It’s just like the old saying goes. Basketball is a game of runs, and the matchup between St. Joseph’s and George Mason was just that.
The Patriots (21-5, 12-1 Atlantic 10) picked up their 11th consecutive win, which is tied for the third-longest active winning streak in Division I. But the 58-57 victory over the Hawks wasn’t easy.
For most of the game, it looked like the Hawks (15-10, 6-6) would snap the streak and hand George Mason its second home loss of the season. But a missed shot from sophomore guard Xzayvier Brown in the final second of the game — followed by a rebound by George Mason’s K.D. Johnson — secured the Patriots’ win.
What started as a back-and-forth battle, quickly took a turn in the Hawks’ favor. St. Joe’s took an early lead, and a 14-2 run helped extend it throughout the first half.
But St. Joe’s couldn’t get too comfortable.
The Hawks and Patriots are second-half teams. George Mason, however, was stronger in the final 20 minutes. It erased an 11-point deficit with a 17-0 run, which started in the last two minutes of the first half, to take the lead, leaving the Hawks scoreless for eight minutes.
But the pendulum of momentum kept swinging. The Hawks went on a 12-2 run to reclaim their lead. Then another 16-3 run from the Patriots erased it again.
Jalen Haynes was the Patriots’ main contributor with a game-high 22 points, 16 came in the second half.
For the Hawks, Brown’s 19 points that kept the game within reach.
The game came down to the wire. But the biggest obstacle for the Hawks was staying out of foul trouble, an issue they faced in their win over La Salle on Wednesday night as well.
Junior standout Rasheer Fleming fouled out against the Explorers. On Saturday, it was fifth-year Justice Ajogbor who fouled out with 6 minutes, 36 seconds remaining. Fleming and sophomore Anthony Finkley each had four personal fouls. Meanwhile, George Mason went 14-of-21 from the foul line. Five of those made free throws followed fouls by Ajogbor, Finkley, or Fleming.
The Hawks, however, did make 10 of 23 three-point attempts (43.5%). It’s an area in which they’ve been inconsistent this season and was their highest percentage since they shot 54.5% in a 93.57 home win over Loyola Chicago on Jan. 11. Fleming (nine points) and Erik Reynolds II (11 points) each shot 3-of-5 from deep to lead St. Joe’s.
Next up, St. Joe’s will visit George Washington on Wednesday (7 p.m., ESPN+).