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| [ PHOTO: SPORTS CHAT PLACE ] |
November 24, 2018
Peter Solari, Editor in Chief Follow @4PeteSakeNY
In what is becoming the theme to their season, the George Mason men's basketball team had a chance to win on Saturday, but ultimately fell.
The Patriots' latest loss comes at the hands of the Baylor Bears. In a contest that was closer than the final indicates, the Bears took down Mason 72-61 in the third place game of the Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville, FL. The Patriots' record now stands at 2-5 after the team went 0-2 in Florida.
It's officially time to hit the panic button, Mason Nation!
If you bought into the hype surrounding the Patriots this season (I'm as guilty as anybody on this), then saying you're disappointed at the way the season has started, is the under-statement of the century.
The Patriots have had their chances to win all seven games they've played this year, but they've only got two victories, and those came at the expense of less-than-impressive opposition. And while the team continues to show positive signs, they still haven't put together a full 40-minute effort.
Here's more from ESPN:
The biggest positive Mason can take from this game is probably the breakthrough performance of Otis Livingston. The senior point guard, who has started for this team since he stepped foot on campus as a freshman, averaged 18 points a game for the Patriots last season, but has been mired in an early-season slump this year, torched the Bears for a season high 26 points, while shooting 8/18 from the field.
Red-shirt junior, and UVA transfer, Jarred Reuter continued his impressive start the Patriots, scoring 15 points against Baylor, and Justin Kier added 6 points, while also leading the team with 6 rebounds.
Baylor was led by a monster effort from King McClure, who scored a career and game-high 27 points. Senior Makai Mason contributed 18 points for the Bears.
The win was the 300th at Baylor, and 320th in the career of Bears coach Scott Drew. His father Homer Drew, himself a winner of 317 games at Valpairaso, was in attendance for the momentous occasion.
For Mason, the postgame mood was much less celebratory. Regardless of what this team is doing right, they're still doing far too much wrong. It's only Thanksgiving, and this once-promising season is all but lost.
That's pretty hard to argue right now.
Unless Dave Paulsen's team makes some kind of incredible run through the Atlantic 10 once league play opens. and that includes an impressive showing at the conference tournament in Brooklyn, the Patriots won't be playing in the NCAA Tournament, and or any postseason tournament at all.
In what is becoming the theme to their season, the George Mason men's basketball team had a chance to win on Saturday, but ultimately fell.
The Patriots' latest loss comes at the hands of the Baylor Bears. In a contest that was closer than the final indicates, the Bears took down Mason 72-61 in the third place game of the Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville, FL. The Patriots' record now stands at 2-5 after the team went 0-2 in Florida.
It's officially time to hit the panic button, Mason Nation!
If you bought into the hype surrounding the Patriots this season (I'm as guilty as anybody on this), then saying you're disappointed at the way the season has started, is the under-statement of the century.
The Patriots have had their chances to win all seven games they've played this year, but they've only got two victories, and those came at the expense of less-than-impressive opposition. And while the team continues to show positive signs, they still haven't put together a full 40-minute effort.
Here's more from ESPN:
Baylor was ahead by just a point, 28-27, at the intermission after six lead changes and three ties in the first half. McClure scored nine straight in just over a minute as Baylor went from four down to five ahead at 26-21 with 2:54 left in the half.
McClure began his run with a pair of free throws then he grabbed a steal and dunked, hit a 3 pointer and finished with a layup. The Patriots, however, outscored the Bears 6-2 to close the half.
George Mason retook the lead at 32-30 early in the second half, but McClure then put Baylor ahead for good with another 3-pointer.
The biggest positive Mason can take from this game is probably the breakthrough performance of Otis Livingston. The senior point guard, who has started for this team since he stepped foot on campus as a freshman, averaged 18 points a game for the Patriots last season, but has been mired in an early-season slump this year, torched the Bears for a season high 26 points, while shooting 8/18 from the field.
The only person who can cover Otis Livingston pic.twitter.com/2HSMibQYDl— Barstool George Mason (@BarstoolGMason) November 24, 2018
Red-shirt junior, and UVA transfer, Jarred Reuter continued his impressive start the Patriots, scoring 15 points against Baylor, and Justin Kier added 6 points, while also leading the team with 6 rebounds.
Baylor was led by a monster effort from King McClure, who scored a career and game-high 27 points. Senior Makai Mason contributed 18 points for the Bears.
The win was the 300th at Baylor, and 320th in the career of Bears coach Scott Drew. His father Homer Drew, himself a winner of 317 games at Valpairaso, was in attendance for the momentous occasion.
3⃣0⃣0⃣ wins at Baylor for @BUDREW 👏 Lots of great memories and another one here today 🙌— Baylor Basketball (@BaylorMBB) November 24, 2018
Just so you know that was COLD 🚿🚿🚿#SicEm 🐻 | #1TGF 🏀 pic.twitter.com/MJhblOe95j
For Mason, the postgame mood was much less celebratory. Regardless of what this team is doing right, they're still doing far too much wrong. It's only Thanksgiving, and this once-promising season is all but lost.
Of course on paper they were decent but wasn't George Mason supposed to be "much improved" also...This years like most years in this garbage ass league...you really only have 2-3 teams actually worth a shit...and new flash Saint Joe's sorry ass ain't 1 of them— Randall Dixon (@lunchMoneyDixon) November 24, 2018
That's pretty hard to argue right now.
Unless Dave Paulsen's team makes some kind of incredible run through the Atlantic 10 once league play opens. and that includes an impressive showing at the conference tournament in Brooklyn, the Patriots won't be playing in the NCAA Tournament, and or any postseason tournament at all.
