Men’s Basketball Coach Dave Paulsen will take his George Mason Patriots basketball team abroad on July 31, 2018. The Patriots will storm Spain just like the NFL Patriots seemingly storm the Super Bowl every year. The trip will cover five cities across nine days.
A major benefit unbeknownst to many Patriot fans is that with this trip, the NCAA granted the team two additional full weeks of practice to prepare for the trip. The practices will allow the team to build chemistry for the trip and to put in hard work before the 2018-2019 season begins.
The trip will start in Madrid on July 31, 2018. The Patriots have a couple of days before their first game on August 2, 2018 where they play the Club Baloncesto Alcobendas in Toledo. The second game will take place in La Roda, and the Patriots will compete against the Club Deportivo Baloncesto CP on August 3, 2018. The last game of their international trip will be in Barcelona on August 7, 2018 against the Mataro All Stars. Use the hashtag #VamosMason on Twitter and/or Instagram during their tour to interact with other Mason fans.
When the team is not dominating on the court across Spain, they will take guided tours, enjoy the beaches, experience the country’s culture and partake in the delicious cuisine. I am not sure if they are allowed to drink any alcohol on the trip, but if they are, I do hope they taste the sangria.
Coach Dave Paulsen hopes for his team to grow on and off the court with this trip. At Bucknell, Coach Paulsen took his team on a trip to Italy in 2010. Bucknell finished 24-9 that season. The Patriot players will have an experience of a lifetime as they hope to begin their season on a high note across the pond and share the same success Coach Paulsen’s team at Bucknell had.
