George Mason survives a close one against Davidson
The Patriots used a late rally and key free throws to move to 3-2 in the A-10
George Mason was able to get the the win yesterday afternoon despite trailing Davidson for most of the game. They got the lead with about 25 seconds remaining in the game after making some key runs and then Josh Oduro was able to make three of this last four free throws. Yes, free throws! It was another good second half at Eagle Bank Arena for the Patriots this year, especially in the closing minutes. They were able to get the stops on the defensive end to essentially put themselves in position to take the victory. Oduro had a game-high 22 points and continues to play more at the high level we expect. They needed him to close out this one in the final possessions and he got it done.
We saw a different starting line-up in this game as freshman Justyn Fernandez earned his start in place of Victor Bailey Jr. Fernandez played very well, looked more comfortable, and was more aggressive on offense when what we have previously seen. His defense definitely looks to be improving which is probably why we are seeing his minutes increase. I hope it’s a sign of more to come, as Fernandez is one of the highest rated recruits we’ve seen come here in quite some time. Glad to see English was not afraid to play him more with the inconsistent play of both DeVon Cooper and Victory Bailey Jr.
The Patriots also got a great lift from forward Malik Henry once again, who came off the bench and got 12 points, 6 rebounds, and two steals. Similar to his performance against Loyola Chicago he proved to be a nice spark on both ends. He’s been playing much better than Ginika Ojiako and good to see him get the additional minutes in a game like this. The depth they have in the front court his year as opposed to last season is definitely showing but still largely focused on Oduro.
For all the years of experience on this roster it’s interesting that some of the younger players are the ones making keys plays and doing the little things. Earlier in the season it appeared as though Cooper and Bailey would not come off the floor no matter what. Now we are seeing a bit of that change and will probably change more so when Ticket Gaines returns. I like that this team is able to win in different ways and don’t have to rely on the same formula every night to get the victory. They still need to be better on the road as it seems like close games like this one slip away there. Free throw shooting is hopefully on it’s way to improving.
This was an important win when looking at the upcoming schedule. Mason has a very favorable month ahead with conference opponents. They will face George Washington and Rhode Island twice, Loyola Chicago again and Saint Joes at home. On paper the real challenges are VCU on the road, UMass, and Duquesne. If they can go on a run during this next stretch and continue to their dominance at home they should be in a good position in the standings. Let’s not also forget they don’t play St. Louis again and face Dayton only once at the end of February.