George Mason Basketball: Update on George Mason's NIT hopes

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Update on George Mason's NIT hopes

From what we have seen this week in college basketball, George Mason's hopes at an NIT bid are still pretty slim. A lot more NIT autobids have been won and a few things need to happen for the Patriots to get in. However, Mike Scullin, who runs NIT-ology has George Mason currently as a 7 seed in the tournament. I used to poke fun at fans that were solely relying on this website to gauge Mason's chances, but turns out the Wall Street Journal did a piece on Scullin and he was 31 for 32 in his NIT picks last season. So as his updates continue keep his site bookmarked down the stretch tomorrow. Right now he currently has some BCS teams like VT and UCLA on the outside looking in, and from what we saw on last year's selection I don't know if as many mid-majors will be in the field as he currently has in.

For everyone hoping for a Miami-George Mason NIT showdown, looks like it still is somewhat possible. Would have fun writing that game preview. I believe the NIT selections are announced Sunday night after NCAA tournament selection show, buts Mason might leak the news earlier.

Labels: NIT, schedule

44 Comments:

Dsndsn said...: The NIT is now all about TV ratings and setting-up match-ups that generates with the media most "Media Buzz" and attention .....can you think of a hotter NIT match-up than Miami vs. George Mason, with two former Final Four coaches? I think that Larranaga returning to Mason to play the man who replaced him, would be just what NIT match-makers would want.; 11:18 AM
Bigfan said...: Where's the couch coach? Hate to admit it but the guy was dead on about everything he said. Couch Couch, what do you see for next year?; 3:25 PM
Gio said...: Looks like Lamar might win their conference final. Would that help us get an NIT bid since we beat them in our bracket-buster game?; 3:43 PM
taylormade703 said...: Can you imagine the ovation Larranaga would get in Fairfax? Especially now!?!; 3:44 PM
Patriot74 said...: Couch coach hasnt been on here in quite some time.; 4:22 PM
Patriot74 said...: Whats that supposed to mean? we won 24 ballgames with a team in transition. I know our OOC schedule was weak but lets look at the glass half full.; 4:23 PM
Coolhead said...: Couch coach we need your consultation!; 4:59 PM
gmuhoops said...: No one would give him an ovation, you think fans want to applaud our administration for not committing to this program and forcing him out the door?; 5:27 PM
Patriot74 said...: O'conner is very frugal. I think there is more money to go around for Mason hoops then he leads the public to believe.; 5:59 PM
taylormade703 said...: There are many people who would give him an ovation. Others who have bought into this whole "he left for money" thing (even though he could have left five years earlier to Seton Hall or Providence for more money) will sit on their hands, but everybody else respects everything he did for our school.; 7:21 PM
taylormade703 said...: Were we better off last year this time or not?; 7:25 PM
gmuhoops said...: Don't know why you act like the guy walks on water. Also he didn't retire, he left on bad terms with our AD and the program, so acting as if poor little Mason was SO lucky he graced us with his prescence seems bush league to me.; 7:29 PM
taylormade703 said...: Never said he walked on water. But anybody who knows the smallest bit of basketball knows he was great for the university.

Like everybody, I want the best for my school. We have an excellent facility and excellent program. I think Roland Houston is probably the top assistant coach in the CAA. Mike Morrison has made humongous strides this season, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him play overseas next year. Ryan Pearson is a Mason great and Eric Copes is arguably the best Mason freshman in 10 years.

For every one negative we have 99 positives. But we shouldn't ignore the negative and sweep it under the rug.

GO MASON!; 7:58 PM
Patriot74 said...: You cant expect to win 27 ballgames every year. I love our ballclub but we're not a Kentucky yet. Wait 2-3 more years. If Hewitt cannot make strides by then, then I'll agree with you 100%.; 10:23 PM
Patriot74 said...: What annoyed me about Coach L was his sudden change in perspectives. After spending 14 years defending mid-majors he does a total 360 and tries to sell his own team like some cheap politician. I know Miami pays him but he coulda kept his mouth shut and been diplomatic. Still, one cannot ignore his status at Mason and despite his anti-mid major comments I still wish him well at Miami.; 10:28 PM
Gumby69467 said...: When did Larranaga ever sweep ODU? Best player transers, another key player sits out the first leg of the season, no experience at the point and your're crying about a 24 win season? That's assinine.; 9:40 AM
Taylormade703 said...: If you had read my post from yesterday, you would have read:

Like everybody, I want the best for my school. We have an excellent
facility and excellent program. I think Roland Houston is probably the
top assistant coach in the CAA. Mike Morrison has made humongous
strides this season, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him play
overseas next year. Ryan Pearson is a Mason great and Eric Copes is
arguably the best Mason freshman in 10 years.

I'm sorry you feel raising questions and advocating further investment in our program equates "crying" and is "asinine."; 9:53 AM
Taylormade703 said...: Obviously there has been some confusion in my posts, so let me clarify for the record:

1) I advocate further investment in our basketball program. You have seen VCU investing in their coach and investing in building a new practice facility. They have less alumni and less resources. There is no reason we can't do that.

2) I like Paul Hewitt. I have always said he is a class individual who represents the university well.

3) I like Coach L. He was a class individual who represented the university well.

4) Fact: we couldn't break a press consistently all year.

5) I maintain Roland Houston is the best assistant coach in the CAA and we are lucky to have him.

6) Even after coaching changes, after our Final Four run we should be the class of the league, which begs the question why aren't we. We are in the top third of the league, but Drexel and VCU are the class, at least recently. Georgia State and Delaware will be up there next year, and ODU will always be tough.

7) Even with all challenges, we are light years ahead of the Westhead/Nestor days.

8) We need a practice facility...yesterday.

9) (I'm adding this one) We have the best band leader in all of college sports.; 10:09 AM
Taylormade703 said...: That would be my number one critique of Coach L. I would have said how Miami should get in, but I would not have said that any other team should NOT get in, if that makes sense. He could have emphasize how he won at Duke and came in #5 in arguably the number two conference in the country this year. I would have left it at that.; 10:15 AM
Lou said...: I agree wholeheartedly with most of your points. I'd quibble a bit with #6--including Drexel as being the class of the league is overstated. No question that they have had a great league season, but we had a better season just last year (long winning streak against better competition, beat quality CAA teams on the road--Drexel didn't play either us or VCU away from home this year, and actually received a #8 NCAA seed, whereas Drexel is on the bubble this year).

Drexel will be good next year as well, along with VCU (who I agree is currently the class of the league). Delaware is likely on the rise. Ga St, even though their coach has turned things around, graduates about 5 guys--it remains to be seen how they'll do. And I wouldn't write Mason off yet in terms of how we'll do next year.

Also with respect to #8, although a practice facility would be nice, I don't see it as a cost-effective university priority, as the number of people who get to use it is remarkably tiny. It needs private support to make it a reality. I think Hewitt's reputation as a recruiter will serve us well even though the team needs to practice in Patriot Center (with the RAC as backup), which seems like more than adequate alternatives .; 12:06 PM
Taylormade703 said...: I'm not writing us off by any stretch. Realistically, I could see us as high as second place or as low as 6th. We were in a game against Towson until the last 45 seconds. I don't see us in the cellar any time soon.

A practice facility is much more than just a gym for basketball players. Sure, on the surface it's that, but it's much more. It communicates to the community, university and most importantly recruits that the school has made an investment in the basketball program. Practice in the Patriot Center is ideal, but the team gets bumped all the time if something else is going on.

Sure, getting LCD screens and a new scoreboard at the PC is nice, but that's 5 years overdue. We need to insist on being with the times. Our school is ahead of the curve in so many regards, so should everything that happens at 4500 Patriot Circle.; 1:37 PM
Rmjank said...: Re #4: Didn't Cam Long go to some sort of point guard camp over the summer before his senior year? I'd love to see Corey Edwards get into some kind of program like that. The kid's problems are not physical, I think. His "handle" looks real good. I just think he moved too fast for his brain -- that is, faster than his perception of what was going on on the court, and he would end up dribbling himself into trouble.; 3:57 PM
Dsndsn said...: My comments to taylormade703's points: 7. "Even with all of the challenges, we are light years ahead of the Westhead/Nestor days"....played in 'George Mason Basketball: The Movie', of course, by Don Johnson and Dick Wilson......uh' what?....uh' who?...."Sonny Crockett and Mr. Whipple" of course.

I also suggest casting Denzel Washington as Paul Hewitt, and a an "age appropriate" Gene Hackman as Jim Larranaga. Casting for Rick Barnes and Joe Harrington is still ongoing. Suggestions? lol; 4:31 PM
Student said...: My bad, I meant to reply to the original post. You're cool taylor; 4:56 PM
Taylormade703 said...: Mature post.; 5:15 PM
Taylormade703 said...: I'm biased, but Drexel should have gotten in the dance.; 7:27 PM
Coolhead said...: NIT Brac! says Mason in MD out! I think Mason va Miami likely! Will see soon!; 7:34 PM
Taylormade703 said...: Where are you getting this info!?!; 7:37 PM
Patriot74 said...: Coolhead from your mouth to the Basketball Gods ears. I got my fingers crossed.; 7:48 PM
Coolhead said...: Source: Mike Scullen NIT Ology; 8:07 PM
Coolhead said...: Mike Scullen NIT Ology says Mason in and MD out AS OF 7:27PM, I am speculating Mason vs Maimi.; 8:11 PM
Coolhead said...: Agree and that is why GMU needs to move to the A10!; 8:12 PM
Coolhead said...: Mason not selected to NIT! Look forward to next year opening game UVA!; 9:23 PM
Coolhead said...: Mike Scullen NIT Ology and I both wrong, Look forward to GMU home opener vs UVA.; 9:25 PM
Coolhead said...: Ryan you were correct about GMU=no NIT!; 9:27 PM
Patriot74 said...: We got robbed. Illinois State had an Rpi of 101 and got in as a 7th seed. What a letdown!!!; 9:38 PM
Kokokilla said...: No NIT ever again. Please let them know that they need not ever consider the Patriots for this D-class collection of fools again. Expand the NCAA's and say aloha to the NIT once and for all......C.M. Newton, your time is short.; 9:55 PM
jim said...: yeah, how did illinois st. get in over us? 9-9 in conference, 6-4 last 10. must've been their win over wichita state. Man - if they beat Wichita St. - VCU cerainly has a chance; 11:34 PM
Dsndsn said...: 24-9 and no post season....? It reminds me of a few years in the early and mid-eighties, when Mason posted good records, but played in a high school quality gym only got one bid to the post-season. I am sure that Mason said no thanks to the "pay-for-play" CBI and CIT, given that Fairfied debacle a few years ago, but I thought a Mason v. U. of Miami match was a perfect made for TV event for the "Dying NIT". Let's "kill off that relic" and exand the NCAA field by an equal amount of teams....the CIT and CBI will certainly pick-up the slack.; 2:11 AM
Dsndsn said...: Oh' by the way, a partial a list of those interest becauseof their major conference affiliation, recent history with Mason, or "local" appeal who "paid to play" this year and extended their season:

CIT: AU                                            CBI: Delaware
       ODU                                                 U. of Washington
       Fairfield                                           Oregon State
       Georgia State                                   Butler
       Coastal Carolina                                Pittsburgh; 8:15 AM
gmuhoops said...: Washington is a #1 seed in the NIT. Also, don't know what you mean by "Dying NIT", since the NCAA took it over a few years ago it's been much better.; 8:35 AM
Patriot74 said...: Make the NCAAs 96 teams. No NIT/CBI/CIT!; 9:03 AM
Dsndsn said...: Whoops...I obviously meant Washington State not the Univ. of Washington. I stand by the "dying NIT" comment though. With the ever expanding tournament field, and the existence of deserving 20 win teams who did not make the tournament every year (Did'nt VCU have to win a "Play-In" game last year to get in?)How much longer can the NCAA keep this" white elephant alive", and at least go to a larger "play-in" round? Maybe we are headed to a larger another Half-Round format in Dayton or other sites, that could easily acomplished, with a great financial return for the NCAA, turning the "NCAA owned" NIT solely into a pre-season tournament. .; 9:19 AM
gmuhoops said...: Washington State was 15-16 this year, great tournament we are missing out on there...; 5:11 PM

Update on George Mason's NIT hopes

George Mason Basketball

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Update on George Mason's NIT hopes

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