The Beat-down of the Beltway

Life, Trips

Going into the game we did not know that two of our players were suspended, so I’d say that we were a little too optimistic. I guess we should pay more attention. Jesse and I met at “The Froggy Bottom Pub” which was turned into “the Mason Bottom Pub” for about 2 hours before the game. Everyone there was in high spirits hoping for a good outcome. I still think Mason fans are still getting used to pregame festivities, but we’re learning. On the walk to the stadium it was great to see all the Green and Gold. Walking into the gym I could tell that the fans had really showed up.

Mason fans to the Left

Mason fans to the Left

Mason fans to the right

Mason fans to the right

and then the game started.

It was a turnover filled beating of a game. It’s not like GW started out very hot either, but Mason couldn’t hit any shots. Long must have missed 5 straight runners in the lane. In the first half Hancock was awesome. The GW fans behind me kept saying “just don’t let the white guy get it!”. Which would have been a pretty good strategy in the first half. At halftime I went to the bathroom, in what seemed like the locker room, and then came back to talk with Jesse. “I hope they come out hot in the second half”….

They did not.

GW started the second half on a 14-2 run and the game was pretty much over with 10 minutes left. We almost left at that point because we were so frustrated. But we stuck it out to the end to see them pull a little bit closer, mostly due to sloppy passes by GW subs. On the way out I heard a Mason fan say “These guys aren’t worth traveling to Wilmington for”. They are not… yet.

GMUHOOPS.COM analysis

I guess we knew it couldn’t happen every year.

Life, Randomness

But that doesn’t mean that we didn’t hope it could! Going into this weekend we knew that it had been a disappointing season. Not just by comparing it to last season, but our team has been pretty good for a couple years now. It just seems that we can’t handle the pressure of having the bulls-eye on our backs all season. We lost a lot of tough games along the way to VCU, ODU, and (dear lord) William and Mary. But this is March. This is Mason time.

Not really expecting much I couldn’t even find the first game on tv on Friday. Then I had a wedding to go to on Saturday so I missed that one too. On a lazy Sunday afternoon I found the ODU game on Comcast Sportsnet, that was a good Mason game. Our defense was solid, Dre Smith was lighting it up from outside, and Campbell was leading the way. But then Monday, the pressure started.

I’m not going to give play by play or anything but lets say that it was a great game until the last 3 minutes. That Maynor kid from VCU took over and won the game with steals and from the line. We (without our first option point guard) just kept giving them points. It’s sad… but we can’t be Cinderella every year. Hopefully we’ll make a strong showing in the NIT and we have almost all of our players coming back next year.

G! M! U!

ESPN Boxscore