FAIRFAX, Va. — On a blistery cold Homecoming Saturday, George Mason delivered its answer with authority, grinding out a 60–52 win over Saint Joseph’s to reclaim its edge inside EagleBank Arena.
Coming off a gut-punch home loss Wednesday night to Duquesne — the one team that has had Tony Skinn’s number, the one program he’s still chasing his first win against — the Patriots walked back into the building with something to prove. Adding to the sting, Mason’s previous home loss before Wednesday night in Atlantic 10 play also came against Duquesne, on Feb. 28, 2024, the last time the Patriots had been beaten at home in the league.
Saint Joseph’s arrived in Fairfax red-hot, winners of seven of its last eight, and eyeing a chance to tighten the Atlantic 10 race. Instead, it ran head-first into a locked-in George Mason defense and a crowd that refused to let the night slip.
So with 7,335 packed into the building and the crowd ready to lift them, Mason answered the only way teams with postseason dreams can: by defending, digging, and refusing to break.
The Patriots locked in on the Hawks after halftime and surged to the 60–52 victory, holding Saint Joseph’s to just 29 percent shooting in the second half and one made field goal over the final eight minutes.
The win pushed the Patriots to 21–3 overall and 9–2 in Atlantic 10 play, giving Mason a crucial two-game edge over the Hawks in the chase for an Atlantic 10 Tournament double bye.
“Games like this are a big reason why I’m blessed and fortunate to be a George Mason alum,” Skinn said. “I thought this crowd tonight was electric. They gave us life. I told our guys these are the type of games they’ll remember for the rest of their lives. The guys who came in today that don’t typically play, they came in and gave us life. That was the difference maker in the game. I’m glad we took care of business tonight.”
With leading scorer Kory Mincy limited by injury, Mason needed offense from elsewhere — and senior Jahari Long delivered. Long led the Green & Gold with a game-high 20 points (7-for-14 shooting, 2-for-3 from three, 4-for-4 at the line) and added three assists in 36 minutes. It marked his fifth straight game in double figures and his seventh 10-plus scoring effort in the last eight.
Riley Allenspach added 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting to go with seven rebounds, while Dola Adebayo chipped in eight points, four boards, and a team-best +15 on the floor.
And Skinn didn’t just lean on his starters — he leaned on everyone.
With injuries forcing adjustments, Skinn turned to all 11 players, reaching deeper into the rotation at a time of year when most teams shorten the bench. Instead, Mason kept reaching all the way down, hunting for the spark it needed — and getting it.
Freshman Devin Booker came in to provide crucial minutes, making big-time defensive plays in the second half as the Patriots’ intensity ratcheted up possession by possession.
The teams were deadlocked 29–29 at halftime, but Saint Joseph’s came out of the break with seven of the first nine points to take a 36–31 lead. The Hawks pushed it to 43–37 with 13:18 remaining before Mason flipped the game.
The Patriots stormed back with a 13–3 run to take a 50–46 edge with 8:06 to go. Saint Joseph’s cut it to one at 50–49, but Mason answered immediately — four straight points, a defensive stand, and then another — grabbing a 54–49 cushion the Patriots would not relinquish.
Despite surrendering a season-high 20 offensive rebounds, Mason made its living inside and on the second unit, winning the paint 32–20 and dominating bench points 20–3.
Next up, George Mason begins a two-game road swing with a Tuesday contest at Richmond. Tip-off between the Patriots and Spiders is set for 7 p.m., with the game broadcast on Monumental Sports Network and ESPN+.
