Atlantic 10 Basketball: Observations from first month of 2018-19

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 09: Virginia Commonwealth Rams fans cheer against the Rhode Island Rams 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: Justin Kier #1 and AJ Wilson #12 of the George Mason Patriots celebrate 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) /

George Mason isn’t as good as advertised, but can still be competitive

It’s anything but a hot take to say that the Patriots have gotten off to a disappointing start this season. Picked to finish 4th by the league’s coaches in the annual preseason poll, they’re currently sitting at 5-6 and are yet to grab a marquis win. It’s not as though all of their losses have been to perennial powers either, as the list of victorious opponents includes teams like Georgia Southern, American, and Penn.

An at-large NCAA Tournament bid is almost certainly out of the question at this point, but being competitive in a league with a lot of parity is still an attainable goal. The Patriots have been playing better lately (though still not to their ceiling), going 4-3 over their last seven. A lot of that has to do with the improved consistency of Otis Livingston II, though he’s still only averaging 13 points per game.

If he can get that number closer to 20 as was anticipated, that would go miles towards getting Mason to the middle of the pack. Don’t expect them to totally flip a switch and start dominating, but don’t be surprised if they crack the top half of the standings in conference play either.

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