This guy has done it all for George Mason on the season and Wednesday he went one step further for the Patriots.
Here’s Otis Livingston’s game-winning buzzer-beating three. @ESPNAssignDesk – it’s #SCTop10 worthy! @MasonMBB #A10MBB pic.twitter.com/vEVQZ09nKW
— Atlantic 10 MBB (@A10MBB) January 11, 2018
“I guess everyone got their money’s worth,” head coach Dave Paulsen said. “That was a heck of a performance for our guys. That was a heck of a performance for them. The pace was really frantic, I give a lot of credit to our guys after not playing well at all after Davidson.”
Livingston hit an incredible buzzer-beater from roughly 38 feet to lock down an 81-79 victory over Saint Joseph’s.
It was three of Livingston’s 25 points on a 10-13 shooting night. On top of that he made five of the six three-point baskets he attempted.
The 5-11 junior willed the Patriots (8-9, 2-2) to a victory for the second time in conference play. Breaking 20 points for the third game in a row, Livingston also added five rebounds and three assists in the contest. Despite the 6-6 James Demery defending him, he moved with ease against the Hawks defense. He scored pull-up jumpers, relied on high ball screens, drove into the paint, etc. Eventually, the all-conference favorite Shavar Newkirk had to switch to cover him.
That did nothing to slow him down.
READ MORE: IS OTIS LIVINGSTON II GEORGE MASON’S MID-SEASON MVP? DEFINITELY
Newkirk was too tired to contain the acrobatic Livingston. Throughout the game, Justin Kier was attached to the hip of Newkirk and did his best to slow him down. Newkirk did end the contest with 24 points but it took him 17 shots to get there. Of a season of incredible defensive efforts for Kier, this is perhaps his best.
For Saint Joseph’s first possession, Kier welcomed the Newkirk match-up with a smile and three claps of the hands. The 6-4 defensive stud was ready to go.
“He’s a great player. I don’t know if it was more of him or me excited against a good team trying to get a win,” Kier said. “I just always try and take that as a challenge personally, but other than that I am just happy for my teammates and try and get them pumped up.”
To go with that he also had the first double-double of his career (12 points, 10 rebounds). The sophomore was three assists away from a triple-double.
Just before the incredible buzzer beater, Mason relinquished the lead for the first time in the second half. Saint Joseph’s, on their second opportunity, had an inbounds play under the basket. Somehow Chris Clover was left wide open for the Hawks nearing a five second count. They took a 79-78 lead with five seconds left.
Clover was second on his team with 19 points and Demery had 16 points.
READ MORE ON ST. JOSEPH’S INJURY WOES
Early on the Patriots were playing at a ridiculous pace. They scored a season-high 47 points in the opening half including seven three-pointers. There are eight games so far this year where they did not even hit that mark from deep in 40 minutes.
Jaire Grayer also hit three of Mason’s 11 three-point baskets on the night. He finished with 13 points and six rebounds.
It marks the most points Mason has scored this season in regulation. George Mason out-rebounded the Hawks 43-31 and only had 11 fouls in the game. They also limited their turnovers to nine, but on the flip side, the Hawks only had three.
Enjoy this one if you are a Mason fan, and watch that buzzer beater on loop.
