Feb. 25, 2002
NORFOLK, VA -- At the final game at the Fieldhouse for the Monarchs, the Old Dominion men's basketball team fell to second place George Mason, 78-63, in the regular season finale. The Monarchs finish the regular season with a 13-15 overall and 7-11 in the CAA and will be the sixth seed at this weekend's conference tournament. The Patriots finished 19-8 and 13-5 in the conference.
The Patriots raced out to a 12-2 lead in the opening minutes of the game, but it wasn't long before the Monarchs kick started their offense. Following a lay-up by Raoul Heinen with 10:40 remaining in the half, giving George Mason a 16-7 lead, Old Dominion proceeded to take a 16-0 run and pull ahead 31-23. The Monarchs held the slight advantage at the half up 31-29.
The game remained neck and neck through the much of the second half with the Patriots never enjoying more than a four-point lead. However, George Mason broke the game open midway through the second stanza outscoring the Monarchs 19-8 in the final eight minutes.
The Monarchs were led by CAA Player of the Week, junior Ricardo Marsh (Mebane, NC), with 19 points, while junior Rasheed Wright (Greensboro, NC) added in a double-double with a 12 points, 10 rebound performance. Senior Pierre Greene (Chicago, IL), who was honored prior to tip-off of tonight's game, recorded 10 points and six assists.
The Patriots were led by a career-high 25 points from Rob Anderson. Anderson also recorded a career-high in three-pointer made going 6-for-11 from downtown. Jesse Young added a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds.
The Monarchs will take on the third seeded Virginia Commonwealth Rams in the CAA Tournament in Richmond, VA on Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are still available by calling the Old Dominion Ticket Office at 757-683-4444.