Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Men's Basketball: George Washington 74 George Mason 52

17 points & 8 rebounds for GW's Kevin Larsen (#22)

From our friends at GW Athletics...

GW Men's Hoops Beats Mason for 22nd Win on Senior Night

Larsen and Garino post 17 point-efforts in final home game

In the final career home game for four-year starters Patricio Garino, Kevin Larsen and Joe McDonald, plus grad transfer Alex Mitola, the GW men's basketball team has done what it's done all season and leaned on its experience to win.

Garino and Larsen put up matching game-high 17 point efforts, while McDonald chipped in nine with a game-high tying five assists against zero turnovers. As a team GW committed just five turnovers on the night, compared to 16 miscues from George Mason, which the Colonials parlayed into a massive 21-2 edge in points off turnovers.

All smiles on Senior Night

GW used a 10-0 run to close the first half to break open a game that started close. The lead changed hands four times early before GW's spurt that led to a 39-23 halftime cushion. In the second half the Colonials extended their lead to 29 at its largest before cruising to the final 74-52 tally.

Tyler Cavanaugh's three-pointer gives GW a 24-17 lead

Tyler Cavanaugh extended his season long streak of double figure scoring with 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including 3-of-4 from behind the three-point arc, in a double-double effort that saw him grab a game-high 10 rebounds.

Yuta Watanabe (#12) slams it home

Mitola added a pair of threes of his own in his final career home game.

Joe McDonald led GW with 5 assists (& 2 steals)

George Mason was led by Jaire Grayer's 14 points and eight rebounds as the only Patriot to reach double digits in points. The GW defense limited Mason to 20-of-57 shooting (.351) with a .267 clip from deep (4-of-15).

Colonials Head Coach Mike Lonergan

GW also canned all 10 of their free throws in the contest.

Patriots Head Coach Dave Paulsen (seated)

With the win GW improved to 22-8 overall and 11-6 in A-10 play with the season finale at Davidson on Saturday remaining, in a game that could have A-10 Championship seeding at stake. The Colonials first game at the A-10 Championship at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn will be next Thursday (with time and opponent to be determined on Saturday night.)

Notes:
• With tonight’s win, GW’s senior class improved its record against George Mason to 6-0. The Colonials have won those six meetings by an average margin of 11.3 points.

• GW added another point to its lead in the Revolutionary Rivalry, which now stands at 10-2.

• Tonight’s game was the 128th played in the career of Larsen, matching the school record set by 2015 graduate John Kopriva.

• Garino moved into the school’s top 15 in scoring, passing Mike Zagardo (1976-80) for 15th place all-time (1,430 points.) Larsen moved from 21st to 19th, now with (1,361 points.) The senior also moved from eighth to seventh on the GW career rebounds list (891) passing Alexander Koul (1995-98.)

Click here for tonight's box score.