Feb 11, 2004
Box Score
Fairfax, Va. - Sophomore forward Jai Lewis (Aberdeen, MD/Maine Central Institute) scored 17 points and had a career-high five steals and sophomore guard Lamar Butler (Oxon Hill, MD/Oxon Hill) came off the bench to hit three crucial second-half 3-pointers in leading George Mason to a 69-57 win over Virginia Commonwealth Wednesday night in Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball at the Patriot Center.
The Patriots (15-7, 8-5 CAA) needed to make six straight free throws inside the final minute to seal the win and knock the Rams (15-7, 9-4) out of a tie for first place in the conference.
Mason led by as many as 13 in the first half on two occasions, opening up an 8-0 run midway through the period behind four points each from Lewis and junior forward Kevin Mickens (Baltimore, MD/Allegany College of MD), who finished with a career-high seven rebounds in his second game as a starter. Lewis did most of his damage for George Mason, now 9-1 at home this season, in the first half by scoring 12 points and helping the Patriots build a 35-22 lead with 3:11 remaining in the frame.
After Lewis went to the bench in early foul trouble with 2:34 left, the Rams mounted a 10-0 run to close the period, capped by a 3-point basket from B.A. Walker at the 1:07 mark, to trim the deficit at halftime to 35-32. Walker would end the game with nine points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals
Virginia Commonwealth slowly mounted a 14-7 spurt to open the second and took a 46-42 lead with 14:15 to play. Butler hit the first of his three 3-pointers from at least six feet behind the arc to make it a one-point game. He hit the second one less than two minutes later to tie the score, and his third gave George Mason a 59-54 advantage with 4:46 to play. Lewis' layup with 3:30 remaining put the Patriots ahead by six, 61-55. VCU, which had won six of its last seven games, never got closer than four after Butler made two free throws and junior guard Terry Reynolds (Nashville, TN/Toledo) hit four straight from the line in the last 47 seconds to seal the win.
Patriot senior guard Mark Davis (Springfield, VA/Palm Beach CC) also added 15 points, four rebounds and a game- and career-high six assists. Michael Doles led the Rams off the bench with 13 points. Nick George (12 points, seven rebounds) and Domonic Jones (10 points) were also in double-figures.
George Mason shot 48.2 percent from the field and dished out 17 assists with 13 turnovers. VCU shot 41.5 percent from the floor and rolled out 12 assists and 16 turnovers.
The Patriots host league-leading Drexel Saturday at 7 p.m. in a game that will be broadcast live by Comcast SportsNet and the Metro Channel (NY) as the SunTrust CAA Game of the Week.
Box Score
Virginia Commonwealth (15-7, 9-4 CAA) - 32-25=57
George Mason (15-7, 8-5 CAA) - 35-34=69
