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George Mason Basketball: 2018-19 season preview for the Patriots

By Stu Luddecke

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 09: Head coach Dave Paulsen of the George Mason Patriots looks on against the Saint Joseph's Hawks during the first half in the Quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 9, 2018 in Washington, DC.(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 09: Head coach Dave Paulsen of the George Mason Patriots looks on against the Saint Joseph's Hawks during the first half in the Quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 9, 2018 in Washington, DC.(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 09: The George Mason Patriots band plays as the George Mason Patriots play the Saint Joseph’s Hawks during the first half in the Quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 9, 2018 in Washington, DC.(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 09: The George Mason Patriots band plays as the George Mason Patriots play the Saint Joseph’s Hawks during the first half in the Quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 9, 2018 in Washington, DC.(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

George Mason Basketball scratched and clawed their way to a 5th place finish in the A10 last season, and with all of their scoring production set to return, things should only go up from there.

The Patriots were the A10’s biggest surprise in 2017-2018. After being picked to finish 11th in Sports Illustrated’s annual A10 preview, they found a way to finish 5th and were one win away from securing a double-bye in the conference tournament.

There are GMU detractors who will say that the team “got lucky” in some big moments last season and that they weren’t actually as good as their record. While it’s true that they won three straight games on buzzer-beaters by Ian Boyd, it’s also true that closing out games is more leadership and coaching than it is luck. A win is a win, no matter how it’s achieved, and the fact that they won more than their share of close ones speaks volumes about their heart and tenacity.

This season, the Patriots should win even more games, and they probably won’t need Ian Boyd’s heroics to do so. In terms of returning talent, not a single player from last year’s squad has moved on, and even more help is on the way in the form of transfer Jarred Reuter (Virginia) and some talented freshmen.

In an A10 that will be wide open, Dave Paulsen and the Patriots will have an opportunity to make a lot of noise and even make the NCAA Tournament. Busting Brackets’ own Tristan Freeman is picking them to win the conference, and that’s hardly a hot take considering their upside.

All things considered, this is a team you should know if you consider yourself a college basketball fan. Let’s see what they have in store for us this season.

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