By: Scott Greaney (@ScottGreaney_)
After leading by four points at halftime against rival George Mason, the George Washington Revolutionaries could not hold on, falling 80-65 in the Atlantic-10 Tournament quarterfinals.
In their most anticipated matchup of the season—and arguably the most significant game in recent program history—the Revolutionaries started strong, draining seven of their 11 three-point attempts in the first half. They also found continued success in the paint, building on the 72 points they had scored inside in their two regular-season matchups against the Patriots.
“I thought we did a great job in the first half,” head coach Chris Caputo said. “I don’t know that anybody shot like whatever we shot in the first half, 62% and 63% from three against them.”
While the first half was an unexpected offensive showcase, with both teams shooting over 57% from the field, the second half reverted to the defensive battle that many had anticipated. GW’s hot shooting cooled off as they missed their first six attempts of the half, while George Mason capitalized with a 16-2 run in front of a heavily pro-Patriot crowd at Capital One Arena.
Friday’s third edition of the “Battle of the Georges” highlighted the bitter rivalry between the two programs, with tensions flaring throughout. Earlier this season, GW’s Sean Hansen and George Mason’s Jalen Haynes were both issued double technical fouls in their first meeting, while the second matchup saw Coach Caputo and his staff livid over trash talk from Haynes.
The latest contest was no different, as Darren Buchanan Jr. and Brayden O’Connor received double technicals after a first-half scuffle. Later, during George Mason’s second-half surge, the GW bench appeared visibly frustrated with Patriots players engaging in verbal exchanges near the huddle.
“K.D. Johnson said something at the bench. It’s all good. I want to make sure everybody understands we’re not going to talk to people however we want to talk to people. No one’s going to talk to me like that, or anyone on my staff,” Caputo said.
Despite a brief rally that cut the deficit to seven points with under 14 minutes remaining, GW’s offense stalled, committing three turnovers in a crucial three-minute span. George Mason took full advantage, mounting a 12-1 run to build their lead to 18 with under seven minutes left. Atlantic-10 Defensive Player of the Year Jared Billups played a pivotal role down the stretch, finishing with a season-high 18 points on 6-of-6 shooting, along with seven rebounds and five steals.
“They’re going to bring the heat and try to energize that group with [Billups] as a defender,” Caputo said. “I can’t say enough; he’s exceptional.”
GW freshman point guard Christian Jones, an A-10 All-Rookie Team member, contributed 11 points and three steals, while All-Conference Second Team selection Rafael Castro led the Revolutionaries with 17 points but managed just four rebounds in 33 minutes.
“We really take this day by day. It starts with tomorrow—getting back healthy,” Castro said. “Ultimately, just meeting as a group and seeing what next year holds.”
Despite the disappointing end, GW’s season was a significant step forward. The Revolutionaries secured their first 20-win campaign since 2015-16, achieved their highest NET ranking in program history, and recorded their best KenPom rating since 2015-16. They also outperformed preseason expectations more than any other team in the conference, finishing seventh after being projected 13th in the A-10 preseason poll.
“I know where we are and where we started,” Caputo said. “We finally have what a number of different programs in this league have now, which is institutional commitment to being successful in basketball.”
“I think we’re coming into our own a little bit with the culture of the program and the way we’re operating,” Caputo said. “We might have a bad half here or there, but we’ve had a consistency of play that I think has come from the quality of people in the locker room, on the staff, the support we’re getting institutionally, and the culture we’re developing.”
With Friday’s loss, all eyes look toward GW’s next steps – whether that being postseason play or the offseason and transfer portal acquisitions. Caputo confirmed in the postgame press conference that the team has declined an invitation to the CBI.
With a strong foundation now in place, GW will look to build on this season’s progress and take another step forward.
