Fans Pack Patriot Center to Receive Preview of This Year’s Basketball Season

By Broadside Asst. Sports Editor John Powell

Doc Nix led the Green Machine, President Alan Merten shot a t-shirt out of a launcher, head coaches Jim Larranaga and Jeri Porter started a chant of “George Mason,” and the fans erupted the whole night. The Patriots’ basketball is back.

See more photos of Mason Madness. Click here for the full gallery.

Photos by Grace Kendall.

“I’m really pleased with the energy from the crowd, the players put on a good show. The Green Machine has been working so hard and everything came together for us,” said Doc Nix of the great crowd reaction, a direct result, he believes, of his Green Machine.

Urbanknowlogy 101 had an incredible performance, combining their incredible dance style with songs like “You’re a Jerk,” “Heartless,” and “Break-up.”

Porter, the women’s head coach, was introduced, giving a special call-out to the Green Machine, calling it “the best [pep band] in the country.” The Green Machine performed to get the crowd pumped up for the coaches.

“As a band, I think we really get the crowd pumped,” said Green Machine member Kevin Thompson, a freshman music major.

The arena dimmed, and then, coming from green smoke, Larranaga appeared, jogging to the center of the stage to the familiar chant “Larr-a-naga.”

“Over the years, there has been so much excitement over the basketball program. I had a black tie event . . . but I made sure I was here. Basketball means a lot to our school and it will continue to mean a lot. Now, we have the right coaches and the right student athletes [for the program],” said university President Alan Merten.

Geared up for the night, the fans watched a skit by the Patriot, and then Doc Nix taught them how to help the Green Machine.

The dunking show went on for five minutes, with the high-flyers as the center of attention.
The actual dunking competition was even more incredible as the guys were split into teams of upperclassmen, sophomores and freshmen. For the Halloween-themed night, the sophomores dressed up as the superheroes Batman, Spiderman, Superman and the Green Lantern. For winning the night, the sophomores received a champion belt to end the basketball festivities.

“[It was a] great overall night. I really enjoyed the men’s basketball and the dunking,” said John Escobar, a freshman undeclared major.