Game Story; JMU 88, George Mason 85

Saturday, January 8

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James Madison University

9-5, 3-1

George Mason

6-7, 1-2

GEORGE MASON

JAMES MADISON

1/8/2000 1:50:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va. (1/8/2000) – Mickey Dennis' three-point field goal with 2:27 left put JMU in front to stay, and the Dukes hit on eight of 10 free throw tries during the final 1:10 to hold on for their third straight Colonial Athletic Association win, 88-85 over George Mason.

JMU went in front with a 22-9 second-half scoring burst after trailing 38-27 late during the first half, but George Mason overcame a six-point deficit to pull into a 77-77 tie on two George Evans free throws with 2:45 play. After Dennis' three-pointer gave JMU an 80-77 lead, the Dukes got free throws from Pat Mitchell and Rob Strickland with 1:10 and 0:52 remaining, two free throws from Jamar Perry with 35 seconds left and two from Jabari Outtz at the 19- and six-second marks.

Outtz's free throws with 19 seconds left gave JMU an 86-82 lead, and he gave the Dukes an 88-82 edge with six seconds to play. He hit on eight of nine free throws overall.

Outtz finished with 24 points and a JMU-career-high nine assists. He also had five rebounds, two steals and only two turnovers in 38 minutes. Jamar Perry had 19 points and six assists, and Rob Strickland had 14 points and seven rebounds for JMU. Outtz, Perry and Strickland combined for all of JMU's points during the 22-9 burst that turned the game around.

Perry's three-point play with 17:02 remaining started JMU's 22-9 burst, and he had a three-point field goal at the 14:20 mark, a two-pointer with 13:15 left and a three-pointer with 12:07 remaining to cap the rally and give JMU a 59-54 lead. Outtz had two three-point field goals and Strickland five points during the 22-9 burst.

George Mason shot 54.2 percent (32-59) and had a 36-32 rebounding edge, but JMU committed a season-low six turnovers, had nine three-point field goals, and hit on 21 of 28 free throws. The Dukes shot 46.8 percent overall (29-62) and 47.4 from three-point range (9-19), and they hit on six of 10 three-point attempts during the second half.

George Mason's 50 percent shooting effort was the first by a JMU opponent in 35 games. The Patriots also had been the last team to shoot better than 50 percent against JMU – in an 83-81 overtime win at JMU Dec. 5, 1998.

Evans led George Mason with 25 points and 15 rebounds, and Erik Herring had 23 points.