(Mitchell Richtmyre / Fourth Estate)
Eight months of off-season anticipation culminated in a home-opening 70-46 win over the Wofford Terriers
BY BRIAN A. HAYUM, SPORTS EDITOR
Opening night games can produce nerves. Coaches have limited time to instill their tactics and coaching philosophy for a new cohort of players before they have to learn on the fly.
For the new-look Patriots, it’s an opportunity to showcase a squad with seven transfer portal acquisitions and only one returning starter, senior guard Brayden O’Connor — a preseason first-team all-conference selection.
“I’m so happy and excited to be back,” said Head Coach Tony Skinn. “November 3 is that date that we’ve all been looking forward to as a group, especially with this new group.”
The Patriots would take advantage of the moment, raising their first-ever A-10 regular-season title banner and defeating last season’s Southern Conference tournament champion, Wofford, 70-46.
(Mitchell Richtmyre / Fourth Estate)
The third-year head coach has fostered a defense-oriented culture that ranked Mason as one of the best defensive teams in the country last year, according to field goal percent allowed.
“We lost our personnel, but the personality of our team does not change,” Skinn said before the season.
His newly recruited players asserted his statement, as they held Wofford to 30% from the field (15-50) and 21% from the three-point line (6-29).
“Our defense is what led us to win this game,” said junior guard Kory Mincy, who notched a team high of 18 points and 6 assists.
Both teams would get off to a slow start, combining for 8 points through the first six minutes of the game, but Mincy’s jab-step three-pointer — one of four that night — was a sign of things to come from the 6’2” transfer from Presbyterian College.
Junior forward Riley Allenspach, a transfer from Samford, added 12 points, shooting 4-6 from the field.
“He’s now 1-1 against George Mason,” Skinn said, referring to Mason’s NIT win over Samford in March.
Celebration would quickly turn to worry with just under five minutes left in the first half after O’Connor limped off the court after attempting a layup and crashing into the first row of the stands, leaving Patriots fans holding their breath.
He was ruled questionable before being downgraded to out in the second half.
“It looks like some sort of ankle sprain,” Skinn said. “We’re just going to have to get it evaluated.”
The Patriots would lead the Terriers 29-22 into the break and didn’t look back after that, outscoring the Terriers 41-24 to end the game. The second half was accentuated by junior guard/forward Malik Presley’s fast break dunk with eight minutes left that put the Patriots up 17.
The Patriots reloaded their roster with both a promising transfer and high school recruiting class, highlighted by transfers Kory Mincy, Dola Adebayo, Masai Troutman, Riley Allenspach, Fatt Hill, and four-star rated freshman Emmanuel Kanga — the third-highest rated recruit in school history, according to 247 Sports.
Coming off Mason’s most successful season in the school’s history since joining the A-10, expectations are high.
The Patriots will play four more games in Fairfax before traveling to Daytona, Fla., for the Sunshine Slam.
Their next game is at EagleBank Arena tomorrow at 7 p.m. vs. the Winthrop Eagles. Students can register for tickets for free or stream the game on ESPN+.