Box Score (PDF)

* The Patriots erased a four point deficit with 7.1 seconds to play
* Otis Livingston II posted a team-high 17 points and a career-best eight assists
* Freshman Goanar Mar tallied 14 points and made four free throws in the final seven seconds
 
HARRISONBURG, Va. – The George Mason University men's basketball team (4-3) channeled some old CAA magic Wednesday night in the JMU Convocation Center, erasing a four-point deficit with seven seconds to play to complete an improbable comeback over James Madison.
 
With JMU up 71-67 with under 10 seconds remaining, sophomore Ian Boyd drained a step-back triple while freshman Goanar Mar was being fouled under the hoop. As a result, the Patriots retained possession and Mar went to the line to attempt the front end of a 1-and-1 opportunity. Mar hit both clutch free throws to put Mason up 72-71, then drew a JMU offensive foul on the ensuing Dukes' possession to give the ball back to the Patriots once more.
 
Junior Otis Livingston II then hit two more clutch free throws in a 1-and-1 situation to put Mason up 74-71. From there, the Green & Gold deliberately fouled the Dukes with 2.3 seconds left to prevent a potential game-tying three and JMU's Matt Lewis hit 1-of-2 free throw attempts (74-72). Mar made both of his free throws once again on the other end, and the Patriots escaped the Convo with their first road victory of the young season.
 
"This was such a gritty effort against a talented James Madison team," head coach Dave Paulsen said. "I don't know if I've ever been part of a comeback like that - that late in a game. You have to be fortunate in those situations, but I do think the fight and the togetherness our guys showed after two losses in Cancun led to this gratifying win."
 
The Patriots put together season-best performances from the floor (49.1 FG%) and from 3-point range (56.3%) to propel the team to victory. Mason also made 15-of-17 free throw attempts (.882) and held a 34-30 edge on the glass. The Patriots limited the Dukes to just 29.6 percent shooting from beyond the arc – a season-low for a Mason opponent this season.
 
Livingston II led the Patriots with a team-high 17 points (6-6 FT) while dishing out a career-best eight assists in 37 minutes on the floor.
 
Junior Jaire Grayer chipped in 16 points and 10 rebounds to post his second double-double of the season. He made 4-of-7 3-point attempts and grabbed two steals in a full 40 minutes.
 
Mar added 14 points on a perfect shooting night (4-4 FG, 5-5 FT) and Boyd tallied 13 points (5-8 FG, 3-4 3pt FG) and five rebounds to round out the four Patriots in double digits. Mar has now scored in double figures in five-straight games.
 
The Dukes built an 8-3 lead seven minutes into the game, but at that point, Grayer took over. The Flint, Mich., product scored 10 straight points for the Green & Gold – including a pair of 3-pointers – to put Mason up 15-10 at the 11:34 mark of the half. JMU responded with a pair of buckets to cut the lead to one (15-14) and were again within one at 22-21. The Dukes then used a 9-1 run over a four-minute stretch to go ahead by four at 26-22.
 
The Patriots tied it up at 31-31 after two solid moves in the paint from Greg Calixte and entered the half tied at 33-33 with the Dukes. Mason shot 50 percent (12-24) in the first half and made 4-of-7 3-pointers.
 
JMU took a 38-37 lead early in the second stanza, but Mason went back up three (41-38) and also held advantages of 43-40 and 45-42.
 
After JMU tied it up (45-45), the Patriots rattled off seven in a row – including five from Livingston II – to build a 52-45 lead, but from there, the Dukes utilized a 12-3 run to move back in front 57-55 with 8:04 remaining.
 
A Grayer 3-pointer pushed Mason back up 58-57 and Livingston II nailed a jumper off the curl to make it 60-59.
 
Mason led 63-61 with 4:47 to go after another triple from Grayer, but at that point JMU rattled off eight straight points to build a 69-63 edge with 2:24 left.
 
The Patriots cut the lead to 69-67 with 1:36 to go, but JMU converted a lay-in to make It 71-67 with 26 seconds left. That was the point that the Green & Gold began the epic comeback.
 
Mason remains on the road to take on SEC foe Auburn on Sunday (3 p.m. ET) in Alabama. The game will be broadcast nationally on SEC Network +. That stream is broadcast via the WatchESPN app.