March 23, 2004

Box Score

EUGENE, Ore. - Andre Joseph led all players with a career-high 22 points to lead Oregon to a 68-54 win over George Mason Tuesday night in front of 9,087 fans at McArthur Court in the second round of the NIT.

Joseph, whose previous career high was 19 points, shot 8-for-13 from the field and connected on five of nine 3-pointers. Luke Jackson, who scored 40 points in Oregon's opening-round victory over Colorado, had 14 points, as did center Ian Crosswhite.

Junior guard Terry Reynolds (Nashville, TN/Toledo) was the only player to score in double digits for the Patriots, with 14 points. Mason concludes its year with a 23-10 record - a school best for wins in a season.

It was the 1,000th game at McArthur Court - the second-oldest Division I facility in the nation behind Fordham's Rose Hill Gym. The Ducks are 644-356 on their home floor since it opened in 1927.

An 8-3 run put George Mason up 22-21 seven minutes before halftime, but its lead was short-lived thanks to a 16-2 outburst by the Ducks that put them ahead 37-24 with 2:12 to play in the first half.

Joseph scored 10 of Oregon's points during that stretch, including a pair of 3-pointers.

The Patriots' sophomore forward Jai Lewis (Aberdeen, MD/MCI) scored on consecutive possessions to cut the Ducks' lead to 37-28, but a reverse layup from Jackson with 47 seconds to go sent Oregon into halftime up 39-28. Lewis finished the game with nine points, four rebounds and two steals.

A 3-pointer from James Davis eight minutes into the second half put the Ducks up 52-37, and Joseph followed with a pair of 3-pointers as Oregon's lead grew to 58-39 with 8:34 left to play. Consecutive 3-pointers from Reynolds trimmed the advantage to 64-52 at the 3:18 mark, but two free throws from Crosswhite and a basket from Jackson pushed the margin to 68-52 with less than two minutes remaining.

George Mason shot 31.3 percent for the game, including 25.6 percent (10-for-39) in the second period, compared to 49.0 percent overall for Oregon. The Ducks dished out 18 assists and committed 15 turnovers, while the Patriots had only four assists and 13 turnovers.

Box Score
George Mason (23-10) - 28-26=54
Oregon (17-12) - 39-29=68