The George Mason's men's basketball season came to an end Wednesday night after the Loyola (MD) Greyhounds shellacked the Patriots 73-58, in the opening round of the College Basketball Invitational (CBI), at EagleBank Arena. For seniors Marquise Moore and Jalen Jenkins, who only combined for 7 points Wednesday, the loss means their college careers are officially over.
Overall, Mason Nation should be pleased with the 2017 season. Coach Dave Paulsen's squad took a big leap forward, garnering 20 wins for the first time since 2013, and winning their first Atlantic 10 Tournament game in school history. However, there is a little reason for concern, as the Patriots closed out the season rather poorly.
Mason picked up their 18th win of the season by whipping Richmond 93-70 on Valentine's Day. At the time, there were still five games left in the regular season, and it appeared as though the Patriots would easily reach the 20 win plateau, but things didn't play out that way. Mason finished the regular season 1-4, and didn't get that 20th victory until they pulled a rabbit out of their hat, and won their A-10 Tournament opener over Fordham, after trailing by 7 points with just over 30 seconds left in the second half. After that, the Patriots were eliminated from the A-10 Tournament by VCU, before getting outvclassed by Loyola, and ending the year with a record of 20-14.
None of this should overshadow the great strides Mason made this year. If you're feeling down about the disappointing end, try to consider where this program was two years ago, or even just last season. Paulsen and company have made the Patriots relevant again, and they've proven they can compete at the A-10 level. And they've done it rather quickly too. At best, most experts expected a rebuild of 3-4 years before Mason would be competitive again, but Paulsen has resurrected the program in ust two seasons, and the future is bright!
With that said, finishing the year 2-6, and a first round exit in the CBI, is a pretty bitter end to a season that had so many positives. Bur keep your heads up, Mason Nation. There are good things on the horizon and Midnight Madness is only seven months away.
