JMU FALLS AT GEORGE MASON IN MEN'S BASKETBALL

Saturday, January 17

Fairfax, Va.

2 p.m.

James Madison University

(12-7, 4-3CAA)

George Mason

(14-3, 7-0CAA)

James Madison

George Mason

1/17/2009 5:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

FAIRFAX, Va., Jan. 17, 2009 ? Forward Louis Birdsong scored 15 points and George Mason never trailed while posting 71-57 Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball victory over James Madison Saturday.

Birdsong hit on seven of nine shots from the field and led the host Patriots to their sixth-straight win. George Masson scored the game's first seven points, led by nine twice during the opening half and 33-27 at halftime, and raised the margin to 16 points early during the final period.

The Patriots improved to 14-3 overall and to 7-0 in the CAA with the win. JMU had a four-game winning streak snapped and fell to 12-7 overall and to 4-3 in the CAA.

JMU shot only 32 percent overall (18-57) and but 23 percent (6-26) from three-point range while George Mason shot 46 percent (24-52) overall and 36 percent (4-11) from three-point range. The Dukes hit on but 29 percent (8-28) of their field goal attempts during the final half.

A 10-0 scoring run to begin the second half gave George Mason control. JMU didn't get its first points of the period until the 15:03 mark and didn't get its first field goal of the half for nearly six minutes. George Mason had leads of 43-27 and 45-29 by then and kept at least a nine-point edge the rest of the way.

Dre Smith and John Vaughan