Men’s Basketball set to tip-off season
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Sophomore Luke Hancock goes in for a layup in last year’s homecoming contest against College of Charleston. He provided a big spark as a freshman one year ago. (Peter Flint)
The George Mason Men’s Basketball team will begin competition Wednesday, Nov. 3, in the Patriot Center with an exhibition game against the Bowie State Bulldogs at 7 p.m.
Bowie State, a member of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, an NCAA Division II conference, was 16-10 overall one year ago.
The Patriots are looking to bounce back from a 17-15 season in which they lost eight of their last 10 games.
“We lost eight close games last year, which would have made a big difference on the season’s record,” junior center Mike Morrison said. “So we need to finish close games and play better defense.”
Morrison had four double-doubles last year, including a 17-point and 13-rebound effort against Indiana in the Puerto-Rico Tipoff. He scored a career high 25 points against Fairfield in the opening round of the CIT, which was the final game of the Patriots’ season.
“I want to average a double-double,” Morrison said. “I feel like I can do better on the boards then what I’ve been doing, put forth more effort.”
Wednesday night’s game against the Bulldogs will be the only pre-season action for the Patriots. They open the regular season Nov. 13 at home against Harvard at 4 p.m.
The first CAA contest is against UNC Wilmington, Dec. 4, at the Patriot Center.
“I haven’t won a CAA championship yet, and I don’t want to wait until my senior year to try,” Morrison said.
With both Morrison and junior Ryan Pearson dominating the paint, it will be the responsibility of senior guard Cam Long to captain the backcourt. He was named second-team All-CAA last year and third-team All-CAA as a sophomore.
“I have the same role as junior year, the same as sophomore year,” Long said. “I just try to do whatever it is I have to do for us to win. I try to be a leader as much as I can.”
He was the Patriots leading scorer last season, averaging 12.2 points per game, including a career high 27-point effort on the road against Hofstra.
In recognition of his contribution to the Patriots over the past three years, he was named to the five-person preseason All-CAA First Team.
“I just need to keep leading and try to stay positive and motivated,” Long said.
The only other senior on the roster is wing player Isaiah Tate, who earned a starting job last season. Another key returner for the Patriots is junior guard Andre Cornelius, who averaged 9.4 points per game and led the CAA in three-point percentage at 43.3.
Sophomore wing player Luke Hancock provided a big spark off the Patriots’ bench last season, and was a CAA All-Rookie selection.
“I want to be able to build on what I did last year,” Hancock said. “I want to increase everywhere with points, rebounds and being able to pass the ball.”
Hancock averaged 7.7 points per game, including a team-leading 15-point game at George Washington. He was a major contributor also in terms of rebounding, assists and providing energy. Yet, he feels he has room to improve.
“I would like to be more of a defensive power,” Hancock said. “I’m 6’5,’’ I play the guard spot, I can move with most people and I got a lot stronger in the offseason, so I feel like I should be able to play much better defense than I played last year.”
The Patriots are ranked second in the preseason CAA poll, only behind the defending champion Old Dominion Monarchs.
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