George Mason Patriots NCAA Basketball News

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Back in Bloomington, Christian Watford clearly had the attention of Indiana basketball fans.

GAME NOTES: The George Mason Patriots and the Indiana Hoosiers will square off this morning on the final day of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. George Mason opened the season with back-to-back victories over non-conference opponents at home, but the team hasn't enjoyed any success thus far in Puerto Rico.

Cam Long scored 18 points and hit a 3-pointer with 6 seconds left to lift George Mason to a 69-66 victory over Indiana on Sunday in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. Mike Morrison added 17 points and 13 rebounds for the Patriots , who trailed 31-30 after a first half in which neither team led by more than five points.

Indiana gets either Georgia Tech or George Mason on Sunday, depending on who wins and who loses the games today.

From Anchorage to Puerto Rico, early-season college hoops tournaments have become common and more popular than ever.

The first shot of Isaiah Armwood's college basketball career was a big one. The freshman hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 17 seconds left, rallying fifth-ranked Villanova over George Mason 69-68 Thursday in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off. "He was the last one I wanted to take the shot.

Georgia Tech looked impressive in its season opener, but facing its first tough competition of 2009-10, it looked very much like the team that finished in last place in the ACC last season.

Following two dominating performances at The Pavilion to open the season, Villanova looks to continue that success on the road this week.

Against visiting Dartmouth College Sunday, the George Mason men's basketball team on Sunday looked quite a bit like the squad that took the court two days earlier for the first time this season.

GEORGE WASHINGTON 76, UNC WILMINGTON 71: Sophomore Aaron Ware scored a game-high 16 points in leading the Colonials to their fifth straight season-opening victory with a triumph over the Seahawks in Wilmington, N.C. The game was a rematch of GW's thrilling overtime victory in the first round of the 2006 NCAA tournament at Greensboro, N.C. The ...

George Mason beats Dartmouth 60-44 Eds: APNewsNow. George Mason 60, Dartmouth 44.

George Mason's season opener Friday night was everything that Coach Jim Larranaga hoped for, everything he feared and, with freshmen and sophomores shuttling on and off the court all evening and his leader sidelined with leg cramps in the second half, it was about what he expected.

The 76-72 victory over Liberty before 6,014 at Patriot Center was punctuated by wild swings of both exhilarating and sloppy basketball. A 19-point lead early in the second half slipped to three with 2 1/2 minutes left before the Patriots rediscovered their half-court offense, freshman Luke Hancock beat the shot clock with an off-balance basket and sophomore Andre Cornelius converted critical free throws.

Andre Cornelius had 17 points to lead George Mason to a 76-72 victory over Liberty in their season opener Friday night.

For the past two years Cam Long has waited for his turn to take charge of the George Mason men's basketball team.

Other notable players: G Nick Hendra , F Stephen Lumpkins Highlight game: Jan. 23 vs.

Two big New Jersey college basketball games are on tap this weekend -- and Verizon FiOS1 is the only place to catch the action.

Jim Larranaga is sitting at his desk on the ground level of Patriot Center, primed for the start of his 13th season as the men's basketball coach at George Mason. For a moment, he breaks from a discussion about the promising freshman class, his hip-replacement surgery in April and the rigors of the Colonial Athletic Association to envision how spectators will react to his team's new, up-tempo style.

'Our fans are going to be taken on a roller-coaster ride,' he says.

Suddenly, his eyes widen and voice surges with excitement.

OUTLOOK: The Colonial Athletic Association sent five teams to postseason play last year, which had never happened before in conference history.

Former VCU point guard Eric Maynor has been the face for his team and the Colonial Athletic Association over the past couple of years.

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: The Patriots have six true freshmen on the roster in what appears to be the best recruiting class in the CAA.