Maynor and Sanders have left the court for some of the bench warmers and its a wrap.
John Vaughan and Dre Smith are in tears on the Mason bench.
Fitting end to Maynor’s CAA career and maybe a passing of the torch to Sanders.
— Tim Chapman
March 10, 2009
Dre’s Hittin’ Treys
Dre Smith now has five in the game, but VCU is still in control, as Joey Rodriguez answered with his second triple of the game.
Long misses another three, and its 63-44 with over 4 to go.
— Tim Chapman
March 10, 2009
Last Gasp
Mason has momentum temporarily after a Dre Smith 3-pointer cut the lead to 47-32, and now has forward Darryl Monroe back in.
Monroe was getting spelled by lanky forward Michael Morrison, a freshman who seems to hold promise. The battles between him and Sanders are fun to watch.
After Maynor hit a bucket, another 3 by Smith brings the tally to 49-35. Monroe picks up his third foul, sending Maynor to the line for one-and-one. Swish, swish, 51-35 Rams.
— Matt McGovern
March 10, 2009
Living on a Prayer
In the first media timeout of the second half the Mason pep band is playing Living on a Prayer.
They always play it, but never has it been so appropriate; they’re down 39-20 with 15:20 to go. Smith or Long is going to need to start hoisting up prayers just to get back into it.
Maynor has turned it over twice this half and has four total — showing that he isn’t invincible. Mason needs to throw everything and anything at him because he can get hot again real quick.
— Tim Chapman
March 10, 2009
Worst-Case Scenario For Patriots
Less than three minutes into the second half, George Mason is down 37-19, and is lucky Eric Maynor missed an open 3-pointer a possession ago.
Cam Long was just called for traveling, as he is facing intense pressure all over the court. Maynor has badgered him full court in the early-going, and is guarding him in the half court as well.
VCU forward Larry Sanders now has 14 rebounds, but just missed a follow-up layup off Maynor’s missed 3.
— Matt McGovern
March 10, 2009
It’s Getting Ugly
Pishchalnikov gets the last two for VCU on another Maynor assist, following another Sanders rebound. 37-19.
March 10, 2009
It Could Be Worse
George Mason goes into halftime down 30-19, but really could be in a much bigger hole.
Eric Maynor cooled down later in the first period, missing his last two shots — he finished the half with 14 points and four assists. GMU guard Cam Long needs to step up and do what he did in earlier rounds against JMU and Towson, which is provide his team with a spark by hitting 3s. He has just one bucket on 1-of-4 shooting.
If Long doesn’t make his presence felt in the second half, VCU will punch its ticket to the Big Dance.
— Matt McGovern
March 9, 2009
Mason’s Enemies: Maynor and Layups
Maynor has 14 points and Mason should have about 14 points off of the missed layups thus far.
— Tim Chapman
March 9, 2009
When He’s Engaged…
Eric Maynor is one of the most dynamic NCAA basketball players in the country.
In today’s CAA championship game against George Mason at the Richmond Coliseum, Maynor has 10 points and three assists in the game’s first 12-plus minutes. He’s hit two 3-pointers in a row, and has Mason reeling and down 21-14.
Could he finish with 30-plus, and will he continue to pay attention in the second half if the Rams get a double-digit lead?
— Matt McGovern
March 9, 2009
Championship Game: VCU 18, GMU 9
Maynor isn’t messing around tonight. He came out slow in the first two games of the tournament, but has turned it on early.
He has seven points, the last three coming on a deep shot beyond the top of the key. Mason’s Mike Morrison is playing well with two buckets off the bench.
— Tim Chapman
