By Jeff Milby —
With just seconds remaining against George Mason, and the score out of reach at 72-61, David Padgett strode down the sideline toward the opponent’s bench. Pulling his hands from his pockets, the 6-foot-11 former center bent over slightly to greet Patriot Coach Dave Paulsen as the buzzer sounded.
It was the first moment following his first head coaching victory.
The 53-year-old Paulsen embraced Padgett by the shoulder, and the two exchanged pleasantries. Three months ago, Paulsen would have imagined this moment differently. He would have expected to meet a Hall of Fame coach, with 769 victories and two national championships to his name.