registration fees, buses, and meals. He also funded entire basketball tournaments around New York."

Leslie believes at least some of the funding came from Odom's Cathy's Kids charity.

I had heard Lamar Odom mentioned as Pearson's godfather but never really knew what the connection was between them. What the TMZ article doesn't tell you is that also at age 11 Pearson was in hit by a car and was badly injured. There was damage to a growth plate that cause his right leg to grow at a lower rate than his left. His right leg is about an inch shorter and it's the reason Pearson always looked like he was limping on the court. Doctors didn't know if he'd ever walk again normally.

Obviously Odom's generous "life scholarship" to Pearson helped him overcome the challenges after the serious injury. The medical bills had to pile up and that is probably where Odom's charity to Pearson and his family began. Odom's name was most likely not mentioned previously because his charity was accused of being a "shady operation" by some. I do still find it weird however that Odom never came to a George Mason game during Pearson's four years in Fairfax. During that time the Patriots even hosted his alma mater, Rhode Island.

[via TMZ]

With win over Santa Clara, George Mason forces decisive game three of CBI championship

2013-04-04T09:53:00.002-04:00

Last night was a unique experience playing the RAC, it was loud, intense, and fun to be a part of. George Mason thrived in the environment and have now forced a decisive game three of the CBI championship. The Patriots did what they do best by starting off strong and jumping out to an early lead. But a slow start to the second half, as we have seen dozen times, made the game interesting down the stretch. The Broncos had a terrible night shooting the ball and George Mason was able to control the game by getting to the free-throw line often. Sherrod Wright bounced back from a poor game on Monday to lead the Patriots in this one. He got to the line for 17 free-throw attempts and really helped put away the game late. As a team they got to the line for 43 attempts, their highest total of the year by a wide margin. Defensively they didn't give a lot of open lots on the perimeter and as a result Santa Clara star Kevin Foster didn't become a factor until late in the second half. By that time Mason was getting to the line at will and despite missing some keys ones at the end of the game, were mostly in control.

The game wasn't as uptempo as I thought it was going to be but Mason took advantage of how the refs were calling the game. They did finish with 12 fast break points while the Broncos had zero in that area. A better shooting night from Santa Clara would have made this a totally different game. Mason closed out much better on the perimeter however the Broncos did miss a lot of open looks.

Bryon Allen and Patrick Holloway had great nights on both ends. Holloway showed some patience with his shooting and Allen attacked the rim all night. It was strange to not see Jonathan Arledge more a part of the offense after his performance on Monday night but it seems he and Sherrod take turns scoring in bunches.

Holloway threeeeee vine.co/v/bILqB1x0YJw
— gmuhoops (@gmuhoops) April 4, 2013

I wouldn't mind seeing more games at the RAC in the future. It was a more hostile environment than the Patriot Center for this particular game and the fans in attendance loved it. And while it's no match against a sold out Patriot Center it definitely should be an option for some early season games against certain opponents.

In other news, hey look former Patriot Ryan Pearson is on TMZ today.

[Photo by John Powell]

College Basketball

College Basketball Stats

George Mason hosts Santa Clara at the RAC for game two of CBI championship

2013-04-03T09:29:00.000-04:00

George Mason needs to win games two and three of this series to be CBI champs after losing game one at Santa Clara. The Patriots looked sluggish in their short west coast trip and weren't playing with the energy and intensity on defense like we saw in earlier CBI games they played. Perhaps playing in the RAC will give them a lift, after all it is where they practice and are comfortable. The atmosphere will be something they have not experienced, especially when you consider the noise level and being in such a small venue for a home game. An uptempo game, with a loud crowd on Mason's side should be a small advantage. From what we saw in game one, the Patriots will need all the help they can get trying to slow down that Santa Clara offense. If anything the game will be a unique experience in the RAC for the team and the fans.

via @masonathletics

The interesting thing about the RAC is how the floor is painted. The lines are painted for volleyball with the basketball ones also being there but you can see they are secondary. You have to wonder if it's an advantage for Mason, at least with the paint around the three-point lines, since they practice there. In the heat of the game on fast break would it be tough for Santa Clara players to keep their feet behind the line when attempting a three? The out of bounds lines are another issue and again the Patriots often scrimmage here so they could have a real advantage, especially when full court pressing.

From the Examiner:

Former George Mason radio announcer Ric Wilson expects the Patriots to respond in a smaller facility. As a guard at GMU from 1982 to 1986, he played at both the Patriot Center and the RAC -- then named the Physical Education Building.

"Quite frankly, I would have been fine not playing in the Patriot Center at all," Wilson said. "When we played at the P.E. Building, it felt like Cameron Indoor. You can't defeat us in that place. It was so intimate."

Mason will need a much better effort on defense and can't send the Broncos to the free-throw line as often as they did in the second half on Monday night. Santa Clara already has a better offense than Mason and they can't give them free attempts like that. On the other end Santa Clara wasn't a lock-down defensive team on Monday, Mason did make it easy though by fumbling possessions and taking ill-advised shots.

If Mason can turn early turnovers into points like they did against Houston and Western Michigan, the RAC will be electric and they will have a chance to thwart the Broncos big offensive muscle. They dictated the pace in those earlier CBI games but didn't on Monday night.

Lastly, they need Sherrod Wright and they will struggle again if he has another off night. If he and Jonathan Arledge can both have good nights shooting the ball and getting to the line George Mason will look like a much different team they did in Santa Clara. Wright has had an up and down season in terms of scoring production but he's yet to go three games in a row without reaching double figures. Look for him to attack the rim and make things happen for the Patriots tonight.

[Photo via @scodoe]

George Mason falls in game one of the CBI championship at Santa Clara

2013-04-02T09:56:00.000-04:00

George Mason lost game one last night of the CBI championship against Santa Clara 81-73. Sherrod Wright struggled mightily going 0-for-6 from the field and scoring only three points in 30 minutes of playing time. Overall it was a sloppy game on both sides and Mason couldn't take advantage of their opponents turnovers like they had been doing in other CBI games. The Broncos efficient offense build a strong first half lead and the Patriots struggled to close the gap. Jonathan Arledge (21 points) had another great night on offense but he didn't get much help until it was too late. Patrick Holloway provided a huge spark in the second half when Mason cut the lead to three. During an 11-2 Mason run Holloway scored 10 consecutive points but they couldn't slow down Santa Clara's offense enough to regain the lead. It looked like the Broncos were going to coast to victory on their three-point shooting alone but that wasn't the big issue on defense for Mason. The Broncos were able to go 21-for-25 from the free-throw line in the second half due to Mason's sloppy defense. It was too much to overcome given how poorly Mason was shooting the ball.

The Patriots just didn't seem ready for this one, for whatever reason. Shots weren't falling and they mishandled countless passes that resulted in turnovers. The fast-breaking team that was getting points off turnovers early in games didn't show up in Santa Clara and their star player was nearly invisible. Defensively they couldn't stop any of the Broncos big runs. Kevin Foster was open far too often and on top of that they had three others with 10 or more points to worry about.

Mason has a chance to regroup now and try to get a win at ~~home~~ the RAC Wednesday night to force game three at the Patriot Center. The intensity and noise of playing in the small confines of the RAC could be an advantage for Mason. Defense will be have to be the key for them though, in order to stay alive in this championship. What we saw last night isn't going to cut it and they will need more effort trying to slow down the Bronco's efficient offense. The perimeter defense wasn't horrible but will need to be better. They aren't going to shut down guys like Kevin Foster or Marc Trasolini but they can limit the amount of wide open looks they get.

Sherrod Wright will likely bounce back in Fairfax, unless that lingering foot injury is a problem again. It's been rare to see Mason's offense running well when he is limited and they will have a hard time winning Wednesday with him scoring only three points. Santa Clara is the best team in the CBI field this year but Mason had been playing better defense up until this point and

NCAA Basketball

College Basketball

PG Devin Wilson has George Mason in his final top three

2013-04-01T16:06:00.000-04:00

Point guard Devin Wilson, who recently had a visit to George Mason, has narrowed down his choices to three final schools. Per Western Michigan's Rivals.com affiliate it seems that Wilson cancelled his official visit to Western Michigan and will choose between Virginia Tech, St. Joesph's, and George Mason:

2013 #WMUBasketball PG target Devin Wilson (McKees Rock, PA) tells BroncoBlitz.com he has cancelled his visit to WMU.
— BroncoBlitz (@WMURivals) April 1, 2013

Wilson says his three finalists are George Mason, Virginia Tech, and St. Joseph's.
— BroncoBlitz (@WMURivals) April 1, 2013

4/2 UPDATE:

From Rivals.com:

Wilson isn't ruling anything out at this point but has focused his list of around ten scholarship offers to a top three of Virginia Tech, George Mason and St. Joseph's. Those schools are in no order and he's already visited the first two on the list with trip to St. Joe's scheduled for April 11.All three have offered including most recently the Hokies on his visit to Blacksburg.

"I like the style of campuses, the more suburban kind and the opportunity to play at each. All three are looking at me at point guard," he said.

As for his first two visits, Wilson was impressed with the overall atmosphere on both campuses and enjoyed his time with the coaching staffs at both George Mason and Virginia Tech.

"They were both nice and the players that hosted me were great," he said. Each of those three programs are on an equal playing field until Wilson takes his final visit, but he hopes to have a decision wrapped up by the time the signing period beings April 17.

From Scout.com:

Several schools have jumped into the mix late for Wilson's services. After a couple visits this past weekend, the athletic guard is trying to narrow a list down.

"George Mason and Virginia Tech are showing the most interest." he said. "I just took official visits there this past weekend. I like those coaches and the campuses. It was just an overall good experience."

With national signing day (April 17) not far away, Wilson is looking to make a commitment soon.

"I want to commit about a day or two before signing day," Wilson said.

Game 1 CBI Finals: George Mason at Santa Clara

2013-04-01T10:15:00.002-04:00

The best of three CBI finals starts tonight at Santa Clara (10 p.m. tip-off) with George Mason being tabbed the underdog. The Patriots have been playing some inspired basketball lately and this should be a fun series to watch. Santa Clara's Kevin Foster is a dangerously good shooter and is the school's all-time leader scorer and three-point shooter. On top of that the Broncos have three other 1,000-point scorers on the roster, including skilled big-man Marc Trasolini. Foster's been averaging 30 PPG during the CBI and will be drawing a lot of attention from the Mason defenders. The Patriots will have to rely on their versatility and balanced scoring to counter the Broncos strong one-two punch of Foster and Trasolini. Perimeter defense will be most likely be an issue for Mason and they need to not leave others open by focusing too much on Foster. Santa Clara however sends opponents to the free-throw line more than the other teams George Mason has faced so far in this tournament and they will need to continue to be aggressive in that area.

What's been working in the CBI:

Points off turnovers - Mason has finally been playing more of that uptempo offense Paul Hewitt had been trying to initiate all season. The big part of that is guys like Bryon Allen picking off passes and creating a lot of turnovers. They have been more confident in running and looking for points in transition. Corey Edwards and Allen have made things run more fluid on offense and they have been tougher to defend.

Winning battle at the free-throw line - This one is interesting considering how all season the advantage was the opposite up until now. All year we saw the Patriots send opposing teams to the line way too often, running their efforts on defense. In their last two games they have gotten 26 and 28 attempts, well above their season average. Sherrod Wright has been a big part of this and it's helped them maintain leads in this tournament.

Bryon Allen - It's not secret Allen has been a big reason for this team's success in the CBI. He's been more explosive and using his size in the back court to make things happen, on both ends. Even his jump shot has come alive. He's been averaging 7.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game in the CBI so far. Allen's efforts on defense against Santa Clara might be the difference for George Mason.

[Photo by John Powell]

Recruit Devin Wilson visits George Mason

2013-03-29T09:25:00.000-04:00

Early this month we talked about the coaching staff's interest in Devin Wilson, a 2013 point guard prospect from Pennsylvania. The 6'4" Wilson is a dual sport threat, earning high praises in both basketball and football but has decided to stick with hoops at the college level. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette just recently named him their player of the year. So very much like Patrick Holloway, Wilson is a proven winner. In that same article is mentions that Wilson visited George Mason's campus on Thursday:

"Interest in Wilson has increased over the past few months. He visited George Mason Thursday and also is expected to make visits to Western Michigan, Saint Joseph's and Virginia Tech."

Some highlights from his high school career, both basketball and football:

[via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

George Mason will host game 2 of CBI Finals, but not at the Patriot Center

2013-03-28T19:07:00.000-04:00

The release just came out and George Mason will be traveling to Santa Clara for game one of the CBI finals. George Mason will host game two and if necessary game three. However, game two on Wednesday night will be held at the RAC. Yes, George Mason is hosting a post-season basketball game at the place the team practices and students play pick-up hoops because the Patriot Center will be holding a "Northern Virginia Regional College Fair" that day. I'm still trying to gather as to whether this could be really cool, because the RAC will be packed to capacity with 1,500 fans, or if this is just plain embarrassing for the program.

Thoughts?

The financial impact of George Mason's 2006 Final Four run

2013-03-28T16:58:00.000-04:00

George Mason's Final Four run of 2006 is of course in the news again due to Jim Larranaga and Miami playing in the Sweet 16 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. Besides all the trips down memory lane, I thought it was interesting some for financial numbers being talked about again. Some are comparing the costs for the NCAA tournament travel and other expenses for smaller schools that have made runs because of Florida Gulf Coast's current position. ESPN's Darren Rovell shares some interesting costs that George Mason had to fork over in 2006:

A source close to the George Mason athletic department told ESPN.com that the school lost hundreds of thousands of dollars that were not reimbursed during its 2006 run to the Final Four. One of the culprits: The school still had to pay for hotel rooms even though it played its Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games in Washington D.C., just 20 miles from the school. However, it was a good trade off as George Mason professor concluded that the team's performance in the tournament that year was worth more than $677 million in free publicity to the school.

Crazy that Mason had to buy all those rooms even though they were so damn close to the Verizon Center but that's the NCAA for ya.

Rovell later tweeted that George Mason "lost hundres of thousands of dollars in travel costs" during the Final Four run due in large part to this factor. Not really a big deal consider the extra attention and funds the run brought the school after the fact. The NY Times has an article out detailing some of the figures:

There was a 25 percent surge in the number of alumni who were considered active with the university’s alumni association. A $100 million fund-raising campaign attracted $132 million in donations.

The George Mason bookstore took in more money in March 2006 ($800,000) than it did the entire rest of the year ($625,000). Enrollment in the annual summer basketball camp more than doubled. N.C.A.A. licensing revenue went up by $100,000.

I know a lot of people already knew this information but just found some if interesting and it's such a bigger deal for schools like George Mason, VCU, and Florida Gulf Coast to make deep runs in the tournament

George Mason is headed to the CBI finals after win over Western Michigan

2013-03-28T09:43:00.002-04:00

George Mason took care of Western Michigan last night in the CBI semifinals on the back of Jonathan Arledge's career-high 23 points. They will now face Santa Clara in the best of three CBI finals with the location still TBD. The Patriots played very good defense in this one and limited the Broncos free-throw opportunities, which was a big key heading in. On the other side Mason got to the line a ton and went 24-for-28 from there and controlling the tempo. When they get there at this high a rate they are tough to beat, plain and simple. Bryon Allen continued his excellent month of March scoring, stealing, and dishing out assists. He finished with seven of them in this one and has averaged 7.3 per game in the CBI so far. He has been running the offense more and overall everything looks smoother.

At one point Mason went on an 18-0 with the Broncos going scoreless for nine minutes during that stretch. The outside shots weren't playing for either team but the Patriots got 22 points off the Bronco's 23 turnovers and made them pay at the foul line. It wasn't a pretty game but Mason never lost control and even won the battle in the paint. The confidence this team is showing continues and they are playing better team basketball.

Jonathan Arledge continues to show his potential and scoring power. He's averaged 15 PPG during the CBI and has all but solidified the second scoring role on this team. His versatility definitely gave Western Michigan, who has a strong front court presence, problems all night. Teams don't know who to put on him and as a result he gets to the line. Last night he was 8-for-8 from there. His ability to score in transition is another big part of his game that has been helping Mason a lot over these last three games. Bryon Allen and Corey Edwards seem to be having an easier time finding him in good spots and results have been great.

The Patriots now face Santa Clara, who was probably the best team heading into this tournament. They have one of the most efficient offenses in the country and don't turn over the ball much. Most of their losses are to good teams, two to Gonzaga, two to Saint Mary's, and one to Duke and BYU. Kevin Foster is a heck of scorer (33 points last night) and is a lights out three-point shooter. They also have three other guys on their roster who are 1000+ point career scorers. They also have a legit big man in Marc Trasolini. It will no doubt be an tough fought best of three series and the Patriots will have to keep up their intensity on defense.

Bryon Allen steal and assist and 1 vine.co/v/bj1nJZtrAVH
— gmuhoops (@gmuhoops) March 27, 2013

Allen turning steals into points, his theme for March vine.co/v/bj1vmKWOiiY
— gmuhoops (@gmuhoops) March 27, 2013

Marko's three is 16 straight points for Mason vine.co/v/bj1gdLzKH0F
— gmuhoops (@gmuhoops) March 27, 2013

[Photo by Bill Bride]

College Basketball Stats

George Mason - Western Michigan first half highlights

2013-03-27T19:53:00.001-04:00

Marko’s no look pass to Patrick didn’t go so well vine.co/v/bj1JQiz6Lwm
— gmuhoops (@gmuhoops) March 27, 2013

Bryon Allen steal and assist and 1 vine.co/v/bj1nJZtrAVH
— gmuhoops (@gmuhoops) March 27, 2013

Allen turning steals into points, his theme for March vine.co/v/bj1vmKWOiiY
— gmuhoops (@gmuhoops) March 27, 2013

Marko's three is 16 straight points for Mason vine.co/v/bj1gdLzKH0F
— gmuhoops (@gmuhoops) March 27, 2013

George Mason vs Western Michigan in CBI semifinals

2013-03-27T10:54:00.001-04:00

Lost in all the Atlantic 10 news is the fact that George Mason basketball is still playing in the CBI. Tonight they host Western Michigan in the semifinals. The Broncos could pose a few mismatch problems for the problems as they have a very strong inside scoring presence. On top of that Kenpom shows that only five more teams in the entire country got to the free-throw line at a higher rate than Western Michigan this season. That could be a big problem for Mason, who as we have seen, fouls at a very high rate. They were better at keeping it under control against Houston but in this game they will be facing a different kind of offense. Shayne Whittington will give Mason problems inside and Erik Copes and Jonathan Arledge will have to be disciplined and stay out of foul trouble.

The advantage for George Mason is their athleticism in the back court. Sherrod Wright, Bryon Allen, and Corey Edwards have all had a good CBI tournament so far. Three-point shooting has been big for them recently and as a team they have gone 20-for-41 from behind the arch in these last two games. That combined with getting points off turnovers will help to neutralize Western Michigan's front court advantage. The Patriots won an uptempo game on Monday and will look to force that style again tonight.

[Photo by John Powell]

Atlantic 10 brings new and better rivalries for George Mason

2013-03-26T14:27:00.001-04:00

George Mason has a long history of playing against James Madison but most fans could care less about the rivalry. Especially considering George Mason has dominated the series over the last 13 years. It was fun to play them on a Saturday in a packed Patriot Center and make fun of your old JMU drinking buddies; but they weren't the best games in a pure basketball sense. The move to the Atlantic 10 next season gives Mason the chance to start some new and better rivalries that will be local, fun, and competitive.

Let's take a look at them:

George Washington

Both schools did a great job marketing the "Battle of the Orange Line" a couple of years ago during the home and home series. I had fun with it and so did others. It was fun for the fans and the games were good. The GW fans are passionate and it made both games fun to attend. The proximity really plays a part here because it will ensure that there is always a decent turnout even for weekday games. With Mike Lonergan heading up the program they will be much more competitive in the coming years and they should be the Patriots' main rival going forward.

Remember this video with the mascot Rocky IV training montage music? Good times.

George Washington leads the all-time series: 10-2

VCU

Photo by John Powell

Rams fans can cry all they want about how ODU was their CAA rival but the games between them and George Mason were always an intense battle. Mason was on the losing end a lot, especially in the conference tournament but they were always heated affairs for both the players and the fans. If you've never gotten into it with a Rams fan in either Richmond or Fairfax you're not a true fan. VCU is the most prestigious team on this list as long as they have Shaka Smart and both teams had their share as that Final Four darling everyone fell in love with. That alone has enough juice to keep this one going strong. Out of all the teams on this list the games with VCU always will have the best chance to be the best basketball to watch in my opinion.

VCU lead leads the all-time series: 31-18

Richmond

This one isn't as sexy but the Richmond Spiders are still an in-state rival that has been successful. These two teams used to be conference rivals back in the day when the CAA first started so they have a long history. Before this year's game the two teams hadn't met since 2001. Richmond will definitely replace the ODU and James Madison type games that are always on the conference schedule. They might not be the most exciting games every year on paper but they will always an intense battle worth watching. Let's be honest it's never hard to hate another team from Richmond, right? Richmond leads the all-time series: 33-17

George Mason defeats Houston in OT, will host Western Michigan Wednesday in CBI semifinals

2013-03-26T09:30:00.002-04:00

George Mason played one of their better games of the season last night in their overtime win against Houston. The Patriots opened the game on fire with a 15-0 run but you knew Houston, a high-scoring, uptempo team, would make their run to try and get back into it. They started to before the first half ended but Mason did a good job of defending the perimeter and getting to the foul line to slow down the Cougars. Sherrod Wright had 29 points and Houston didn't have an answer for him on defense all night. Bryon Allen continues to have a great March and was two rebounds and one assist short of a triple-double. Freshman Patrick Holloway and Marko Gujanicic logged a lot of minutes, which was good because that's part of the point in playing in the CBI. Both had a few miscues but they were in the game during the critical moments and both helped Mason get the victory.

The Patriots have been playing some encouraging basketball in these last two games and are definitely taking this tournament seriously. I think this is a good start to begin to build towards next season. They are playing better together as a team and putting in more effort on the defensive end. They are also playing with a degree of confidence that we rarely saw throughout the season.

Mason had 17 points off turnovers, a lot of which came in the first half.

Too easy vine.co/v/bD3rg6Aj6Q3
— gmuhoops (@gmuhoops) March 25, 2013

The Patriots were also on-point from behind the arch last night and finished 11-22 on three-pointers. Patrick Holloway was 3-for-6:

Everything going right for Mason so far vine.co/v/bD3X0BniUx0
— gmuhoops (@gmuhoops) March 25, 2013

Erik Copes had a fairly quiet night but did have three blocks. One of which he put in the stands:

Monster block by Erik Copes vine.co/v/bD3wzmVDlt0
— gmuhoops (@gmuhoops) March 25, 2013

And a Bryon Allen put back slam:

Bryon Allen with the put back slam vine.co/v/bD3VET1XvKA
— gmuhoops (@gmuhoops) March 26, 2013

Next up for George Mason they will host Western Michigan on Wednesday night at 7 pm in the CBI semifinals. The winner will play either Santa Clara or Wright State in the finals, which is a best of three series.

[Photo by Bill Bride]

NCAA Basketball Stats

Dr. Cabrera and Tom O'Connor make the move to the Atlantic 10 official

2013-03-25T13:38:00.001-04:00

George Mason president, Dr. Angel Cabrera, couldn't be in Fairfax today due to a prior commitment in Arizona but was he video-conferenced in for the official announcement. Love how the guy is wearing a Nike George Mason polo for this press conference. Basically Cabrera stated that prior decision to pass on the Atlantic 10 last year was before he started at George Mason. In other words, it was Alan Merten who turned it down, not him. Not new information but just something to remember when a lot of people said Cabrera's lack an athletics background might hinder George Mason's department. Clearly they are making moves to strength athletics and the overall brand at George Mason.

[Photos by Craig Bisacre]