Box Score (PDF)

FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason University men's basketball team improved to 3-0 inside EagleBank Arena this season after a 72-65 win over visiting Queens on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Royals used eight early 3-pointers to build a 12-point first-half lead, but Mason used a big run late in the frame to take a 37-33 lead at the break. Mason got it up to 12 (55-43) with 9:44 to go and secured the victory from there.
 
The Patriots held the Royals to just one 3-pointer over the game's final 30 minutes.
 
"Kudos to Queens, they will be great in the ASun this year," head coach Kim English said. "This was a good win for our group. We got back to full health. Ronald was really good and overall I'm proud of our guys."
 
Ronald Polite III returned after missing the past two contests due to injury and performed admirably. The Temple Hills, Md., product tallied a team-high 16 points (6-11 FG) to go along with two assists and two steals in 31 minutes.
 
Senior Josh Oduro added 15 points and team highs in rebounds (8) and assists (3), while graduate guard DeVon Cooper tallied nine points (3-5 3pt FG) and hit two big triples late for the Green & Gold.
 
Mason shot 50 percent from the floor and limited the Royals to 39.3 percent, including a 28.1 percent mark (9-32) from beyond the arc.
 
The Patriots held a 34-16 edge in bench scoring and a 30-24 advantage in points in the paint for the game.
 
Queens jumped out to an early 14-6 advantage and held a 29-17 edge with 9:11 to play in the first half. At that point, the Patriots rocketed back into the game on the strength of a 14-0 run. The spurt was capped by a Saquan Singleton lay-up to put the Patriots in front, 31-29. Mason took a 37-33 advantage into halftime.
 
Mason used a 9-0 spurt to build a 55-43 lead with 9:44 to play, but Queens used a 14-5 run to tie the score at 59-59 with 3:49 remaining.
 
Five straight points from Polite III pushed the Mason lead back to four (64-60), and a triple from Cooper pushed it to seven (67-60) with 1:45 to play. Queens could not move closer than four for the remainder of the game.
 
Mason returns to EagleBank Arena Wednesday (Nov. 30) for a throwback matchup with former CAA rival Hofstra. Tip-off between the Patriots and Pride is set for 7 p.m.