CAA Champs!

VCU Crushes Mason to take Second Title in Three Years!
03/09/2009
@The Space Ship

I think the Richmond Times Dispatch summed it up best: Too much Maynor. Too much Sanders. Too much pressure defense.

Maynor had 25 points and eight assists and Larry Sanders scored 18 points and set a championship game record with 20 rebounds as the Rams destroyed George Mason 71-50 in the final of the Colonial Athletic Association tournament.

Maynor proved he was NBA ready dominating the game from the tip. The two time conference player of the year scored or assisted on 24 of the Rams' 30 first-half points.

After halftime, Maynor continued to assert himself upon the game assisting on the Rams' first three baskets as they opened with a 7-0 run increasing the VCU lead to 22 and effectively ending any dreams the Patriots had of rekindling the magic of their 2006 Final Four run.

Maynor's teammate Larry Sanders proved why he was named the Conference Defensive player of the year. The sophomore grabbed 12 defensive rebounds by halftime. George Mason could muster only 14 rebounds as a team at the end of the opening period. Sanders would go on to tie David Robinson’s CAA Tournament record for blocks in a game with seven and set a CAA Tournament record with 40 rebounds in three games, also held by Robinson.

Dre Smith led George Mason with 23 points, most coming late in the game. The Rams held George Mason to just 31 percent shooting from the floor and out rebounded the Patriots, 39-32.

The victory gives VCU its second CAA Title in three years and fourth overall. The Rams will be returning to the Big Dance for the 9th time in school history.