(Addison Cox / Fourth Estate)

Patriots ride strong first half to snap four-game losing streak

BY BRIAN A. HAYUM, SPORTS EDITOR AND BRADY LANDRY, STAFF WRITER

George Mason men’s basketball (22-7, 10-6 in A-10) ended its four-game losing streak with a 71-58 win over the St. Bonaventure Bonnies on Feb. 28. The Patriots were led by junior forward Riley Allenspach and senior guard Masai Troutman, who combined for 42 points and 7 of the team’s 12 3-pointers. 

The Patriots’ 12 3-pointers are the most they’ve made in a game since Nov. 24 against Ohio University. 

“To be able to get this win, to try to find some momentum as our season gets a little bit closer to March, I think it’s important for our guys, our spirit, and hopefully we can find our way in March,” said Head Coach Tony Skinn.

The Patriots opened the game with an offensive explosion in the first five minutes. Troutman started the party from deep, hitting a corner 3-pointer to beat the shot clock to take a 5-0 lead.

Allenspach and junior guard Kory Mincy would make the next two 3-pointers before a 3-point play from Mincy capped off an exhilarating 14-2 run. The Bonnies failed to respond, as the Patriots went into the half with the lead for the first time in nine games. 

“It’s no secret that this whole year we’ve had trouble with our starts,” Allenspach said. “The message coming out of the locker room to start the game was we have to punch them first.”

Head Coach Mark Schmidt’s Bonnies cut the Patriots’ lead to 5 with a 7-0 run to start the second half, but the resilient Patriots would respond with an 8-0 run that saw their lead stay intact for the rest of the game.

The Patriots also got a strong performance out of graduate guard Jahari Long, who scored 11 points and a team-leading 6 assists. One of the lone bright spots during the Patriots’ four-game losing streak, Long is averaging 9.6 ppg and 4 assists in his last 5 games.

The Patriots, who entered the game allowing an average of 79 points per game during their four-game losing streak, put on a defensive showcase against the Bonnies, holding them to 58 points. 

When asked about his team’s defense following the game, Coach Skinn said they were “much, much better in [their] transition defense.”

Mason lost senior guard Fatt Hill to a lower-body injury near the end of the first half. He did not return for the rest of the game. The injury is a major blow to a Patriot offense that needs all the firepower it can muster heading into postseason play. 

Hill, who started his fourth game of the year on Saturday, was averaging 10.7 ppg on 49% FG coming into the game. His status for the final two games of the season and the A-10 tournament is undetermined. 

Looking ahead, the Patriots will look to start a new winning streak when they take on the VCU Rams (22-7, 13-3 in A-10)  in Richmond today at 7 p.m.  The game will be streamed on CBS Sports Network.