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GW finds genuine consolation in college basketball’s runner-up prize GW finds genuine consolation in college basketball’s runner-up prize
(about 7 hours later)
If the NIT had been mentioned in front of anyone connected to the George Washington basketball team last fall, the speaker would have been advised to duck. The Colonials had big plans for this season, If the NIT had been mentioned in front of anyone connected to the George Washington basketball team last fall, the speaker would have been advised to duck. The Colonials had big plans for this season, and the notion of playing in an NIT quarterfinal game in mid-March was laughable.
and the notion of playing in an NIT quarterfinal game in mid-March was laughable. And yet, shortly before 9 o’clock last Wednesday, the Colonials, their students and virtually everyone among the 3,399 who had packed Smith Center were celebrating GW’s exhilarating 82-77 win over Florida in — yes, it can be said now — an NIT quarterfinal.
And yet, shortly before 9 o’clock last Wednesday, the Colonials, their students and virtually everyone among the 3,399 who had packed Smith Center, were celebrating GW’s exhilarating 82-77 win over Florida in — yes, it can be said now — an NIT quarterfinal.
“See you in New York,” Athletic Director Patrick Nero said to people as he accepted congratulations after the final buzzer. He was beaming. And he wasn’t alone.“See you in New York,” Athletic Director Patrick Nero said to people as he accepted congratulations after the final buzzer. He was beaming. And he wasn’t alone.
“This is such a blessing,” senior center Kevin Larsen said. “For my last home game here to be a game like this, it’s great.”“This is such a blessing,” senior center Kevin Larsen said. “For my last home game here to be a game like this, it’s great.”
Tuesday, GW will play in the NIT semifinals for the first time in school history, facing San Diego State in the second game of the doubleheader in Madison Square Garden after Valparaiso and BYU meet in the opener. Playing in New York in late March wasn’t the plan — but the three NIT wins undoubtedly have taken some of the sting out of a disappointing winter. GW on Tuesday will play in the NIT semifinals for the first time in school history, facing San Diego State in the second game of the doubleheader at Madison Square Garden after Valparaiso and BYU meet in the opener. Playing in New York in late March wasn’t the plan — but the three NIT wins undoubtedly have taken some of the sting out of a disappointing winter.
[The unbearable weirdness of your team making an NIT run][The unbearable weirdness of your team making an NIT run]
On the afternoon of March 11, Coach Mike Lonergan stood in front of his players in a locker room inside the Barclay’s Center and was very direct. On the afternoon of March 11, Coach Mike Lonergan stood in front of his players in a locker room inside Barclays Center in Brooklyn and was very direct.
“Win this game and we’re in,” he said before the Colonials’ Atlantic-10 quarterfinal against. St. Joseph’s. “Forget anything else you’re hearing. Win today and we’re in.” “Win this game and we’re in,” he said before the Colonials’ Atlantic 10 tournament quarterfinal against Saint Joseph’s. “Forget anything else you’re hearing. Win today and we’re in.”
Whether Lonergan was correct or fantasizing no one will ever know because his team didn’t win that day. After leading St. Joseph’s 49-35 at halftime, GW collapsed down the stretch and lost, 86-80. Whether Lonergan was correct or fantasizing no one will ever know because his team didn’t win that day. After leading 49-35 at halftime, GW collapsed down the stretch and lost, 86-80.
Just like that, four months of work and hope and dreaming went up in smoke.Just like that, four months of work and hope and dreaming went up in smoke.
“It was over,” he said. “We weren’t getting in, and there was no use pretending we still had a chance because we didn’t. It was depressing.” “It was over,” Lonergan said. “We weren’t getting in, and there was no use pretending we still had a chance because we didn’t. It was depressing.”
Tyler Cavanaugh, the 6-foot-9-inch junior who has been the heart and soul of this team all season summed up the day and the trip home in one word: “Brutal,” he said. “It was just brutal. And, because I’d fouled out, I had to sit there the final few minutes and not be able to do anything to stop what was happening.” Tyler Cavanaugh, the 6-foot-9 junior who has been the heart and soul of this team all season, summed up the day and the trip home in one word: “Brutal,” he said. “It was just brutal. And, because I’d fouled out, I had to sit there the final few minutes and not be able to do anything to stop what was happening.”
The loss to the Hawks left GW with a 23-10 record — hardly anything to be ashamed of, but a disappointment, given the presence of three seniors starters and Cavanaugh, a Wake Forest transfer who has averaged 16.8 points and 7.5 rebounds a game. GW had wins over Virginia and VCU, the latter on the road, but also had losses to DePaul, St. Louis and Richmond. The loss to the Hawks left GW with a 23-10 record — hardly anything to be ashamed of, but a disappointment given the presence of three senior starters and Cavanaugh, a Wake Forest transfer who has averaged 16.8 points and 7.5 rebounds a game. GW had wins over Virginia and VCU, the latter on the road, but also had losses to DePaul, Saint Louis and Richmond.
Which is why Lonergan told his players to come in that Sunday night to watch the NIT selection show, a couple of hours after the 68-team NCAA bracket was announced.Which is why Lonergan told his players to come in that Sunday night to watch the NIT selection show, a couple of hours after the 68-team NCAA bracket was announced.
“I told them that night that this was a chance for us to still make something good happen this season,” he said. “There were teams out there that didn’t make the NIT that were good teams.”“I told them that night that this was a chance for us to still make something good happen this season,” he said. “There were teams out there that didn’t make the NIT that were good teams.”
Still, Lonergan wasn’t thrilled with his team’s draw. Hofstra had tied for first in the Colonial Athletic Association and had a veteran team that could score a lot of points. Still, Lonergan wasn’t thrilled with his team’s draw. Hofstra, its first-round opponent, had tied for first in the Colonial Athletic Association and had a veteran team that could score a lot of points.
“I knew they would be fired up to play us,” Lonergan said. “I knew it wouldn’t be easy.”“I knew they would be fired up to play us,” Lonergan said. “I knew it wouldn’t be easy.”
It wasn’t. The Colonials needed a 12-foot jump shot by backup guard Alex Mitola with four seconds left to pull out an 82-80 victory. The close call seemed to re-energize the Colonials.It wasn’t. The Colonials needed a 12-foot jump shot by backup guard Alex Mitola with four seconds left to pull out an 82-80 victory. The close call seemed to re-energize the Colonials.
“I think after we got through that game, we were invested again,” said Cavanugh, who had 20 points and 11 rebounds that night. “It was like we got a second wind at that point. We realized we had the chance to do something cool.” “I think after we got through that game, we were invested again,” said Cavanugh, who had 20 points and 11 rebounds that night . “It was like we got a second wind at that point. We realized we had the chance to do something cool.”
[TBS announcer draws ire for ‘back from the dead’ line on Easter Sunday][TBS announcer draws ire for ‘back from the dead’ line on Easter Sunday]
Cavanaugh has been a revelation for the Colonials all season. After Cavanaugh transferred from Wake Forest two springs ago, Lonergan knew he had a player who could step in and give his team a boost this season, but he didn’t realize just how good a player he had.Cavanaugh has been a revelation for the Colonials all season. After Cavanaugh transferred from Wake Forest two springs ago, Lonergan knew he had a player who could step in and give his team a boost this season, but he didn’t realize just how good a player he had.
“I knew he could shoot it for a big guy and I knew he’d help Kevin [Larsen] out inside,” he said. “But he really worked hard the year he sat out. He’s a better rebounder than I thought, and he’s consistent — so consistent. He’s scored double figures every game; that’s not easy to do.”“I knew he could shoot it for a big guy and I knew he’d help Kevin [Larsen] out inside,” he said. “But he really worked hard the year he sat out. He’s a better rebounder than I thought, and he’s consistent — so consistent. He’s scored double figures every game; that’s not easy to do.”
When the Florida game was on the line, Lonergan wanted the ball in Cavanaugh’s hands. He called time out with 1 minute, 7 seconds left and his team up 74-73. As in the Hofstra game, Mitola had the ball with instructions to reverse it to Cavanaugh unless he saw an opening. When the defense came to him, Mitola found Cavanaugh just outside the three-point arc. When the Florida game was on the line, Lonergan wanted the ball in Cavanaugh’s hands. He called timeout with 1 minute 7 seconds left and his team up 74-73. As in the Hofstra game, Alex Mitola had the ball with instructions to reverse it to Cavanaugh unless he saw an opening. When the defense came to him, Mitola found Cavanaugh just outside the three-point arc.
“I had told him to go to the basket,” Lonergan said. “But they never came up on him. I thought, ‘heck, take it.’ Fortunately, he did.” “I had told him to go to the basket,” Lonergan said. “But they never came up on him. I thought, ‘Heck, take it.’ Fortunately, he did.”
Cavanaugh drained the three-point shot with 54 seconds left for a 77-73 lead and GW made its free throws to hang on. There was no court-storming as there had been after the win over Virginia in November, but there was plenty of happiness to go around. Cavanaugh drained the three-point shot with 54 seconds left for a 77-73 lead, and GW made its free throws to hang on. There was no court-storming, as there had been after the win over Virginia in November, but there was plenty of happiness to go around.
Larsen, whose inconsistency has pushed Lonergan’s hairline backward a good bit during his four years, was a force all night with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Fellow senior Patricio Garino had 13 points and excelled at the top of the 1-3-1 zone Lonergan often likes to switch to in tight moments. And Cavanaugh had 23 points and five rebounds and made four-of-five from three-point range, including the last-minute backbreaker. Larsen, whose inconsistency has pushed Lonergan’s hairline backward a good bit during his four years, was a force all night with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Fellow senior Patricio Garino had 13 points and excelled at the top of the 1-3-1 zone Lonergan often likes to switch to in tight moments. And Cavanaugh had 23 points and five rebounds and made 4 of 5 attempts from three-point range, including the last-minute backbreaker.
“We had to regroup after what happened in Brooklyn,” he said. “It was tough to take, but I think somewhere along the way, we decided we wanted to keep playing together for as long as possible. Now, we get to go to New York and play in Madison Square Garden. That’s pretty cool.” “We had to regroup after what happened in Brooklyn,” he said. “It was tough to take, but I think somewhere along the way, we decided we wanted to keep playing together for as long as possible. Now we get to go to New York and play in Madison Square Garden. That’s pretty cool.”
Cavanaugh had a big smile as he spoke. There were smiles everywhere at a time and a place when no one from GW would have imagined that possible.Cavanaugh had a big smile as he spoke. There were smiles everywhere at a time and a place when no one from GW would have imagined that possible.
As it turns out, March joy isn’t limited to the selected 68. There was proof of that in Foggy Bottom last week. There might be more yet to come. As it turns out, March joy isn’t limited to the selected 68. There was proof of that in Foggy Bottom last week. There might be more to come.
For more by John Feinstein, visit washingtonpost.com/feinstein.