Mason’s Atlantic 10 Tournament Run Ends Friday Afternoon

NATALIE HEAVREN, SPORTS EDITOR

After a 61-57 win over George Washington University on Thursday afternoon, Men’s Basketball’s season ended after losing 68-57 Friday afternoon.

The Patriots controlled most of the first 16 minutes of their matchup against GW. However, they found themselves tied at 31 at the half.

The second half was a battle of momentum, with neither team holding more than a five point lead at any point in the half. Free throws from Javon Greene and Jamal Hartwell II, who combined to go 4-4 in the last 11 seconds of the game, helped to secure a Mason victory.

Justin Kier led the team in scoring with 26 points on 10-14 shooting. He also added eight rebounds, five assists and a steal.

Otis Livingston II was second in the team in scoring with 12 points, also adding four rebounds, two assists and a steal. Livingston’s three-pointer with 2:53 left put the team up 55-54, and Mason held onto the lead for the rest of the game.

Though Mason controlled the first five minutes, jumping out to a 5-0 lead, St. Bonaventure quickly took control of the momentum. In the next 7:08, the Bonnies went on a 23-6 run.

Although Mason would soon pull within four, they went into halftime down 10. Mason would make several attempts to close the gap, though St. Bonaventure’s defense and three-point shooting stopped any run the Patriots started.

The Patriots struggled to stop the Bonnies’ three-point attack. Dominick Welch and Kyle Lofton went a combined 10-18 from behind the arc, and combined to score 40 of the Bonnies’ 68 points.

Kier again led the team in scoring 20 points, and added seven rebounds, two assists and a steal.

Jordan Miller added 13 points, eight rebounds, two assists and a block. No other Patriot scored more than eight points.

With Friday’s loss, Mason fell to 0-4 all-time in quarterfinal A-10 tournament games, and finished the season with an 18-15 overall record and with a program-best 11 wins in Atlantic 10 play.