George Mason University shocked the NCAA basketball world. In a never-seen-before March Madness run, the George Mason Patriots became the darling Cinderella as they ran through the Michigan State Spartans, Wichita State Shockers, North Carolina Tar Heels, and UCONN Huskies on the way to an improbable Final Four appearance. George Mason is the standard by which all other Cinderella teams, those looking to make the Sweet Sixteen, Elite, Eight, and Final Four are judged. The Loyola Chicago, Florida Gulf Coast, VCU and others, owe homage to this George Mason team.