Local Teams Prepare for Big Dance
For George Mason, Selection Sunday was a relief. For George Washington, it was the worst-case scenario.
The Patriots -- a bubble team thanks to two recent losses to Hofstra -- didn't have to sweat too long on Selection Sunday, as they were named the 11 seed in the second bracket announced. This was much to the dismay of CBS basketball announcer Billy Packer. The Patriots' regional will be played in Washington, but GMU has plenty of work to do to get back home. They play Thursday in Dayton, Ohio, with a game against Michigan State. The Spartans are a veteran squad that return several key players, including a couple of starters, from last year's Final Four team. The Spartans finished just 8-8 in the Big Ten, but played a brutal non-conference schedule and are tournament tested. If GMU can pull off the upset, they'll likely face North Carolina in the second round. The Tar Heels are the defending national champions, and though they lost almost everyone from that team, their young guns have matured quickly. UNC finished second in the ACC and beat Duke -- the top-ranked team in this tournament -- just a few weeks ago.
Speaking of Duke, George Washington has a potential matchup with the Blue Devils in the second round of the Atlanta bracket. The 26-2 Colonials were apparently punished harshly by the committee for their first-round exit in the Atlantic Ten tournament, pulling an eight seed, and will face North Carolina-Wilmington (winners of the Colonial Athletic Association). Getting by the Seahawks on Thursday in Greensboro, North Carolina, is no sure thing, but if GW does make it through, they'd pose an interesting matchup for the ACC champs. Both teams play an up-tempo style, but GW is deeper.
George Washington is less than pleased with their seeding. GW players and fans were visibly disappointed when their seed was announced, and while coach Karl Hobbs has been diplomatic so far, other GW officials have been more vocal. Athletics director Jack Kvancz seemed almost incredulous; he told the Post that "we have the best record in college basketball, and they put us in North Carolina, against two North Carolina teams, including the number one seed overall? That's who we deserve to play?"
One other local team earned a bid. Georgetown garnered the seven seed in the Minneapolis bracket. The Hoyas face Northern Iowa in the first round, on Friday in Dayton. The Panthers are one of four teams in the tournament from the Missouri Valley, the most heralded mid-major conference in history, and boast six wins over tournament teams. Should the Hoyas triumph in the first round, they'd likely face Big Ten regular season champion Ohio State, in what is actually a pretty favorable matchup for a seven versus two.
Despite not earning a bid, Maryland managed to make headlines. Terps coach Gary Williams was in the middle of a press conference announcing why his team was declining a bid to the less-prestigious NIT (injuries, mostly) when he left the room to take a phone call. Upon his return, he backtracked and said that his team would play either Manhattan or Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday at Comcast Center. Apparently, Maryland had agreed earlier in the season to host an NIT game should the Terps not make the NCAA tournament -- something Williams was unaware of.
Picture taken by ohad*.