Box Score (PDF)

* Junior Jaire Grayer posted a double-double (20 pts, 10 reb) and tied his career high with five 3-pointers
* Sophomore Justin Kier added a career-high 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting
* The Patriots are back in action Thursday vs. Binghamton (7 p.m.) in EagleBank Arena
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The George Mason University men's basketball team (1-1) pushed No. 16 Louisville to the brink but could not power past the host Cardinals Sunday, falling by the score of 72-61 at the KFC Yum! Center.
 
The young and feisty Patriots clamped down on defense to build a 27-24 lead at the half and were up by as many as six (46-40) in the second. But a 12-0 Louisville run and a surge of late 3-pointers ultimately clinched the game for the Cardinals.
 
Junior Jaire Grayer put together a career day on his 21^st birthday to lead the Green & Gold. The Flint, Mich., product notched a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds while posting four steals in 39 minutes. He tied his career best with five made 3-pointers and shot 55.6 percent from beyond the arc.

Grayer is averaging 18.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and shooting 50 percent over Mason's first two games (43.8 3pt FG%).
 
Sophomore Justin Kier eclipsed his career scoring high for the second-consecutive game, dropping 18 points (6-9 FG) while adding four rebounds and two steals.
 
Fellow sophomore Ian Boyd chipped in 12 points (5-10 FG), while freshman Goanar Mar added eight points and six rebounds in 36 minutes on the floor.
 
The Patriots scored the first four points of the game and led 9-4 after a 3-pointer from Grayer. A triple by Boyd extended the advantage to 14-8 at the 15:03 mark, but Louisville answered with a 11-1 run over the next 4:30 to build a 19-15 lead with four minutes to play in the half.
 
The scrappy Patriots stayed calm and continued to keep their focus. A triple from Grayer and beautiful move to the tin from Kier put Mason back up 21-20. Then junior point guard Otis Livingston II nailed a 3-pointer in transition to make it 24-20 and force a Louisville timeout. Grayer hit his third 3-pointer of the half to send the Patriots into the half leading the Cardinals, 27-24.
 
Mason held Louisville to just 29 percent from the floor and 1-of-10 shooting from 3-point territory to build the halftime lead.
 
Boyd converted a triple to open the second half and a nice second-effort jumper from Grayer moved Mason in front by six (37-31) at the 16:15 mark of the stanza.
 
The Patriots remained ahead by six (46-40) after a nice drive to the basket from Kier, but the Cardinals went on a 12-0 run from there to move ahead 52-46 with 8:33 to go.
 
Grayer's fifth 3-pointer and two free throws from Goanar Mar propelled Mason back within one (52-51) and the Patriots trailed by just two (57-55) with 3:47 left after Kier hit a pair of free throws after a strong drive to the hole.
 
At that point, Louisville started to hit its shots, converting a trio of 3-pointers to build a 68-61 edge with 1:29 left. The Cardinals would close it out from there and ultimately claim the victory.
 
Mason returns to a Fairfax for a two-game homestand to host the opening round games of the 2017 Cancun Challenge. The Patriots take on America East foe Binghamton on Thursday (Nov. 16) at 7 p.m. before battling Cal State Northridge on Saturday (Nov. 18) at 6 p.m.