Disappointing day for George Mason in Blacksburg on Saturday. The unbeaten Patriots hung around for a while in the first half, but Virginia Tech closed on a 14-2 run to go into the break up double digits, and coasted from there to a 73-62 win.
Mason (9-1) went ice cold for a 15-minute stretch spanning the halftime break, going 5-of-19 from the floor as the Hokies (8-2) built a 23-point lead.
“The first 12 minutes of the game, we only had two turnovers, and it was a one-possession game,” Mason coach Tony Skinn said. “But in the last three minutes of the half, we turned it over three or four times, and that’s where the separation happened. You can’t go on the road and go into the locker room down 13. I thought we gave it away in that small segment of the game. We won the second half [32-30], and if you take that end of the first half stretch away, it’s a completely different game.”
Kory Mincy led the Patriots with a team-high 16 points (3-of-4 3pt FG) and game-best eight assists in 34 minutes of work.
Riley Allenspach added 11 points and five rebounds, while Jahari Long tallied 10 points and two assists.
Jaden Schutt hit six three-pointers and finished with 18 points to lead the Hokies.
Next up, Mason returns home to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 2006 Final Four run this coming Saturday vs. ODU (3-7).
Tip-off between the Patriots and Monarchs is set for 12:30 p.m., and the game will be broadcast nationally on USA Network.
At halftime, a banner honoring former head coach Jim Larrañaga will be raised into the rafters of EagleBank Arena.
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Chris Graham
