Out of Their Own Shadow

No Longer Weighted by Final Four, Patriots Face Different Expectations

Everywhere the George Mason Patriots traveled last season, from Creighton to Cameron Indoor Stadium and Northeastern to Norfolk, the backdrop was almost always the same: a big, boisterous crowd and an opponent motivated to humble a Final Four team.

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The fact that no one was expecting the Patriots to repeat their extraordinary 2005-06 season -- or, for that matter, even win their conference -- had no bearing on the receptions they received. Like it or not, they were symbols of college basketball superiority and the perfect targets for teams in need of an emotional boost.

"It was hard to focus game by game because there was a feeling, 'We've got to go back to the [NCAA] tournament; we've got to go back,' " recalled junior guard Dre Smith, a first-year player last season. "And teams wanted to beat us badly. They saw this Final Four team out there, even though a lot of players were different."

The Patriots will be on the radar again this season, but on a much smaller scale as favorites to win the Colonial Athletic Association. And this year the players say they are better prepared to manage expectations.

"Last year we didn't deal with it correctly. We know how to deal with it now," said senior guard Folarin Campbell, whose team will make its debut tomorrow night against Vermont at Patriot Center. "I don't think it will be easier because we're picked to win [the CAA]. It's another burden."

George Mason and Georgetown are the only area men's teams expected to finish atop their respective leagues, and while the Hoyas have realistic aspirations to return to the Final Four after losing to Ohio State last season, the Patriots would be happy to reach the NCAA tournament again.

With all five starters and three key reserves returning, a promising freshman class with local ties in place and vivid memories of last spring's CAA tournament run providing motivation, the Patriots are poised to forge their own identity and shed the Final Four image.

"It's a new start -- start fresh and make this season ours instead of looking back," Smith said.

Last season, the Patriots found it almost impossible not to look back. From the Final Four banner hanging in their arena to the mocking chants of "One-Hit Wonder!" during a loss at Duke, they were reminded of their previous season's accomplishments at every turn.

An experienced team might have handled the pressure better, but the Patriots had to rely heavily on three first-year players and a returning guard (John Vaughan) who had sat out the historic season because of a knee injury.

The result was a team that alternated wins and losses through the first 12 games, went on a midseason tear, labored the last month of the regular season and then executed two upsets in the CAA tournament and led with two minutes left in the title game before succumbing to Eric Maynor and Virginia Commonwealth.

"Consistency is the whole thing with this team," Coach Jim Larranaga said. "Last year we were very inconsistent. If we learned well from that experience, we will be far more consistent this year."

Larranaga knows he can rely on the consistent leadership and production of two Final Four remnants, Campbell and senior forward Will Thomas. Through three seasons, Thomas has scored 1,018 points; Campbell, 1,015.

Campbell is a slasher, an outside shooting threat and the team's charismatic leader. Thomas is a bullish inside presence who despite having opposing defenses collapse on him regularly, finds a way to score with a drop-step layup or a soft hook shot.

The key for Larranaga in the front court is to receive regular contributions from sophomore Louis Birdsong, junior Chris Fleming and senior Darryl Monroe. Monroe, a junior college transfer who overcame a slow start last season and shot 71 percent in the CAA tournament, is recovering from toe surgery and might not play for a few more weeks.

Larranaga has options in the back court with senior Jordan Carter at point guard, Campbell on the wing, and Smith and Vaughan in shooting roles. Smith was an enigma in his first regular season but a revelation in the CAA tournament, leading the team in scoring in three of the four games and making 7 of 8 three-point attempts in the first-round victory over James Madison.

Despite his team's experience, Larranaga might test his freshmen early as well. Romanian-born Vlad Moldoveanu (St. John's High) is a straw-thin, 6-foot-10, 206-pound forward with three-point shooting range ("We've had him in the weight room since Day One," Larranaga said), while 6-4 Cam Long (Freedom-Woodbridge) is pegged to play multiple positions and 6-4 Isaiah Tate (DeMatha) will provide back-court depth.

"The guys are excited in that they can look back at last year and everything we went through, and say, 'Hey, we came that close to going to the NCAA tournament,' " Larranaga said. "The way we ended last season is the way we want to begin this season."