Mason Stuns UNI in McLeod, 54-50

Wednesday, November 30

Cedar Falls, Iowa

7 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

3-3

George Mason (Kids Club Day)

5-3

George Mason

UNI

Mason Stuns UNI in McLeod, 54-50

11/30/2016 9:50:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The George Mason University Patriots scored a 54-50 win over the University of Northern Iowa men's basketball squad Wednesday in the McLeod Center.

Mason (5-3 overall) limited UNI (3-3 overall) to 25.9 percent shooting from the floor and enjoyed a 53-29 advantage on the boards. Mason's Jaire Grayer, the son of former Iowa State Cyclone Jeff Grayer, led the Patriots with 14 points. Mason's Marquise Moore grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds.

UNI's cold shooting started in the first half as the Panthers went without a field goal for more than 11 minutes. Juwan McCloud scored the game's first point on a layup, however UNI would not record another made field goal until Spencer Haldeman knocked in a 3-pointer with 8:24 left in the first half. Mason was only able to build an 18-8 lead while the Panthers went without a bucket.

UNI closed the first half on a 20-6 run and took a 28-24 lead into the intermission. Haldeman sparked the spurt to end the half as he buried a trio of 3-pointers. The Panthers re-took the lead with :41 left in the half on a Jordan Ashton triple. Hunter Rhodes closed the first-half scoring with a 3-pointer from the right wing just before the buzzer.

The Panthers extended the lead to six at 32-26 following basket from Klint Carlson. But another stretch of 3:53 of scoreless basketball for the Panthers allowed the Patriots to take a 36-32 lead with 14:22 left in the game.

An 8-0 run gave UNI another five-point cushion at 42-32 with 8:37 left on the clock following three-pointers from Ashton and Haldeman and a Carlson bucket. Senior Jeremy Morgan's dunk put the Panthers up five with 4:50 to go following a media timeout.

The Patriots refused to surrender and took their first lead of the second half at 48-47 with 1:49 left on a basket by Otis Livingston II. Mason drained all six of its free throws in the final minute to clinch the four-point road win.

UNI will travel to Laramie, Wyo., to take on the Wyoming Cowboys Saturday in the Missouri Valley/Mountain West Challenge. Tip is set for 2 p.m. (CT).

NOTES: UNI suffered only its second loss in the month of November in the McLeod Center ... UNI is 26-2 in the month of November in the McLeod Center since the building opened in 2006 ... Morgan came into the game ranked No. 2 in the nation in steals at 3.8 per game and he added four steals against the Patriots ... UNI has made at least one 3-pointer in 537 straight games - the longest active streak in the Missouri Valley Conference ... Morgan has made at least one 3-pointer in 12 straight games dating back to last season ... Haldeman led the Panthers in scoring with 16 points ... Bennett Koch tied a career-high with three blocked shots.