[1]How about some good food, beer, and music? Throw in a round of golf. Add a gorgeous location and your favorite basketball team to cheer for, and what do you get? A trip to Charleston, S.C.!
Coach Larranaga and the rest of the men’s basketball team are heading to coastal South Carolina this weekend to take part in the Charleston Classic [2], a basketball tournament that will feature big-conference powerhouses Georgetown and North Carolina State. The Patriots will open play on Thursday, Nov. 18, against Charlotte.
For fans who attend, the games will obviously be a draw, but there will be loads of other Mason-themed events to fill your days, all organized through a program called Mason Across the Nation [3].
Pre- and post-game, fans are asked to gather at the Mason Nation headquarters at the Charleston Beer Works [4], 468 King Street. On Saturday morning, a golf outing is planned. Contact Jennifer Montgomery at 703-993-3217 to learn more. Meanwhile, later that afternoon, Doc Nix and the Green Machine will give a free outdoor concert at the Marion Square Park to be followed by a reception for the Mason Nation at the Francis Marion Hotel [5], 387 King Street. President Merten is scheduled to be there! All are invited.
“If you’re in the area or heading that way, we would love to have you,” said Chris Clark-Talley, associate vice president for Alumni Affairs and one of the organizers of the event. “It’s open to everyone in the Mason community!”
Fellow organizer, Kate Andreottola, director of campaign programs and donor relations with Mason’s Office of University Development, said more than 100 people have already committed to attend the Saturday reception. And while an advanced RSVP [6] is recommended, you spontaneous fans who just hop in the car and head south this weekend will not be turned away.
“We’ll take them at the door,” she promises.