The Patriots junior forward AJ Wilson (pictured above) scored a career high 24 points on 10-16 shooting from the field and 2-3 from deep to lead George Mason to a 77-70 win over Saint Joseph's in the opening contest of the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament Wednesday afternoon. The 12th seed Patriots will take on fifth seeded St Bonaventure on Thursday at 2:30 p.m.
Here are some takeaways from the game below:
AJ Wilson: was unstoppable all game long. The junior forward scored efficiently from all three levels, especially from mid range, which opened things up for what he does best, attacking the basket. Wilson also got it done defensively, grabbing 9 rebounds and blocking two shots while helping hold St Joseph to 41 percent shooting for the game. His energy has always been a key part of his overall impact and today that energy overwhelmed the Owls.
Jordan Miller:
All around impact was impressive and he displayed great versatility that the Owls had trouble trying to stop. Miller posted 19 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists on 8-13 shooting from the field. Miller thrived making plays from the high post and hitting mid range jumpers which opened the floor up for the rest of his teammates, notably Wilson, to attack the basket and get to the the free the line. The Patriots will need this level of production if they are to advance in the tourney.
Ryan Daly:
was unconscious. If it wasn't for Daly, the game would've been a rout. He put the team on his back throughout much of the game. The junior floor general finished with a game high 28 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists on 12-23 shooting from the field, however, his timely, efficient long range shooting despite constant double teams, kept the Owls in the contest.
Cameron Brown/ Toliver Freeman:
both stepped up in the second half when Daly started attracting double teams from George Mason. Freshman guard-forward Brown (Eleanor Roosevelt), came out in the second half aggressive, scoring five quick points and making timely plays but eventually was limited due to foul trouble. That's when Freeman got going offensively, scoring 16 second half points which helped the Owls cut the deficit to four points, 68-64, with 1:03 remaining. Ultimately, George Mason held on due to outstanding free throw shooting (9-10 FT) down the stretch to close out the game. Brown finished with 10 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and two blocks in a solid all around effort and the senior Toliver added 18 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals on 6-14 shooting from the field and 4-7 shooting from three point range.
Rebounding: is what allowed the Patriots to control the pace of the game. George Mason dominated Saint Joseph's on the glass 47-28, including having a 26-8 edge after the first half. Four Patriots players had at least 6 rebounds, where the Owls had one player with six rebounds which was a team high.
Freshman center Joel Soriano (pictured above) led the charge for the Rams inside, posting 14 points and 12 rebounds, to help lead Fordham to a 72-52 win over George Washington in the first round of the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament. The 14th seed Rams will face sixth seed Duquesne Thursday at 8:30 p.m.
Here are some takeaways from the game:
Joel Soriano: set the tone right away scoring the first basket of the contest and then proved to be the difference for the remainder of the game on both ends. The 6'11 freshman center scored inside with powerful moves that usually resulted in dunks while displaying a soft touch knocking down jumpers from 15 feet out consistently. Defensively, Soriano controlled the glass, snatching a game high 12 rebounds and was a big presence at the basket when the Colonials drove inside. Fordham has a diamond in the rough with Soriano and one that should make a lot of noise as his career progresses.
Jalen Cobb:
was a pain the a## for GW and I mean that with the utmost respect. The sophomore guard finished with a team high 15 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists on 4-7 shooting from the field and 3-6 from deep but it was his lock down defense that stood out. Cobb was all over the place on the perimeter and if you take away Potters second half run (more on that soon), Cobb helped hold GW guards to a combined 6 of 29 shooting from the field. He got stops on GW guards every way possible and with Soriano controlling the paint, help make sure the Colonials never got into a flow offensively. Cobb has a bright future.
Armel Potter:
if you're going to go out in front of your hometown fans, this is the type of performance every player would want. Potter finished off a strong senior campaign in style, torching Fordham with a game high 24 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals on 9-14 shooting from the field and 3-5 shooting from three point range. After playing the traditional floor general game trying to get his teammates going in the first half which resulted in a season low 17 points, Potter went on a rampage in the second half, scoring 21 of his 24 points in the half. 3-pointers from 30 feet CONTESTED, dribble pull ups from mid range, finishing strong inside , you name it he did! This performance said a LOT about Potters competitive spirit.
UPDATE:
BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The 2020 Atlantic 10 Conference Championship at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. has been cancelled, as announced today by Commissioner Bernadette V. McGlade.
“The A-10 has made a decision to discontinue play as a result of the Covid-19 virus. Given the rapid spread of the virus, this decision was supported by the Athletic Directors and Presidents’ Council. These are uncertain times for sure, and we feel tremendous empathy for the student-athletes who will not have the opportunity to finish competing. However, the welfare of the student-athletes and the public is of utmost importance.”
Rhode Island Athletic Director Thorr Bjorn, Chair of the Atlantic 10 Athletic Directors:
“The Athletic Directors support this decision. Our top priority will always be the health and safety of our student-athletes and fans as a group. We’re all in agreement that this was the best decision during a very difficult time. I want to thank Commissioner McGlade, the Presidents’ Council and the Athletic Directors for their leadership during this challenging process.