It’s not fairly often that Tony Skinn‘s defensive-minded George Mason Patriots hand over 90 factors in a recreation. They did that on Friday night time, and nonetheless received.
The GMU males’s basketball group was at dwelling for its second contest of the 2025-26 season, internet hosting the Winthrop Eagles. The Patriots earned a convincing 70-46 victory over Wofford of their season opener on Tuesday, however Mark Prosser’s squad can be a a lot more durable opponent, ranked No. 147 on KenPom.com getting into the night time.
It was a really un-Mason-like first half, with an up-tempo offensive tempo and each groups taking pictures above 40 p.c from three-point vary. The Patriots used an 11-0 run to race out to an early 19-13 lead, however Winthrop took a 47-41 benefit earlier than two Dola Adebayo free throws introduced GMU inside 4 on the break.
Each groups continued to commerce blows all through the second half, and it was a pair of giant three-pointers from Kory Mincy that put Mason forward for good. He hit one with the rating tied at 78 after which one other to increase a one-point result in 4 inside the ultimate three minutes. Winthrop’s Logan Duncomb was shortly afterwards hit with a technical foul, and the 4 free throws gave the Patriots their largest lead at 90-80.
Mincy ended up with 29 factors to guide all scorers, whereas Jahari Lengthy added 22. Freshman Emmanuel Kanga had 10 rebounds earlier than fouling out late.
Skinn was general happy with the consequence, although he famous the Patriots have a couple of areas they should work on. “Figuring out the kind of group Winthrop is, they need to put up 90 factors on you they usually did,” he stated postgame. “We weren’t capable of play our model of basketball, and for these guys to step up the best way they did, I’m a cheerful man.”
It was a gritty win for the Patriots, who had been enjoying in solely their second recreation with an almost completely new roster, and had been additionally severely undermanned. Preseason All-Convention First Teamer Brayden O’Connor is out indefinitely with a foot harm, Ball State switch Fatt Hill stays sidelined with a leg harm, and Masai Troutman, who had 10 factors in opposition to Wofford, is taken into account day-to-day with an ankle harm.
Subsequent up, Mason will host Division II Catawba Faculty on Tuesday.
