DaRon Holmes II scored 26 points, but got no help from his friends. (Press Pros File Photos)
The University of Dayton Flyers scored the first five points of the second half to take an 11-point lead on the road at George Mason, only to see the Patriots explode on a 24-2 run that gave them an 11-point lead. The Flyers, though didn’t pack their gear and cry in their duffel bags. They went on an 11-point run of their own to tie it, but fell victim down the stretch and fell, 71-67, knocking them down to third place in the Atlantic 10.
Fairfax, VA. — The University of Dayton basketball has scrambled out of holes many times this season to clutch victories that seemed on Defeat’s Doorstep.
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But on Wednesday night at George Mason the Flyers found themselves in a bottomless pit and suffered an extremely painful and costly defeat, 71-67.
And now they find themselves back in a dark, damp hole — an Atlantic 10 defeat that dropped them to 11-3 and third place. In addition, losing this one and dropping to 21-5 probably will push them backward from their No. 16 spot in the Associated Press poll.
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“For a team that’s .500 (6-6 in the A10 when the night began), they played like champions,” said UD coach Anthony Grant, aiming praise at George Mason.
“It was obviously a big game, which it always is when the Flyers come to town,” he added. “They earned it. Now we’re going to need some help in terms of reaching the goals we set in the pre-season.”
He means an A10 regular season championship and this defeat made the degree of difficulty a steeper climb.
Nate Santos was saddled with early foul troubles.
Despite finding themselves in that bottomless pit during Wednesday’s game, the Flyers clawed back up and had their fingers on the circumference of the hole but couldn’t quite lift themselves out.
How was that?
The Flyers scored the first five points of the second half to quickly grab a 38-27 lead. And it was 40-29, an 11-point lead.
Then it was if somebody took a pick ax to the Goodyear blimp and the whoosh could be heard miles away.
George Mason went on an incredible 24-2 sprintout and in little more than 10 minutes the Flyers went from 11 points up to 11 points down.
Done? Stick a pitchfork in them? Not so fast.
The Flyers, grabbing themselves by their toes and yanking up their socks, went on their own 11-0 binge and tied it 53-53 with 7:16 to go.
Then it was back-and-forth, forth-and-back, but the Flyers couldn’t take command.
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A pair of free throws by DaRon Holmes II with 1:19 left pulled UD to within 67-65. And the Flyers forced a turnover to give them an opportunity to tie or take the lead.
Holmes, though, missed on a drive to the basket George Mason rebounded, Keyshawn Hall rebounded and was fouled.
“We had a great look, but it rimmed in and out to tie the game,” said Grant of the Holmes shot.
Like Santos, Javon Bennett was plagued by fouls and fouled out.
Hall buried two free throws for a four-point lead. and as Grant said, “They were able to go down and make those two free throws. . .and they did a good job of shooting free throws.”
Kobe Elvis drove for a basket with 18 seconds left and it was back to a two-point deficit, 69-67.
The Flyers were forced to foul and GMU freshman Baraka Okojie inserted the final nail by pounding home two free throws.
It was apropos that Okojie put the final coat of paint on GMU’s glossy victory. The 6-2 guard from Canada scored 19 points, all in the second half. He was 9 for 9 from the free throw line and 5 for 6 from the field.
For a freshman, he was as nerveless as a patch of stinkweed.
The Patriots were 22 for 27 from the foul line because they aggressively took the ball to the basket and either scored inside (30 points) in the paint or toed the foul line and played drop the ball in the basket.
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“They were able to get into the bonus early when they built that (11-point) lead,” said Grant. “They were able to be aggressive and attack.
“The way we’ve played all year in conference play, we’ve taken over 100 more free throws than our opponents,” he added. “Unfortunately, it didn’t go our way tonight. They were able to be aggressive and it changed the balance of the game.”
Enoch Cheeks had four rebounds and three assists.
Okojie had double-figure help from Hall with 17, from Ronald Politte III with 13 and from Amari Kelly with 12.
There would be no one-man save the day from Holmes on this night, although he scored 26 points, including 11 in a row in the first half to help push the Flyers to a 33-27 lead at the half.
As usual, Holmes played as hard as a referee’s heart, but on this night he was as lonesome as a lost duckling.
He had no support from his friends. Nobody else scored in double figures and Elvis was 2 for 11 and had one of those nights when the bottom of the net was a mere rumor.
Defensively, the Flyers saw their game plan shredded by the Patriots. The plan was to keep GMU out of the paint but they spent the night wearing out the wood near the basket.
“The second half, whether it was transitional opportunities or their ability to touch the paint. . and their freshman guard had 19 in the second half,” said Grant. “And they were able to get No. 4 (Hall) loose to drive to the rim. He’s a physical player.
“I thought we were good defensively, but the whistles blew. . .and that’s basketball. We weren’t successful in executing the game plan and keep them out of the paint.”
Instead, the Flyers painted themselves into a corner.
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