The Patriots take down rival JMU on the road, 75-73

Senior Cam Long led the way for the Patriots with 30 points in their two-point win against JMU at the Convocation Center Saturday afternoon. (John Powell)

In front of a packed stadium and a television audience away from home, the Patriots (14-5, 6-2) snapped the James Madison Dukes’ (15-5, 5-3) perfect home record with a 75-73 win.

Mason went on a 13-4 run between the first two media timeouts to open an 8-point lead over the Dukes, based on good distribution. Six different Patriots scored in the run, setting the tone of the game early.

But James Madison’s fans had something to say about it. And they said a lot. Loudly. It was the first ESPN network appearance since the 1994-1995 season, so they packed the JMU Convocation Center for the 11 a.m. tip.

“The fans were into it, the players were into it,” said Mason Head Coach Jim Larranaga. “And it made for a very exciting game from start to finish.”

Possibly because of that pressure, Larranaga’s offense only shot 34.6 percent from the floor in the first half, but their consistently good defense held Matt Brady’s JMU defense to a 37.0 percent shooting mark.

The Patriots were led in the half by an explosive offensive performance from senior guard Cam Long, who went 3-4 from the field, 3-3 from beyond the arc and 4-4 from the line, totaling 13 points in the half. It seemed Long was the only one who could score consistently.

“Once [I had] the confidence level, it didn’t phase me,” Long said. “I knew they were probably going to switch different people on me every time because they are going to try to wear me out.”

As the first half came to a close, though, Julius Wells of JMU shot a three-pointer with four seconds left to make it just a one-point game, 33-32, at the half.

The second half saw Mason’s first real test. After the first media timeout of the half, Madison opened up an eight-point lead.

Mason found a flurry of offense, however, going on a 14-point run. It was senior guard Isaiah Tate who found the lead again. He made a trey from the baseline to give the Patriots the 52-50 lead, and then flew down the floor for the break-away lay-in. He ignited an eventual Patriot lead.

“Well, I think guys made shots,” Brady said. “Especially, I thought George Mason in the second half there, 3-for-6 from three. They shot 14 baskets in the second half.”

But the Dukes would not take it sitting down, with fans screaming at a near-deafening level, they scored six points in 36 seconds to again make it a one-point matchup. In the commotion, Luke Hancock bumped his left shoulder, injured from slipping on ice a few weeks ago, and came out of the game.

Mike Morrison came back in to relieve the big guard, and did well in his matchup with Madison’s top scorer, Denzel Bowles. His numbers were not good in the first half, but he adjusted defensively.

“Mike was very excited about playing today,” Larranaga said. “He was very highly motivated.”

Hitchens went for the score to make it a 2-point game, but missed the layup after missing a dunk minutes earlier.

The Dukes missed several close-range shots, and Long made the most of those miscues. He added 17 points in the second half for a total of 30 for the game, and dished out five assists, three in the second half. With Madison in foul trouble, he drove and repeatedly pulled foul calls.

“When any team is in foul trouble, it is likely that they’re going to be fearful to foul,” Long said. “They are going to try to guard you but when it gets down to the point when you’re in the paint, they don’t want to make any contact.”

It still came to the wire when JMU’s Andrey Semenov made a three-pointer with three seconds left, pulling the Dukes close in a 73-74 game. But again Long responded, sinking two free throws in the last ten seconds, ultimately sealing the game.

“With the game on the line like that, I feel like I have all the energy in the world when it comes to that point,” Long said.

In the first of at least two matchups this season with the bitter rivals, Long dominated the game for the win.

“That’s why [Long] was first-team [All-]CAA,” said JMU guard Devon Moore, who scored nine points. “He’s been here. He’s a senior. He knows how to play the game. He’s a great player. It just showed again tonight.”

The Patriots travel to Delaware Monday night to take on the Fightin’ Blue Hens (10-8, 5-3) in a 9 p.m. matchup, concluding their two-game road swing. The Patriots next home game is Wednesday at 7 p.m. against Towson (4-13, 0-7).