Feb. 5, 2011
FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) - Ryan Pearson had 18 points and 11 rebounds as George Mason won its ninth straight game with a 62-45 victory over Old Dominion on Saturday.ODU was led by Kent Bazemore and Chris Cooper with 12 points each. The12 points by Cooper is a career high.
Leading 49-37, the Patriots (19-5, 11-2 Colonial Athletic Association) used a 9-0 run, capped by two free throws by Luke Hancock with 3:18 remaining, to seal the game. The loss snaps a four-game winning streak by the Monarchs (18-6, 9-4), who hit just 5 of 27 shots in the second half and shot 27 percent (15 for 55) for the game. The Patriots shot .411 (23-56) from the field.
ODU led by as much as five early in the game, 7-2 with 13:56 left in the first half and 11-6 with 8:38 on the clock. George Mason was able to overcome the slow start(missing nine of its first 10 shots) to tie the game at 13 on a trey by Cam Long with 6:59 on the clock. ODU would go back up four on a layup by Chris Cooper, 17-13 with 6:09 on the clock.
The Patriots tied the game at 19 on a jumper by Mike Morrison, then took the lead for good on a trey by Isaiah Tate to make it 22-19 with 3:18 left, and went onto a 24-21 halftime lead.
Cam Long had 14 points and Mike Morrison added 10 points and nine rebounds for the Patriots, who remained unbeaten in 12 home games in front of their first sellout crowd of the season at 9840.
ODU out rebounded the Patriots, 43-40 as both Ben Finney and Frank Hassell hauleddown 10 rebounds each and Chris Cooper had seven.The 45 points was the lowest total for the Monarchs in a game since they scored44 at VCU during the 2008-09 season and 46 against Butler in the 2007 NCAA Tournament.
ODU returns to action on Wednesday when they travel to Williamsburg, Va. to takeon the Tribe of William and Mary.