Saturday, March 13, 1999
Hey, Saddam: This is how to win a war
BY MIKE DeCOURCY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
BOSTON — Before he encountered the UC front line, George Mason forward George Evans said he would not be intimidated because he'd faced more difficult circumstances as a veteran of the Persian Gulf war.
The Bearcats might not have been armed in Friday's first-round NCAA Tournament game, but they were dangerous. They held Evans to 0-of-6 shooting from the field and no points in 25 minutes.
“I knew they were going to contest every shot,” Evans said. “I just tried to stay within our offense and do the best I could.”
As the Colonial Athletic Association player of the year, Evans averaged 17.8 points and shot .566 from the floor.
“This is a new one for him,” said George Mason coach Jim Larranaga. “He never really had to face the caliber of athlete that was defending him for 40 minutes.”
“I really think we are one of the best defensive teams in the country,” UC coach Bob Huggins said. “We guard the post really well. It's tough to get good shots against us, get good looks against us.”
“Defensively they put tremendous pressure on you to make shots whether it's inside or outside,” Larranaga said. “As a player you feel someone is attacking you and you rush. ... I don't think we knew how to respond.”
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