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SEASON 7

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Epilogue, The Ninth: Only Love Can Break Your Heart

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So We Meet Again

Rte. 139 - End of the Line

Hanging On

A Championship in Pictures

This Time of Year

Dotson Leads Ducks to the Sweet Sixteen

Grizzlies Overwhelmed by Orangemen

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Challenge 11: Final Four Memories

By George, UConn is Dead

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Donning the Black and Gold

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The Madness of the Horizon League

The Rare Ivy League Conference Tournament

MAC Madness

Anything Can Happen in the MAAC

Challenge 9: Shock The Neighborhood

A Youthful Surprise

From Worst to First

Peers and Seers

Game 7-057: George Mason at VCU
February 16, 2011 9:12 am ET by Kyle Whelliston

George Mason Patriots at Virginia Commonwealth Rams

February 15, 2011 7:00 pm
Siegel Center
BBState Stats/Recap

VCU hadn't lost two consecutive games at the Siegel Center since it opened. Broken streak, broken hearts, broken signboard.

@midmajority Game Tweets

18:50 Game No. 7-057: George Mason at VCU. Kind of an important game. http://img.ly/31i2
18:54 Got something for you! RT @WM_VA_Josh: There's @midmajority...trust me. (Phone doesn't zoom) #CAAHoops http://twitpic.com/408sw0
18:56 GMU is 21-5 (13-2 CAA), in first place. Streak W11. VCU is 20-7 (12-3), 2-2 in last four, lost to ODU Sat. by 11. #youareinformed
18:56 This is for first place, and it would be an easy tiebreaker because VCU and GMU play only once this year (that would be tonight).
18:58 There were lines down the block outside and a lot of traffic/pedestrian management. That's why the place isn't quite full yet. It will be.
19:00 VCU huddlz. http://img.ly/31i7
19:01 Virginia is for lovers... and hatas of enemy CAA teams. Loud boos for anything even remotely Mason-related. http://img.ly/31i9
19:02 Tip. http://img.ly/31ia
19:04 Skeen scores first for VCU, a little two-handed lite flush. We are officially underway in the CAA battle for first.
19:05 Higher than usual amount of battle gear on GMU. Andre Cornelius with the electric tape, and Luke Hancock has that arm wrap.
19:06 RT @devyanks90: @midmajority ODU fans made a 5 page thread on CAAzone trying to figure out who to root for in that game
19:08 Cornelius with a #superhoop, GMU up 9-2.
19:10 The Siegel Center has a flat ceiling, and one seating level on a 45 degree slope. Sardine-can acoustics. All noise is amplified about 400%.
19:12 First media, it's Mason 11-2. Andre Cornelius with 5, Cam Long with 4. VCU is 1-of-9 from the floor.
19:13 There might be an orange blob, bottom of screen! RT @efertel: Trying to spot @midmajority on ESPNU while watching some great CAA basketball.
19:15 VCU F Jamie Skeen's and-one breaks Mason's point streak at 11. He scored the first basket too. 11-5 Patriots.
19:17 GMU's Isaiah Tate got fouled hard on a breakaway #dunx attempt by Brandon Rozell. Ref signals X. Fans say "boo." Intensity up!
19:19 No FT makes on the intentional, but Ryan Pearson tips in a tap to put Mason up 13-5.
19:20 GMU froth Vertrail Vaughns sure follows the trail of his #superhoop attempts. Sure that's been said before. Two 3's in last 3 Patriot trips.
19:21 Ha! RT @FuzzDons: @midmajority Nice to watch actual CBB (CAA "student"-athletes) instead of an NBDL after-school special (Kentucky-Miss St).
19:23 This is a taste of the Mason's serious #superhoop prowess. 14th best in Division I at 39.5% 3's made; goes up to 41.5% in CAA play.
19:25 The Mason fans are squeezed into two small back sections in the corners; all the easier for VCU fans to identify, point and heckle.
19:27 Block/charge whistles are going in the Mason direction on both ends. Howls from the crowd.
19:28 VCU froshh Rob Brandenburg just did what Vaughns did... came in off the bench and made two smooth #superhoops. It's 21-15 GMU at 7:20 1H.
19:28 RT @jskarp: The discerning college basketball fan is watching nothing other than ESPNU right now. Fact. #midswin @midmajority
19:29 An important point. RT @tahobgood: @midmajority @FuzzDons Plus the results of this game won't be vacated by the NCAA.
19:30 Sears still exists? RT @mwmiller20: @midmajority BracketBusters finally got a sponsor, a failing dept store chain (Sears). Sad indictment.
19:31 At this third MTO, a quick note that they take Title R very seriously. God bless them.
19:33 Brandenberg end-to-end, finishing with a strong layup. 3-for-3 off the bench for the VCU froshhhh guard.
19:35 GMU's 6-6 beardo Ryan Pearson with a strong fourth chance layup from the place on the floor under the rim. Jai Lewis used to do that a lot.
19:37 GM 23-17, 4:26 1H. Every time VCU thinks of getting close, they unleash a horrible shot/bad pass. One ended in an air-hump of the stanchion.
19:39 A VCU cheerleader just walked 1.5 court lengths on her hands. That won't end up in the box score. Why?
19:41 Ryan Pearson with an #omgdunx for Mason; 26-17 at 2:31 1H.
19:42 VCU's Brandenburg is interesting. Great shot. Mistake-prone, but as soon as he &#$*s up, he BOOKS it back on defense and makes good happen.
19:43 Speaking of froshhh, Vaughns drains his third #superhoop of the night off the Mason bench. 29-19.
19:54 HT in Richmond. 34-19 after a buzzer 3 for Mason. Boos from crowd. VCU is playing like crap. 19 in half for a team that avgs 71; 30% shoot.
20:01 Speaking of VCU-Mason, this was a good game. http://img.ly/31jh
20:01 RT @WM_VA_Josh: Halftime w/@midmajority & @ballybasketball. Hoping for a tight 2nd half in RVA http://twitpic.com/409byp
20:03 Was awesome hanging out with @VM_VA_Josh, the only person wearing red in the building right now! And thanks to @VCUPav, we have a visitor!
20:04 Bradford Burgess with a 3 to open 2H for VCU. Crowd back in it! 34-22 Mason.
20:06 .@VCUPav holds up his famous dry-erase signboard: "VCU always comes back."
20:08 But Mason is still bringing the #superhoops. Cam Long drains one, it's 40-24 GMU. Other CAA fans should probably root *against* a blowout.
20:09 And Pearson, who loves the area behind the basket, puts in a cue shot with ridiculous spin. 42-24 Mason. Horchata Song blowout in the CAA?
20:10 Bally and VCU Ballz have the best seats in the house. @VCUPav http://img.ly/31jv
20:11 I have to say, this game has a very high attendance of Ballz and Ballys. It's quite awesome.
20:13 Banners. There are another four on the other side. http://img.ly/31jz
20:14 Brandenburg sets up Burgess for a three, and that stops the bleeding. Mason up 45-27 at 14:27 2H.
20:14 RT @HarrySmalleyIII: @midmajority Drexel is the antithesis of Mason. 0-9 on #superhoops tonight at UNCW.
20:17 It's time for some honesty on VCU. They have problems stopping shots anyway, and don't shoot particularly well.
20:18 VCU excels when forcing turnovers and getting extra shots. They do that a LOT, but not tonight. Mason has only coughed it 5x; VCU collapses.
20:19 But their band is great. Just played that Cee-Lo song, and the Rowdy Rams filled in the chorus and pointed at the GMU fans. #aintthatsomes__
20:25 Siegel Center a bit stunned. In 29 minutes, 34 points in 41 possessions. Ugly.
20:29 An errant pass towards VCU Ballz is saved by Brandenberg, but it's another empty for VCU. 58-36 Mason at 8:49 2H. Rams' hearts ripped out.
20:31 Now it's ridiculous. Pearson hitting #superhoops. 61-36. VCU hasn't lost consecutive home games in this building. Ever.
20:32 New record: 7 RT @polarscribe: .@midmajority The record set at the 2010 WAC Tournament hasn't fallen yet though, has it? We had sextuplets!
20:32 The @VCUPav signboard: "Heads Up - Fight Them - Ram Proud"
20:33 Eight-minute media. Mason 61, VCU 36. #people #are #leaving
20:36 Tiny GMU sections shouting a "George!" "Mason!" chant at each other. This isn't their house, but they do have a one-day lease on the place.
20:40 Also, GMU is unranked in a presumptive two-bid conference. Does anybody have any questions about this team? Is an info booth necessary?
20:42 Mason up 65-42. The more VCU fights, the more they struggle. If you're watching along on ESPNU, you've seen the blown layups.
20:43 G!O!T!N! check RT @ValleyHoops: 6:49 left in the first half - Evansville 23, Wichita State 22. #MVCHoops
20:48 As fans file out, VCU band launches into one last defiant round of "F*&^ You" for the Mason fans. I predict this trend will go nationwide.
20:49 If it hasn't already, and it turns out we've just been in all the wrong places. 65-46 GMU at 3:10 2H.
20:53 George Mason fans chanting for walk-ons. In the Siegel Center. Now I've seen everything. 69-46 2:00 2H.
20:57 One parallel you can't draw between Mason 06 and 11: the Final Four team couldn't shoot from the outside like this.
20:59 It's a final: George Mason 71, VCU 51. Larranaga shakes his fist in celebration as he passes the Mason sections, which have all moved down.
21:01 After the 20-point loss, VCU cheerleaders just did 20 pushups. Shared pain?
21:01 CAA mid-section watch. RT @midmajority360: Drexel 43 North Carolina-Wilmington 51 | DREX 17-9 (9-7) UNCW 13-14 (7-9) | http://tmm7.me/e41
21:02 RT @gmuhoops: George Mason has now won 12 in a row, a new school record
21:04 I like mine with truffle sauce. RT @VaBeachRep: @midmajority ODU defeats Ga State 60-43. If you like defense, this was your type of game.
21:05 I hope @VCUPav didn't leave the building. I still have his Ballz. #thatdidntsoundright
21:13 A-East memories. RT @midmajority360: Delaware 72 Northeastern 66 | DEL 12-14 (7-9) NU 9-18 (5-11) | http://tmm7.me/e42 #CAA
21:14 RT @midmajority360: George Mason 71 Virginia Commonwealth 51 | GMU 22-5 (14-2) VCU 20-8 (12-4) | http://tmm7.me/e46 #CAA
21:15 Well, it's time for us to head for the mountains. We are at a Conference USA game tomorrow. In West Virginia! First time for both things.
21:17 On our way to Marshall, we'll get you something from Tamarack. GNHN.
21:26 .@VCUPav broke his signboard. http://img.ly/31kQ
21:27 Also, VCU's Rob Brandenberg wore a NIT logo sweatshirt to the postgame presser. Not the best wardrobe choice.
21:28 RT @brendanloy: @midmajority "Will the gentleman who left his ballz behind please report to the lost & found. We have your ballz."

Boxscore

GEORGE MASON 71, at VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH 51
02/15/2011

GEORGE MASON 22-5 (14-2) -- R. Pearson 7-12 2-3 18; C. Long 4-9 4-4 14; L. Hancock 0-5 10-10 10; M. Morrison 5-6 0-1 10; A. Cornelius 2-7 0-0 5; I. Tate 1-3 0-2 2; V. Vaughns 4-5 0-0 12; J. Williams 0-2 0-0 0; P. Bennett 0-0 0-0 0; R. Whack 0-0 0-0 0; J. Arledge 0-0 0-0 0; B. Allen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-49 16-20 71.
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH 20-8 (12-4) -- J. Skeen 3-8 1-4 7; B. Burgess 2-8 0-0 6; J. Rodriguez 2-7 2-2 7; R. Brandenberg 5-9 0-1 12; B. Rozzell 2-7 0-0 4; E. Nixon 0-3 0-0 0; J. Reddic 0-5 2-2 2; D. Theus 2-3 0-0 4; D. Haley 3-3 0-1 6; D. Hinton 1-1 1-1 3. Totals 20-54 6-11 51.

Three-point goals: GMU 9-16 (C. Long 2-4; I. Tate 0-1; A. Cornelius 1-2; R. Pearson 2-2; V. Vaughns 4-5; L. Hancock 0-2), VCU 5-19 (J. Skeen 0-2; J. Rodriguez 1-4; B. Rozzell 0-4; B. Burgess 2-5; R. Brandenberg 2-4); Rebounds: GMU 34 (R. Pearson 8), VCU 27 (J. Rodriguez 8); Assists: GMU 17 (L. Hancock 7), VCU 8 (J. Skeen 3); Total Fouls -- GMU 17, VCU 19; Fouled Out: GMU-M. Morrison; VCU-None.