GEORGE MASON VS FLORIDA PICK

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Michael Robinson started his journalism career covering Wisconsin Badgers football and basketball. He has since taken his talents around the globe, writing for Maxim Magazine Online, Football.com, Rotoworld.com, and VIP Sports.

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Final Four - George Mason vs Florida - March 29, 2006

The Final Four is set to begin this Saturday night at 6:00 p.m. EST. George Mason and Florida is the early contest as it is considered less desirable from a television perspective than UCLA and LSU. The way these teams are playing however, this likely could be the better game.

By Michael Robinson

Frontcourt

Florida’s Joakim Noah and Al Horford are both playing at a very high level right now, and are crashing the boards with abandon. The two combined for 30 rebounds in the Elite Eight game against Villanova.

George Mason’s two inside guys, Jai Lewis and Will Thomas, are listed at 6’7” but they play bigger than their height would suggest. Lewis also tips the scales at around 275 pounds which means that Noah and Horford will not be able to push him around.

Backcourt

Point guard, Taurean Green is the second leading scorer for Florida, and is a player you want with the ball in his hands during crunch time. Off guard, Lee Humphrey has not shot the ball well since injuring his shoulder in late January, but he is capable of breaking out of it at any time. Swingman, Corey Brewer is an athletic wing player as well as a consistent double-digit scorer.

George Mason’s backcourt consists of senior guards, Tony Skinn and Lamar Butler, and 6’4” swingman Folarian Campbell. All three of these guys can shoot the ball from three-point land, and are filling out the stat sheet this tournament with rebounds and assists as well.

Bench and Coaching

Both coaches, Billy Donovan and Jim Larranaga, are graduates of Providence College, but Donovan is the only one with Final Four coaching experience. Neither team is getting much production from their bench right now, and the starters will again log heavy minutes in this game.

The Skinny

There are a lot of “experts” out there claiming that George Mason’s win over Connecticut last round was the greatest upset in college basketball history. Let me be the first to firmly dispute that notion.

Both the Villanova win over Georgetown in 1985, and the NC State victory over Houston in 1983 were far more impressive. First, each of those games decided the national championship, not just an appearance in the Final Four.

Secondly, the Georgetown team had a senior by the name of Patrick Ewing, and Houston had both Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. Either of those squads would blow-out the 2006 Connecticut Huskies by 20 points. Connecticut just isn’t that great a team.

That being said, if George Mason wins the national championship this year, then they deserve any and all accolades that will come their way.

Unfortunately for George Mason, this is where I predict their run will end, although I do think they have the talent and heart to keep this a close game, and ultimately stay within the spread.

Pick: George Mason

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