Box Score (PDF)
BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The fifth-seeded George Mason University men's basketball team's season of program-building accomplishments came to a close on Thursday afternoon against No. 4 Saint Louis in the A-10 Quarterfinals.
In head coach
Kim English's second season leading the Green & Gold, the Patriots (20-13) matched program bests for A-10 league victories (11) and A-10 Tournament seed (5). Mason also won six-straight A-10 league contests for the first time in school annals and reached the 20-win milestone for the first time since 2016-17.
"This is a disappointing way to end our season but I am proud of our group for their growth this year," head coach
Kim English said. "We have to continue to raise the floor of our program. We talk about the ceilings when we're playing at our best, but this time of the year, when you're not at your best, you need to find a way. We weren't at our best in key moments tonight. We'll continue to build the habits that are necessary to compete consistently for championships. I'm really thankful for our seniors and excited about the next steps for our group."
In the Patriots' 82-54 loss on Thursday to the Billikens, Mason wasn't at their best, as Coach English said, like they were over the final stretch of the season. The Patriots' stout defense struggled while allowing the Billikens to shoot 55.9 percent from the floor. On the other end, Mason just couldn't muster the big buckets it created during the late season win streak, as Mason shot 36.5 percent for the game.
Despite Thursday's setback, the Patriots still showcased their growth as a program from season to season, especially in terms of depth, execution and mindset as the calendar turned to late February and March. After finishing the campaign 3-9 last season, the Patriots went 7-1 over the final eight games of this season.
On Thursday, two-time First Team All-A-10 selection
Josh Oduro led the Patriots with 15 points and dished out five assists in 34 minutes on the floor. He wraps up a storied senior campaign in which he climbed up the Mason record books to cement his spot as one of the greatest players in school history. He now ranks 19
th all-time in scoring (1,371 points), 11
th in rebounding (721) and sixth in blocks (119).
Junior
Ronald Polite III added 12 points (4-8 FG) and two rebounds against the Billikens, while
DeVon Cooper chipped in 10 points and two assists. With his two triples, Cooper moved into 14
th on the all-time 3-pointers made list at Mason (144). He finishes his career with 277 over his five seasons at Mason and Morehead State.
Meanwhile, Polite III proved to be one of the most improved players in the nation, while making significant gains in nearly every statistical category. That included scoring (11.5 ppg vs. 4.9 rpg), assists (4.0 vs. 1.4) and 3pt FG% (.364 vs. .219).
The Patriots hit three of their first four 3-pointers to build an early 13-9 advantage. Mason led by five (19-14) at the 11:33 mark, but from there, the Billikens rattled off a 7-0 run to take a 21-20 lead. A lay-in from
Saquan Singleton knotted the score at 25-25, but from there, the Billikens closed the stanza on a 19-5 run to take a 44-30 lead at the break.
Thursday's game marked the final contest in the outstanding careers of
Victor Bailey Jr., Cooper and Singleton.
The Patriots will soon begin their off-season workouts and preparations for next season. The program thanks Mason Nation for all its support all year long. We will see you in 2023-24.
#RockWithUs
