Jan. 31, 2009

Box Score

Norfolk, Va. - The George Mason men's basketball team had the ball down one with less than 30 seconds to play for the second time in its past four games and for the second time the Patriots were unable to convert a game-winning basket as Mason fell at Old Dominion on Saturday night, 73-71. After a 14-3 start, Mason has lost three of its past four but the toughest part of its schedule is now in its rearview mirror. Mason, at 8-3 in the conference, is now in third place.

Ryan Pearson had a career-high 18 points for Mason with 13 of those coming in the second half. Cam Long had 15, Dre Smith had 14 and Darryl Monroe had 10 points, six rebounds and a career-high seven assists. John Vaughan returned to the starting lineup after missing two games due to a concussion and he had six points, moving into 20th all-time in school history in points scored. Gerald Lee led Old Dominion with 23 but 15 of those came in the first half. Ben Finney added 18 and Marsharee Neely had 12.

The first half saw Mason shoot better-than 60 percent from the field while grabbing six offensive rebounds and turning the ball over just four times. Somehow, Old Dominion managed to do better. The Monarchs 65 percent from the field and turned the ball over just three times, putting 41 points on the board, the most by a Mason opponent in any half this year.

After trailing for nearly the entire first 13 minutes, Mason finally tied the score at 26-26 with 6:58 to go in the half. Mason's first lead came with 5:37 to play when Vaughan made a steal and converted a fastbreak layup to go up 30-28. The lead lasted 30 seconds before an ODU 3-pointer as the shot clock was about to expire put the Monarchs back on top. Old Dominion held that lead until the break, going in to the locker room up 41-38.

The Monarchs got even better as the second half unfolded. They made five of their first six shots and pushed the lead to nine, 54-45 with less than 15 minutes to play. Mason chipped away using a 16-8 run to pull to within one, 62-61 with 7:32 to play. The Patriots were finally able to take a second-half lead when Louis Birdsong scored off a steal to make it 67-66 with 4:38 to go.

The teams traded baskets and Lee's two free throws with 2:30 to play gave ODU a 70-69 lead. The Monarchs went ahead by three on Frank Hassell's jumper but Pearson made it a one-point game with 29 seconds to go. After Neely missed the front end of a one-and-one, Vaughan drove the lane and his pull-up missed with nine seconds to go. Neely made a free throw with 4.7 seconds to play but Long's pull-up jumper from 15 feet came up short.

Mason has now lost six games by a total of 21 points. Mason lost by one at Northeastern, by two at Old Dominion, by three at Liberty, by four at Dayton, by five at VCU and by six at Hampton.

The Patriots return to action on Tuesday when they host Hofstra at Patriot Center at 7 p.m. That game will be televised on ESPNU and broadcast on WTNT 570. Hofstra is 14-8 on the year and their 6-5 CAA mark puts them in fifth in the conference.