PATRIOTS HOLD OFF JMU IN MEN'S BASKETBALL

Saturday, January 30

Fairfax, Va.

12:00 p.m.

James Madison University

10-12, 3-8

George Mason

15-7, 10-1

James Madison

George Mason

1/30/2010 10:08:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

FAIRFAX, Va., Jan. 30, 2010 - Guard Cam Long scored a game-high 23 points, including George Mason's last 11 of the game, as the host Patriots held on to beat James Madison 70-68 Saturday in men's Colonial Athletic Association basketball.

JMU cut what had been a 12-point deficit with just less than seven minutes to play to one during the closing seconds but never led during the final half. Trailing by two points, the Dukes rebounded a missed Long free throw with 3.6 seconds remaining but could get off only a desperation shot from just beyond half court as time expired.

George Mason with the win raised its overall record to 15-7 and its CAA mark to 10-1. JMU, which had won twice at home earlier this week, fell to 10-12 overall and to 3-8 in the CAA.

Long hit on eight of 12 shots from the field, including a pair of three-pointers, and on each of his first five free throws until his late miss. He was the only Patriot in double figures in scoring.

JMU put four players in double figures in scoring, including junior forward Denzel Bowles (Virginia Beach, Va./Kempsville), who had his CAA-leading eighth double-double of the season with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Sophomore forward Julius Wells (Toledo, Ohio/Libbey) had 19 points and junior guard Ben Louis (Melbourne, Australia/St. Francis Xavier) and senior forward Matt Parker (Charlotte, N.C./Statesville Christian) 10 points each for the Dukes.

Bowles hit on eight of 13 shots, and the double-double was his eighth in 14 games as a Duke. He also had six assists and two blocked shots. Wells had three three-point field goals and Parker two, and Louis also had six rebounds and three assists.

After trailing 63-51, JMU got points from four players while pulling to within 69-68 on two Wells free throws with 4.7 seconds to play. The Dukes then fouled Long on the in-bounds play, and he hit on the front end of the one-and-one free throw chance.

Louis started JMU's late rally with a field goal with 6:50 left, and Wells got the Dukes to within 65-56 with six minutes left after Long scored at the 6:12 mark. Louis cut the margin to 65-59 with a three-point play with 3:48 left, and two Bowles free throws at 3:27 got JMU within 65-61 following a George Mason turnover.

A Long field goal at 2:27 gave the Patriots a 67-61 lead, and a Bowles jumper at 1:31 and two Long free throws at 1:04 left George Mason with a 69-63 edge. The second three-pointer of the season by freshman forward Trevon Flores (Harvey, La./Helen Cox) got JMU to within 69-66 with 53 seconds to play, and Wells' two late free throws came after George Mason's Luke Hancock failed to convert on a driving field goal try.

George Mason didn't trail after scoring the final eight points of the first half to lead 33-25. JMU, which didn't score during the final 2:29 of the opening half, got the first four points of the final period but trailed 43-31 with 16:31 to play.

The Patriots led 16-8 midway through the first half, but JMU rallied for leads of 17-16 and 19-18. Parker's two three-pointers allowed JMU to tie the score at 25-25 after George Mason had gone up 23-19.

JMU hit on 16 of 23 second-half shots (69.6 percent), including four of six three-point attempts, but turned the ball over 12 times aft