Is Fresno State the next George Mason in 2007?

It’s a fact of life. Every year in the NCAA basketball tournament, a “Cinderella” team emerges.

In the 2006 version of the tournament, George Mason just happens to be That team. But who will That team be in 2007?

Don’t rule out Fresno State. The Bulldogs and Patriots play a very similar style of basketball, thanks to Fresno State’s hiring of Steve Cleveland.

During the 2005-2006 season, Fresno State (15-13, 8-8) played extremely competitive basketball, defeating Nevada and Utah State — two NCAA Tournament teams at home.

More similarities between the two come with the personnel. The tallest player on the Patriot team is Chris Fleming, who is 6 feet 8 inches tall. Fleming also only played 131 minutes this season, an average of five per game.

The tallest player on the Bulldogs team is Cal transfer Dominic McGuire, who is listed at 6 feet 9 inches tall. McGuire is also capable of playing the point guard or center position and anywhere in between. He’s also your man for put-back dunks.

The bottom line for the Bulldogs is that they were able to play up-tempo basketball with an undermanned and inexperienced bench, despite knowing there was a zero percent chance of making the postseason.

With another year of learning Cleveland’s system in addition to the new recruits and something to actually play for, Fresno State as the 2007 sleeper team is a possibility.

The talent the Bulldogs will possess is the best in the Western Athleitc Confernce, with Quinton Hosely, Ja’Vance Coleman and McGuire. The new recruits won’t hurt either.

So why not Fresno State? The sleeper may or may not be them.

But who would have picked George Mason as the 2006 version?

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