Coach Larranaga leads George Mason on magical tourney run.

Everybody loves an underdog, but even the term ‘underdog’ doesn’t quite describe the 2005-06 George Mason team. Living in the shadows of Washington DC-area powerhouses Maryland and Georgetown, George Mason was accustomed to being overlooked and having to fight to get respect. They knew it was going to take something big for the Patriots to get some recognition.

Under the radar, Coach Jim Larranaga had been taking the boys from Fairfax, VA along the mid-major back roads to success. In 2005-06, George Mason had their best regular-season in the school’s 41 year basketball history with a 23-7 record. But even with that success they suffered a loss to Hofstra in their conference tournament, leaving their spot in the national tournament uncertain. So uncertain that Coach Jim Larranaga considered any bid they got would be as an “at-extra-large”, not as an at-large team. But in the end, the squad squeaked in as the 11th seed.

Coach Larranaga knew any tournament success would be uncharted territory for the Patriots. Once in the tourney - where every game can be the last - George Mason pulled together as a cohesive unit strong enough to challenge even the big boys of college basketball. Led by three veteran seniors, who had fought together through thick and thin for four straight years, George Mason played a tough team-style brand of basketball. And despite facing two of the previous year’s semifinalists – Michigan State and North Carolina – in the first two rounds, they banded together and pulled off a pair of shocking upsets. And they didn’t stop there.

After continuing their Cinderella run to the final eight, they faced their toughest test yet, the #1 seed Connecticut. Coach Larranaga inspired his team by telling them to forget their past, forget their ranking and ignore the naysayers. The only ones that needed to believe in the team was the team. And not even the craziest George Mason fans could have ever imagined toppling UConn, but in one of the most exciting games in tournament history, the squad prevailed with and 86-84 upset in overtime.

The George Mason win rocked the college basketball community, forcing a newfound respect for the suburban commuter school. And although their run ended against Florida in the national semis, their wild tourney ride shone a well-deserved light on the talent hidden in the mid-majors.

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