E8 SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 2006 SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 2006 E9 College Basketball GEORGE MASON [11] GAME 1 [3] FLORIDA PATRIOTS GEORGE MASON GATORS STARTING LINEUP BENCH VS. FLORIDA BENCH STARTING LINEUP Does it matter? The starters stayed in the game The Gators get very little production from their 1 | TONY SKINN GUARD (Sr.) for the defining moments of the second half and the 6:07 P.M. reserves. Adrian Moss has been part of 100 11 | TAUREAN GREEN GUARD (Soph.) The team’s quickest starter was moved to a wing entire overtime session against Connecticut. Gabe victories in his four years, tied for the highest total Green has made 91 percent of his free throws in con- position this year, allowing him to catch the ball more Norwood is usually the first player off the bench, SITE: RCA Dome, Indianapolis in school history. He has started 24 games during ference play, and he has gotten to the line 10 or more frequently in scoring situations and to attack the offering steady ballhandling and high-flying TELEVISION: his career, but he played a combined eight times on six occasions this year. Green has had five basket. Still, he has eight assists and only three or more assists in 14 of the last 25 games, but he athleticism. Freshman Sammy Hernandez is still WUSA (Channel 9), WJZ (Channel 13) minutes the past two games. Chris Richard turnovers since returning from his suspension and has raw offensively but is a solid rebounder, while grabbed four rebounds, including three offensive, can also be turnover-prone. When the Gators are pulled the plug on several out-of-control fast breaks. Jordan Carter has had several nice moments. TV ANNOUNCERS: in 11 minutes against Villanova. David Huertas most effective in the open court, Green is the reason. Ht. Wt. G FG% 3PT% FT% Reb. Ast. Pts. The Patriots usually avoid foul trouble, and the Jim Nantz and Billy Packer and Walter Hodge each had three rebounds in Ht. Wt. G FG% 3PT% FT% Reb. Ast. Pts. 6-1 175 33 .396 .342 .805 3.5 2.8 12.6 tournament’s lengthier TV timeouts have kept RADIO: limited action against Villanova. 6-0 177 37 .374 .394 .887 2.9 4.8 13.6 the starters rested. WTEM-980 No. Pos. Name G FG% FT% Reb. Ast. Pts. No. Pos. Name G FG% FT% Reb. Ast. Pts. RECORDS: 1 G Brett Swanson 16 .364 1.000 0.3 0.1 0.9 22 | LAMAR BUTLER GUARD (Sr.) 2 G Jordan Carter 27 .524 .333 0.7 0.7 1.0 12 | LEE HUMPHREY GUARD (Jr.) George Mason 4 F Adrian Moss 37 .467 .658 2.4 0.5 3.1 The fifth-year guard is the face of the team, his smile Humphrey has taken 7.8 shots per game, almost 3 G-F Makan Konate 10 .167 .000 0.4 0.0 0.2 15 G Walter Hodge 37 .398 .667 1.1 1.2 4.1 infiltrating the national media. The most prolific (Colonial Athletic Association at-large), 27-7 double what he attempted per game last season. three-point shooter in school history is making 50 5 G-F Gabe Norwood 34 .431 .588 2.0 1.9 3.4 Florida 22 G Jack Berry 15 .375 .500 0.4 0.0 0.5 Humphrey has made 45.6 percent of his three- percent of his attempts in the NCAA tournament. 12 G Tim Burns 19 .400 .000 0.5 0.4 1.9 (Southeastern Conference champion), 31-6 25 G-F Garrett Tyler 16 .417 .857 0.6 0.0 1.1 point attempts and has made three or more 20 He also held his own against Denham Brown in the 24 G Charles Makings 13 .250 .000 0.7 0.2 0.2 WINNER FACES: 32 F Chris Richard 37 .696 .692 3.7 0.5 6.1 times this season. At various points this season, region final, despite weighing 50 pounds less. 40 F Chris Fleming 27 .440 .500 0.7 0.0 1.0 LSU-UCLA winner on Monday in Indianapolis 33 G David Huertas 34 .378 .765 1.5 0.7 2.6 Humphrey led the nation in three-point accuracy. Ht. Wt. G FG% 3PT% FT% Reb. Ast. Pts. Ht. Wt. G FG% 3PT% FT% Reb. Ast. Pts. 50 F Sammy Hernandez 34 .525 .278 3.1 0.5 2.8 TOURNAMENT HISTORY: 6-2 170 34 .452 .382 .733 2.5 2.2 12.0 6-2 192 36 .473 .456 .583 1.9 1.9 10.6 George Mason, 4-3, first Final Four Florida, 21-12, third Final Four COACH COACH Billy Donovan 55 | JAI LEWIS 13 | JOAKIM NOAH CENTER (Sr.) Jim Larranaga In the past, Donovan signed CENTER (Soph.) Lewis takes advantage of each of his 275 pounds high-profile recruits such as Only Louisiana State’s Tyrus Thomas has helped his with a series of deceptively polished low-post He believes in the power of Mike Miller, Brett Nelson and NBA stock as much as Noah has in this year’s tourna- moves. His free throw shooting has been erratic — sports psychology, and he has KEYS TO THE GAME Anthony Roberson. But except ment. The most outstanding player of the Minne- he made 2 of 10 foul shots in the Patriots’ first been a masterful locker room for 2000, when the Gators apolis Region has improved his scoring average by three tournament games before making 8 of 14 motivator this month. On the DIALING LONG DISTANCE: George more than 10 points over last season. Noah has reached the Final Four, in the region final. court, he has toppled three Mason made 6 of 7 three-point scored in double figures in 26 of the last 30 games. impressive recruiting classes haven’t translated Ht. Wt. G FG% 3PT% FT% Reb. Ast. Pts. legends: Tom Izzo, Roy attempts in the second half Ht. Wt. G FG% 3PT% FT% Reb. Ast. Pts. 6-7 275 34 .528 .356 .644 7.7 1.9 13.7 Williams and Jim Calhoun. against Connecticut. But into tournament success. This season, Donovan 6-11 227 37 .629 .000 .727 7.1 2.0 14.2 1 has thrived with players — aside from Corey Florida’s perimeter defense has limit- Brewer — who weren’t top-tier prospects. ROAD TO INDIANAPOLIS ed opponents to 26.5 percent shoot- 42 | FOLARIN CAMPBELL FORWARD (Soph.) ing from three-point range during 2 | COREY BREWER FORWARD (Soph.) Campbell became the Patriots’ primary ballhandler George Mason 75, Michigan State 65: the Gators’ current nine-game win ROAD TO INDIANAPOLIS A versatile player, Brewer can score inside and on the this season and finished 10th in the Colonial Folarin Campbell went 8 for 8 from the field. streak. Georgetown and Villanova perimeter. He made 5 of 8 three-point attempts Florida 76, South Alabama 50: Lee Humphrey Athletic Association in assists per game. He has George Mason 65, North Carolina 60: made a combined 9 of 44 three-point against Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Brewer’s triple-double shots against the Gators. finished with 20 points. against Jacksonville on Dec. 18 was the first in school been more assertive on offense since Tony Skinn’s Patriots trailed 16-2 before pulling off shocker. Florida 82, Wisconsin-Milwaukee 60: one-game suspension, leading the team in points George Mason 63, Wichita State 55: history. He has made at least 50 percent of his shots Corey Brewer led the rout with 23. and assists in four NCAA tournament games. Patriots jumped out early, never looked back. BLOCK PARTY: Joakim Noah from the field in eight of his last 13 games. Florida 57, Georgetown 53: Gators overcame Ht. Wt. G FG% 3PT% FT% Reb. Ast. Pts. George Mason 86, Connecticut 84 (OT): and Al Horford have combined Ht. Wt. G FG% 3PT% FT% Reb. Ast. Pts. 6-4 200 34 .489 .340 .755 4.3 3.5 11.0 to block 151 shots this season, an early deficit behind Joakim Noah. 6-8 185 37 .471 .333 .778 4.7 3.3 12.5 Jai Lewis and Will Thomas outdueled taller Huskies. Florida 75, Villanova 62: the highest total by a tandem Noah dominated with 2 21 points, 15 rebounds and 5 blocks. in school history. Noah has 19 blocks 34 | WILL THOMAS FORWARD (Soph.) SEASON RESULTS in the tournament. U-Conn. blocked 42 | AL HORFORD FORWARD (Soph.) After reaching double digits in points and rebounds 79 . UC Irvine. 56 71 . at Northeastern 68 73. at Va. Cmnwlth. 61 seven George Mason shots Sunday, SEASON RESULTS Horford made improvements in every area of his 78. at Wake Forest 83 73 . Va. Cmnwlth. 60 65. Towson . 53 but the front-line duo of Will » game as a sophomore, but most noticeably in his three times during the regular season, he has 52. Creighton . 72 70 . Delaware. 56 67 . Drexel . 48 80. St. Peter’s . 51 93 . Morgan St. 49 73 . at Vanderbilt . 68 already matched that number in four NCAA tourna- 72 . at Manhattan . 66 65. at Wlm & Mary 46 70 . at Wichita St. 67 Thomas and Jai Lewis combined to 83 . Albany, N.Y.. 64 90 . at Georgia . 72 81 . at Arkansas. 85 shooting percentage. He has proved to be an effec- 81 . at Georgia St. 51 65 . at J. Madison . 43 66. at Hofstra . 77 77. at Wake Forest 72 75. Mississippi St.. 60 72 . Tennessee . 76 ment games while shooting 56 percent. He has not 75 . at American.