Mitchell Richtmyre/Fourth Estate
Turnovers and missed free throws cost the Patriots
BY GABRIEL KING, CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Mason men’s basketball fell to Central Michigan 70-69 on Wednesday at EagleBank Arena. With the loss, the Patriots finished with a 1-2 record in the Marquette Challenge. The Chippewas also finished 1-2, while event host Marquette went undefeated in three games.
After a strong start, the Patriots trailed for most of the second half. A pair of free throws from senior guard K.D. Johnson gave Mason their first lead of the second half with 5:27 remaining in the game. The Patriots extended their lead to four with 31 seconds remaining but costly turnovers led to Central Michigan’s late comeback.
The Patriots committed 15 turnovers and had more turnovers than assists for the third time this season. The Chippewas scored 19 points off Mason’s turnovers, including the game-winner.
“We’re punting the ball at a high level right now,” Head Coach Tony Skinn said. “15 turnovers [tonight], 18 turnovers [against Marquette] and 17 turnovers [against North Carolina Central].” Mason’s 61 turnovers this season are the most of any team in the Atlantic 10.
With the Patriots up by two, senior guard Jared Billups turned the ball over on an inbounds pass with 14 seconds remaining. The turnover led to Central Michigan guard Damarion Bonds’ game-winning 3-pointer with two seconds left.
“I’ve got to take some accountability there,” Skinn said. “I just knew, once he did that, the game was over. I knew they were going to make a play.”
The Patriots jumped out to a 6-0 lead after back-to-back threes from senior guard Woody Newton. Mason kept a solid lead for most of the first half before Central Michigan went on a 9-2 run to tie the game at 21. The Chippewas carried the momentum into the second half, extending their lead to as much as seven.
Senior guard Darius Maddox led the Patriots in scoring for the fourth consecutive game, scoring 15 points on 5-13 shooting. Maddox is the only Patriots averaging double figures on the season, scoring 18 points per game, and has played at least 30 minutes in three of Mason’s first four games.
While Maddox and Newton made a combined five 3-pointers, the rest of the Patriots struggled from beyond the arc, going 0-8. Mason also struggled from the free throw line, shooting 24-34. In a one-point game, the Patriots’ struggles from the charity stripe proved to be their downfall.
“Tonight we didn’t have the intensity, we weren’t intentional and, in moments, we didn’t play with any intelligence at all, emotionally and physically,” Skinn said.
Mason will look to rebound on Nov. 16 against East Carolina in Greenville, N.C. The Patriots won 81-59 last season at EagleBank Arena in the first game of their home-and-home series with the Pirates. Mason will return home on Nov. 20 for a matchup with winless Coppin State.