Gonzaga comes up big, George Mason falls short

Mar 6, 2007 - 7:28 AM By PA SportsTicker

Eric Maynor ended another improbable run by George Mason to ensure Virginia Commonwealth a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

Maynor came up with a pair of key steals late and scored nine of the Rams' last 13 points to lead Virginia Commonwealth to a 65-59 victory Monday over George Mason in the Colonial Athletic Association championship game.

Maynor scored 14 of his 20 points in the second half and added seven rebounds and four assists for VCU (27-6), the regular-season conference champion which would have been a strong candidate but not a lock for an at-large bid in the upcoming NCAA Tournament if they would have lost.

"I got into a zone and was able to make a couple of big plays," Maynor said. "We didn't ever panic and coach would always tell us in the huddle that our time would come."

It did, and Maynor took the Rams' fate out of the selection committee's hands, a good thing considering their usual penchant for bloating the tournament with middling major-conference teams over mid-major programs.

"I'm speechless right now," VCU coach Anthony Grant said. "Maynor is special, he has the ability to take over a game."

Last season, the Patriots received a surprising at-large bid and proved worthy, knocking off big-name powers Michigan State, North Carolina and Connecticut to reach the Final Four before losing to eventual national champion Florida.

George Mason (18-15), had dropped five of its last seven regular-season games and was seeded sixth in this 12-team tournament. Over the weekend, the Patriots evoked memories of last March, ousting third-seeded Hofstra in the quarterfinals before upsetting second-seeded Old Dominion in Sunday's semifinals.

Dre Smith scored 13 points for the Patriots, who could not hold on to a five-point lead over the final two minutes.

"The team played this weekend like we wanted to play all season but it just took us all season to get there," George Mason coach Jim Larranaga said. "Congrats to VCU. They have done a magnificent job all season and during this tournament."

Joining VCU as a regular season and conference tournament champion on Monday was Gonzaga, which posted a 77-68 victory over Santa Clara in the West Coast Conference championship game.

The top-seeded Bulldogs punched their return ticket to the "Big Dance" thanks to guard Derek Raivio, who scored 28 points.

Gonzaga (23-10) once was in the same boat as George Mason, searching for national recognition and respect on an annual basis. However, the Bulldogs have emerged as a legitimate program over the last decade, qualifying for the NCAA Tournament nine straight times and 10 times since 1995.

The Bulldogs may have earned a bid without a win but there had been talk of them missing the tournament after a tumultuous season.

Gonzaga beat North Carolina and Washington early in the season but primarily struggled with a difficult nonconference schedule. Then forward Josh Heytvelt, who was averaging 15 points and seven rebounds per game, was arrested on February 9 and charged with felony possession of a controlled substance. He has been suspended indefinitely.

"That's the most satisfying win and accomplishment I've ever been a part of," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. "It's been an amazing season with this group and it's been an even more amazing last three or four weeks. It just shows the character of these guys that are in the program and what this program is all about."

Scott Dougherty scored 16 points for Santa Clara (21-10).

The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference bid for the second time in three years went to Niagara (22-11), which posted an 83-79 victory over Siena. It was the Purple Eagles' 11th straight win and avenged a pair of regular season losses to the Saints (20-12).

Tyrone Lewis scored a career-high 24 points and had five steals. He scored 59 points during the three games to earn tournament MVP honors.