March 31, 2006

Surprising Final Four shapes up
No Duke, Gonzaga, Villanova or U-Conn

By DREW BONIFANT
atb001@marietta.edu

Okay, time to dig those NCAA tournament brackets out of the trash, since millions of Americans have likely condemned theirs tot he dumpster. Take a look, and if you had George Mason, Florida, LSU, and UCLA in the Final Four, give yourself a good pat on the back. Only a select few, if any, can give themselves such congratulations.

Indeed, an NCAA tournament that looked to host a potential clash of top seeds has taken a couple of shocking turns. Top seeds Memphis, Connecticut and Villanova were ousted in the Elite Eight. Even more surprising was Duke’s elimination in the Sweet16; an unanimous Final Four pick among ESPN experts. In their places, the 2006 Final Four welcomed No. 4 LSU, led by center Glen Davis, No. 3 Florida, and No. 2 UCLA and guard Arron Afflalo.

Oh, and let’s not forget, No. 11 George Mason. They made it as well.

While Florida, UCLA and LSU have gained headlines with their slaying of top seeds en route to their Final Four positions, it is impossible to speak about this competition without expressing awe at the journey of George Mason. After failing to capture the Colonial Athletic Association title against schools like UNC-Wilmington, Hofstra and Old Dominion, the George Mason Patriots were lucky enough to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament. This drew criticism from basketball fans and experts who felt that spot should have been given to a team from a larger conference.

Each critic has had his foot in his mouth for nearly two weeks.
Given the chance, all the Patriots have done since is topple a 2005 Final Four squad and perennial power in Michigan State. They ousted defending champion North Carolina and defeated No. 7 Wichita State in what was expected to be George Mason’s curtain call. Then the stunned the country, once again, with a two-point overtime win over Connecticut, the popular pick for 2006 champion.

The New England Patriots earned championships in 2004 and 2005. Now a new bunch of Patriots hope to earn a title in 2006.
Of course, George Mason isn’t out of danger yet. Up next is Florida, a team that has combined the talent that won the SEC with a passion that helped in wins over Georgetown and top seed Villanova. Behind emotional leader Noah, the Florida Gators have outplayed opponents and shown enthusiasm for big-game atmosphere, a necessity for any team’s grueling six game journey to the title.

Beyond the Gators, should Mason’s run continue, there is LSU, with dominating center Davis, or Pac-10 champion UCLA. Both teams bring talent, evidenced by their high seeds, and resilience, judged by their string of victories to place them here.

But after four impressive wins, there isn’t a Patriot fan who believes in George Mason more than the Patriots do themselves.