Feb 4, 2004

Box Score

TOWSON, Md. - Sophomore forward Jai Lewis (Aberdeen, MD/Maine Central Inst.) scored a game-high 17 points and collected six rebounds as George Mason used a fast start to earn a 74-57 Colonial Athletic Association victory over Towson Wednesday night at Towson Center.

The Patriots (14-6, 7-4 CAA), winners of two straight games, dropped the Tigers (6-14, 3-8 CAA) for the sixth consecutive time in handing TU its fifth straight loss of the season.

Lewis, who totaled 13 second-half points, led four George Mason players in double figures as senior guard Mark Davis (Springfield, VA/Palm Beach CC) scored 11 of his 13 points in the first half and added five rebounds and three assists. Senior guard Raoul Heinen (Bunschoten, Holland) recorded 12 points and sophomore guard Lamar Butler (Oxon Hill, MD/Oxon Hill) registered 14 and tied for game- and career-high honors with six rebounds. Freshman guard Gabe Norwood (State College, PA/State College) had career high in assists (9) and steals (5).

Sophomore Lawrence Hamm led the Tigers with 12 points and freshman Winstonn Tubbs added eight points and three rebounds. Freshman Holden Plack netted six points and a team-high six rebounds.

With the game tied 6-6 early in the first half, Davis scored seven points during a 16-2 Mason run that put the Patriots ahead 22-8 midway through the period. George Mason shot 54.5 percent from the floor in the frame and owned a 33-21 halftime lead.

After Towson cut the deficit to 37-28 two minutes into the second half, Butler connected on two consecutive 3-point field goals and sophomore forward Trent Wurtz (Sheboygan, WI/Sheboygan North) added another as Mason went on a 13-0 spurt to take a 50-28 with 14:31 left in the game. The Patriot margin would grow to 71-45 at the 5:22 mark as the Tigers never got closer than 17 the rest of the way.

George Mason shot 54.4 percent from the floor in the second half and finished the game with a 53.3 percentage. The Patriots also forced 18 Towson turnovers and converted them into 36 points. Mason went 19-of-24 from the free throw line compared to only 8-of-9 for the Tigers.

George Mason faces arch-rival James Madison Saturday in Harrisonburg, VA at 4 p.m. The contest can be seen live on Comcast SportsNet-Mid Atlantic and on the Metro Channel in New York.

Box Score
George Mason (14-6, 7-4 CAA) - 33-41=74
Towson (6-14, 3-8 CAA) - 21-36=57