At the midpoint of the CAA schedule, the George Mason Patriots lead the conference with an 8-1 record. GMU improved their mark on Monday night, defeating UNC-Wilmington 67-61 at the Patriot Center in Fairfax. Mason bounced back from a woeful offensive performance in the first half, with Ryan Pearson leading the way with 20 points. The Patriots' senior leader also grabbed 12 boards as he continues to dominate the frontcourts of the CAA.
Bryon Allen supported Pearson, adding a crucial 17 points on seven of ten shooting from the floor. GMU shot just one of 16 from behind the arc, as an inferior Seahawks team led by Buzz Peterson kept it close for the full forty minutes in an ugly game. But the Patriots would jump on Wilmington over the final four minutes of the first half to take the lead, and then extend that lead coming out of the locker room to set up the six-point win.
Mason now has one day off before traveling to Long Island on Wednesday to face a Hofstra team that is just 1-8 in the CAA.