Editor's Note: To celebrate 50 Years of George Mason University men's basketball in 2016-17, Voice of the Patriots Bill Rohland put together a decade-by-decade breakdown of his best players to wear the Green & Gold. Check back to GoMason.com weekly in August and September as another decade is unveiled. Have your own all-decade teams or want to talk more with Bill on his selections? Reach out to him via Twitter at @BillRohland.
By Bill Rohland
Photo Caption (L to R): Steve Smith, Nate Langley, Kenny Sanders, Robert Dykes
George Mason would make its first ever NCAA Tournament in this 10-year period and the Patriots made it on the back of the
Player of the Decade Kenny Sanders (1985-1989).
Sanders came in as a freshman just after Carlos Yates and picked up right where Yates left off. Sanders would end up the second-leading scorer in Mason history (2,177 points) but he was also a rebounding machine. At just 6-5, Sanders would rack up 1,026 rebounds, good for
second all time behind Jim Nowers (1,048), becoming the only Patriot in history to pass 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds and one of only 15 players in NCAA Division I history to reach those marks at 6-5 or shorter.
Sanders was in his senior year at Mason when the Patriots won their first CAA title in 1989 advancing to their first NCAA Tournament. If not for the prolific Yates, Sanders would be at the top of many of Mason's scoring lists. Sanders was a three time First Team All-CAA selection and was named Player of the Year in 1987-88.
All Decade Team:
Kenwan Alford 1992-1996…6-6 forward...scored 1,113 points and grabbed 676 career rebounds…#10 in career FG%...averaged 16.8p/9.7r his senior year
Robert Dykes 1987-1991…6-7 forward...grabbed 925 rebounds (5th all time) while scoring 1642 points (4th)…2x All-CAA 1st team…#2 career FG% (.604)
Mike Hargett 1988-1991…5-10 guard…prolific scorer had 1,362 points in just 3 seasons…#4 all time in 3pt FG% (.396)…CAA all rookie team…CAA 2nd team (1990)
Nate Langley 1994-1997…6-3 guard...scored 1245 points in just 61 games…#4 in career scoring average (20.1)…#2 in career steals (204)...CAA ROY/2nd Team All-CAA ('95)…1st team All-CAA ('97)…2x All-CAA defensive team ('95, '97)
Curtis McCants 1993-1996…6-0 guard is Mason's all time assist leader (598) and also scored 1398 points…averaged 9.3 assists in '94-'95 (2nd in NCAA)…CAA ROY ('94)…All-CAA 1st team ('96)
Brian Miller 1984-1988…6-5 sharp shooter is Mason's all-time leader in 3pt FG% (.488)…hit over 50% from deep in '87-88 season (.509)…scored 1006 career points
Donald Ross 1991-1995…6-1 guard with unlimited range…single season record for 3's (99)…2nd all time made 3's (251)…1092 career points…scored 39 points in a single game 3rd highest in Mason history
Steve Smith 1986-1990…6-3 guard…1192 career points…top 10 in careers assists (329)…#11 all time in career blocks (90)…All-CAA 2nd team ('90) all defensive team ('90)
Byron Tucker 1989-1992…6-10 forward…averaged a double-double in '90-'91 (17.7p/10.5r)…1020 career points in just 63 games…#6 in career rebound average (9.3)…#8 in career blocks (97)…All-CAA 2nd team ('91)…All-CAA defensive team ('91)
