Cornell’s five-game win streak came to an end as unbeaten George Mason pulled away for a 99-81 victory Tuesday night at EagleBank Arena. The Patriots improved to 9-0, while the Big Red dropped to 5-3.
Senior Adam Hinton led Cornell with 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including three 3-pointers, and added three blocks. Senior Jake Fiegen scored 18 points off the bench, knocking down four triples, while classmate Cooper Noard added 13 points. Junior Kaspar Sepp and Josh Baldwin chipped in nine points each, with Sepp also contributing five rebounds and six assists. Cornell shot 49.1 percent overall and 41.9 percent from long range but was out-rebounded 34-26 and committed 13 turnovers. The Big Red recorded 20 assists for the seventh time in eight games.
Cornell trailed just 42-40 at halftime and tied the game early in the second half on an Hinton layup. George Mason then surged with Malik Presley, Kory Mincy, and Jahari Long leading the way. Presley finished with 17 points, Mincy and Long each had 16, and six Patriots scored in double figures. Mason shot 55.7 percent from the field, went 10-for-20 from three, and outscored Cornell 46-30 in the paint while holding a 22-10 edge on fast-break points.
After a back-and-forth first half, George Mason gradually extended its lead with key 3-pointers and inside scoring. Cornell stayed within reach for much of the second half, but a decisive Mason run in the final 15 minutes created a double-digit cushion the Big Red could not overcome.
Next, Cornell squares off with Towson on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.