Last Year: 20-12; 9-9, Seventh in the Atlantic 10, No Postseason
Head Coach: Tony Skinn (Second Year)
Projected Starting Lineup
G KD Johnson – 6’0″, 190 5th-year Senior
G Jared Billups – 6’4″, 190 Senior
G Darius Maddox – 6’5″, 185 5th-year Senior
F Zach Anderson – 6’7″, 220 5th-year Senior
F/C Jalen Haynes – 6’8″, 265 Senior
Experienced Reserves
G Jeremiah Quigley – 5’11”, 170 Sophomore
G Brayden O’Connor – 6’4″, 200 Junior
W Austin Ball – 6’7″, 200 Sophomore
F Woody Newton – 6’9″, 205 5th-year Senior
C Giovanni Emejuru – 6’11”, 250 Junior
Freshmen
G Justin Begg – 6’0″, 175
W Bryson Cokley – 6’6″, 190
F Staš Sivka – 6’10”, 220
No matter what the powers that be may do to the school’s logo, George Mason’s basketball team is determined to look good repping it this year.
There has been quite a bit of turnover in Fairfax, VA, the past few years. Last fall, the program welcomed its third different head coach in a four-year span, and the roster changes lately have been far more numerous even than that. At least the latest guy to have been put in charge, Tony Skinn, is a former GMU star who remembers what it’s like to go on a Final Four run. He’s also just turned 40 years old, and Skinn has shown every indication so far that he’s ready to build up the Patriots and stay for a bit.
Interestingly, the Patriots have won 20 games in back-to-back seasons. In the age of NIL, a rising coach who’s invested in your program is quite an advantage to have, and Mason has just that. Despite another round of musical chairs in the lineup, Skinner and his staff have done strong work restocking things. Headed into his second campaign in what looks like an even stronger Atlantic 10 Conference, Skinn’s crew isn’t going to be playing from behind when it comes to proven players.
Leading GMU’s efforts will be the top holdover from last winter, fifth-year senior scorer Darius Maddox. In his first season in Fairfax after transferring from Virginia Tech, Maddox proved a smooth fit and finished second on the team in scoring. His breakout was no real surprise; Maddox has always been a highly efficient three-level threat, and as his minutes rose, so did his productivity. Despite the intensity of conference play and his 34 minute-per-game workload, Maddox finished his Mason debut by averaging 15.9 points on 46.0% shooting from the land of trey. If his buddies can ensure that Maddox stays supplied with quality looks, the Patriots will have a quality scorer to rely upon; Maddox boasts an excellent career shooting line of 45.7/41.9/84.3% on two’s, three’s, and freebies. A DC-area kid who was excited to play closer to home and with some guys he grew with last year, Maddox is excited to take on a larger leadership role this season.
The perimeter rotation around Maddox has been shuffled, but there are a couple of exciting pieces who could combine to give Skinn one of the A10’s top backcourts. After spending four years in the SEC, former Georgia and Auburn guard KD Johnson arrives in Fairfax having just about seen it all. With the Tigers, Johnson has been to each of the past three NCAA Tournaments, and he didn’t join up with the Patriots to miss out in his final season of eligibility.
“K.D.’s experience playing at the highest level is something our program needs to experience success in March,” Skinn declared during the offseason. “Having his poise and talent at the lead guard position will make us a better team. He played four seasons in the SEC where he showed how competitive he is on both sides of the floor.”
There’s no doubt that Johnson can heat up and take the other team on a ride; even coming off the bench for Auburn, Johnson’s fire and enthusiasm tended to help lead to big runs. A strong defender who knows how to gamble and win, Johnson will spark the Patriots in transition with steals and hustle plays. His outside jumper has been streaky most of his career, and Johnson would love to match Maddox’s example on higher volume this winter. Really, consistency – or lack thereof – has been one of the primary themes of Johnson’s career. If he can steadily move the ball, find his teammates, and get buckets, George Mason should get the best season he’s had. Each of GMU’s star guards is capable of operating the offense and creating plays for others, and it’s likely that Johnson and Maddox will share the floor often. With such a pairing of experienced guards as the foundation, Mason’s other pieces should find their orbit.
In order to maximize the skills of his veterans, Skinn also brought in a couple of complimentary, rising playmakers. In his debut for Iona, Jeremiah Quigley started 18 games and was named to the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference All-Freshman team. For his sophomore campaign, Quigley will run point for the Patriots, and figures to level up quickly into a very good player.
“I knew Jeremiah in high school and I remember how he always exhibited elite toughness”
– Tony Skinn
“I knew Jeremiah in high school and I remember how he always exhibited elite toughness,” Skinn recalled upon Quigley’s commitment. “Point guard was an area of emphasis for us in the offseason…he has the mentality and skill set needed to thrive in a ball screen offense.” His confidence grew throughout his rookie year, and over the Gaels’ final 15 games, Quigley averaged 14.1 points and 3.7 assists. A standout defender who’s comfortable as the spearhead of the press, Quigley has very active hands and great, anticipatory reactions. He’ll need to improve the range and consistency on his jump shot, but the form is already there, as are his fluid movements dropping off a feed inside or flicking a lob pass. As much as any measurables or metrics, Quigley has the daring, understanding of pace, and handle to build a repertoire around his dribble-drive game.
Canadian product Brayden O’Conner spent his first two years at UMass-Lowell, and last season became one of the Riverhawks’ most indispensable players. He’s not a classic point guard, but O’Conner has great size and a natural talent for sharing the ball. What’s more, Lowell won 48 games in his two seasons there, and O’Conner knows how to do a bunch of the little things already.
“Brayden’s toughness, IQ, size and ability to shoot will be a natural fit in our program,” Skinn predicted. “He’s a bigger guard but he can make plays and he excels on both ends of the floor.” A sticky defender who will scrap against larger players, O’Conner began to come into his own as a scorer last year as well. He doesn’t dominate the ball, and Skinn should appreciate O’Conner’s tendency to make good decisions.
The main focus up front this season may well turn out to feature a guy who was on the team last year, but not the floor. East Tennessee State transfer Jalen Haynes took a redshirt last winter, and the powerful 6’8″ forward has gotten himself ready for his A10 debut.
| Five Stats Which Tell The Tale (with national ranks) |
| 66.1 – Opponent Points Per Game (22nd) |
| 6.9 – Made 3FG’s Per Game (226th) |
| 8.0 – Opponent 3FG’s Per Game (271st) |
| 40.7% – Opponent FG Percentage (17th) |
| 0.367 – Free Throw Attempts Per FG Attempt (80th) |
“Jalen’s a big, physical, scoring combo forward,” Skinn has said. “When you look at his numbers in a good league, he’s been very productive. He’s a skilled big – not just a back to the basket guy. He can put it on the deck and will give us the ability to spread out offensively, with him at the five or the four.”
While at ETSU two years ago, Haynes evolved into a genuine force. He led the Southern Conference with a 57.5% field goal rate, and Haynes finished second in the league with 84 offensive rebounds. After a year off, he’s hungry to get back to pounding through the lane, and ought to give the Mason guards a great play finisher near the rim. Though he’s undersized for the 5 spot, Haynes can operate in the middle and has the wide shoulders and assertiveness to convert in close. When he gets a few buckets to drop – or powerfully finishes an and-1 through contact – Haynes really gets rolling, and can become a guy to feed and keep feeding deep in the post. The main issues for Haynes have generally been a lack of elite height and his level of conditioning. He committed fouls at a rapid pace at times for ETSU, as well. After his year off working out and developing with the Patriots, Skinn’s hope is that GMU is about to see a whole new level of Haynes.
After starting every game for Skinn last year, Jared Billups is back to bring great toughness and defense on the wing. He’s a rangy senior who doesn’t look to score all that often, but Billups is a Johnny-on-the-spot type who has also made a reputation for bothering top scorers. If Billups can become even a slightly more consistent jump shooter, it would really help by forcing defenders to more urgently guard him. Though he does a nice job of getting to the free throw line (.621% career rate of getting to the charity stripe), Billups has struggled to make a quarter of his three-point attempts thus far.
There is quality on the wing and at forward, and Billups will get a battle for minutes with the arrival of more solid veterans. Woody Newton did a little bit of everything last year after transferring from Oklahoma State, while Zach Anderson is newly-arrived from Florida Gulf Coast. Another DMV guy who has come back to the area where he grew up, Newton played some of the best basketball of his career last year. He can slash to the rim, hit deep jumpers, and wreak plenty of havoc defensively; the thing for Newton is consistency. For the first nine games of the season, Newton was on fire from the outside. He made 14 of his first 22 (63.6%) triple tries on the year, but Newton sank just 10 of his 63 attempts (15.9%) the rest of the way. No matter if he’s in a shooting slump or not, he can sky for dunks or to block shots, and Newton’s quickness at 6’9″ is a tremendous asset to the GMU press.
“Zach is ready to take the next step in his career and he wants to win,” Skinn spoke highly of Anderson during the offseason. He brings a wealth of experience and is a tremendous, highly efficient shooter…With his elite decision making, he’ll help us stretch the floor and greatly improve our playmaking ability as a team.” A stalwart for FGCU over the past couple of years, Anderson has a feisty streak and enough size to play the 4. Like Newton, he can move outside to cover guys as well. Anderson’s three-point shot has never been much of a question mark, as he’s splashed 111 career triples at a solid 38.7% rate. A dangerous spot-up shooter, Anderson really helps to space the floor, and he’s a good ballhandler who will find open teammates. His perimeter skills really came into focus last winter, and should serve Anderson well in the race for minutes.
Sienna had a rough, rough time last season, but one of the team’s primary bright spots was rising big man Giovanni Emejuru. The English-born pivot posted career-best numbers all over the place, and though he’s not a great rim protector, the 6’11” Emejuru is a physical presence whose hands are improving near the goal. He started knocking down hook shots steadily and showed off a fairly quick and effective drop step when he got time and space to go through his progressions. Emejuru isn’t particularly explosive, but when he catches the ball and keeps it high, he can be quite effective. After seeing a 21.4% usage rate and playing almost 27 minutes per contest last year, it will be interesting to see how Skinn deploys Emejuru and how much he features the third-year post. If Emejuru can take another strong step forward, GMU will suddenly have a duo in the paint who can hang with anyone in the A10.
| Five Out-of-Conference Games to Keep an Eye on |
| @ Duke – December 17 |
| @ Marquette – November 8 |
| @ James Madison – November 29 |
| vs UNC Asheville – December 3 |
| @ East Carolina – November 16 |
Wing Austin Ball didn’t get many minutes last year, but he showed that he can shoot the rock. He’s not quite as accomplished near the rim, but Ball cuts assertively and moves rather well without the ball. Having another 6’7″ guy who can hit from the outside gives Mason more dimensions, and Ball can pass the ball effectively around the perimeter. If his defense is ready to play, Ball will earn minutes, and fit in the many types of 4-out looks Skinn could choose to trot out.
Skinn and his staff are adding three intriguing rookies this fall, and the youngster most likely to play immediately is playmaking guard Justin Begg. A feisty little guy with great quickness and reactions, Begg is fearless at both ends of the floor. He will drive confidently among the trees and does his absolute best to bother bigger guards. His jumper can be a real weapon, and Begg will have to be a consistent deep threat in order to create the best opportunities for his drive game at the next level. He’s a crafty passer who likes to push the ball, and though he’s small, Begg is an exciting player. On the wing, Bryson Cokley can guard a variety of opponents. His scoring game is coming together, too, and as Cokley gets stronger, he should help in a bunch of different ways. Up front, Staš Sivka is a Slovenian rookie who has a reported 7’2″ wingspan and some quickness around the goal. He’s already 21 years old, and it will be interesting to see how many minutes he pushes for right away. With a bit of seasoning, Sivka might be a great long-term play.
Skinn has talked about pressing as a weapon this year, and with this deeper roster, he should be able to. Mason can go big or small. The Patriots are going to look at a lineup with Newton, Haynes, and Emejuru out there, or Skinn can use either one of those bigs with four guards around them. The prospect of a roster that can adapt to any opponent and force mismatches is enticing indeed.
The Atlantic 10 is going to be a dogfight this year, but Skinn and his staff have found some dawgs. If Haynes plays as well as he did at ETSU, Quigley hits his stride, and guys like Newton, Billups, and Emejuru can score effectively, George Mason should be able to contend against strong foes. The Patriots are going to play four true road games in the non-conference portion of their schedule, including tilts at Marquette and Duke. Matchups like that are the way so many teams find out what they must tweak and improve upon to reach the promised land in March. If George Mason can put it all together, they’ve got potential to go on a run and crash the Atlantic 10 party.
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