George Washington Colonials
Record: 24-8
Head coach: Mike Lonergan (3rd season)
Season summary: The Colonials return the Big Dance for the first time since 2007 after a 24-8 season in which they reached the Atlantic 10 semifinals before losing to VCU 74-55. Behind a solid offense that shot 46.4 percent on the season, George Washington notched multiple wins against tournament teams, most notably a 60-53 win against Creighton Dec. 1. Five Colonial players average more than 10 points per game, with senior guard Maurice Creek scoring a team-high 14.3 points per contest. George Washington is hoping to get Creek’s fellow guard, Kethan Savage, back on the court after he played just one minute in the Atlantic 10 Tournament. Savage was the Colonials’ second-leading scorer before breaking his foot in January. George Washington was 15-4 with the Fairfax, Va. native in the lineup this season, but major questions about his health remain. This team has flown under the radar for most of the season and has shown that it can hang with teams like Creighton, but it would be a huge feat for the Colonials to upset top-seeded Virginia.
How they make a run: George Washington finds enough offense to challenge Virginia’s superb defense in the Round of 32 and find its Cinderella slipper.
How they falter: If Savage only plays limited minutes against Memphis, Creek could have a hard time putting the backcourt on his shoulders in a high-pressure environment.
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