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Notre Dame hopes to avoid another first-round upset

Mar 20, 2008 - 11:52 AM No. 12 George Mason (23-10) vs. No. 5 Notre Dame (24-7) 9:50 pm EDTDENVER (Ticker) -- Notre Dame insists this time will be different.For the second year in a row, the fifth-seeded Fighting Irishface a difficult first-round opponent in the NCAA Tournamentwhen they take on No. 12 George Mason in an East Region conteston Thursday.Last year, Notre Dame (24-7) also entered the tournament with 24wins but was upset by No. 11 seed Winthrop, 74-64."We're more of a veteran group now," said Notre Dame sophomoreforward Luke Harangody, the Big East Conference Player of theYear. "We know how to control our emotions now."Harangody, who averages a double-double, was not a dominantforce as a freshman last season. The Irish also were withoutjunior guard Kyle McAlarney, who was expelled from school lastyear following a marijuana charge.Still, George Mason (23-10) will not be intimidated by NotreDame and is just two years removed from its stunning run to theFinal Four as a No. 11 seed in 2006, when the Patriots upsetMichigan State, North Carolina, Wichita State and Connecticut.Folarin Campbell, a 6-4 senior swingman, was George Mason'sleading scorer two years ago and paced the Patriots again thisseason."He's a heck of a basketball player," Notre Dame coach Mike Breysaid. "He basically took on Connecticut's front line andeverybody else's front line in the month of March and did apretty good job. Now, he has some other help."If Notre Dame advances, it could get a rematch with Winthrop.The Notre Dame-George Mason winner faces the WashingtonState-Winthrop winner in the second round on Saturday.