Box Score (PDF)

* Junior Justin Kier led the Patriots with 20 points and seven rebounds
* Mason ends the season with 18 victories and a school-record 11 A-10 wins
* Senior Otis Livingston II ends his career fourth at Mason in career points (1865), second in assists (493), third in 3-pointers (203) and No. 1 in free throw percentage (.859)
 
BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The fifth-seeded George Mason University men's basketball team executed its defensive game plan for much of Friday's A-10 Quarterfinal contest but could not hit key shots down the stretch, falling to No. 4 St. Bonaventure by the score of 68-57 inside the Barclays Center.
 
Mason (18-15) trailed by 10 (34-24) at the break. The Patriots limited SBU to just 33.3 percent in the second half and moved as close as seven (62-55) with under five minutes to go. But Mason ultimately was doomed by a 35 percent shooting performance and an 8-of-28 (.286) mark from 3-point range. SBU hit a number of key 3-pointers and finished with 10 while shooting 41.7 percent from beyond the arc.
 
"We didn't play well offensively, but we fought, competed and dealt with adversity with three starters in foul trouble," head coach Dave Paulsen said. "I thought we defended hard and well and made them get to second, third and fourth options. St. Bonaventure made tough shots. They made them late in the shot clock and you have to give them credit. They defended exceptionally well. I'm proud of our guys. Every single possession, every single second, that team fought. That's a real tribute to our guys."
 
Mason finishes its season with an 18-15 record, including a school-record 11 A-10 victories. The Patriots also won a program-best five A-10 road contests in 2018-19.
 
Senior Otis Livingston II completes his Mason career with a legacy that will last forever in Mason lore. He finishes his career fourth in school annals in points (1865), second in assists (493), third in 3-pointers (203), first in free throw percentage (.859) and first in starts (132). What's more, he laid the foundation for the program's future with his dedication, relentlessness and ambassadorship within the Mason community.
 
On Friday night, Livingston II hit two big 3-pointers in his final game as a Patriot. Teammate Justin Kier played exceptionally well for Mason, tallying a team-high 20 points to go along with seven rebounds and two assists in 35 minutes. Freshman Jordan Miller added 13 points (6-9 FG), seven offensive rebounds and two assists, while freshman guard Jamal Hartwell II chipped in eight points and hit a pair of 3-pointers.
 
Mason was +9 (43-34) on the glass and +10 (26-16) in interior scoring for the game.
 
Mason forced six straight missed attempts from the Bonnies to open the game as the Green & Gold jumped out to a 5-0 lead. The Patriots would make just one of their next nine shots, as SBU used a 15-3 spurt to move in front by 11 (20-9) at the 8:47 mark of the opening half. Bona went up 12 at 23-11, but on the strength of back-to-back triples from Kier, Mason pulled back to within four (23-19) with 5:33 to go in the stanza.
 
A 7-0 spurt put Bona back up 11 (30-19). Mason cut it to six at 30-24, but the Patriots could not score over the final 2:34 as Bona went up 10 (34-24) at the break.
 
The Bonnies extended the lead to 15 at 42-27, but the Patriots scored eight of the next 11 to move back within eight at 45-37. A triple from Livingston II pulled Mason back within seven (49-42) with 9:31 to go in the game, but the Bonnies answered with eight-straight to move ahead by 15 at 57-42.
 
SBU led 60-49 with 5:05 remaining, but at that point, Mason used an 8-2 spurt to get back within seven (62-55) with 2:26 left. Mason had a chance to get it to five after a stop but could not convert, and SBU held on from there to wrap up the victory.
 
Mason graduates only Otis Livingston II and will have the bulk of its roster back for 2019-20.
 
"There's not a group of guys that I'd rather play with," Kier said. "Otis Livingston II took me under his wing when he got here and I've never seen anyone work as hard as him. We had some ups and downs, but we had a lot of ups and those are the things you always remember at the end of the season. It's a great group of guys and I'm looking forward to spending time with them in the spring and working to keep getting better."