Jan. 9, 2010
VIDEO of Postgame Press Conference/Box Score
The George Mason men's basketball used two impressive stretches of defense to jump out big on UNC Wilmington, then weathered a late rally from the Seahawks to win their 14th straight Colonial Athletic Association home game, beating UNCW, 59-46 at Patriot Center. Mason dominated in the paint and outrebounded the top team in the CAA in defensive rebounding. The Patriots are in a four-way tie for first in the CAA with Northeastern, Old Dominion and William & Mary. The win tied a school record for the most consecutive wins over UNCW with five straight.
Mike Morrison had 15 points and four rebounds, Ryan Pearson had 13 points, six rebounds, three blocks and three steals and the Patriots enjoyed a 38-24 edge on the boards, holding UNCW to just five offensive rebounds while collecting 13 of their own. Ahmad Grant led UNCW with 12 points while the Patriots kept Chad Tomko and John Fields to just four points each. They had come into the game scoring a combined 27.8 points per game and Tomko had led the CAA with 19 straight games in double figures.
The Patriots (9-7, 4-1) used a pair of first-half runs to take control of the contest going into the half. The first run saw Mason outscore UNCW 16-1. Pearson started it with two baskets and two free throws and after a Keith Rendleman free throw tied the score at 8-8, Mason scored the next five baskets, one by Sherrod Wright, two by Johnny Williams, a fastbreak dunk from Cam Long and a tip-in from Mike Morrison. The Seahawks (6-9, 2-3) went 10:01 without a field goal during that stretch.
Later, Mason went on a 10-3 run over the final 3:17 to take a 30-18 lead at the break. Luke Hancock had five points in the run which saw UNCW held to three field goals. In fact, the Seahawks closed the half without a field goal in the final 5:45. The drought continued into the second half as Mason went up 35-18 and UNCW went without a basket for 8:15 before a Rendleman jumper from the wing ended the cold stretch.
That's when Mason suffered through its own stretch of offensive futility. The Seahawks went on an 11-2 run that saw Mason without a point for 6:17. A pair of Wright free throws ended the scoreless stretch and left the Patriots ahead by eight, 37-29. The Seahawks were able to get within five several times in the final 10 minutes, most notably at 48-43 with 5:22 to play, but the Patriots always had the answer. Mason closed the game with a 9-3 run to seal the win.
Mason will return to action on Wednesday when they host Georgia State at Patriot Center. That game will begin at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on WWRC 1260 AM.
