Wright's buzzer beater lifts Mason to a dramatic 67-64 win over Richmond

Sophomore guard Corey Edwards caught the ball in the backcourt with 5.8 seconds left in regulation. Sprinting towards the basket, Edwards found a streaking Sherrod Wright curling around the perimeter, rose for a shot and fired.

Swish.

The shot fell giving the George Mason University men's basketball team a 67-64 victory over the University of Richmond in the Governor's Holiday Hoops Classic.  

Wright led all scorers with 22 points with 12 of those coming from beyond the arc. His clutch shooting and range helped lead the Patriots as a team to a 61.5 percentage from three-point range on 8-of-13 shooting. 

The Spiders (9-4) opened the game on a hot shooting streak and for a stretch didn't seem to miss from deep. Senior guard Darien Brothers, who finished with 20 points for the Spiders, made five three-point field goals in the first half alone. In the second half, however, the Patriots held him scoreless from long range, closing out hard on him and creating tough shots. 

For the Patriots, their defensive intensity in the second half was beneficial in the win, attributing 12 steals to Richmond's 18 turnovers. Mason also closed out the game on an 18-3 run that was capped with Wright's game-winning shot. 

Mason will take a brief Christmas break and will be back in action Saturday Dec. 29 against the University of South Florida. Game time is slated for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on MASN. 

Photo by John Irwin