Fairfax, Va. - Ryan Pearson had 24 points and seven rebounds in leading George Mason to a 66-46 victory over UAlbany in the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off's fourth round on Tuesday, Nov. 22 at the Patriot Center. The Patriots extended their home winning streak to 17 straight.
     George Mason (4-2) ripped off 12 straight points to begin the contest. Mike Morrison, a 6-foot-9 forward who had 13 points and nine rebounds, scored with an offensive carom to start the outburst. Pearson, a preseason All-Colonial Athletic Association forward, tallied the final three baskets, including a layup off a turnover.
     UAlbany (2-3) cut the lead in half when Jayson Guerrier made two free throws and Mike Black connected off his steal. The Patriots, who advanced to the NCAA Tournament's third round last year with a 27-win campaign, regrouped with 10 of the game's next 12 points. Pearson, at 6-foot-6 and 237 pounds, had a steal and layup to push the lead back to double figures. Jonathan Arledge sank two foul shots for a 22-8 advantage.
     The Great Danes, who shot a season-best 52 percent the previous night in a victory over Monmouth, struggled mightily to find the basket throughout the half. UAlbany went 5-of-28 from the field, and made just one of 12 attempts from beyond the arc. George Mason turned those offensive woes into a 33-18 lead at the intermission.
     In the second half, the Patriots moved out to an 18-point margin after Morrison put back a missed three-pointer and Pearson had a dunk in transition following a blocked shot. The Great Danes tried to claw their way back into the contest. Gerardo Suero, who had all 10 of his points in the final period after sitting in the first half with foul trouble, converted a drive. Logan Aronhalt added a basket off a goal-tending call and Black drilled two free throws to close the gap to 49-38 with 5:33 to play.
     UAlbany had an opportunity to get within single digits, but Black missed a layup after his own steal. From there, George Mason took control. Erik Copes connected as a trailer on the fastbreak and then made a turnaround shot in the lane. Still leading 53-40, Pearson, who made 11-of-18 from the floor, scored in the paint and Sherrod Wright hit a dunk behind the defense.
     "After the first five or six minutes, we got tremendous shots," said UAlbany coach Will Brown, whose team finished at 26.2 percent, including 2-of-23 from three-point range. "Our defense and rebounding were fine, but it came down to us on offense. When Mike Black doesn't make that layup, it became a big swing. (Gerardo) Suero had a tough start with the offensive fouls."
     Aronhalt led the Great Danes with 15 points, while Blake Metcalf matched a career-high with 12 rebounds and had six points as a starter for the injured John Puk. Wright was the third George Mason player in double figures with 10.

Paw Prints: The Great Danes split four games in their first NIT Season Tip-Off appearance ... UAlbany's field goal percentage was the second-lowest in its Division I history ... the Great Danes shot 23.6% against Army on Feb. 19, 2000, the program's first year at the Division I level ... UAlbany will play its home opener at SEFCU Arena on Friday, Nov. 25 against Navy at 4:00 p.m.

George Mason 66, UAlbany 46 (11/22/11 at Fairfax, Va., Patriot Center)

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Albany 46

George Mason 66