History of George Mason basketball

Infobox CBB Team
name = George Mason Patriots Men's Basketball
logo =
logo_size = 100px
university = George Mason University
conference = Colonial Athletic Association
conference_short = CAA
division =
city = Fairfax
stateabb = Virginia
state = Virginia
coach = Jim Larranaga
tenure = 10th
arena = Patriot Center
capacity = 10,000
nickname = Patriots
studentsection = Patriot Platoon
color1 = Green
color2 = Gold
color3 =
hex1 = 006400
hex2 = FFD700
hex3 =
h_pattern_b=_bb_trimnumbersonwhite|h_body=006400|h_shorts=006400|h_pattern_s=_blanksides
a_pattern_b=_bb_whitetrimnumbers|a_body=006400|a_shorts=006400|a_pattern_s=_yellowsides
NCAAchampion =
NCAAfinalfour = 2006
conference_tournament = 1989, 1999, 2001, 2008
conference_season = 1999, 2000, 2006Infobox CBB Team
name = George Mason Patriots Women's Basketball
logo =
logo_size = 100px
university = George Mason University
conference = Colonial Athletic Association
conference_short = CAA
division =
city = Fairfax
stateabb = Virginia
state = Virginia
coach = Jeri Porter
tenure = 1st
arena = Patriot Center
capacity = 10,000
nickname = Patriots
studentsection = Patriot Platoon
color1 = Green
color2 = Gold
color3 =
hex1 = 006400
hex2 = FFD700
hex3 =
h_pattern_b=_bb_trimnumbersonwhite|h_body=006400|h_shorts=006400|h_pattern_s=_blanksides
a_pattern_b=_bb_whitetrimnumbers|a_body=006400|a_shorts=006400|a_pattern_s=_yellowsides
NCAAchampion =
NCAAfinalfour =
conference_tournament =
conference_season =

George Mason Patriots men's basketball program has a long history. Since Masons founding in 1957 [http://www.gmu.edu/library/specialcollections/gmdcs_timeline.html"CHRONOLOGICAL GUIDE TO GMU'S HISTORY"] .GMU Documentary History. October 30, 2002] , basketball and athletics as a whole have contributed significantly to George Mason's popularity and success. The Patriots are the mascot and logo of George Mason University. The Patriots home court for both the men and women is at the Patriot Center, which is in Fairfax Virginia. The Patriots compete in the Colonial Athletic Association, better known as the CAA. The CAA is a part of NCAA Division I sports. The men's team is coached by Jim Larranaga. The women's team was coached by Debbie Taneyhill, until she resigned in 2008. [http://gomason.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/gema-w-baskbl-body.html "Women's Basketball Coach Debbie Taneyhill Resigns"] . GoMason.com. March 24, 2008.]

History

The Patriots made a transition from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics NAIA to the National Collegiate Athletic Association NCAA Division II, and subsequently into the NCAA Division I rank in the 1978-79 season. According to the history of George Mason basketball [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Mason_Patriots "George Mason Patriots"] . Levineps. March 27, 2006.] , both the men's and women's basketball program have been fixtures of campus life, and have all been enjoyed by students, parents, faculty, staff, other alumni. Although many of the school's athletic programs are enjoyed by George Mason Patriots and have had many of their own memorable moments, the men's basketball program remains the key sport at the University. The men's basketball team has played at the Patriot Center since 1985, and in prior years played at the PE Building on the west side of the Fairfax Campus. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Mason_Patriots "George Mason Patriots"] . Levineps. March 27, 2006.]

NCAA Tournament Appearances

Men's
* Basketball (5), 1989, 1999, 2001, 2006, 2008 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Mason_Patriots "George Mason Patriots"] . Levineps. March 27, 2006.]

Colonial Athletic Association Titles

The Patriots have advanced to the NCAA tournament five times (1989, 1999, 2001, 2006, and 2008) and the NIT tournament (National Invitation tournament) three times (1986, 2002 and 2004). [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Mason_Patriots "George Mason Patriots"] . Levineps. March 27, 2006.] The basketball team is best known for its 2006 NCAA Final Four appearance where Mason beat North Carolina, Connecticut, Michigan State, and Wichita State. The Patriots lost to Florida in the final four, who then eventually became the 2006 National Champion. After the Patriots run in the 2005-2006 season, and their successful finish in the 2007-2008 season, George Mason Head Coach Jim Larranaga was offered to leave Mason for a 5 year, $4.25 million dollar offer from Providence College. Coach Larranaga announced his decision in April 2008 by declining the offer from Providence, and extending his current contract with Mason to 2015. [http://www.caazone.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16889&Itemid=226" Larranaga Rejects Big East's Providence College"] . Metsala, C: . April 2, 2008.]

Final Four

George Mason celebrated the 2005-2006, when they set a school-record by winning 23 games. That season the patriots were ranked top 25 in the USA Today and ESPN for the very first time. After the 2005-2006 season Head coach Jim Larranaga was named Virginia Coach of the Year on June 26, 2006. [http://gomason.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/033006aab.html" Larranaga Receives Clair Bee Coach of the Year Award"] .Gomason.com: . March 30, 2006.] George Mason was one of only three teams since 1982 without a tournament win in its school history to still enter the final four. Georgia did it in 1983, and Virginia did it in 1981. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_four" Final Four"] .Timneu22: . December 10, 2006.] During the 2005-2006 season the final four had a bigger following than the Super Bowl and the NBA Playoffs that year. The main following came from office pools and parties in houses, dorms, and bars. [http://books.google.com/books?id=8Y70WBdH6tQC&pg=RA2-PA223&dq=george+mason+final+four&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&sig=tEc-G3NHkLfNr8Hqjf4dCe62nts March to Madness"] .Zullo, A: Intorduction. 2007.]

The Patriot Center

The Patriot Center is a venue in the Northern Virginia area, seating over 10,000 people in its arena.The Patriot Center is located in Fairfax, Virginia, and is the home of the George Mason Patriots. The Patriot Center is on the campus of George Mason University, which currently has over 30,000 students and has engrossed over 7.7 million people to over 2400 events. www.Pollstar.com has ranked The Patriot Center as number 51 in ticket sales (2005). That is a large number considering most arena's have over 20,000 seating availability. A memorable moment at The Patriot Center occurred during the opening on October 4th, 1985, when the New York Knicks played the Washington Bullets in a pre-season game. The patriot center is also the host of many concerts. The Patriot Center is the first university venue to be managed by a private company. Currently the Patriot Center is being managed by Washington Sports and Entertainment, who also manages the Washington Wizards and the Verizon Center. The Patriot Center hosted the first men’s CAA Tournament, and hosted it’s first women’s CAA Tournament in 2005. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriot_Center" Patriot Center"] . July 30, 2005.]

Criticism

Many teams, including George Mason, have been criticized on the "evils" of commercialism in college sport, and the hypocrisy of payments to athletes from alumni and other sources outside the university. Over time, this has caused a financial hardship on Mason's Basketball Program, because revenue for other sources had to be used to maintain the basketball program at the university. While teams have been criticized for "money-laundering" schemes, there is almost no attention paid to the professionalism surrounded by the basketball program, and around the university. [http://books.google.com/books?id=1k8E3s2d_KQC&pg=PA138&dq=basketball+evolution&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&sig=pNGY6jCV9jBB6HB6_Z3koIe8ZaU#PPP1,M1" College Athletes for Hire: The Evolution and Legacy"] .Sack,A & Staurowsky, E: Page 138. 1998.]

George Mason Women's Basketball

In 2008, news broke out that women's basketball coach Debbie Taneyhill decided to resign to pursue other opportunities.Coach Taneyhill spent 11 seasons as Mason's women's basketball head coach, and had much success with the ladies. During Taneyhill's tenure as coach, she helped the lady Patriots to four-straight winning campaigns, from the 2000 to the 2004 season. She also led them to two post-season appearances in the Women's National Invitation Tournament, WNIT in 2001 and 2004, and was named 2001 Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year. She was the sixth coach in George Mason's 33-year history, and was the only head coach to have 10 or more wins in each of her first eight seasons. She led the Patriots to the 2004 CAA Championship title game for just the third time in school history. Taneyhill ranks second all-time among Mason coaches in both wins and games coached.During the 2005-2006 season George Mason University was selected to host the Colonial Athletic Association Women's Basketball Championship, to be played at the Patriot Center. It was the first time that George Mason served as host to the women's championship. In 2003 Mason Guard Jen Derevjanik advanced to the WNBA (Women's National Basketball association). Derevjanik is one of few players ever in Mason's history to play in the WNBA. Jen wrapped up her second season with the WNBA's Connecticut Sun in 2005, where the Sun's competed in the WNBA finals for the second straight season. Derevjanik is the first Mason player to be part of a team that has advanced to the WNBA Finals. [http://gomason.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/060606aaa.html" Derevjanik Signs With Phoenix Mercury"] .Gomason.com: . June 6, 2006.]

All-Time Head Coaches

Rebounds

Assists

All-Time Standings

CBB Yearly Record Start
type=team
conference=
postseason=
poll=noCBB Yearly Record Subhead
name=George Mason
conference=no
startyear=1966
endyear=1982CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1966–1967
name = George Mason
overall = 6-12
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1967–1968
name = George Mason
overall = 5-17
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1968–1969
name = George Mason
overall = 2-20
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1969–1970
name = George Mason
overall = 4-23
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1970–1971
name = George Mason
overall = 9-17
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1971–1972
name = George Mason
overall = 12-18
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1972–1973
name = George Mason
overall = 15-16
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1973–1974
name = George Mason
overall = 19-10
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1974–1975
name = George Mason
overall = 19-8
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1975–1976
name = George Mason
overall = 16-13
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1976–1977
name = George Mason
overall = 9-18
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1977–1978
name = George Mason
overall = 5-21
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1978–1979
name = George Mason
overall = 17-8
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1979–1980
name = George Mason
overall = 5-21
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1980–1981
name = George Mason
overall = 10-16
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1981–1982
name = George Mason
overall = 13-14
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Subhead
name=George Mason
startyear=1982
conference=Eastern College Athletic Conference
endyear=1985|CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1982–1983
name = George Mason
overall = 15-12
conference = 3-6
confstanding = 4th
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1983–1984
name = George Mason
overall = 21-7
conference = 5-5
confstanding = T-4th
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1984–1985
name = George Mason
overall = 18-11
conference = 10-4
confstanding = 3rd
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Subhead
name=George Mason
startyear=1985
conference=Colonial Athletic Association
endyear=Present|CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1985–1986
name = George Mason
overall = 20-12
conference = 10-4
confstanding = 3rd
postseason = NIT 2nd Round
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1986–1987
name = George Mason
overall = 15-13
conference = 7-7
confstanding = 5th
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1987–1988
name = George Mason
overall = 20-10
conference = 10-5
confstanding = 2nd
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference tournament
season = 1988–1989
name = George Mason
overall = 20-11
conference = 11-4
confstanding = 2nd
postseason = NCAA 1st Round
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1989–1990
name = George Mason
overall = 20-12
conference = 11-5
confstanding = 4th
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1990–1991
name = George Mason
overall = 14-16
conference = 10-7
confstanding = 4th
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1991–1992
name = George Mason
overall = 7-21
conference = 3-11
confstanding = 8th
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1992–1993
name = George Mason
overall = 7-21
conference = 2-11
confstanding = 8th
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1993–1994
name = George Mason
overall = 10-17
conference = 5-9
confstanding = 6th
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1994–1995
name = George Mason
overall = 7-20
conference = 2-12
confstanding = 8th
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1995–1996
name = George Mason
overall = 11-16
conference = 6-10
confstanding = T-6th
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1996–1997
name = George Mason
overall = 10-17
conference = 4-12
confstanding = 9th
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1997–1998
name = George Mason
overall = 9-18
conference = 6-10
confstanding = T-5th
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference tournament
season = 1998–1999
name = George Mason
overall = 19-11
conference = 13-3
confstanding = 1st
postseason = NCAA 1st Round
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
season = 1999–2000
name = George Mason
overall = 19-11
conference = 12-4
confstanding = T-1st
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference tournament
season = 2000–2001
name = George Mason
overall = 18-12
conference = 11-5
confstanding = T-2nd
postseason = NCAA 1st Round
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 2001–2002
name = George Mason
overall = 19-10
conference = 13-5
confstanding = 2nd
postseason = NIT Opening Round
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 2002–2003
name = George Mason
overall = 16-12
conference = 11-7
confstanding = 4th
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 2003–2004
name = George Mason
overall = 23-10
conference = 12-6
confstanding = 3rd
postseason = NIT 2nd Round
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 2004–2005
name = George Mason
overall = 16-13
conference = 10-8
confstanding = 6th
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
season = 2005–2006
name = George Mason
overall = 27-8
conference = 15-3
confstanding = T-1st
postseason = NCAA Final Four
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 2006–2007
name = George Mason
overall = 18-15
conference = 9-9
confstanding = T-5th
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference tournament
season = 2007–2008
name = George Mason
overall = 23-11
conference = 12-6
confstanding = 3rd
postseason = NCAA 1st Round
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record End
overall = 592-596
poll = no
polltype = [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Mason_Patriots_men%27s_basketball Patriots Basketball"George Mason Patriots men's basketball"] . Wikisgmu. August 7, 2007.]

References