George Mason vs VCU Who Had the Better Run?

 Both came from the CAA, both were at large bids and both "didn't deserve to be in," according to the experts.  So I'm going to ask the question which run was better? The 2006 George Mason team who had to go through the likes of Michigan State, North Carolina and UConn to reach the final four. Or VCU who beat a team from every major "BCS" conference and had to play one more game than Mason had to.  Well here's the case for both teams.

2006 George Mason: Mason finished the regular season 22-6 and 15-3 in CAA played good enough to be crowned regular season champs of the CAA.  Mason then lost in the semifinals of the CAA and seemed like the Patriots would be playing in the NIT tourney.  But the selection committee was gracious and gave Mason the #11 seed and were paired up with Michigan State, a team that was in the previous year's final four.  Led by head coach, Jim Larranaga and seniors Jai Lewis and Lamar Butler, Mason defeated the Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans 75-65. Up next was North Carolina, once again all the "experts" thought NC would easily role, but the "experts" were proved wrong once again as Mason upset the Tar Heels 65-60. Now it was on to Wichita State, in the Sweet 16, and Mason would be playing in front of a home crowd in the Verizon Center.  Mason beat there mid major counterpart 63-55.  In the Elite 8, the Patriots were once again major underdogs as they were going up against the top seeded UConn Huskies. And once again Jai Lewis and Lamar Butler willed the Patriots to a 86-84 overtime victory in front of a very partial Mason crowd.  Mason became the second 11 seed to make it to the final four only the 1986 LSU Tigers had achieved the feat as an 11 seed before Mason did it.  Mason's run ended in Indianapolis as they were dominated by eventual champion Florida by a score of 73-58.

The 2006 George Mason team has had a lasting memory in the minds of sports fans and college basketball analysts always ask the question; who will be this year's George Mason?  Underdog teams in every sport have been know to use George Mason's final four run as motivation.  There was even a rumor of making a movie about Mason's run.  One of the cooler stories was Jim Larranaga and his coaching style.  After practices, the day before games, the team would play wiffle ball in the gym as a way to relax the team and build team comradery.  That technique worked as all 5 starters on that team all had there average scoring in double figures.  Mason's has had not only had a lasting memory in the DC area, but I would say across the country because of the phrase "Who will be this year's George Mason?"

2011 VCU:   Unlike George Mason, VCU actually made it to the CAA championship game, but lost to ODU 70-65.  After that loss, the whole VCU team thought they had no chance of getting into the big dance and didn't even watch the selection show.  VCU played in the newly called "first four" of the NCAA tournament, and was paired with USC.  Almost all the "experts" picked USC to win in a land slide victory.  But VCU then prove everyone wrong as they beat the Trojans 59-46.  Lead by head coach Shaka Smart and leading scorer Jamie Skeen, the Rams were now in the field of 64 and had to take on Georgetown, who was getting there leading scorer, Chris Wright, back for the tourney.  VCU didn't care that G'town had Wright back as they dominated the Hoyas in a 74-56 victory.  Up next were the Purdue Boilermakers, and VCU was playing in front of a mostly Boilermaker crowd once again VCU didn't care that Purdue had the homecourt the Rams sent Purdue packing in a 94-76 victory.  In the Sweet 16 it was on to FSU who had upset the 2nd seeded Notre Dame Fighting Irish, VCU finally ran into some close competition as the Rams won, but in OT 72-71.  In the Elite 8 it was the top seeded Kansas Jayhawks, but Shaka and company shocked the world as they beat rock chalk 71-61.  VCU the fell in Houston to the national runner up Butler Bulldogs 70-62.

VCU not only upset teams, to get to the final four, but they beat a team from every major conference something that had never been done before.  VCU also played more games than any other team in the tournament to make it to the final four and beat all but one of there opponents by double digits.  Shaka Smart was unique in his coaching style as he would always get involved in the teams practices by part taking  in drills and what not.

Overall both George Mason and VCU had remarkable runs.  Both were highly unexpected and busted just about everyone's brackets.  Mason has left a lasting impact that is still remembered while VCU went through all of the major conferences.  It is obviously way to early to see how memorable the VCU run will be remembered as and that's why I think George Mason's run was just a little bit better.  Maybe 5 years from now VCU will be remembered as well as George Mason, but for now to me, it still goes to Mason.