When Ryan Pearson took the floor Monday night at Patriot Center it was with a vastly different crew than eight months ago in the NCAA tournament. A coaching change, graduation, transfers, a medical redshirt and a suspension have left Pearson breaking in a new cast. Against Brown in the consolation bracket of the NIT Season Tip-Off, however, Pearson demonstrated a rare comfort level with his new allies, leading George Mason to a 74-48 victory over Brown before a sparse crowd of 1,536 at Patriot Center.
In just 24 minutes, the 6-foot-6 senior had 23 points, six rebounds and three steals, sparking the Patriots to a stress-free victory with help from freshman guard Vaughn Gray (10 points, three steals). George Mason (3-2) continues Tuesday against Albany (2-2), an 85-49 winner over Monmouth.
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| Up Next |
| Albany at George Mason |
| When » Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. |
| Where » Patriot Center, Fairfax |
On Monday night, George Mason took control with a 17-2 run midway through the first half. Sophomore guard Sherrod Wright, out last year after shoulder surgery, ignited the surge with a three-point play, giving the Patriots the lead for good, 13-12.
After that, Gray hit a 3-pointer and Pearson added back-to-back steals and four points during the run as George Mason assumed a lead that was never challenged.
It was the kind of all-around performance George Mason got last year from stat-sheet stuffers Cam Long, now playing in Europe, and Luke Hancock, who transferred to Louisville. This year, new coach Paul Hewitt is counting on the same from Pearson, who hit nine of 14 shots, including two of four from beyond the arc.
With senior guard Andre Cornelius at the midway point of his 10-game suspension for credit card fraud, George Mason got stellar play from its backcourt. Gray, Wright (five points), sophomore Vertrail Vaughns (nine points, four rebounds) and freshman Corey Edwards (six points, four assists) combined to hit 11 of 17 shots from the floor.
In addition to providing scoring punch, the guards handled the ball well solidy. Mason’s assists (14) out-numbered its turnovers (11). In losses last week to Florida International and Florida Atlantic, the Patriots had a combined 24 assists and 35 turnovers.
“I like where we’re going,” Hewitt said. “It’s a really good group of kids. They’re a lot of fun to coach. But if we want to be as good as we’re capable of being, they’ve got to keep growing.”
Mason hit 48 percent from the floor and five of 13 shots from beyond the arc (38 percent). Senior forward Mike Morrison (six points, seven rebounds, three blocks) and freshman forward Erik Copes (five points, eight rebounds) led Mason to a 42-30 rebounding edge.
Guard Jean Harris (nine points) led Brown (2-3), which was held to 33 percent shooting from the floor and 20 percent from the 3-point line.
“It is early. They’re getting used to a new style,” Hewitt said. “They all say they like what we’re doing. They understand what we’re doing.”
