March 5, 2006

Box Score

Richmond, Va. - Hofstra University outscored the George Mason men's basketball team 22-9 over the final 10 minutes and the Patriots were held to just 16 second-half points as the third-seeded Pride knocked the second-seeded Patriots out of the CAA Tournament, downing Mason 58-49 in the semifinals. It was the lowest point total of the season for the Patriots.

Mason was holding a four-point lead when the game turned in Hofstra's favor. Jordan Carter was called for a blocking foul on a drive by Loren Stokes when Hofstra's guard could easily have been called for a charge. The call went Hofstra's way, as did the bucket. Stokes made the foul shot making it 40-39. After Adrian Uter blocked a Jai Lewis shot, Carlos Rivera drove the floor and he, too, made a layup and was fouled. He converted the free throw and Hofstra had its first lead of the night, a lead the Pride would not relinquish.

The closest Mason got over the final few minutes was when Will Thomas scored inside off an offensive rebound with 5:20 to play, making it 46-44. Mason got to within four on a Tony Skinn 3-pointer with one minute to go but Hofstra made 5 of 8 free throws in the final minute while Maosn was 0 for 4 from the field.

Will Thomas led Mason with 17 points and six rebounds on 7 of 12 shooting. Skinn added 10 while Lewis had nine points and seven rebounds. Rivera led all scorers, pouring in 25 for Hofstra, along with 10 rebounds. Stokes had 20 while Antoine Agudio, who scored a tournament-record 34 on Saturday, was held to five points.

In the first half, the Patriots were a different team than the one that needed overtime to dispatch of 10th-seeded Georgia State on Saturday. The Patriots jumped out to a 5-0 lead and never trailed in the half. Mason got balance both inside and out as Will Thomas had 10 first-half points and Lamar Butler, Gabe Norwood and Tony Skinn all had 3-pointers.

The Patriots were able to build a 10-point lead as Butler drained back-to-back 3-pointers, the second from nearly 25-feet out and Jai Lewis added a bucket and Norwood converted a pair of free throws. But down 24-14, Hofstra rallied. The Pride got a 3-pointer and a runner from Stokes and a 3-pointer from Carlos Rivera, pulling to within four. Norwood countered with a 3-pointer with 3:11 to go in the half and Mason was once again ahead by seven. At the half, the Patriots led 33-27.

George Mason head coach Jim Larranaga has recommended to Athletics Director Tom O'Connor that senior guard Tony Skinn be suspended for one game due to an incident that occurred during the game. Mr. O'Connor has accepted that recommendation and will bring it to the University for further review.

Mason will now wait for Sunday to find out their postseason future. The Patriots won a school-record 23 games and have an RPI in the top 25 in the nation.