FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason University men's basketball team (10-4, 1-0) held Davidson (10-4, 0-1) 20 points under its scoring average during a defensive-minded, 69-57 victory Tuesday in the A-10 opener for both teams.
 
The win is George Mason's eighth in its last nine contests and improves the Green & Gold to 9-1 at home this season.
 
"If you want a chance to win a conference title, you have to protect the nest and take it one game at a time," head coach Tony Skinn ('06) said. "I thought we did a very good job of being physical and being tough. I'm proud of these guys because they locked in and we did what we needed to do."
 
The Wildcats, which entered the game averaging 77 points per game, could not muster their usual offensive efficiency when matching up against the Patriots' top-30 defense. Mason held Davidson to 42 percent and turned 10 Wildcat miscues into a 19-8 edge in points off turnovers for the game.  
 
George Mason shot an efficient 55.8 percent (24-43) from the floor and made 8-of-20 3-point attempts (.400) on the night. GM also held a +11 (32-21) edge on the glass and was +18 (30-18) in points in the paint.
 
Junior Brayden O'Connor led the Patriots with a season-best 19 points (7-9 FG, 4-5 3pt) while chipping in four rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes.
 
Senior Jalen Haynes scored in double figures for the ninth-straight game, tallying 16 points (6-7 FG) and five rebounds in a season-high 31 minutes.
 
Darius Maddox added nine points, Woody Newton tallied eight (3-5 FG) and Zach Anderson and Justin Begg each dished out a team-best four assists.
 
Behind the defense of Jared Billups and Woody Newton, among others, the Patriots held Davidson's Connor Kochera to just two points (1-5 FG). He scored 34 in the team's last time out vs. Eastern Michigan.
 
GM led for 35 of a possible 40 minutes of the game. Davidson cut it to six (57-51) with 8:24 remaining, but that's close as the Wildcats would get, as the Patriots extended the lead by as many of 15 (69-54) late in the second stanza.
 
Next up, George Mason hits the road for a nationally televised contest at Rhode Island on Saturday (Jan. 4). Tip-off in Kingston between the Patriots and Rams is set for 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast on USA Network.