Nov. 1, 2006

Box Score

Fairfax, Va. - The George Mason men's basketball team played its lone exhibition game of the 2006-07 preseason on Wednesday evening and there was no surprise as Mason easily dispatched of Division III Marymount, 84-48 in front of 3,679 fans at the Patriot Center. The crowd for the exhibition was larger than half of Mason's regular-season home games in 2005-06.

Junior Will Thomas had a double-double while junior Folarin Campbell led all scorers with 21 point. The Patriots shot nearly 58 percent from the field while holding Marymount to less than 31 percent shooting. The Patriots scored the first 17 points of the contest and built a 31-4 lead over the first 10 minutes. From that point on, the Saints played the Patriots nearly even, as Mason outscored Marymount 53-44 over the final 30 minutes.

Despite shooting well from the floor, Mason did not convert from behind the arc, making just 4 of 15 3-pointers. The Patriots were 20 of 27 from the free throw line. Marymount, meanwhile, was 7 of 20 from long range and 7 of 15 from the charity stripe. Corey Diamond led the Saints with 15. He was the lone Marymount player in double figures.

Campbell and senior Gabe Norwood led Mason as each played 28 minutes. For Norwood, the result was 13 points with 5 of 7 shooting from the free throw line. Campbell was perfect from the stripe, making all four free throws, and he also was 8 of 13 from the field. Thomas was 4 of 5 from the field, finishing with 11 points and 14 rebounds. Also stating for Mason were redshirt sophomore John Vaughan, who had 14 points on 5 of 8 shooting, and junior Darryl Monroe, a junior college transfer who had eight points, nine rebounds, a team-high five assists and two blocks.

The Patriots open the season on Nov. 11 at Cleveland State. Mason's home opener will be on Nov. 18 against Wichita State.