After watching UVa beat Miami last night, it occurred to me that Tony Bennett just might be the ideal model for what Dave Paulsen is trying to accomplish at Mason.
Not only do they run similar systems -- clog the lane on D, slow tempo and patient O -- but they both value skill over raw athleticism and recruit complete student-athletes who will do the job on the court and in the classroom. No shortcuts being taken to accelerate the rebuilding process.
So I thought it might be instructive for some of our less-patient posters to look at how long it has taken Bennett to get UVa to where it is today.
The year before he took over, UVa went 10-18 overall and 4-12 in the ACC.
They had a sub-.500 season in his first year, finished 16-15 in year 2 and had double-digit losses in years 3 and 4, as well.
UVa didn't really break out until 2013-14, Bennett's 5th year, when it went 30-7 and 16-2 in the ACC.
They're obviously rolling now, pulling in top-50 talent and regularly selling out a 15,000-seat arena.
But I think everyone would agree that our program was in even worse shape following 4 years of Hewitt than UVa was when Bennett took over there.
It basically took Bennett 4 full recruiting classes to build a roster with guys capable of playing the way he wants to play and competing at the top of a very tough conference.
Given how far Mason has to go, and how many A-10 teams we have to pass to get there, a similar timetable is not at all unreasonable for Paulsen.
If we're not at least in the conversation for an NCAA bid by year 4 and in the tournament by year 5, I will be very surprised.
Not only do they run similar systems -- clog the lane on D, slow tempo and patient O -- but they both value skill over raw athleticism and recruit complete student-athletes who will do the job on the court and in the classroom. No shortcuts being taken to accelerate the rebuilding process.
So I thought it might be instructive for some of our less-patient posters to look at how long it has taken Bennett to get UVa to where it is today.
The year before he took over, UVa went 10-18 overall and 4-12 in the ACC.
They had a sub-.500 season in his first year, finished 16-15 in year 2 and had double-digit losses in years 3 and 4, as well.
UVa didn't really break out until 2013-14, Bennett's 5th year, when it went 30-7 and 16-2 in the ACC.
They're obviously rolling now, pulling in top-50 talent and regularly selling out a 15,000-seat arena.
But I think everyone would agree that our program was in even worse shape following 4 years of Hewitt than UVa was when Bennett took over there.
It basically took Bennett 4 full recruiting classes to build a roster with guys capable of playing the way he wants to play and competing at the top of a very tough conference.
Given how far Mason has to go, and how many A-10 teams we have to pass to get there, a similar timetable is not at all unreasonable for Paulsen.
If we're not at least in the conversation for an NCAA bid by year 4 and in the tournament by year 5, I will be very surprised.
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