George Mason University Athletic Department issued the following announcement on Jan. 1
The George Mason University men's basketball team was within five with less than four minutes to go Saturday night in Phog Allen Fieldhouse but could not make the final push, falling to sixth-ranked Kansas 76-67 on New Year's Day.
Mason, which had just nine student-athletes dress due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols, trailed 66-61 with 3:44 left. But the Jayhawks scored the next six points to build an 11-point edge and ultimately close out a hard-fought game in Lawrence.
In a strong defensive effort by the Green & Gold, Mason held the Jayhawks' third-ranked offense 10 points under its season average. In addition, Mason limited KU's two-headed monster of Ochai Agbaji (21.5 ppg) and Christian Braun (17.3 ppg) to 25 combined points during a well-executed gameplan by the Patriots.
The Patriots also held Kansas, which entered the game ranked third-nationally in field goal percentage (.521), to just 44.4 percent (28-63) on the night.
"When we lose games [due to COVID-19 protocols] and there's an opportunity for us to secure a quality opponent we're going to do it," head coach Kim English said. "We didn't get it done tonight in an incredible environment to play a college basketball game. I'm very disappointed in the result but I thought we got better as a group today."
Five Patriots reached double figures during a well-balanced offensive effort inside Phog Allen Fieldhouse.
Junior Davonte Gaines registered his fourth double-double of the season with an outstanding 15-point, 12-rebound performance. The Buffalo, N.Y., native made 5-of-8 field goal attempts and 3-of-6 3-pointers on the night.
Graduate student D'Shawn Schwartz added 15 points, a season-best five assists and four rebounds in a full 40 minutes on the floor. In three games against Power 5 competition this non-conference season, Schwartz averaged an impressive 20 points and 6.3 rebounds.
Junior Josh Oduro notched 12 points (4-8 FG) and two steals despite battling foul trouble (24 minutes), while Xavier Johnson (11 points, 2 assists) and DeVon Cooper (11 points, 3-6 3pt FG) also eclipsed the 10-point plateau.
Mason made 10+ 3-pointers for the third-straight game and shot 40.7 percent from 3pt range (11-27 on the night).
Kansas won the game in the paint where the Jayhawks held a 32-18 scoring advantage. Kansas also turned 14 Patriot turnovers into a 19-3 edge in points off turnovers for the game.
Mason led 11-7 five minutes into the first half, but Kansas used a 7-0 spurt to go up 14-11. The Jayhawks built a 24-18 advantage, but Mason raced back to tie it up (25-25) on a Schwartz lay-in at the 8:22 mark. A 9-2 Kansas run pushed the lead back to seven (34-27) with 5:19 to go in the half. Five straight from the Patriots cut it to two (34-32), but the Jayhawks closed the stanza on a 14-5 run to take a 48-37 lead into the half.
Mason came out with a purpose to open the second half. Ronald Polite III nailed a 3-pointer to move the Patriots within six (51-45), then a tough lay-in from Gaines at 10:17 cut the Jayhawk lead to five (58-53).
Kansas scored the next five to go up 63-53 with 8:42 to go. Both teams struggled to score over the next five minutes, and Mason was able to get back to within five (66-61) with 3:44 to go after free throws from Schwartz.
That's as close as Mason would get, as two straight 3-point possessions by the Jayhawks moved the lead up to 11 (72-61) with 1:46 remaining.
Next up, the Patriots open Atlantic 10 play with a home contest Wednesday vs. Rhode Island (8-3). Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside EagleBank Arena. The contest will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Original source can be found here.
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