Just wrapping up work here in Fairfax after George Mason’s 58-52 defeat of Georgia State, and make no mistake, the four-guard set I mentioned in the post at the buzzer made a huge difference.
Mason guard Cam Long started beaming when I mentioned the decision. Making the tweak more interesting was coach Jim Larranaga’s reaction to a question I asked about how often the Patriots had actually gone with four guards this season.
SEE RELATED:
“This season? Let me think,” Larranaga said before a brief pause. “Uh, this was the first time.”
Interesting stuff indeed for the Patriots (10-3, 3-0 CAA), who will share the league lead when the night comes to a close since Northeastern is flat-out blitzing Hofstra tonight.
Anyway, here’s the plus-minus for the night. Mason went 10 deep in the first half, just eight-deep after the break. For much of the final 7:51 – as in all but about the final 13 seconds – it was Long, John Vaughan, Dre Smith, Andre Cornelius and Darryl Monroe.
| Player | 1st half
| 2nd half
| +/- | Min. |
| 1-Smith | -4 | +1 | -3 | 30 |
| 2-Cornelius | +9 | +3 | +12 | 26 |
| 13-Tate | +8 | DNP | +8 | 3 |
| 20-Long | +7 | +2 | +9 | 35 |
| 22-Morrison | +5 | -3 | +2 | 10 |
| 23-Vaughan | -2 | +2 | 0 | 33 |
| 24-Pearson | +7 | -2 | +5 | 12 |
| 32-Monroe | +1 | +3 | +4 | 31 |
| 33-Birdsong | -1 | -6 | -7 | 18 |
| 40-Fleming | 0 | DNP | 0 | 2 |
–
Patrick Stevens
