when did george mason go to the final four
2005–06
title: History of George Mason basketball text: downing three highly favored opponents. The run to the Final Four, which ESPN says is "considered by most the greatest in NCAA Tournament history", culminated with the Patriots beating top-seeded Connecticut 86–84 in overtime on March 26 to advance to the school, and the CAA conference's first-ever Final Four. George Mason also defeated Michigan State, North Carolina, and Wichita State in the NCAA Tournament while defeating the University of Connecticut in the Elite 8 to earn a trip to the Final Four in Indianapolis. George Mason would later fall to the eventual National Champion, University of Florida, in the Final title: George Mason Patriots text: has played at the Patriot Center since 1985 and played the prior years in the PE Building on the west side of the Fairfax Campus. The men's basketball team has made the NCAA tournament six times (1989, 1999, 2001, 2006, 2008, and 2011) and the NIT tournament four times (1986, 2002, 2004 and 2009). The Patriot basketball team is most famous for its 2006 NCAA run to the Final Four. GMU beat perennial powers UNC, Connecticut, and Michigan State, as well as a highly ranked Wichita State team, before losing to eventual National Champion Florida in the Final Four. The title: History of George Mason basketball text: 2011) and the NIT tournament (National Invitation tournament) three times (1986, 2002 and 2004). The basketball team is best known for its 2006 NCAA Final Four appearance where Mason beat North Carolina, Connecticut, Michigan State, and Wichita State. The Patriots lost to eventual champion Florida in the Final Four. After the Patriots run in the 2005–2006 season, and their successful finish in the 2007–2008 season, George Mason Head Coach Jim Larranaga was offered to leave Mason for a 5-year, $4.25 million offer from Providence College. Coach Larranaga announced his decision in April 2008 by declining the offer from Providence, and title: Lamar Butler text: started dreaming when I got to college. It shows you anything can happen." Butler and the Patriots then headed to Indianapolis, where they faced the Florida Gators, led by Minnesota Regional MVP Joakim Noah. To the dismay of many across the country rooting for the team leading one of the greatest Cinderella stories in sports history, George Mason was defeated by Florida in the Final Four 73-58 on Saturday, April 1, 2006. In his final game as an NCAA athlete, Butler played 36 minutes where he scored 8 points (4 of 7 FGs, 0 of 2 3PTs) had 4 rebounds, title: Jim Larrañaga text: players didn't know what conference George Mason was in. He told them that on this day "CAA" stood for "Connecticut Assassins Association." Mason would win 86–84 in overtime, becoming only the fourth team not from a BCS AQ conference to make the Final Four in a quarter-century (after UNLV in 1987 and 1991 and Utah in 1998). Their improbable run ended on April 1 in Indianapolis when they lost 73–58 to eventual national champion Florida in the national semifinals. Larrañaga received the Clair Bee Coach of the Year Award for his accomplishments during this season. Larrañaga's overall head coaching record