Head coach: Jim Larranaga Last season: 18-15, 9-9 Colonial Athletic Association Postseason: None.
2007-08 breakdown: Probable starters | Backcourt | Frontcourt | Offense | Defense | Outlook

Backcourt

George Mason returns four guards who made up the bulk of the Patriots scoring in 2006-07. The backcourt is led by Folarin Campbell, a starter on the 2006 Final Four team. Campbell led the team in scoring and assists during a season when he moved from point guard to the wing. Jordan Carter performed well when he took over at point guard following Campbell's move to the wing. His 1.73 assist-to-turnover ratio would have been fourth in the league if he had enough assists to qualify.

George Mason Patriots

Final Four veteran Will Thomas is George Mason's top defensive player and leading rebounder.

Probable Starting Five

GJordan Carter (5.0 ppg)

G Dre Smith (8.0 ppg)

G Folarin Campbell (13.9 ppg, 3.8 apg)

F Will Thomas (13.3 ppg, 6.9 rpg)

F Darryl Monroe (6.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg)

Top Reserves

G John Vaughan (8.3 ppg)

F Louis Birdsong (3.3 ppg)

F Vlad Moldoveanu (freshman)

The only junior in the starting five, Dre Smith, led the team with 52 3-pointers and finished ninth in the CAA by making 39.1 percent of his 3s. John Vaughan gives George Mason scoring off the bench. He was third on the team with 8.3 points per game.

Frontcourt

George Mason's frontcourt doesn't have as much depth as the backcourt but boasts the Patriots' top player. Will Thomas, who along with Campbell started on George Mason's Final Four team, led the team in rebounding (6.9 per game) and finished second in scoring (13 points per game). He's also George Mason's top defensive player, finishing on the league's all-defensive team.

At 6-7, 260 pounds, Darryl Monroe is the biggest non-freshman on George Mason's roster. Sophomore Louis Birdsong provides defense off the bench. Incoming freshman Vlad Moldoveanu (6-10, 206) could see immediate playing time in a frontcourt lacking in numbers.

Offense

George Mason looks to score in transition first but slows it down when necessary. The Patriots were 10th of 12 teams in the CAA in scoring (63.3 ppg) but took their time to find good shots to lead the league in field-goal percentage (46.3 percent). Finishing last in the league in free-throw percentage (64.3 percent) didn't help its scoring numbers.

Defense

George Mason will continue to be a defensive-minded team, led by its best defender Thomas. The Patriots primarily run a man-to-man that led the Colonial in scoring defense (59.1 points per game).

Shoes to Fill

The Patriots return all but one major contributor from last year's squad. Gabe Norwood started only nine games last year, but he offered an all-around presence off the bench with his ability to pass and defend. His versatility off the bench will missed.

Must Step Up

George Mason returns five starters but will still look for more production out of its bench. Beyond Vaughan, no bench player averaged four points per game. The projected starting five accounted for 72 percent of George Mason's scoring last year.

Impact Newcomer

Three-star forward Vlad Moldeveanu received recruiting attention from a few high-major teams but selected GMU. The Patriots' could use some help in the frontcourt from Moldeveanu, who won a gold medal with the under-18 Romanian National Team in the FIBA European Championships.

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David Fox is a college basketball writer for Rivals.com. He can be reached at dfox@rivals.com.