The Bushido: (1) UConn v (11) George Mason, The Patriots win 86 to 84

Sunday, March 26, 2006

(1) UConn v (11) George Mason, The Patriots win 86 to 84

After UConn led at the half 43 to 34, due to their strong, quick play and early lead as well as being perfect from the line (6 for 6) in the first half. The Patriots have stayed in the game with strong performances from key players such as Butler, Thomas and Jai Lewis. Rudy Gay has 9-points leading the Huskies in the first half. The Patriots were an at large choice by the selection committee, but they have shown they do belong in the Big Dance defeating Michigan State, UNC and Wichita State, and perhaps a chance to move to the next round of the tournament. George Mason has showed they will not go away.

Updates: Final minutes of the game
George Mason leads 56 to 54 with 9:30 left in the game. Rudy Gay ties the game with a nice touch to the glass. Jai Lewis hits his two foul shots giving the Patriots the lead again 58 to 56. Rudy Gay again hitting a 3-pointer to give UConn the lead 59-58 with 8 minutes left. The Patriots hit another, but Rudy Gay gains his 18th point 61-60. Jai Lewis for 2, 62 to 61 with 6:21 left in the game. Rudy Gay with another 2, but Jai Lewis puts the Patriots back on top 64 to 63 with 5:02 left.
Clease is at the Casa and is going nuts about his boys (UConn) and why George Mason is still in this game, leading 67 to 65 with 4-minutes left in the game. GMU has a sweet transition with a two on one in the back court hitting a soft touch off the glass, giving the Patriots the lead 69 to 65 with 3:07 to go, UConn calls time. UConn Jeff Adrien hits both of his foul shots to put the Huskies within 2, 69-67 (2:23 left in the game.) Boone is fouled and will go to the line to shoot two. Josh Boone misses his first shot, as well as his second.

Update: 2-Minutes remaining
Rudy Gay impedes the progress and is called for the foul. GMU gets a fresh 45-seconds. Ninety seconds left in the game. Jai Lewis takes the shot, and is tipped in. UConn’s Marcus Lewis pumps the ball and turns over the ball; the first UConn turnover of the half.1-minute left in the game. GMU can’t get the ball to drop. Lamar Butler fouls Marcus Williams as he lays one on the glass 71 to 70. Williams an 86% foul shooter hits his first. Armstrong fouls Jai Lewis a 65.1% shooter, he hits his first but misses his second, Lewis is 7 for 9 today. The Score is 72 to 70. UConn couldn’t get the ball to drop, Butler is fouled and hits his first (73 to 70) his second shot drops as well 74 to 70 with 17.6 seconds left on the clock. (Time-out by George Mason.) CLEASE IS GOING CRAZY! Marcus Williams brings it down the court and hits a short jumper from the paint with 07.9 seconds left (74 to 72.) Rudy Gay fouls Tony Skinn an 81% foul shooter with 5.5 seconds left. Skinn misses his shot. UConn brings the ball down, GMU fails to turn #33 and he hits the lay-up beating the buzzer. We are headed to Over-time, score 74 to 74. Yes folks Jamie Teske is really going crazy.

Update: Over-Time
GMU’s record in OT is 1-1. UConn’s record is 2-1. GMU makes the first two in OT (76-74). UConn scores 76-76, but GMU comes back with Butler hitting two, 78-76. Denham Brown shoots two after being fouled for UConn tying the game @ 78, with 3:02 left on the clock. After the ball was knocked out of bounds, Jai Lewis hit two 80 to 78. UConn can’t get the ball to drop from Gay’s 3-point attempt. Boone can’t stop Thomas and he hits two 82 to 78. Clease is jumping off of the walls here. A blocking foul is called on Tony Skinn his 4^th personal foul. Brown is back to the line, hitting both of his shots 82 to 80, with 1:44 remaining in the game. Armstrong knocks the ball out of bounds with Lewis in the post. Folarin Campbell hits a fade-away jumper to take the lead by 4-points 84 to 80 with 61-seconds left. Timeout UConn. Williams is held by Jai Lewis and UConn gets the possession arrow, Rudy gay throws up an air-ball. Jai Lewis is fouled. Lewis gets one of two, giving GMU a 5-point lead, 85 to 80 with 41 seconds remaining. Adrien (63.5% free-throw shooter) hits one of his two from the Charity stripe (85 to 81). Will Thomas is fouled hits his first, misses his second 86 to 81 with 13.6 seconds on the clock. UConn’s Williams hits a three-pointer 86 to 84, 07.1 seconds. Lamar Butler will take it out. The clock is reset with 07.3 seconds left. Jai Lewis is fouled by Hilton Armstrong and will go to the line. Lewis misses both. Denham Brown brings it down the court, throws up a 3-pointer and misses. Clease is having worse trouble turning off the faucets than Adam Morrison and Dick Vermeil watching Sports-Centers "Close but no cigar"-clips.

The George Mason Patriots win 86 to 84 over the UConn Huskies. Obviously, the worse thing for the home-gamers in front of the idiot box is that we will miss viewing the adorable Huskie Cheerleaders on the side-line.