April 16, 2004

FAIRFAX, Va. - After accomplishing the most successful season in George Mason history, the Patriot men's basketball team finished 20th in the final CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll, released in April. CollegeInsider.com is a web site devoted to the promotion of mid-major conferences and schools.

Mason, whose season high was sixth in the rankings back on Jan. 5, had been out of the Top 25 for six consecutive weeks, each time garnering points as a team "also receiving votes." Falling out of the rankings on Feb. 9, the Patriots reeled off nine wins in their final 12 contests, advancing to the Colonial Athletic Association Championship game and earning back-to-back postseason victories for the first time in school history, playing in the National Invitation Tournament.

The result was a 23-10 overall record, marking a school-best for wins in a season, and a trip to the NIT "Sweet 16". The previous season-high was 21 wins following the 1983-84 campaign. That team concluded the year with a 21-7 overall mark and a 75.0 winning percentage. The 2003-04 Patriots' 20-win season was also its first in 14 years. The last Mason team to win 20 or more games was the 1989-90's squad that finished the year 20-12.

Other highlights from this past season include:
? Patriot Center record 14-1 mark
? Jim Larranaga earning a season-best 23 wins as a head coach
  and his first 20-win season at Mason
? Most games played in a year by any
  Mason men's basketball team (33 games)
? Best non-conference winning percentage (77.8 percent)
  as a member of the CAA (7-2 overall)
? School record for assists (455)
  and 3-pt field goal attempts (645) in a season
? Winningest senior class (76-44) in school history

Individually, sophomore forward Jai Lewis (Aberdeen, MD/Aberdeen/Maine Central Inst.) was named to the all-CAA first team and the CAA all-Tournament team. Senior guard Mark Davis (Springfield, VA/R.E. Lee/Palm Beach CC) garnered all-CAA second team honors and was selected to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division I all-District 4 second team. Sophomore guard Tony Skinn (Takoma Park, MD/Takoma Acad./Hagerstown CC) earned CAA all-Tournament team accolades as well.