Sure, the George Mason men would like more momentum entering their Atlantic 10 debut Thursday against host VCU. The Patriots are 2-5 in their previous seven games, including a deflating 71-66 decision last Saturday against Old Dominion.
“That's a game I feel we should have won,” said senior Sherrod Wright.
Said Patriots coach Paul Hewitt, whose team was outscored 13-3 in the last five minutes of the first half to go down 11, “We've got to face up to the fact that we took a step backward with the first half against ODU.”
Now the Patriots face a baptism of fire in the A-10 with the trip to VCU followed by a home game Saturday against St. Joseph's and a home game Jan.15 against preseason favorite and nationally ranked Massachusetts.
“It's going to be a challenge for all of us,” said Wright. “We've got to prepare each and every day, get some rest and take care of our bodies. This is the time to do it.”
There's nothing like the semester break – no distractions from basketball – plus an old foe like VCU to get the adrenaline and motivation flowing. The two rivals had a hiatus last year after VCU joined the A-10 and Mason remained in the CAA.
They had three memorable games in 2011-12. The Patriots won in Fairfax 62-61 on Wright's buzzer beater from near mid-court; the Rams won at home 89-77 on their senior night; VCU knocked Mason out in the CAA semis 74-64 after taking a 32-4 lead.
“I still remember they had us down 32-4,” said Wright, shaking his head. “I'm making sure I prepare myself to give the best contribution I can to my team.”
Wright is mired in a shooting slump, though he scored 25 points against ODU, helped by 14-for-18 shooting at the foul line, which offset his 5-for-14 field shooting including 1-for-7 on three pointers. A 37% three-point shooter the previous two seasons, Wright has gone 1-for-21 beyond the arc in the last six games.
“I'm going to keep shooting the ball until I get to it,” Wright says. “It's all about confidence with me. My confidence went low. My mentality wasn't the same. I believe I'm getting back to the mentality where I want to be.”
The message from Hewitt, aware of all the extra time the senior puts into practicing, is to get to the foul line but also to keep shooting.
The Patriots have had a tough non-conference schedule including Oklahoma, Iowa State and Oregon State that should help the team for the rigors of the A-10. “I wish we'd have gotten a couple more wins,” Hewitt said, “but it's a schedule that helps us. We've played physical teams, we've played good shooting teams. It's done a good job for us. We find out for sure, starting on Thursday.”
Some early A-10 wins would restore some of the early season momentum. “I think we're capable of playing better and I think we will play better,” Hewitt said.
