Jan. 10, 2013
FAIRFAX, Va. - Senior Nick Wright scored 14 and freshman Keenan Palmoreadded 13 points, but George Mason shot a blistering 75 percent in the second half tobeat the Monarchs, 71-46 in a CAA televised matchup at the Patriot Center.
Patrick Holloway scored 10 of his game-high 15 points in the first half and George Mason got key contributions from several bench players as it pulled away in the second half.
The Monarchs hit 21-for-29 (.724) free throws led by Palmore who was 7-for-8, followed by Wright who was 5-for-6 from the line.
Paris Bennett and Vertrail Vaughns combined to score all the Patriots' points during a 15-4 run midway through the second half that gave George Mason (9-6, 2-1 Colonial Athletic Association) a 49-30 advantage over its in-state rivals.
Mason hit 18-24 shots (.750) from the floor in the second half, while ODU wasjust 4-for-20 (.200) in the half.
ODU finished the game.250 (12-48) from the floor which broke its old mark of .263(11-42) set March 3 of 1996 set March 3, 1996 against UNC Wilmington in the CAATournament.Mason finsihed at .577 (30-52).
ODU outrebounded the Patriots, 35-27 as red-shirt sophomore Richard Ross hauleddown eight boards. Senior DeShawn Painter grabbed six and Palmore had five. GeorgeMason had no one with more than three boards.
The win snapped a two-game home losing streak for the Patriots, who had previously won 14 straight at home.
The Patriots' substitutes combined for 58 points on a night when leading-scorer Sherrod Wright had just one point and missed all five of his field goal attempts. George Mason's five starters totaled 13 points on 5-of-17 shooting.
The Monarchs are off this weekend and don't return to action until Wednesday whenthey travel to UNC Wilmington.