Fairfax, Va. — With a chance to build momentum heading into the later part of the season, the George Mason Patriots took on a struggling George Washington Colonials team but were unable to take advantage of the opportunity, falling, 73-67, at EagleBank Arena.
The Patriots led the entire first half, but they lost their lead and the game at the beginning of the second as an 11-4 Colonials run was the difference. George Mason stayed close the rest of the way but were unable to close the gap as George Washington hit shot after shot down the stretch.
The Colonials were coming off three straight losses while the Patriots had just had their most impressive win of the year, making the result that much more devastating.
“I’m really disappointed from our perspective,” George Mason head coach Dave Paulsen said. “I don’t want to take anything away from them, but that was the most disappointing game this season.”
The game started phenomenally for George Mason, as freshman forward Josh Oduro and redshirt junior forward AJ Wilson combined for 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting. However, right at the end of the first half, Wilson jumped to block a shot and landed awkwardly, turning his ankle.
He would return, finishing with 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks, but there were multiple times in the second half where Colonial shots would go above his hands and into the rim. George Washington shot 69% inside the paint.
George Mason freshman guard Xavier Johnson scored 17 points, all in the second half, as he tried to will his team back into it.
“I was just trying to get something going,” Johnson said.
George Mason sophomore guardJordan Miller, a Loudoun Valley graduate, started the game and finished with 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting, adding 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal.
For the Colonials, redshirt senior guard Armel Potter finished with 20 points while junior guard Maceo Jack put in another 19 on 7-of-9 shooting, including 4-of-6 from behind the three-point line.
Late in the game, George Mason tried to make a run, cutting the deficit to three multiple times but every time, George Washington would hit a shot or go to the line to keep the Patriots at bay and hold them off until the end.
George Mason finds its season quickly slipping away, as they fall to 3-9 in the Atlantic 10 and 14-11 overall. George Washington stopped their three-game skid and finds themself at 5-7 in the conference and 11-14 overall.
George Washington Stats
| George Washington | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Steals | Blocks | Free Throws |
| Armel Potter | 20 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2-for-2 |
| Maceo Jack | 19 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1-for-1 |
| Jameer Nelson Jr. | 16 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 8-for-13 |
| Jamison Battle | 13 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3-for-3 |
| Arnaldo Toro | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1-for-1 |
| Chase Paar | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0-for-0 |
| Shawn Walker Jr. | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0-for-0 |
| Mezie Offurum | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-for-0 |
| Ace Stallings | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-for-0 |
| Totals | 73 | 24 | 13 | 8 | 3 | 15-for-20 |
George Mason Stats
| George Mason | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Steals | Blocks | Free Throws |
| Xavier Johnson | 17 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5-for-6 |
| AJ Wilson | 15 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1-for-2 |
| Josh Oduro | 13 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0-for-1 |
| Jordan Miller | 11 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1-for-2 |
| Javon Greene | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0-for-0 |
| Jamal Hartwell II | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-for-0 |
| Greg Calixte | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0-for-0 |
| Goanar Mar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0-for-0 |
| Totals | 67 | 34 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 7-for-11 |
