By Palmer Johnson
Your George Mason Patriots lost 59-51 to the Duquesne Dukes on Saturday. This now makes Mason 7-9, also a game behind Duquesne with them having the tiebreaker. Staying out of the pillow fight isn’t guaranteed anymore.
This is Mason’s third three-game losing streak of conference play.
The Patriots were without Ronald Polite and Keyshawn Hall, both due to ankle injuries. With both being shooting threats, this meant that Mason had at least one less shooter on the court at all times.
Woody Newton got the start in Keyshawn Hall’s place, his only start of the season against a D1 team. Newton continued to show his value on the defensive end, getting two steals and two blocks, along with being an overall lengthy, tough defender.
GET UP WOOD!@Woody4x_ | #PatriotPressure pic.twitter.com/JpwOnlAO2e
— George Mason Men's Basketball (@MasonMBB) March 2, 2024
The main reason Mason was in this game until the end was because of Darius Maddox’s elite scoring day, scoring 22 on 7-13 from the field and 4-7 from three. Nobody else made a three.
#AutoMaddox to the max pic.twitter.com/c6zHPhAMt8
— George Mason Men's Basketball (@MasonMBB) March 2, 2024
Even if the shot isn’t falling, Baraka Okojie was still making his mark on the court with his defense and playmaking, getting six assists, four steals, and helping contain Dae Dae Grant.
The absence of Keyshawn Hall really messed up Amari Kelly, as now Duquesne didn’t really have to worry about another interior presence. With there always being one less shooter on the floor than normal, the Dukes were free to double Kelly whenever he got the ball, which was very effective, causing him to turn the ball over seven times.
This loss was awful for Mason in the standings, as now they have to win one more in their last two than the Fordham Rams, who play at UMass and Rhode Island at home, to stay out of the pillow fight.
The season isn’t over though. An 8 or 9 seed would put them against Duquesne or Saint Joseph’s in their first game, and then most likely Richmond. Mason put up great fights on the road against Joe’s and the Spiders, so you can’t count them out just yet on a neutral court.
I’m running out of pictures to use for losses, don’t make me find more please. Let this be the last one.
