Oduro gets a HUGE layup at the end of the shot clock with 27.8 left. Mason up 3.
Ayala gets a good look with 14 seconds left but misses the three.
Gaines is fouled and he has a big one and one coming up. Makes the first. Makes the second.
Mason has done it!!!! They come to College Park and beat Maryland 71-66
Ayala comes out of the timeout and hits a huge three for Maryland.
Mason gets a huge offensive rebound as Cooper misses the second free throw only to turn the ball over.
Xavier Johnson has fouled out w/ 2:14 left. English is coming back with Hartwell.
A bad possession leads to an Ayala three and it’s a two point game w/ about 1:30 left.
Oduro hits a fade away at the end of the shot clock only for Ayala to respond with a three pointer!!
Timeout Maryland (57.3 seconds left): Maryland 66 George Mason 67
Schwartz hits another three pointer on a scramble situation and Mason pushes the lead back to 8. This is the Patriots first close game. It’s their first road game and they are showing some chops.
Media Timeout (3:02): Maryland 56 George Mason 64
Blake Jones hits a three pointer near the end of the shot clock. I was rather shocked Blake Jones was back in but that’s neither here nor there.
Xavier Johnson isn’t having the best night. Just got a pretty bad charge. He’s been forced left and it shows.
George Mason’s inability to box out missed three’s has really hurt them. Scott gets a three point a play off a badly missed three because Jones couldn’t keep him off the boards.
Terps have cut it to four and the building is live again.
Mason hasn’t scored in 2:29
Timeout (4:34): Maryland 55 George Mason 59
Schwartz hits another three! This one was contested. Schwartz has 21 and is 5-8 from the three point line.
Oduro isn’t having a bad night, he’s just not having a night as good as he’s been having.
Media Timeout (8:00): Maryland 48 George Mason 56
Donta Scott literally shoved Hartwell under and he grabs a rebound at the end of a shot clock desperation heave.
My word… Gaines responds with a corner three and gets a flop warning. Come on bro.
Layup by Xavier Green and we have a timeout by Mason. The building starting to get somewhat live.
Mason Timeout (9:26): Maryland 46 George Mason 51
Out of the timeout, Maryland seems to be energized a bit especially on defense but to Mason’s credit, they’ve stayed composed on the defensive end themselves.
George Mason is closing on Scott really hard. Running him off the three point line whether that was the intent or not.
Media Timeout (11:05): Maryland 40 George Mason 48
Schwartz ability to hit a three pointer in his sleep can’t be understated.
If you’re forcing threes at the end of the shot clock, you have to block out the perimeter guys. You can’t stand and watch.
Oduro gets Reece in the paint and Mason is up 8. Schwartz hits a jumper and the Patriots are up 10.
Timeout Maryland (13:03): Maryland 38 George Mason 48
Maryland doing a decent job at making contact with players in the paint when boxing out. I know… seems so small but when you coach, you know how big it is.
Cooper opens the second half with a three pointer on a high post touch from Oduro. Cooper responds to an Ayala three with a drive for a layup.
Mason is getting the ball downhill early on in the half. Gaines drove it right to Wahab’s chest and finished.
Lets see if Maryland throws it in to Wahab more in the second half. Scott was so hot in the first half that it didn’t get to Wahab that much.
And again Mason gets the ball to the paint, this time with a beautiful baseline cut by Schwartz.
Media Timeout (15:31): Maryland 38 George Mason 41
Now Mason will use their “use it or lose it” timeout after Donta Scott hits a jumper. Lets see what English draws up with 22.4 seconds left in the half.
Patriots gets into a Horns Set and try to run an alley-oop. No dice.
Halftime: Maryland 31 George Mason 32
Julian Reese hits another jumper and he’s giving Turgeon some really good, productive minutes.
DeVon Cooper hit an ‘end of the shot clock’ three pointer for Mason and it was about NBA range. That was a really good defensive possession by the Terps. They are really locking down the perimeter in the half court.
As I type that, Cooper gets a kiss off the glass on a beautiful, physical drive.
Maryland Timeout (53.6 seconds): Maryland 29 George Mason 32
George Mason gets in trouble defensively when Maryland gets both feet in the paint. Maryland also went two man game knowing the Patriots are switching. One possession they had Hartwell posted up (didn’t score). You have to expect Maryland to go back to that action.
The Patriots offense has gone back to being rather… disjointed.
Terps 6-0 run gives them the lead back by two. Amazingly enough it comes on a three by Julian Reese.
Media Timeout (2:53): Maryland 27 George Mason 27
Finally a good penetration-kick possession gets Schwartz (assist Jamal Hartwell) and open 3 which he knocked down. Followed by an oop from Johnson to Malik Henry. DeVon Cooper hits a 3 and Mason takes a 20-18 lead. Oduro reverse layup and the Patriots are on a 10-0 run and now have a 22-18 lead
Something to watch… on the high screen and roll, Hartwell jumped hard into the lane. Terps had two players wide open on the wing. Instead of passing it, Donta Scott committed a charge.
Media Timeout (7:50): Maryland 18 George Mason 22
Offensively George Mason has no rhythm whatsoever, in part, because Maryland is doing a great job controlling pace. In the first three games, we’ve seen the Patriots defense lead to quick fast offense but that hasn’t been the case.
I will say this, Davonte Gaines had a very impressive defensive possession. Stayed in front of his man… fussed a little bit and got a deflection, steal, dunk…
The Terps have shocked me a bit with how “slow” they’ve played but it’s working
Media Timeout (11:37) Maryland up 16-12
Early on, Maryland’s perimeter defense has been very good. Outside of the first three point attempt, they’ve given D’Shawn Schwartz no room.
Mason has covered Wahab several different ways to try when he’s received the ball. Let’s see what they settle with.
Media Timeout (15:47): Maryland up 10-3
Pregame.
Beat Beltway traffic… barely. Phew.
There might be more people in the media section than the student section but that’s neither here nor there.
Let’s get ready for the tip.
