George Mason earns NCAA bid
Patriots edge Old Dominion 63-58, win CAA tourney
Posted: Sunday February 28, 1999 10:52 PM
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- For the third time this season, Old Dominion was beaten by "great guards making great plays," the Monarchs' coach said.
After seeing George Mason's 14-point lead dwindle to one, Jason Miskiri pulled up at the top of the key and hit a 25-foot 3-pointer to give the Patriots a 57-53 lead with 1:05 left Sunday in the Colonial Athletic Association championship.
On the ensuing possession, Old Dominion's Cal Bowdler grabbed an offensive rebound with 45.3 seconds left and was gathering himself for the putback when Miskiri stripped him of the ball and was fouled. Miskiri made one of two free throws for a 58-53 lead, and Old Dominion was finished as the Patriots went on the make five of six free throws to beat the Monarchs 63-58.
"Three of our losses this year we've been beaten by great guards making great plays," Monarchs coach Jeff Capel said. "Ed Cota of North Carolina beat us. Shawnta Roger of GW [George Washington] beat us. And Jason Miskiri, who struggled I thought, steps up and beats us. The best player in the league stepped up and made a great play."
"It was a shot I almost had to take," said Miskiri, who missed his first four 3-point attempts. "I felt confident."
The victory capped the Patriots' first winning season and NCAA Tournament invitation since 1989-90, and first regular-season championship.
Keith Holdan hit a 3-pointer with 7:49 left to cap a 13-2 run by the Patriots (19-10) for a 45-32 lead. The Monarchs (24-8) turned the ball over 22 times as every inbounds was contested by the pressing Patriots.
"George Mason ... never allows you to get comfortable," Capel said.
The Monarchs started to rally at the 4:49 mark when Michael Williams hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 49-41. After George Evans hit a baseline hook to push the lead back to double digits, the Monarchs went on 12-3 run, getting seven points from the foul line, to pull within 54-53 with 1:39 left on a pair of free throws by Bowdler.
Miskiri then hit his first 3-pointer of the game.
Bowdler said he never saw the 6-foot-2 Miskiri when he pulled down the rebound. "I had the ball too low. I should have kept the ball high and finished the play," said the 6-10 center.
Miskiri and Evans, the tournament's most valuable player, finished with 15 points apiece, while Holdan added 11. Miskiri was 1-for-5 from long range.
Williams led the Monarchs with 15 points, Bowdler had 11 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks, and Reggie Bassette added 11 points.
The Patriots started slow, shooting only 20 percent (3-of-15) in the first nine minutes, trailing 13-8. Then the George Mason press started paying dividends with back-to-back turnovers in the backcourt accounting for five points in nine seconds and 20-16 lead.
Old Dominion turned the ball over 11 times in the first half and trailed 26-24 at the half.
In 14 years as a head coach, Jim Larranaga had never taken a team to the NCAAs.
"For any coach to take his team to the NCAA Tournament, that's the ultimate. ... For me it's been a long road, but well worth the wait," he said.
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