FAIRFAX, Va. – In a game for DMV bragging rights, the George Mason University men’s basketball team (14-5, 5-1) overcame a tenacious George Washington squad (13-5, 2-3) in a double-overtime showdown, emerging victorious 80-77 on Saturday afternoon at a charged EagleBank Arena.
The win catapults the Patriots back into sole possession of first place in the Atlantic 10 standings and extends their dominant home record to 12-1 this season.
“That was an incredible atmosphere and an incredible game of college basketball,” said head coach Tony Skinn (’06). “Mason Nation brought the energy, and we don’t win this game without them. Our guys showed heart and resilience, the way we defend, the way we get after it and all the things we’ve been doing has us trending up.”
The game’s dramatic conclusion left fans on both sides holding their breath.
Trailing 50-40 with just over 10 minutes remaining, the Patriots unleashed a 9-0 run to tie the score at 52-52 with 7:35 left in regulation. The final minutes saw both teams trading leads before GW’s Rafael Castro missed two crucial free throws with one second on the clock, sending the game into overtime.
The first extra period saw the Patriots take a 67-63 lead with 2:33 remaining, but GW clawed back as Castro redeemed himself by hitting two clutch free throws to force a second overtime.
In the decisive second OT, senior Jared Billups made a critical offensive rebound and putback to give Mason a 76-74 lead. Moments later, freshman Justin Begg intercepted a GW pass and assisted junior Giovanni Emejuru, whose emphatic dunk extended the lead to 78-74.
GW’s Christian Jones drained a three-pointer to cut the margin to 78-77 with 40 seconds remaining, but the Patriots’ defense held strong, and Billups sealed the win with two pressure-packed free throws.
Billups delivered a career performance, grabbing a personal-best 16 rebounds (including four offensive) while contributing eight points, three steals, and relentless defense. He was a team-best +8 on the court.
Senior Darius Maddox and Jalen Haynes led the scoring with 17 points each, combining for 14 rebounds. Off the bench, Johnson added 15 points, five rebounds, and three assists, while junior Brayden O’Connor tallied 10 points and four boards.
Defensively, the Patriots held GW to just 39.1% shooting and a 6-of-27 (.222) mark from three-point range. Mason dominated in points off turnovers (23-12) and bench scoring (31-15), converting 15 offensive rebounds into a 16-9 advantage in second-chance points.
The Patriots have now won 12 of their last 14 games and are off to a 5-1 start in A-10 play for just the second time in program history.
George Mason will look to keep the momentum alive Tuesday night on the road against St. Bonaventure. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m., with the game airing on ESPN+.
