Dec. 5, 2005

Box Score

WASHINGTON (AP) - George Mason opened the game with a 16-0 run, held winless American to 12 first-half points and cruised to a 75-35 victory Monday night in the BB&T Classic.

The Patriots (4-2) started 6-for-7 from the floor, getting nine points from Tony Skinn on 3-for-3 shooting from 3-point range. It was 18-1 before the Eagles made their only basket over the first 14 minutes, a putback by Derrick Mercer.

George Mason followed with an 11-0 spurt to make it 29-3.

American (0-6) trailed by 25 at halftime after missing 22 of 27 field-goal attempts and going 1-for-4 at the line.

The margin reached 41 points with 6:32 left.

Lamar Butler scored a season-high 23 points and Skinn added 15 for the Patriots, who have won three straight. George Mason is 11-0 against American under coach Jim Larranaga.

Mercer led the Eagles with 10 points, and Jordan Nichols had six points and 10 rebounds. Head coach Jeff Jones, now in his sixth season at AU after an eight-year run at Virginia, is 0-6 for the first time in his career.

American never recovered after its rocky start. The Patriots led 32-5 before the Eagles scored successive baskets for the first time to get within 22 points, but Butler and Skinn answered with 3-pointers to make it 38-10.

The game was the second of three involving Washington-area teams in the single-day tournament.