George Mason will look a whole lot different they take the court this November.
As odd as it may seem for a team that returns 100 percent of their scoring from a year ago, and did not have a single player graduate out of the program, the Patriots will have a new element to their team.
That idiosyncrasy will all come from the addition of Jarred Reuter. A 6-7 transfer coming from the University of Virginia, Reuter will enjoy his junior and senior seasons of eligibility in Fairfax.
“He’s a really good player and he’s a really smart player,” head coach Dave Paulsen told Giantkiller. “He’s got really good leadership qualities so all of those things are pretty darn positive… He’s a terrific passer. He helps us facilitate our offense and he’s our best talker and that anchors your defense. He brings a ton of energy every day to practice so those are things that the average person may not realize but his talk is contagious, his energy is contagious.”
Playing under Tony Bennett, Reuter was part of one of the top programs in the entire country. His two seasons in Charlottesville gave him experience in two NCAA Tournaments, including a season when the Cavaliers were a No. 1 seed. Those Cavaliers got as far as the Elite Eight in 2016.
For both seasons Reuter was a bench player, mostly playing behind Isaiah Wilkins. Not once did Reuter start a game with the Cavaliers, but he did play in 58 contests.
“I just learned so much from the [Virginia] coaching staff and the older guys,” Reuter told Giantkiller. “Just how to carry myself and have good character, how to work hard every day and then just how to have a motor, how to have a professional-like mind. There are so many people to try and learn from in the program and I tried to do that as much as possible and I’ll take that forever from there.”
His best season was his sophomore year where he averaged 3.8 points and 2.2 rebounds in less than 11 minutes a game. His highest point total (14) and rebounding total (9) came his freshman year against Iowa.
After his two seasons in Charlottesville though, the former three-star recruit needed a change in scenery. Coach Paulsen was willing to offer that to him.
“I wanted to take my time with the recruiting process through transferring. Coach [Paulsen] came to visit me at UVA and we sat and talked for a while. We talked for like an hour and a half, two hours, about basketball about non-basketball things and I’m very comfortable with him, just on a personal level,” Reuter said. “When I came to visit and I got a feel for the team, it just felt like the right fit. There was a need for my position, a lot of good pieces to build with, and they were going in the right direction. It was a no-brainer for me and it still felt like the right choice.”
This year the Patriots get to see the full benefits that the 6-7 forward from the University of Virginia will bring to the court.
Unable to play with George Mason due to NCAA transfer rules last year, Reuter was on the bench. Seeing a close view of the team’s offensive and defensive schemes, Reuter saw what exactly the coaching staff wanted. That knowledge he hopes to translate onto the court this season.
A year ago he had no problem taking advantage of it as a member of the scout team in practices.
“Boy, you want the scout team to really push your starters but you want the starters to win right? You’re getting ready to play this team and like ‘God dang he was a pain in the rear end to guard.’ It’s good,” Paulsen said.
At times being on the bench dug into Reuter. When the team was in foul trouble or when there was a matchup he thought he could take advantage of, he longed to be on the court.
“When we’re losing and I feel like I can make a difference or even though you’re not playing, you cannot turn off your competitive nature,” Reuter said. “You’re sitting there and you gain a new respect for coaches, but I learn to deal with it a little more but it was tough. It was tough all year.”
No longer will he be on the bench. No longer will he be on the scout team. Now, he is practicing with the starters and soon will hit the court once again. Before long he will make his first start in collegiate basketball.
The ability for Reuter to communicate and facilitate the ball from the post position fits in perfectly with the current George Mason roster. A hustler on the court, no one will ever question his heart and intensity.
“I think him playing is definitely going to make things a lot easier out there because he’s such a good passer. So in terms of getting wide open jumpers and being able to play off of him, it’s going to give us a lot of different looks which is going to be very helpful,” Paulsen said. “He understands the attention to detail, the intensity… I’ve picked up stuff Jarred did and was like ‘woah that’s not a bad idea, that’s a better way to do things.’”
Despite his height, rebounding is not a staple of his game. However, Paulsen has started with less and still managed to get boards from his players. Defensively, he will size up a little smaller than some of the other top post players in the Atlantic 10, but that is where he will have the advantage on offense.
Not only is he not afraid to shoot from more than two-feet away from the basket, his passing ability will force teams to be honest. No longer will opponents from Mason be able to generate steals or poor shots in the low post.
Last year that was the lone aspect missing from George Mason: experience and depth at the four and five positions. Primarily it was just two freshmen and a red-shirt freshman holding the weight. All things considered the trio did admirably and held the post down as best they could. Insert Reuter, a player that many are already putting into the conversation as a player with First-Team capabilities, as a starter. Those former starters become key backups.
Such admiration and praise of a high-valued transfer from Virginia has raised the expectations of the Patriots. A lot of pressure will be put on his shoulders as George Mason is considered a top-four team in the conference.
None of that really matters to Reuter. He’s just excited to get back out onto the court.
“I don’t have any expectations for myself. I think as a team we have high expectations and you can only really take it game by game. That’s what I’m going to do and I think good of myself,” Reuter said. “I think I can be a strong player in this league, but I’m going to do what is asked and needed of me and if that is enough for me. I don’t know what that means for personal things but I’m excited to be a bigger part of a team and have a bigger impact on a team. So whatever I’m asked, I’m going to do. I’m confident in us, I’m confident in what we’re going to do and I think we’re going to go a long way.”
