FAIRFAX, Va. — For 20 minutes Monday afternoon, George Mason looked like a team still shaking off the offseason. For the next 20, it looked like an Atlantic 10 contender. The Patriots (1-0) outscored UMBC 49-27 after halftime at EagleBank Arena to roll to an 82-54 season-opening win, giving head coach Tony Skinn his fourth straight victory in an opener.
The first half was a grind. Mason shot 33.3% from the field and 23.5% from 3-point range and took just a 33-27 lead into the break. When the Retrievers (0-1) cut it to 35-32 early in the second half, the Patriots answered with a 16-0 run that ended any doubt, stretching the lead to 51-32 with just over 14 minutes left. Mason shot 51.7% and 38.5% from deep after halftime, finishing at 41.2% overall and 30% from 3.
Sophomore guard Efeosa Oliogu-Elabor drove the surge, scoring a career-high 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including two 3-pointers, with six rebounds, three assists and two steals. He was one of five Patriots in double figures. Senior forward Elijah Jones added 13 points and eight rebounds, hitting three from beyond the arc. Junior Makhai Valentine scored 12, including a four-point play that pushed the margin to 60-36. Graduate guard Brayden O’Connor had 11 points and eight rebounds, tying his career high on the glass, and Shane Pendergrass posted 11 points and six rebounds in just over 15 minutes in his Mason debut. The bench outscored UMBC’s 28-12.
The defense did as much damage as the offense. UMBC shot 27.8% for the game and 23.7% in the second half, going 3-of-19 from 3 after the break. Mason owned the boards 54-40, its highest rebound total since pulling down 59 against Prairie View A&M on Dec. 22, 2016. Forward Emmanuel Kanga grabbed 10, and the Patriots’ 17 offensive rebounds fueled a 22-10 edge in second-chance points.
Preseason All-A-10 guard Baraka Okojie had a quiet scoring night with seven points but ran the offense with five assists and four rebounds. He and O’Connor combined for just one turnover, but Skinn wasn’t handing out credit for ball security alone. Asked about his backcourt after the game, he said his senior guards need to make better decisions with their shots. Aidan Able led UMBC with 13 points, and Flash Burton and Devin Ceaser each scored 11.
Skinn’s program is coming off three consecutive 20-win seasons and has its sights set on an A-10 title. The Patriots return to EagleBank Arena Friday, Nov. 6, to host Coppin State in the annual Gold Rush game. Tipoff is 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
