Jump to content

2005–06 George Mason Patriots men's basketball team

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Mojo Hand (talk | contribs) at 23:36, 20 August 2015 (Filled in 1 bare reference(s) with reFill). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

{{{year}}} [[{{{team}}} football]]
Ranking
CoachesNo. 8
2005–06 CAA men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
George Mason 15 3   .833 27 8   .771
UNC Wilmington 15 3   .833 25 8   .758
Hofstra 14 4   .778 26 7   .788
Old Dominion 13 5   .722 24 10   .706
Northeastern 12 6   .667 19 11   .633
VCU 11 7   .611 19 10   .655
Drexel 8 10   .444 15 16   .484
Towson 8 10   .444 12 16   .429
Delaware 4 14   .222 9 21   .300
Georgia State 3 15   .167 7 22   .241
William & Mary 3 15   .167 8 20   .286
James Madison 2 16   .111 5 23   .179
2006 CAA tournament winner
Rankings from AP poll

The 2005–06 George Mason Patriots men's basketball team represented George Mason University in the 2005–2006 NCAA Basketball season. The team reached several milestones, including a team record 23 regular season wins, and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Patriots eventually reached the Final Four of the NCAA, becoming the first team from the Colonial Athletic Association to accomplish that feat.

Season notes

  • On April 26, 2006, it was announced head coach Jim Larranaga received a contract extension to keep him with the team through the 2011–2012 season.[1]
  • On March 30, 2006, head coach Jim Larranaga received the Clair Bee Coach of the Year Award.[2]
  • For the first time in school history, the men's basketball team was ranked on the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll coming in at #25 for the week of February 20, 2006.[3]
  • On December 27, 2005, senior guard Lamar Butler set a George Mason men's basketball record for most career 3-point field goals.[4]
  • The 2005–06 George Mason Patriots were predicted to finish 3rd in the Colonial Athletic Association.[5]
  • On September 15, 2005, it was announced that sophomore guard John Vaughan would miss the entire season due to a torn ACL.[6]

Awards

First Team All-CAA

  • Jai Lewis

Second Team All-CAA

  • Tony Skinn

CAA All-Defensive Team

  • Will Thomas

CAA Player of the Week

  • Jai Lewis – Jan. 30
  • Tony Skinn – Feb. 20

Recap

The Patriots enjoyed their best season in 2005–2006 when they won a school-record 23 games in the regular season, and for one week were even ranked in the USA Today/ESPN Top 25 for the first time in school history. Head coach Jim Larranaga, who began his stint at George Mason in 1997, also became the CAA's all-time leader in coaching victories and was named the winner of the 2006 Clair Bee Coach of the Year Award[7] on March 31, 2006, and the Virginia Coach of the Year on June 26, 2006, the same day he was nominated for an ESPY award.[8] Although the team lost to Hofstra during the CAA tournament, George Mason were still able to grab an at-large bid in the NCAA tournament. This marks the first time in which the Patriots earned an at-large bid and the first time in 20 years in which the CAA sent two teams to the tournament (the other being conference tournament winner UNC Wilmington).

The at-large selection of teams from mid-major conferences (which included George Mason) to the tournament was criticized by media personalities, most notably Billy Packer. In the case of George Mason, this was possibly because of the absence of Tony Skinn, who was suspended for one game by the Patriots for punching Hofstra guard Loren Stokes in the groin during the CAA tournament semifinal loss. Moreover, many believed that Hofstra, who didn't get invited to the tournament despite of the fact that they beat the Patriots twice in a span of ten days, deserved to get in instead of them. Nevertheless, the Patriots entered the tournament as an 11th seed and defeated the 6th seeded Michigan State Spartans, who had played in the previous year's Final Four.

In their second round matchup against the defending champion North Carolina Tar Heels, the Patriots were once again underdogs. After falling in a 16–2 hole early in the game, the team was able to bounce back and win the game, 65–60. Their next game was against another mid-major, the Wichita State Shockers. George Mason jumped out to a big early lead, and the Shockers were not able to overcome. The Patriots won, 63–55.

Their Elite Eight matchup found themselves facing the Connecticut Huskies, a team that was tabbed as the favorite to win it all the entire season. The Patriots were able to defeat the top-seeded Huskies, 86–84 in overtime, in what is recognized as one of the most memorable games in tournament history. Their tournament run would end in Indianapolis, in a Final Four matchup with the Florida Gators, the eventual national champion in both 2006 and 2007 (with the same starting lineup both years).

The Patriots were the first team out of the CAA to reach the Final Four and also became the second team to reach it as a double-digit (11th) seed (the other being the LSU Tigers in 1986, also an 11th seed).

George Mason's Cinderella story ended in Indianapolis, when the eventual National Champion Florida Gators defeated them 73–58 on April 1, 2006. Despite their loss, many sports analysts considered their performance in the 2006 tourney to be the best run by a mid-major in tournament history. In the final rankings of 2005–2006 season, the USA Today/ESPN poll ranked the Patriots eighth in the nation—their highest rank to date.

Mason was atypical of recent Final Four teams not only in being a true mid-major, but also in their unusual scoring balance. The Patriots had five players average in double figures, making them one of only six Final Four teams in the 10 seasons from 1998–99 through 2007–08 with that distinction. (Two of the other five teams in this club are Florida's back-to-back national champions in 2006 and 2007.)[9]

Roster

2005–06 George Mason men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown
G 22 Lamar Butler 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) RS Sr Oxon Hill Fort Washington, MD
G 12 Tim Burns 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Jr Worcester Academy Greenfield, MA
G 42 Folarin Campbell 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) So Springbrook Silver Spring, MD
G 2 Jordan Carter 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 175 lb (79 kg) So Brebeuf Indianapolis, IN
F 40 Chris Fleming 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Fr Osbourn Park Manassas, VA
F 3 Makan Konate 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Jr Worcester Academy Mali
F 55 Jai Lewis 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 275 lb (125 kg) Sr Aberdeen Aberdeen, MD
G 24 Charles Makings 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Jr St. John's College Silver Spring, MD
F 5 Gabe Norwood 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Jr State College State College, PA
G 1 Tony Skinn 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Sr Takoma Academy Takoma Park, MD
F 34 Will Thomas 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 230 lb (104 kg) So Mount Saint Joseph’s Baltimore, MD
F 13 Jesus Urbina Injured 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Jr Amelia Academy Venezuela
G 23 John Vaughn Injured 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 179 lb (81 kg) So Laurel Laurel, MD
Head coach

Jim Larranaga (Providence)

Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster
Last update: 2010-07-27

Stats

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Jai Lewis 35 30.4 .523 .348 .651 7.8 1.8 1.4 .7 13.7
Tony Skinn 34 31.6 .396 .339 .802 3.5 2.8 1.6 .0 12.6
Lamar Butler 35 31.9 .454 .378 .733 2.5 2.2 .9 .2 11.9
Will Thomas 35 31.9 .580 .000 .516 7.2 1.1 .7 .7 11.8
Folarin Campbell 35 31.1 .491 .343 .761 4.2 3.4 .7 .7 11.0
Gabe Norwood 35 21.1 .425 .375 .588 2.0 1.9 .9 .7 3.4
Sammy Hernandez 35 11.1 .518 .375 .278 3.1 .5 .2 .3 2.8
Tim Burns 20 6.0 .400 .400 .000 .5 .4 .3 .0 1.8
Jordan Carter 28 6.5 .524 .364 .333 .7 .7 .5 .0 1.0
Chris Fleming 28 4.7 .440 .000 .500 .7 .0 .1 .2 1.0
Makan Konate 11 2.2 .167 .000 .000 .4 .0 .0 .0 .2
Charles Makings 13 2.5 .250 .000 .000 .7 .2 .2 .0 .2

Game log

Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site
city, state
November 6*
7:00 p.m.
St. Francis Xavier
Exhibition
W 99–70 
Patriot Center 
Fairfax, VA
November 10*
7:00 p.m.
vs. UC Irvine
Coaches vs. Cancer Classic
W 79–56  1–0
Joel Coliseum 
Winston-Salem, NC
November 11*
7:00 p.m.
vs. Wake Forest
Coaches vs. Cancer Classic
W 83–78 OT 1–1
Joel Coliseum 
Winston-Salem, NC
November 22*
7:00 p.m.
Creighton W 72–52  1–2
Patriot Center 
Fairfax, VA
November 26*
7:00 p.m.
at Manhattan W 72–66  2–2
Draddy Gymnasium 
The Bronx, NY
December 2
7:00 p.m.
at Georgia State W 81–51  3–2
(1–0)
GSU Sports Arena 
Atlanta, GA
December 5*
4:30 p.m.
vs. American
BB&T Classic
W 75–35  4–2
Verizon Center 
Washington, DC
December 7
7:00 p.m.
at Old Dominion W 54–53  4–3
(1–1)
Ted Constant Convocation Center 
Norfolk, VA
December 10*
5:00 p.m.
Radford W 81–69  5–3
Patriot Center 
Fairfax, VA
December 21*
7:00 p.m.
Hampton W 79–66  6–3
Patriot Center 
Fairfax, VA
December 27*
2:00 p.m.
Holy Cross W 71–38  7–3
Patriot Center 
Fairfax, VA
December 30*
7:00 p.m.
at Mississippi State W 63–61  7–4
Humphrey Coliseum 
Starkville, MS
January 2
5:30 p.m.
at Northeastern W 71–68  8–4
(2–1)
Matthews Arena 
Boston
January 5
3:00 p.m.
VCU W 73–60  9–4
(3–1)
Patriot Center 
Fairfax, VA
January 7
4:30 p.m.
Delaware W 70–56  10–4
(4–1)
Patriot Center 
Fairfax, VA
January 12
7:00 p.m.
at William & Mary W 65–46  11–4
(5–1)
Kaplan Arena 
Williamsburg, VA
January 14
2:00 p.m.
at James Madison W 65–43  12–4
(6–1)
JMU Convocation Center 
Harrisonburg, VA
January 19
7:00 p.m.
Northeastern W 74–63  13–4
(7–1)
Patriot Center 
Fairfax, VA
January 21
8:00 p.m.
at UNC-Wilmington W 69–63  13–5
(7–2)
Trask Coliseum 
Wilmington, NC
January 26
8:00 p.m.
William & Mary W 81–58  14–5
(8–2)
Patriot Center 
Fairfax, VA
January 28
2:00 p.m.
Old Dominion W 66–47  15–5
(9–2)
Patriot Center 
Fairfax, VA
February 2
7:00 p.m.
at Delaware W 57–52  16–5
(10–2)
Bob Carpenter Center 
Newark, DE
February 4
7:00 p.m.
UNC-Wilmington W 69–62  17–5
(11–2)
Patriot Center 
Fairfax, VA
February 9
7:00 p.m.
at VCU W 73–61  18–5
(12–2)
Stuart C. Siegel Center 
Richmond, VA
February 11
4:00 p.m.
Towson
Homecoming
W 65–53  19–5
(13–2)
Patriot Center 
Fairfax, VA
February 15
7:00 p.m.
Drexel W 67–48  20–5
(14–2)
Patriot Center 
Fairfax, VA
February 16*
6:00 p.m., ESPN2
at Wichita State
ESPN Bracket Busters
W 70–67  21–5
Charles Koch Arena 
Wichita, KS
February 23
7:00 p.m.
No. 25 at Hofstra W 77–66  21–6
(14–3)
Hofstra Arena 
Hempstead, NY
February 25
7:00 p.m.
No. 25 James Madison W 61–56  22–6
(15–3)
Patriot Center 
Fairfax, VA
March 4
7:00 p.m.
vs. Georgia State
CAA Tournament Quarterfinals
W 61–56  23–6
Richmond Coliseum 
Richmond, VA
March 5
5:00 p.m.
vs. Hofstra
CAA Tournament Semifinals
W 58–49  23–7
Richmond Coliseum 
Richmond, VA
March 17*
6:40 p.m., CBS Regional
vs. Michigan State
NCAA Tournament First Round, No. 6 vs. No. 11
W 75–65  24–7
University of Dayton Arena 
Dayton, OH
March 19*
5:20 p.m., CBS Regional
vs. No. 12 North Carolina
NCAA Tournament Second Round, No. 3 vs. No. 11
W 65–60  25–7
University of Dayton Arena 
Dayton, OH
March 24*
5:40 p.m., CBS Regional
vs. Wichita State
NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen, No. 7 vs. No. 11
W 63–55  26–7
Verizon Center 
Washington, DC
March 26*
6:20 p.m., CBS
vs. No. 2 UConn
NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, No. 1 vs. No. 11
W 86–84 OT 27–7
Verizon Center 
Washington, DC
April 1*
7:10 p.m., CBS
vs. No. 10 Florida
NCAA Tournament Final Four, No. 3 vs. No. 11
W 73–58  27–8
RCA Dome 
Indianapolis, IN
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from Coaches' Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Eastern Time.

Recruits

The following is a list of commitments George Mason received for the 2006–2007 season:

  • Louis Birdsong
  • Darryl Monroe
  • Dre Smith

References

  1. ^ http://www.fansonly.com/schools/gema/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/042606aaa.html
  2. ^ http://gomason.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/033006aab.html
  3. ^ http://gomason.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/022006aaa.html
  4. ^ http://gomason.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/122705aaa.html
  5. ^ http://gomason.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/102605aaa.html
  6. ^ http://gomason.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/091205aaa.html
  7. ^ "Coach Larranaga Receives Clair Bee Coach of the Year Award - The Mason Gazette - George Mason University". gmu.edu.
  8. ^ Larranaga Named Virginia Coach of the Year
  9. ^ Glockner, Andy (2008-02-28). "Florida did it but can balanced scoring lead Xavier to Final Four?". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-01. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)