When George Mason's name was called on Selection Sunday, it turned more than a few heads (including DCist's). They were included over major conference clubs like Cincinnati and Florida St., and conference foe Hofstra, who had just beaten the Patriots in the CAA semis. They would also be playing without Tony Skinn, their second-leading scorer, who was suspended one game for punching a Hofstra player.

Friday night in Dayton, Ohio, they proved they belonged, coming out swinging and never letting up in a 75-65 win over 2005 semifinalist Michigan St.

The Patriots held a small lead for most of the game, but the Spartans went up one with about six minutes remaining. It appeared that the time had come for the hardened, veteran team to put away the precocious newcomer.
Mason had other ideas, going on a 10-0 run. From there -- despite missing 12 of 16 free throws at one point down the stretch -- the Patriots remained in control, getting the defensive stops they needed to win.

George Mason had four players in double figures in Skinn's absense. Folarin Campbell hit all eight of his shots and scored 21 points, and Will Thomas added 18. Jai Lewis and Lamar Butler had a baker's dozen apiece. For the game, the Patriots shot better than 60 percent.

Mason moves on to face North Carolina in the second round on Sunday. The young Tar Heels were 69-65 victors over Murray St. on Friday. This is actually a very winnable game for Mason. One key will be keeping power forward Tyler Hansbrough -- an All-ACC selection as a freshman -- off the offensive glass.

AP Photo taken by Al Behrman.

Mason's victory made local teams 3-0 in the tournament, as earlier, Georgetown beat Northern Iowa 54-49. Quite frankly, there isn't much interesting to say about this one. The Hoyas rode on the back of sophomore Roy Hibbert -- who, at 7-2, enjoyed a six inch height advantage over the tallest man who guarded him -- to stay alive under a three-point barrage in the first half, going into the break down 30-26.

Hibbert opened the second stanza with a couple of quick buckets to tie the game, and the Hoyas slowly -- let me emphasize slowly -- pulled ahead. With just over two minutes to go in the game, Georgetown had only scored 18 points in the second half, but held a six-point advantage, thanks to 2-for-18 shooting from the Panthers. UNI's John Little then hit his fifth three of the ballgame, but Hibbert answered, and Ashanti Cook had six of his 14 points down the stretch to seal the win.

Georgetown will face Ohio St. on Sunday. The Buckeyes struggled in the first half before pulling away to beat Davidson 70-62. To win, the Hoyas will need to find something on the offensive end. Hibbert finished with 17 points, but he's hardly worth of the comparisons to Ewing/Mourning/Mutombo that CBS announcer Gus Johnson was making. Defensively, he'll have his hands full with Buckeyes center Terence Dials. He won't have help, either, as the Hoyas can't afford to leave Ohio St.'s deadly three-point shooters open.