March 5, 2007

Richmond, Va. - The George Mason men's basketball team will be looking for its first CAA title since 2001 as the Patriots take on top-seeded VCU in the CAA Championship Game on Monday night. The game will be broadcast on ESPN at 7 p.m. The Rams, at 16-2 in the CAA, topped the record Mason shared for most CAA wins with 15.

Mason (18-14) and VCU (26-6) have not met in the CAA Tournament since the Rams took a 55-54 win in the 2004 title game. That is the only time the two teams have faced in the postseason. The Rams took the win in that game when Jesse Pellot-Rosa sank 1 of 2 free throws with 1.6 seconds to play. Earlier, Tony Skinn had tied the game for Mason with a 3-pointer with nine seconds to go. After Pellot-Rosa's free throw, Jai Lewis missed a turnaround jumper on the baseline that would have given Mason the win.

The Rams swept the season series this year, beating Mason by double figures in each contest. The Rams hold a 24-14 edge in the all-time series.

Mason became the first CAA team to advance to the title game by virtue of three wins. The Patriots are trying to become the second-lowest seed to ever win the CAA title. In 1993, East Carolina won the tournament as a seven seed. The No. 1 seed has won the past five CAA Tournaments.

No team has ever beaten the top three seeds in the same tournament, which is what Mason is trying to do. The Patriots had been 0-3 all-time as the No. 6 seed before this year but they are now 3-3.

Mason has won the CAA title three times, twice as a No. 2 seed (1989, 2001) and once as a No. 1 seed (1999). The Rams have won the tournament twice, in 1996 and 2004, both times as the No. 1seed.

Gabe Norwood will break the record for career games played when he steps on the court on Monday. He and Jai Lewis have played 125 games in a Mason uniform. Dre Smith broke the CAA Tournament record for 3-pointers with the 12 he has through three games. The previous record had been 10.