As Mason Madness approaches, we break down the biggest questions heading into this season

Mason Madness is this Friday and official practices will finally be underway. A lot has changed since last year's Madness event and there are many questions fans and media have entering into the '11-'12 season. We tried to break down the big ones.

Where is the offense going to come from?  Last season the Patriots were #1 in the CAA in points per game (72.8) and FG% (47.1), while being one of the nation's most efficient teams. With Andre Cornelius currently suspended, the team will start the season with only one of their top four scorers from last year, Ryan Pearson. We know what we are going to get with Pearson, who will likely be in the running for CAA POY, but what about the rest of the team?  Redshirt sophomore Sherrod Wright will no doubt bear a lot of the scoring load this season along with Ryan Pearson but the team will need big contributions from a number of younger players.  Bryon Allen, Corey Edwards, Vertrail Vaughns, and Vaughn Gray will be used to help fill the scoring void left by Cam Long and Luke Hancock. Wright, Gray, and Vaughns have all received praise from this coaching staff for their shooting but will they be as effective from behind the three-point line as Hancock, Long, Tate and Cornelius were last season?  In the front court it's difficult to project how Mike Morrison will do under Paul Hewitt as he often struggled in Larranaga's offense at the high post. In fact his ppg dropped last season from 8.5 to 6.8. He's at his best running the floor in transition but I think the ceiling for him is most likely 9-10 ppg.  Freshman Erik Copes will get minutes but he is very limited offensively, Paris Bennett and Jonathan Arledge have more range than him at this point. Junior forward Johnny Williams will be redshirting.

Who will be the starting point guard? Don't be surprised if freshman Corey Edwards gets a lot of time at the point guard position or even starts in the early goings. Andre Cornelius most likely would have been tabbed the starter because of his experience but like Bryon Allen and Vertrail Vaughns, he's really a better fit at the shooting guard position. Vaughns is better used when he is off the ball, as he showed last year behind the three-point line. Allen can definitely play the point but his size, strength, and ability to get to the rim might be better utilized elsewhere on the court.  Edwards is the team's only pure point guard and with no returning guards averaging more than 1.6 assists per game last season he has a chance to shine.  

Will this team still play great defense in the post-Larranaga era? This will probably be the biggest change we witness in the first year of the Paul Hewitt era. The team's scoring defense and opponents FG percentage were tops in the CAA but I think it's very unlikely we see them repeat these feats. Andre Cornelius is team's best defender, without him in the lineup they will have inexperienced guards trying to defend some very good players in the CAA. Jim Larranaga would bench younger players who didn't play defense well enough, will Paul Hewitt do that?  We won't see an attacking style of defense like we saw with the "scramble" but a number of Hewitt's teams at Georgia Tech had good defensive numbers against the ACC. It's worth noting that a few of his teams finished the year holding their opponents under 40% shooting from the field. Hewitt's defenses also force turnovers and his teams would often lead the ACC in steals, which is something we are used to seeing the Patriots do.

How will the Patriots fare in the CAA this year? Before Jim Larranaga and Luke Hancock left, I'd bet most media members would have tabbed the Patriots as favorites to win the CAA. Now Drexel is starting to get some attention as the favorite.  Despite what has happened to George Mason over the last couple of months, I still like their chances in the CAA this year. Despite some roster turnover, the Patriots are still one of the deeper teams in the conference and have the best incoming freshman class in the CAA.  VCU and ODU lost a lot from last year and James Madison and William & Mary haven't made enough strides to be better than fourth or fifth place teams.  Drexel returns the most talent but Bruiser Flint never seems to get these guys over the hump. Like George Mason, the CAA has a lot of question marks heading into this season, and right now that's good for the Patriots.

What other questions do you have?


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If your not already pumped for this season, the new '10-'11 highlight video from Thuc Phan will get you there.

Mike Morrison will be a big factor in George Mason's success this season

Although Cam Long continues to get the preseason press clippings, I feel Mike Morrison will most likely end being just as big of a factor this season for the Patriots. Jake Whitacre of SB Nation will agree with me on this one. It's often difficult for mid-major teams to find tough inside players to battle with the big boys and Morrison's improvement over last season could give the Patriots a much improved inside prescence in the CAA.  Ryan Pearson is a consistent scoring threat at forward but he's still undersized for the position.  Morrison becoming a terror in the middle only helps Pearson's game while also giving plenty of scoring chances for the team's stellar guards.  Larranaga's best teams always had strong forwards/centers, think George Evans, Jesse Young, Jai Lewis, and Will Thomas.  All those guys were coached up by Larranaga into low post machines, except maybe for Evans who was just a flat out beast. But can Morrison get to the same level as those guys? I think so.

Morrison will benefit from being surrounded by a lot of talent this season, talent that also won't be going though as much growing pains. The reason why Morrison's improvement will be so important this season is that it will strengthen a weak area for the Patriots.  While him and Pearson certainly didn't have awful years last season, they did have games where they got abused by better big men in and out of the CAA.  The game against Radford was probably the most telling as the Highlanders scored at will inside all game long.  Larry Sanders (VCU), Gerald Lee (ODU), and Nkem Ojougboh (NU) are just some of the forwards in the CAA that gave the Patriots trouble last year, however they are gone now.  As a whole I don't think the CAA is as deep at the forward position this season,  which opens the door for Morrison. 

Free-throw shooting will probably still be an issue this season for him and he will still need to learn how to stay in games longer by not getting into foul trouble.  This is where it's obvious how important he will be to the team's success frankly because the group just isn't that deep at forward.  If Morrison gets into early foul trouble the team won't have the benefit of subbing in a senior at that position like with Louis Birdsong last year.  While working on those areas, he should be a much improved rebounder and defender this season without a doubt.  His rebounding will play a large part in letting others take more three-point attempts, something Coach Larranaga wants to see.  I think fans will be very pleased by his offseason work ethic and how he will be more aggressive in the middle this year.

[Photo Credit: George Mason Athletics]

2010-2011 Season Preview Part IV: The Seniors

As we countdown to Mason Madness tonight and the official start to the season, we will be taking a look at this year's 2010-2011 George Mason squad on a class by class basis. Feel free to chime in to praise or tear apart my analysis if you see fit.

Previous Previews:

Part I: The Freshmen

Part II: The Sophomores

Part III: The Juniors

In our last part of this year's season preview we take a look at the team's only two seniors Cam Long and Isaiah Tate.  These two were leaders last season with Louis Birdsong being the only senior and now that he is gone their leadership qualities will have more weight.  Both are starters although Tate saw his minutes diminished a little towards the end of the regular season.  Coach Larranaga always leans on his seniors and his best teams always had a strong presence from these upperclassmen.  Cam Long is obviously the team's most important player and last year he tried to do too much with a very young squad, this year some of the pressure should be off with emerging talents developing.  He has the ability to carry the team on his back but the team can't rely on that every night if they want to win in the CAA, consistent support for his teammates will be needed.

Cam Long

Cam Long led the team in scoring, assists, free throw percentage, and steals last year but suffered at times from being surrounded by inconsistent efforts from his teammates.  He ended the season last year on a bad note averaging only 6.8 points in the last 6 games and was suspended for team's postseason CIT disaster against Fairfield for "not meeting team responsibilities". Not exactly how you want your leaders performing but last year is over and done and I'm sure these guys are ready to move on and learn from their mistakes over that time.  Long has to lead the way on this or the team will have another roller-coaster year. During the season I wrote about how important he was to the team's success and although it's not critical he scores more points this season, his efforts of getting other players involved will.  Dishing out 3.1 assists a game may have led the team last year but it's just not good enough, they were 11th in the CAA in that category. This goes back to the point of the team not having a true point guard but until someone like Bryon Allen takes the reigns in that area they need more from guys like Cam. The Patriots don't need him to score 20 or even 15 points a game to win but they need a solid leader in the back court who won't turnover the ball and will get the surrounding talent more involved throughout the game.  Long is still the team's star player hands down but the fate of the season won't rest on his shoulders. However it would be nice to see more of these this season.

Isaiah Tate

Although Isaiah Tate started 23 games last season he will fight with a crowded back court for minutes this season.  The young talent on this roster for the upcoming season is strong at the guard position even with Sherrod Wright being out.  Aside from shooting guard he can play the 3 spot, more of a small forward type role, but Luke Hancock also plays well there and can handle the ball better.  Tate was inconsistent last season leading to a couple DNPs and him playing all of two minutes in the team's only CAA tournament game against VCU.  I still believe Larranaga doesn't use him properly at times and maybe he could have been a better three-point sniper for the team if given the opportunity. Another example of this is Vlad Moldoveanu who transferred out of Mason after a year in Coach L's offense and then went on to average 18.1 points and shoot .387 on three-pointers at American. Tate however was brought in to be that next great three-point shooter at Mason like Lamar Butler and Dre Smith but he never really took off and still has trouble creating his own shot. Tate could end up how Louis Birdsong did last year mostly because the younger talent on the squad keeps him off the court. Something I am sure won't bother most fans.

2010-2011 Season Preview Part III: The Juniors

As we countdown to Mason Madness and the official start to the season, we will be taking a look at this year's 2010-2011 George Mason squad on a class by class basis. Feel free to chime in to praise or tear apart my analysis if you see fit.

Previous Previews:
Part I: The Freshmen
Part II: The Sophomores

Although Cam Long is probably the single most important player on this year's squad, the junior class as a whole is most likely going to be the biggest factor that determines the team's success for 2010-2011.  This 2008 recruiting class entered the Patriot Center two years ago as KRAM and last year were crowned the team's "super sophomores" and even had their own special on Comcast. But KRAM is not just down to RAM as the "K", Kevin Foster, has left George Mason and he will be playing for Fresno State this year after spending some time at Central Florida community college. Foster was a ghost for most of January and the beginning of February last season but had a few flashes of his talent on display. But ultimately ended the season by being mostly absent from the box score and didn't even play in the CIT game against Fairfield. Foster seemed to be very versatile forward and I know the coaching staff was high on him.

The rest of the 2008 recruiting class, which counted for more than 44% of the team's scoring last season, will most likely be counted on more this year.  Forwards Ryan Pearson and Mike Morrison are poised to put up big numbers inside but need to be more aggressive on the boards.  Andre Cornelius was wildly inconsistent but proved he's the team's leading three-point shooting threat going .433 from behind the arch. 

Ryan Pearson

Ryan Pearson was the Patriots' most consistent player last season and proved he can score in a variety of ways, including the perimeter.  He's the latest left-handed big man in the Larranaga school of post players and has the ability to carry the team on his back when he has to.  With more support from Mike Morrison and Johnny Williams on the glass he should be in line for a big year production wise and will be the team's #1 inside scoring threat. Also Pearson's ability to out rebound taller, bigger players makes him a huge asset on this roster. Other teams find him difficult to guard but he will need to work on staying out of foul trouble late in games.  Look for Mason to try to isolate Pearson down low for scoring opportunities like they used to do with Will Thomas.  

Mike Morrison

Mike Morrison is probably the team's most electric player and like Pearson last season solidified himself as one of the better post players in the CAA.  His rebounding efforts and defense improved last season but his emotions when it comes to foul trouble and free-throwing shooting still got the better of him at certain times. Suspensions like last year's just can't happen again and hopefully he's matured a bit since then. There were moments when Morrison seemed dominant in the front court and Mason needs to get him involved in the offense early and often this year.  Morrison and Pearson will complement each other well in the low post but both need to stay out of foul trouble because their isn't much depth on the bench with Louis Birdsong now gone.  I think Morrison has the potential to be a 14 point 8 rebound a night kind of player for this squad which would ultimately open things up more for the guards.  

Andre Cornelius

Andre Cornelius might be the most talented guard on the roster but last season was plagued by inconsistency, the running theme for the team as it turned out.  His quickness to attack the basket and knock down a three pointer was a large reason for Mason staying atop the CAA standings.  After the whole pillow stealing incident while at Tulane, it seemed he was in Larranaga's dog house for some part of the season. His inconsistent efforts didn't help either and I almost wouldn't doubt the coaching staff wasn't happy with this work ethic on the court.  But as I stated above he had a terrific year shooting the ball from behind the arch and really got the Patriots back into some games last season because of it. He played the point a lot last season and I wouldn't doubt he will begin this season starting there but much like Cam Long I believe he's better at the shooting guard spot.  Cornelius is an excellent ball handler but he's not exactly a pass first type of player and often makes ill advised decisions. Defensively he's the team's best on the ball defender and really can make Larranaga's patented "scramble defense" work, if he decides to actually use it more this season. Let's just hope some of what happened last year can be chalked up to growing pains.

2010-2011 Season Preview Part II: The Sophomores

As we countdown to Mason Madness and the official start to the season, we will be taking a look at this year's 2010-2011 George Mason squad on a class by class basis. Feel free to chime in to praise or tear apart my analysis if you see fit.

Previous Previews:
Part I: The Freshmen

The 2009 recruiting class contains almost an entire starting line-up of the future, or so we hope.  The group of six, including redshirt freshmen Vertrail Vaughns and Paris Bennett brings a wide variety of talents to the squad. These guys are really the future of the team and their development this year will be crucial to the team's future success in the CAA.  Luke Hancock and Sherrod Wright saw the most action but Johnny Williams and Rashad Whack should be more involved this season. This group gives the team depth in all areas and a lot of high energy. With a full year of Coach Larranaga's defensive scheme under their belts this group should be very much improved over last season.

Luke Hancock

Luke Hancock was a pleasant surprise to Mason fans last season, but definitely no surprise to the coaching staff.  His extra year prepping at Hargrave Military Academy did wonders for his transition to division I basketball.  A lot of his contributions don't show up on the stat sheet but he there were so many times he looked like a seasoned veteran, especially late in important games.  His late game dunk to power the Patriots to victory over Creighton was probably one of his best moments last season, the kid has no fear. Apparently he's been working on his three-point shooting, which was good percentage wise last season (.324) but he needs to not shy away from the perimeter shots.  He's also an unselfish player, which I am sure Larranaga loves, and at times last season you would have thought he was the team's point guard or "point forward". Hancock is kind of a jack of all trades player every good team needs, who doesn't do anything particularly great but does many things well (think Gabe Norwood). Hancock will log a lot of minutes this season and although I think he's better as a 6th man I wouldn't be surprised if he finds himself in the starting lineup at times this season.

Sherrod Wright

The 2010-2011 doesn't exactly start off with great news as we found out last month that Sherrod Wright will be out for the season. The coaching staff isn't going to say much about it, because frankly they don't have to, redshirts are not named until the end of the season.  Barring any unforseen circumstances we won't see Wright this season because even after successful arthroscopic shoulder surgery he's got months of rehabilitation ahead of him.  The only chance we could possibly see him this season would be if at the end of the year the team is devastated by injury and basically the coaching staff just needs the extra body to compete but even that is a long shot given that he will be eligible for a medical redshirt and not lose a year of playing. It's really a shame because I would have predicted Wright to break out this season scoring wise and be a large part of the Patriots offense. He has the skills to beat you in a variety of ways but on defense he was exposed a bit at the beginning of last season.  Although I think Mason will miss his scoring ability this year, an extra season of him and Bryon Allen in the same backcourt will be something fans will grow to love.

Johnny Williams

Before last season started I would have thought Johnny Williams would see more minutes because he has the big body frame the team was lacking.  He didn't quite produce in the rebounding area in the limited action he saw last season which is an area he can really help this team.  Aside from his season high 18 points against College of Charleston we didn't see much of him but we did see that the talent is there when given the chance. Last year senior Louis Birdsong kept Williams on the bench, which fans didn't like, but Birdsong was a veteran in Coach L's system and a better post defender.  This year look for Williams to be used more off the bench in what hopefully amounts to a solid three-forward rotation between he, Pearson, and Morrison.  Rebounding and low-post defense will get him on the court more and let's hope it happens sooner rather than later because this team's depth at the post player position is shallow. The Patriots need him to be a physical presence in the middle this season.

Rashad Whack

Rashad Whack is not a name you heard a lot of last season either, except when the Washington Post revealed that he injured himself last January slipping in the shower.  The injury to his shoulder kept him out for a little bit in January and February last season but still was able to log some minutes in the Patriots crowded shooting guard spot.  Back in the beginning of the year he started in place of Andre Cornelius against Villanova in one of the best games we saw the Patriots play. He will need to show the coaching staff he can routinely hit the outside jumper if he wants to earn more minutes this season and Sherrod Wright's absence might provide him with more time to showcase himself.  The Patriots need him to come off the bench and help defend the CAA's top guards, which is another area he could excel in this year to see more time.

Paris Bennett

It's tough being injured your freshman year but Paris Bennett at least got some minutes in before getting hurt and ultimately earning a medical redshirt. Bennett has a tough task ahead of him this year trying to battle with Luke Hancock and a bunch of other talent on this team for minutes.  He's a true small forward on this team but mostly played power forward in high school. While lanky he doesn't really have the muscle to bang on the inside and I'm not sure he has the perimeter game to play successfully at the off forward position.  I compare him a lot to Louis Birdsong as being somewhat of a "tweener" meaning he's a between two positions kind of player.  Paris is not a selfish player and his athleticism, hustle and ability to run the floor well could get in him more involved this season.

Vertrail Vaughns

We already know he can dance, but how much will we see of him this season? Vertail Vaughns suffered the same setbacks Paris Bennett did last year injuring his wrist after only playing six games and now faces a tough challenge of competing for minutes against a crowded roster of combo guards.  He brings a solid mid-range game, quickness and the ability to create well in open space but I think he will hard pressed for minutes this season with the addition of true freshman Bryon Allen.  Vaughns made a name for himself in high school as a stellar passer and great facilitator for his teammates.  This could give him an edge over some of the guards on this roster but you can't help but remember he turned over the ball seven times in the last 19 minutes we saw him play last season. There's a lot of talent ahead of him at the guard position so I don't think he will get much action this season but after Cam Long and Isaiah Tate graduate there will be opportunity for him.

2010-2011 Season Preview Part I: The Freshmen

As we countdown to Mason Madness and the official start to the season, we will be taking a look at this year's 2010-2011 George Mason squad on a class by class basis.  Feel free to chime in to praise or tear apart my analysis if you see fit.

We'll start with the freshmen class, Jonathan Arledge and Bryon Allen. I'm not going to include redshirt freshmen Paris Bennett and Vertrail Vaughns but just stick with the true freshmen for this preview.

Bryon Allen

I've been raving about Allen since the day he committed to the green and gold. He was formerly committed to Bob Huggins at West Virginia but they had to revoke the scholarship offer after a current WVU player earned a redshirt and returned to the team after injury. Allen was on the radar of a lot of big time schools after playing briefly at Oak Hill academy in Virginia.  He transferred to St. Thomas More for his senior year to play in the prep leagues and hone his skills. He went this route to play the point and be in a league that used a shot clock in order to get ready for his transition from high school to division I NCAA.  Allen has the size (6'3" 215 lbs) that Coach Larranaga covets in a guard (think Folarin Campbell) and seems to be the mold of a true point guard in the making, something this team is currently lacking.  

What can he bring to the team? I think Allen can eventually bring stability to the point guard position and allow players like Cam Long and Andre Cornelius to play more of the two spot were they are better suited.  His powerful frame and ability to create for his teammates makes him a big threat for the Patriots if he develops quickly.  He has the ability to score from the perimeter and attack the rim but how he plays the point guard position will ultimately determine how much we see of him on the court this year.  His high school coaching staff says he can contribute right away and from what we have seen in his summer league and Italy play he seems to already be up to the task.  

How much will we see of Allen this season? How he plays defense will be big factor in determining his minutes, but the squads lack of a true point guard also plays a role in this. Nevertheless Allen will need to improve defensively to cover Division I players but with his skills he should develop quickly.  Cam Long and Andre Cornelius are much better defenders at this point but Allen's ability to create for others could help him play around 15-19 minutes a game if not more. It might start off slowly but I believe by the season's end it will be clear that Allen is the team's starting point guard of the future.

Jonathan Arledge

Jonathan Arledge is a DC All-Met forward who comes to Mason this season a bit more raw than Bryon Allen but has a ton of potential. For starters he's 6'9" and has decent range outside of the paint and fits of the mold of forwards Larranaga has brought in to become elite CAA post players. He comes in with a bit more muscle than guys like Ryan Pearson or Mike Morrison had as freshmen so that should help his development. However I still believe Arledge is going to be a project for the staff this season, and that's not a bad thing.  

What can be bring to the team? Defense and versatility. After talking with his high school coach back in May all I heard about was Arledge's ability to be a defensive force, which was something you don't see much of in his highlights on YouTube. On his high school team at KIMA they always played man to man defense, no zones, and often Arledge had to guard someone much shorter and quicker than him. He always held his own and averaged about 2 steals a game to go along with his 12 rebounds and 3 blocked shots. His ability to guard a variety of players will help him see the court more in Larranaga's system eventually. The defensive part of his game is most likely why Larranaga and his staff were so high on him from the beginning.

Now when talking about Arledge's versatility you can see from his high school highlights that he was not afraid to shot a three pointer here and there.  He actually had a decent shooting percentage from there but I feel his tendency to hang around the perimeter on offense won't quite help him make the transition at this level.  

How much of Arledge will we see this season? I don't think we will see a lot of Arledge this season, he's just a bit too raw in some areas.  Mike Morrison and Ryan Pearson are locked in as starters and Johnny Williams will see a lot more action this season now with Louis Birdsong gone. If he proves he can rebound and hang tough defensively in the paint I could see him earning more minutes as the season goes on. And let's not forget Pearson and Morrison often got into foul trouble last season which could also play a part in how much we see of Arledge this year.

Yahoo's The Dagger previews the CAA, projects George Mason to finish #2

Matt Norlander of the Yahoo's college basketball blog The Dagger previews the CAA today and has ODU, Mason, and VCU in his top 3.  He also has JMU at #8 which I don't agree with, they are going to surprise some people this season, especially with Denzel Bowles.  No way I'd have them below Northeastern in the standing after the starters the Huskies lost this off-season. I also think he's giving Hofstra a little too much credit in these rankings, Charles Jenkins will be a beast this year but I don't know if it's enough to stabilize the changes that program is going through.

The conference had arguably its best year, top to bottom, in its history. Can it get at least two teams to The Dance?

Every year at this time the topic of multiple NCAA tournament berths comes up. I think it's very possible this season because the CAA as a whole returns almost 70 percent of their starting players. The out of conference schedule for the league is also pretty good this year. ODU and VCU have a chance to make some noise early in the year and Mason's game on the road at Dayton could be bubble worthy.  But like every year we have to wait to see how everything unfolds. 

Michael Litos shares his Blue Ribbon Yearbook preview for George Mason 2010-11

Michael Litos has posted a preview of some of his work for the CAA on this year's Blue Ribbon Yearbook that he contributes to annually for college basketball. Here is what he had to say for George Mason, see if you agree:

"What Matters: Boldness. Really, this is all about Cam Long. The kid has got to be that guy, both on and off the court. When Mason was its best Long was a selfish ballhog, and we mean that in a good way. Long must show up, and demand things of his teammates. Luke Hancock taking the frosh to soph jump is important, too, but a distant second.

It’s Good If: Long yells at a teammate during an early season game (then hits a three); Mike Morrison and Ryan Pearson become a consistent Batman and Robin combination on the baseline; Johnny Williams provides a measure of bulk.

It’s Not Good If: Mason has six different leading scorers in its first eight games. Mason is the ultimate in expect the unexpected, and that’s not good; Andre Cornelius starts the season slowly. Jim Larranaga defers to upperclassmen, and the coach will have a decision to make if Sherrod Wright or Bryon Allen are outplaying ACorn. 

Look Out For: Wright. He didn’t shoot it well and his assist-to-turnover ratio was horrible (14/34). But that’s typical freshman stuff. I see consistent minutes and three double-figures games down the stretch, when most freshman have hit the wall. 

One Stat: Mason played five games against the top three teams (ODU, NU, Pugs). The Patriots were 1-4 in those games, and Cam Long scored 27 total points (5.4ppg), never getting more than seven in any one game. He missed 11 of 12 threes. 

Jim Larranaga: “(Freshman) Bryon (Allen) is a powerful guard who can score at the rim and from the perimeter as well as create for his teammates.” 

In Summary: The only thing I’m certain of is that Mason will finish somewhere between first and 12th. I have them third based on talent level and coaching acumen, but nothing would surprise me out of this group. Maturity may tell the tale. Vegas builds casinos on people who think they’ve got a team like Mason figured out."

I agree with the fact that Cam Long is going to be important to this teams success, but will his leadership determine whether this is a 1st place CAA team or a 5th place one? I'm not so sure it's going to be that cut and dry.  Larranaga always produces a balanced squad on offense and I don't think Long needs to be Eric Maynor-like in order for the Patriots to get to the NCAAs this season.  The stat from Long's play against the top three CAA teams last season proves that Long would have to almost make a 180 this season in terms of consistency. Will that happen? I doubt it. It's not surprise that the team flourished when Long was more selfish with the ball, but I feel like he has more to lean on this season. If Mike Morrison and Ryan Pearson continue to produce up front Long won't have to put up 20 points to beat ODU or VCU.

I do agree that Coach L might have to make a decision about Sherrod Wright or Bryon Allen if they are outplaying Andre Cornelius. This is something I could see happening sooner rather than later, especially if Allen displays some natural point guard skills.  Cornelius was wildly inconsistent last season but still remained the teams' best long range shooter (43% from 3pt).  This combined with his defense should keep him in the starting lineup but for how long I don't know.

Will the Patriots turn up the tempo this season?

For most of Patriot fans recent memories Mason basketball has not been a high flying up-tempo act to watch. Fans remember big guys like Jai Lewis, Darryl Monroe, and Will Thomas and their muscling moves in the paint. Not to say there was a shortage of athletic guards on the squad but with these big slow forwards the Patriots were never able to really run Larranaga's patented scramble defense. The Washington Post's Steven Goff points this out in an article this morning and quotes Larranaga about how this season could be a roller-coaster ride for fans:

"They're going to be saying: 'Whoa, this is terrible! Whoa, this is great! No, it's terrible! No, it's great! What's going on here? Wow!' All in a matter of 10 minutes."

That's probably a good way to sum up what we all might be thinking at certain moments during this season. Goff states that Larranaga is adapting to his team's new talent influx this season and that we will see more up-tempo play, something that will fun and miserable to watch all at the same time. It was evident in the exhibition Thursday night, we saw guys flying around getting steals in the back court but we also saw guys wildly out of position and yielding easy baskets to Virginia State. The key to the season could be how quickly these guys pick up on Larranaga's teachings.

Certificate of Investment in George Mason Basketball

Kyle Whelliston, mid-major guru, and his Mid-Majority.com have returned for another season of mid-major college basketball. His site is always a good read and I highly recommend it to anyone that reads this blog.

Stop by Mid-Majority.com and use their site to customize your own "certificate of investment" (like the one above) and prove to everyone that you were your loyal to George Mason Basketball before any stunning upset wins occur this season. Man this would have been cool at the start of the '05-'06 season.

The Mid Majority (TMM) explains the purpose of the certificate:

The NCAA Tournament is a time when a lot of folks go "underdog shopping." They're looking for the next best out-of-nowhere story, the team most likely to spring the 15-over-2 upset. They want to know who the "next George Mason" is, and who has the weirdest and most lovable mascot. They want to cherry-pick their way into a big sports experience.

...those come-latelies will never feel the same overwhelming emotions that students, alumni and true fans will. An afternoon of internet research in a cubicle can't possibly measure up to months and years of hoping and wishing; buying a last-minute t-shirt will never replace the investment of sitting through October exhibition games and hanging on every possession.

...

But now, right here, this is the time to get on the ride.

Because if you don't ride the whole ride, you won't get the full high.

...

But who's going to believe you five months from now? Don't worry. For the first time ever, TMM has a way for you to prove that you were here, at the beginning. It's fast, fun... and unlike most of the stuff on this site, free. You will be a confirmed and certified fan, with a document as real as anything Price Waterhouse has ever issued.

This document is court-of-law solid...

During the season, your boys might pop up from time to time here on The Mid-Majority...

When March arrives, and it will in four short months, your team's season might end in a conference tourney somewhere. You'll feel the kind of big, yummy heartache that will make you want to come back for more next year. Or maybe, just maybe, those players you've invested your energy and effort will cut down those nets and move on to the Big Dance.

When they do, and when they pull that giant 15-over-2 upset, I want you to hold up that certificate proudly in the Buffalo Wild Wings or the arena or your cubicle. I want you to show the world that you belong among the true believers, because you were there when it all started.

"I was there for the whole thing," you'll say. "My joy is real, and nobody can ever doubt it."

Season Preview '09-'10

The season is set to begin soon, so let's dive right into this. I'll get the cliches out of the way since you will hear them all year long: 'This team is young but talented'. It's not that I don't agree with that statement, it's just that I feel like it's an excuse for the fans. There will be some growing pains this season, make no mistake, but any long time Mason fan has to feel pretty good about our Patriots being prepared for Richmond this March.

What's different this season for Mason? Last year's team didn't have a whole lot of depth, and I think that might be the biggest change in this year's team. Redshirt freshman Kevin Foster could be playing three different positions this season and is a future starter in the making. He will have to shake off some rust from not playing in games last season but having him this year gives the bench a huge boost. Yes, most of the bench consists of freshmen players, but this year's class is arguably the most talented group to ever walk into Fairfax. Sherrod Wright and Johnny Williams can probably step in right away and provide a spark.

Will leadership be an issue this year? Make no mistake, Cam Long is ready to step up and lead this team. Long spent the summer at Chris Paul's Elite point guard camp and is poised for a big year. Both he and Birdsong played with some serious leaders during their careers at Mason and this year it's there turn. Both are not as outspoken as some this team's past leaders but they lead by example on the court. Pearson, Morrison, and Cornelius instantly become veteran guys this season and will have to be leaders as well to all the new guys. Also, let's not forget Larranaga is and always will be the team's biggest leader.

Biggest question mark? The biggest issue this season could be how this team comes together and if they can find an identity with all the young talent. How will the team respond to growing pains it might face? It will be interesting to see how Larranaga uses all the options on his squad, he will have to experiment a little bit early on. Another issue is if the squad is able to learn Larranaga's scramble defense right away. He has the horses to run it effectively this season but the freshmen could struggle to pick it up.

Class by Class Breakdown:

Freshmen:

Vertail Vaughans: The lefty point guard is quick and good in transition. He will need to work on his defense a little better to get minutes this season. Also not as strong a shooter as Whack or Hancock.

Rashad Whack: Larranaga says he's already equipped to help this team out on defense and that will help him earn playing time this year. A very good outside shooter, could remind some of Lamar Butler type player. Very smart and sound all around player.

Paris Bennett: Some think he will crack the starting lineup this year, I'm not gonna go there but he will be an important role player. He's ready to play because of the talent he played with at his high school and that will help his transition into the college level. He could get more playing time because he's really the team's only true small forward. Every team needs an unselfish guy like this, could remind some of Gabe Norwood.

Luke Hancock: Very athletic forward who has good shooting range, an extra year of prep school gives him that basketball savvy Coach L loves. What his role will be on this year's team is uncertain.

Sherrod Wright: A prolific scorer who can slash to the basket and hit the long range jumper. The knock on him is that he got away with some moves in high school that he won't be able to at this level. How will he adjust? I see him as the squad biggest offensive weapon off the bench but worry he could be erratic like Dre Smith was in his early years. But in the end he could be too talented to be kept on the bench for long.

Johnny Williams: Will probably see the most playing time of the freshmen this year. Amazing physique for a freshman, definitely has the bulk to bang with the bigger conference forwards. Plays very physical, something this team lacked last season and will hopefully dominant on the boards. Is a little bit better shooter than Morrison and has some great low post moves.

Kevin Foster (redshirt): The staff redshirting him last year could pay huge dividends down the road. It was a smart move because he was transitioning from the power forward spot to more of a small forward role. He's versatile enough to play three different positions it will be interesting to see where he plays most this year. Rebounds well enough to play in the front court and shoots well enough to play at the small forward or wing spot. He will be an integral part of Larranaga's attacking style of defense, could be very fun to watch and wouldn't be surprised if he cracks the starting lineup at some point in the season.

Sophomores:

Jimmy Nolan: Returning walk-on from last season, probably one of the best three-point shooters on the team. A scout team player who will routinely help the 1st team prepare for it's next opponent.

Andre Cornelius: How he develops this season could be huge for the team's success. I really think Larranaga prefer him to run the point so Cam Long can play wing and be more of scoring threat. He had some hiccups last year bringing the ball up but showed flashes of brilliance all season long. Now that he's had a season to adjust to the college game I'm curious to see how he will use his speed this season. Probably the team's best straight up defender now that John Vaughan is gone, because of this he will be on the floor most of the season.

Ryan Pearson: Was the most consistent of the freshmen last season and has great touch around the basket. Looks as if he trimmed down a bit and we will see him more at the small forward spot. Not superb at any one thing but talented in many areas and his rebounding was key in games last season. Plays defense very well and that should keep him the starting lineup.

Mike Morrison: If he's not a fan favorite already he will be very soon. Looked powerful and dominant at certain moments last season. Plays aggressive around the rim after taking some time to adjust to the college game. He will end up being the go to guy inside at some point this season. Needs to work on his free-throw shooting but it still could be a breakout season for him.

Juniors:

Isaiah Tate: Has kind of been a disappoint thus far in my mind. Is one of the best three-point shooters on the team but struggles to create his own shot. Plays defense well enough to get playing time but the new talent that came him could leave him the odd man out in the guard rotation.

Cam Long: Hands down the team's most valuable player. Did it all last season as he led the team in scoring, assists, steals, and three-point percentage. There was a lot of games last season that I thought he should have shot the ball more, especially after watching his 24-point performance against VCU where he even dunked on Larry Sanders. A lot of this year's team success will rest on his shoulders, he will have to take the big shots this season and not hesitate. I would like to see Cornelius bring the ball up and set Long out on the wing but I'm not sure if that's how Larranaga sees it just yet.

Seniors:

Louis Birdsong: The teams lone senior is probably the teams best inside defender. He led the team in blocks and doesn't have trouble guarding bigger forwards. Has a good enough shooting range to play a little outside but won't consistently score from there. Does a lot of scoring inside by using his quickness to get by bigger players. Didn't see any improvement in his rebounding last year and I would have to wonder if his playing time will decrease of that this season. I always felt Birdsong was a bit of a tweener, not tough enough inside to play the power forward and not a good enough shooter to play small forward. Be that as it may Larranaga has said he will move to a perimeter forward role this season. I still think he will start because he's a senior but don't expect him to play more minutes than last year.

Projected Starting Line-up:

Cam Long
Andre Cornelius
Louis Birdsong
Ryan Pearson
Mike Morrison

Sixth Man: Kevin Foster

My CAA season preview over at Rush the Court

Last season I did some work as the CAA correspondent for Rush the Court, providing previews and monthly posts during the season. My 2009-10 season preview of the CAA was just posted and I wanted to make sure you guys got a look at it and to tear it down in the comments if you see fit. Here is my predicted order of finish in the CAA, but trust me, I hope I'm wrong:

1. Old Dominion (14-4)
2. Northeastern (13-5)
3. George Mason (12-6)
4. Virginia Commonwealth (12-6)
5. James Madison (11-7)
6. Hofstra (10-8)
7. Georgia State (9-9)
8. Drexel (8-10)
9. Delaware (6-12)
10. Towson (5-13)
11. UNC-Wilmington (5-13)
12. William & Mary (3-15)

As you can see I really think ODU will be the team to beat this season in the CAA. It's hard to deny some of the talent they have in the front court with Gerald Lee and Frank Hassell. Lee dropped 23 on our guys last January. While Northeastern just returns too much talent and experience to not have them #2. I still wouldn't pick them to do damage in the CAA tournament where they usually stumble but they will have season in the regular season.

My preseason All-CAA team:

Charles Jenkins (G), Hofstra
Matt Janning (G), Northeastern
Cam Long (G), George Mason
Gerald Lee (F), ODU
Larry Sanders (F), VCU

These picks I made a couple of weeks ago ended up being the same as the coaches during media day. It's a no-brainer, these guys are all poised for big seasons.

What are your thoughts for this year in the CAA?

Wednesday Links

The tip-off to a new season is just around the corner. The phrase 'young but talented' has already been trickling through the local media wires.

For those who don't know I post a lot of articles like these daily on my twitter page. Follow me to keep up to date, sometimes I post stuff there that doesn't end up on here.

• Young George Mason offers Larranaga a challenge (Washington Times)
• CAA at 25: Not just 'George Mason's League'
• Larranaga hit high point at lower level (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
• Complete CAA basketball TV schedule for '09-'10
• Coach Larranaga at yesterday's media day
• DC Sports Bog covers the local Madness

Watch Jim Larranaga's Interview from CAA Media Day

The CAA held their annual media day today in DC, let the trash-talking begin. Cam Long was named to the preseason All-CAA team and the Patriots were picked to finish 4th by the coaches. More importantly, the TV schedule was announced, and it looks like the only away games that won't be televised are Tulane, Georgia State, Drexel, and Delaware. Lastly, here is the video from Jim Larranaga's interview today (might take a second to load):

Because we are always looking ahead: Your 2010-2011 George Mason Patriots!

The following is a guest post from Mike Isibel, Mason alum who has been following the program for years. He also has a radio podcast over at We're Just Sayin Radio with two other Mason alumni.

The 2010-2011 George Mason men’s basketball team will be the best team in the program’s history (even if they don’t make the Final Four) and here’s why:

1. Recruiting
Ever since the 2006 Final Four run, Coach Jim Larranaga and his staff have produced exponentially better recruiting classes. The pinnacle (so far) was this offseason when 6 players signed with the program, including 2 players rated 89 overall by ESPN.com (a first for the program). Moreover, Mason isn’t just getting recruits from the DC Metro area, which typically has been the case. Over the past 3 years players have come from Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey, and Tennessee. On top of all that, ESPN.com rated the 2009 George Mason men's basketball recruiting class #1 among non-BCS schools.

2. Experience
One of the best tools to improve a team is by gaining experience, especially against teams generally considered to be better. The Final Four team which had the same core players in 2004-2005 played several tough teams during their out of conference schedule including Memphis, Maryland and Michigan State. Likewise, this year we will be playing Villanova (a top 10 team in the nation) and either Dayton or Georgia Tech on top of last year’s trip to the NIT. Additionally, all the players will have another year to better learn the offense, to better understand one another’s tendencies on the court (only 1 player will graduate from the 2009-10 team). This is something that most big schools fail to provide with players leaving early. The team chemistry in the 2006 run was an extremely underrated intangible.

3. Depth
The Final Four team was essentially only 4 guys required to play nearly the entire game and provide most of the production, that won’t be the case in 2010-11. We already saw 3 of our freshman receive considerable amount of playing time last season. Add with that 6 incoming freshman and 1 redshirt freshman. All of these guys have the potential to score and put up big numbers depending the minutes they see. In 2010-11 we will have 4 guys who can handle the ball and drive and dish (Cornelius, Whack and Vaughns), 4 big men who can rebound, provide defensive pressure and low post scoring (Morrison, Pearson, Williams and Foster) and 4 guys (Long, Bennett, Hancock and Wright) who can spot up and shoot from anywhere on the court. This program has never had so many options.

Collegehoops.net previews Mason at #66 in their top 144 team countdown

Collegehoops.net is in the middle of their top 144 teams for 2009-10 countdown and have tabbed Mason at #66 in the country (#2 in the CAA). Like other previews they note the teams youth and inexperience but seem to like to potential for growth during the season that turns into dividends late. I agree with this assessment but I just don't know how long this growth could take. On paper the talent is near tops in the CAA but how Larranaga uses that talent I think will have a great impact on this year's squad. For instance, we know freshmen Johnny Williams and Sherrod Wright can score but can they defend at this level? How much did Kevin Foster improve from his season as a redshirt? Is Cam Long running the point full time or will Andre Cornelius handle most of those duties? Who can will fill in at the guard spots left vacant by John Vaughan and Dre Smith? Those questions could be answered earlier than we think. I believe the main difference between this year's squad and last year's will be the depth. The team won't be leaning on the starters too heavily as the quality on the bench could be the teams strongest asset.

I find the preview to be a little misguided, mostly because the writer seems to think freshman Paris Bennett will be a starter. Even if I overlooked the fact that Coach Larranaga almost never starts true freshman early I wouldn't project Bennett to even get more playing time then Johnny Williams or Sherrod Wright. That is also not taking into account redshirt freshman Kevin Foster, who I could definitely see starting early because of his knowledge of Larranaga's system and his versatility. Coach L has mentioned that Foster can play almost anywhere on the floor but that remains to be seen. I really don't see how Mike Morrison could be left out the starting lineup, especially with how he finished late last season. But Coach L rarely boosts lineups that include three forwards, so a starting lineup including Birdsong, Pearson and Morrison seems unlikely.

CAA Hoops previews Mason basketball for '09-'10

CAA hoops guru Michael Litos has started his previews for this upcoming season and slates Mason as #3:

"Key for Mason: Maturity, plain and simple. It is maturity on three levels: the junior (Cam Long) and the senior (Lou Birdsong) have to be leaders; the sophomores have to take that important step (Ryan Pearson, Mike Morrison, Andre Cornelius); and the freshmen have to be mature enough to be ready to play.

The talent is there, but a team with this construction of skill and youth risks becoming a band of individuals."

Words you be hearing a lot this season: maturity, experience, and talent. I couldn't agree more with what Litos says in his analysis, as he points out the importance of Cam Long and Andre Cornelius this season:

"Every great team needs “that guy.” Long led the Patriots in scoring, assists, steals, and three point percentage, and finished second in rebounding and free throw percentage. In fact his three point accuracy (46-104, 40.4%) was third in the conference. Good enough, eh? This season, it may be about making big shots late"

On Andre Cornelius:

"He will be on the floor because he can distribute the ball and plays in-your-jersey defense, and he can get inside a defense to cause trouble. But if Mason is to be very successful on offense, one of two things will need to occur. First, they will have to get out and run (Larranaga is already talking about that). Or, somebody will have to shoot the ball consistently from deep or they will see 47 zones defenses that never leave the paint and we will see a lot of 56-52 games. Cornelius can trigger either option"

Read the rest of his post here.

Stay tuned for my own preview of this upcoming season.