March 14, 2025
WASHINGTON – The George Mason men’s basketball team (25-7) made history Friday night, surging past George Washington (21-12) with a dominant second half to secure an 80-65 victory in the A-10 Quarterfinals at Capital One Arena.
Fueled by a roaring Mason Nation crowd, the Patriots outscored the Revolutionaries 42-23 after halftime to punch their ticket to the Atlantic 10 semifinals for the first time in their 12-year tenure in the conference. The win also marks just the third 25-win season in program history.
Second-Half Surge Seals the Deal
George Washington started strong, drilling seven three-pointers en route to a 42-38 halftime lead. However, the Patriots turned up the defensive intensity after the break, holding GW to just 23.1 percent shooting (6-26) from the field and a mere 16.7 percent (2-12) from beyond the arc.
Inside play proved to be a major advantage for George Mason, which outscored GW 40-22 in the paint. Senior Jalen Haynes powered the attack with a game-high 24 points (10-17 FG) and five rebounds in 28 minutes. His performance fell just two points shy of the GMU record for scoring in an A-10 Tournament game.
Senior Jared Billups delivered a season-best 18 points (6-6 FG, 2-2 3PT) while grabbing seven rebounds and tying his career-high with five steals. His 18-point outing was also a personal best in his two seasons at Mason.
Fellow seniors Darius Maddox and K.D. Johnson each contributed 11 points, with Johnson also dishing out a game-high five assists. Junior Brayden O’Connor rounded out the balanced effort with 10 points, five rebounds, and four assists in 27 minutes.
Turning the Tide
GW opened hot from deep, knocking down three early triples to take a 15-11 advantage. The Patriots responded with a 10-2 run to grab a 21-17 lead at the 9:04 mark of the first half. The Revolutionaries countered with an 8-2 spurt of their own to reclaim a five-point cushion (34-29) before entering halftime ahead 42-38.
Mason wasted no time taking control after the break, launching into a 14-2 run that put them up 54-44 with 13:28 left to play. Another 8-0 burst, punctuated by a Billups three-pointer, extended the lead to 18 (66-48) with 7:31 remaining. GW never got closer than 10 points the rest of the way.
The Patriots’ defense was relentless, forcing 15 GW turnovers and recording a season-high 12 steals.
Next Up
George Mason moves on to the A-10 semifinals, where they will face the No. 6 seed Saint Joseph’s on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. The game will air nationally on CBS Sports Network.
