Dukes Drop Overtime Heartbreaker at George Mason

Saturday, November 26

Fairfax, Va.

6 p.m.

James Madison University

(0-6)

George Mason

(4-3)

OT 1

James Madison

George Mason

11/26/2016 10:43:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score 2016-17 Schedule 2016-17 Statistics @JMUMBasketball

FAIRFAX, Va. - Senior guards Jackson Kent and Shakir Brown both posted season-best scoring performances on Saturday night, but George Mason outscored James Madison, 13-10, in overtime to hand the Dukes a heartbreaking 80-77 loss in non-conference men's basketball action at EagleBank Arena.

Neither team led by more than seven points on the evening, as the two teams tied the score on 17 occasions. The Dukes (0-6) went 27-of-54 (50 percent) from the floor in the loss, while holding Mason (4-3) to just 22-of-58 (37.9 percent) shooting.

Kent led the Dukes with a season-best 19 points, going 8-of-8 from the free throw line and adding a season-high six assists. Brown came off the bench to go 6-of-11 from the field en route to 18 points, six rebounds and three assists.

The Patriots had five players score in double digits, led by a 20-point, eight-rebound performance from senior Marquise Moore.

After a back-and-forth first half, the Dukes led by as many as seven with 13:09 to play before Mason whittled away at the lead. After the Patriots went up three with a three-pointer at the 2:34 mark, Brown answered with a trey of his own to tie things at 65-65 with 1:50 to play.

Mason went back in front on a long jumper at the 1:31 mark, but senior Dimitrije Cabarkapa made it 67-67 with 37 seconds left on a strong drive and finger roll and the Dukes forced a shot clock violation on the ensuing possession to take the contest to overtime.

In the extra period, the Dukes took a four-point lead on a layup from Brown, but the lead would change hands three times across the final two minutes before Mason hit a jumper and made 3-of-4 free throws in the last 11 seconds to put the contest out of reach.

QUOTING COACH ROWE
"This was another one where we feel like there were a couple more plays out there for us to make and any of them would've gotten us a win. We played with a lot of energy and we battled, but we need to cut down on the fouls."

BATTLE ON THE BOARDS
JMU out-rebounded the Patriots by a 37-34 margin, the sixth time in as many games the Dukes have won the rebounding battle. Ten of the 11 players that saw the floor for JMU pulled down at least one rebound on the evening.

UP NEXT
The Dukes stay on the road next week, as they travel to face Charlotte on Wednesday, Nov. 30, at 7 p.m. The 49ers have dropped two games in a row to fall to 3-2 on the season, but face Appalachian State on Monday, Nov. 28, at 7 p.m.