Rams have been thorn in George Mason’s side
How difficult is it to beat Virginia Commonwealth in Richmond?
After losing to the Rams four straight times there, including twice in the Colonial Athletic Association championship game, no one knows better than George Mason coach Jim Larranaga.
But barring an upset of No. 5 VCU (20-8) by No. 12 Delaware (7-23) on Friday in the play-in round, No. 4 George Mason (17-13) will open the CAA Tournament on Saturday against its nemesis.
“It’s obviously a big advantage when all you have to do is walk down the street to play,” said Larranaga.
Mason — which enters the tournament with six losses in its last eight games, an ever-changing rotation and the youngest roster in the conference — appears ripe for a one-and-done. When asked Monday what it takes for tournament success, Larranaga’s answer was revealing.
“First of all, you have to have a good team,” the Patriots’ 13-year coach said.
Perhaps turning the calendar ahead a month will bring a reversal of fortune for Mason, which followed a record-breaking January (9-1) with a rough February (2-6). The primary difference was the shooting of top scorer Cam Long, who hit 52 percent of his shots in January and 25 percent since. In Saturday’s 50-48 loss to Northeastern, Long took a season-low five shots.
“To be successful in this tournament, Cam has to be our leader,” Larranaga said. “We have to get him shots. That’s as much on his teammates as it is on him.”
One source of strength Mason can count on is its history of tournament success. No team has reached more CAA championship games (10). No team currently in the conference has more CAA titles (four).
But if it wasn’t for teams from Richmond, the Patriots would have many more titles. Mason has lost to VCU in the championship game three times. In the early years of the conference, Mason lost twice in the title game to the University of Richmond, which owned five championships before joining the Atlantic 10 in 2001.
“If you’re asking if it’s an advantage to play at home within walking distance of your campus, just look at a team’s home record over a period of time, and that tells you,” Larranaga said.
CAA coaches view VCU’s advantage with a mixture of envy and resignation. Top-seeded Old Dominion (23-8), after winning the regular season, could face the unenviable prospect of playing VCU in the semifinals.
“I don’t want to get quoted saying anything negative about the tournament,” ODU coach Blaine Taylor said. “But I do think there are some coaches in the league who would just as soon play VCU at the Siegel Center [Rams’ homecourt] as they would the Coliseum [one mile away].”
The Monarchs get little sympathy, however, from schools such as Hofstra (N.Y.) and Northeastern (Mass.). Both the Pride (4-8) and Huskies (3-4) have struggled in the tournament since entering the league within the last decade.
“VCU is down the block from campus. It’s a huge advantage there. ODU’s gonna travel well. Mason’s gonna travel well,” Hofstra coach Tom Pecora said. “It’s obviously a lot easier to get student body and your season-ticket base and your fan base there when you’re within a two-hour drive as compared to being 10 hours away.”
Fair or not, most teams realize Richmond is the optimal location. It is the capital of the state that has five CAA teams.
“Is it an advantage [for VCU]? Yes,” Larranaga said. “But is Richmond a great site for the tournament? Just look at the sellout crowds, the amount of money we’ve been able to generate, the exposure that the league has been able to get with the crowds and the environment at the Richmond Coliseum.”
CAA Glance
Who’s favored? » No. 1 Old Dominion (23-8) has the league’s best win (at Georgetown) and is loaded with credentials, leading the CAA in scoring margin (10.1 pg), rebounding margin (7.9 pg) and assists (15.6 pg). In the last four years, ODU has only a 2-4 tournament record and has not reached the finals despite being seeded each year in the top four.
Who’s hot? » After losing five straight, No. 7 Hofstra (18-13) has won nine of its last 10, including an impressive 73-62 win nine days ago at second-seeded Northeastern. “We got healthy, and the seniors [Miklos Szabo and Cornelius Vines] started to play the way I thought they would be capable of,” coach Tom Pecora said. “That’s been the difference.”
Who’s not? » With the most experienced backcourt duo in the conference in 6-foot-4 Chaison Allen and 6-foot-4 Matt Janning, No. 2 Northeastern (19-11) has the formula for postseason success. But the Huskies have lost three of their last five and have no history of success in the tournament. Last year was a one-and-done debacle against lowly Towson.
Who’s worth a gamble? » No. 3 William & Mary (20-9) has shown plenty of cracks lately, winning just six of its last 12, and has little history of tournament success, reaching the finals only twice. But the Tribe have quality wins over Wake Forest, Maryland and Richmond and are on the opportunistic side of the CAA bracket, opposite ODU, VCU and GMU.
Who has pedigree? » Playing at home in Richmond, defending champion VCU (20-8) has won three of the last six CAA Tournaments. But as the No. 5 seed this year, VCU has a monumental task, having to win four games in as many days, and has the uninviting prospect of facing conference blue-bloods George Mason and Old Dominion before reaching the finals.
