FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason University men's basketball team (10-1) honored legendary head Coach Jim Larrañaga and the 2006 Final Four Team with a 73-61 triumph over former conference rival Old Dominion Saturday inside EagleBank Arena.
The athletic department honored Larrañaga with a halftime ceremony in which a permanent banner celebrating his storied George Mason career was permanently raised to the rafters. His 2006 team joined him on the floor to culminate a nostalgic week of festivities honoring the Kryptonite Kids' 20
th Anniversary.
On the floor, the Patriots jumped out to a 31-8 run, then withstood a furious ODU surge to improve to 10-1 for just the third time in program history.
"This is a great day for George Mason University and George Mason Basketball," head coach
Tony Skinn ('06) said. "It's been a phenomenal last couple days and an even better day today celebrating my former teammates and the best coach George Mason has ever had. I thought these guys did their jobs and celebrated in the right way by getting a good win."
Riley Allenspach set the tone with a record-breaking performance for the Patriots out of the gate. He scored the first 17 points for the Green & Gold and started 8-for-8 from the floor en route to a career-best 26 points. He added six rebounds in 27 minutes of work.
Masai Troutman chipped in 14 points and five rebounds, while
Fatt Hill added 11 points (4-6 FG) in 22 minutes.
George Mason held a significant 38-26 edge in points in the paint and was +14 (29-15) in bench scoring.
Allenspach's heater to begin things gave the Patriots that 31-8 advantage with 8:12 to go in the first half. The Monarchs answered with an 18-0 run over the next six minutes to move within five (31-26), but the Patriots scored the final two buckets of the half to take a 38-29 edge into halftime.
The Patriots led 55-46 with 9:30 left in the game, but another ODU run, this time 12-3, tied the score at 58-58 with 6:16 to go.
George Mason, as it has done for much of the season, took that punch and proceeded to close with a vengeance. The subsequent 14-1 run by the Green & Gold extended the lead back to 13 (72-59) with 47 seconds to go.
The Patriots never trailed in the game.
George Mason takes a competitive hiatus for final exams and returns to action next Sunday (Dec. 21) with a home contest vs. Loyola (Md.). Tip-off between the Patriots and Greyhounds is set for 2 p.m. The game will be streamed nationally on ESPN+.
