Box Score
FAIRFAX, Va. - Senior forward Ryan Pearson scored 17 points in the second half to help lift George Mason (8-4) to an 81-61 victory over the Manhattan men's basketball team on Friday at the Patriot Center. Pearson (25 points, 10 rebounds) and senior forward Mike Morrison (16 points, 11 rebounds) finished with double-doubles as Manhattan (8-5) had its five game win streak snapped by the Patriots. The Jaspers were led by junior guard George Beamon who scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds.
Manhattan endured its toughest shooting night of the season going just 30.5% (18-59) from the field and 27.8% (5-18) from 3-point territory. Sophomore guard Michael Alvarado contributed 10 points to the Jaspers effort and freshman forward Emmy Andujar added nine points in the setback.
The Jaspers and Patriots traded the lead five times in a hard fought first half. Andujar jump started the Jaspers' offense scoring five of Manhattan's first seven points to lift the team to an early lead (7-3) just over three minutes into the contest. George Mason responded with an 11-2 run to take a 14-9 advantage with 10:19 on the clock after a 3-pointer from senior reserve Andre Cornelius.
Manhattan used a six point spurt to tie the game at 15-15 on Roberto Colonette's free-throws, and the final eight minutes of the half would feature three more ties. Pearson sent George Mason into intermission with a 27-25 advantage by sinking a pair of free-throws to pick up the Patriots in a 42.1% (8-19) performance at the line in the first 20 minutes. Despite shooting 25% from the field, Manhattan capitalized on its free-throw attempts by hitting 9-of-10 (90%) in the first half to keep it a one possession game at the break.
George Mason struck for three straight buckets within the opening 91 seconds after intermission to take an eight point lead. Sophomore guard Sherrod Wright hit a jumper, Pearson converted a layup and then sophomore guard Bryon Allen made a steal at midcourt and went in for a layup putting the Patriots on top 33-25. Manhattan fought back with a two handed jam from sophomore forward Rhamel Brown and a put back from Beamon off an offensive rebound. The Jaspers then cut their deficit to 39-36 on Ryan McCoy's 3-pointer at 15:12, but it was as close as Manhattan would get.
The Patriots broke open the game around the midway mark of the second half with an 11-1 run to build a double-digit lead. The game-changing swing began after Jaspers' senior guard Kidani Brutus hit a three to make it a 46-41 contest at 12:29. On the ensuing inbounds play, Jaspers' guard Liam McCabe-Moran managed to come up with a steal, but his spot up 3-pointer that drew contact moments later was off the mark and George Mason would capitalize. Sophomore guard Vertrail Vaughns banged back-to-back 3-pointers to top off the surge as the Patriots stormed to a 57-42 advantage with 8:30 remaining.
George Mason maintained a double-digit advantage the rest of the way and shot a sweltering 69.0% (20-29) from the field in the second half. Vaughns posted 13 points in the contest and Allen was the fourth Patriot in double-figures finishing with 10 points and six assists.
Brutus led the Manhattan bench with seven points, while McCabe-Moran and McCoy pitched in five points apiece. The Jaspers free-throw shooting was a bright spot as they shot a season best 87% (20-23) at the charity stripe.
Manhattan has a week before its final contest of its four game road series that spans 20 days. The Jaspers visit Binghamton next Friday with tip off set for 7 p.m.
