Tribe Upsets 2006 Final Four Participant George Mason, 67-63

W&M dominated the boards, 36-24, on its way to its first road and CAA win of the year.

01/03/07 9:30PM

Fairfax, Va. - The William and Mary men’s basketball team opened up its conference road schedule with an upset of 2006 NCAA Final Four participant George Mason, 67-63, at the Patriot Center Wednesday evening.

The Tribe improved to 8-4 on the season and 1-1 in Colonial Athletic Association play by handing the Patriots (6-6, 0-2 CAA) its first home conference loss in two years. The victory was powered by the Tribe’s work on the boards, as the College out rebounded the Patriots, 36-24, including 13-3 on the offensive end. William and Mary has now won five straight contests and seven of its last eight, overall.

Junior guard Nathan Mann (Overland, KS) broke out of a recent slump by leading the Tribe with 14 points, including four, 3-point field goals. Senior guard Adam Payton (Burlington, NJ) scored 12 points, including 10 in the second half, to go along with a team-high nine rebounds. Payton personally out rebounded George Mason on the offensive end with four compared to GMU’s three.

Sophomore Alex Smith (Greenville, NC) continued his tear off the bench with 11 points and four rebounds. Freshman point guard David Schneider (Phoenix, AZ) had 10 points to go along with four assists. Junior forward Laimis Kisielius (Vilnius, Lithuania) turned in a solid all-around game with nine points, eight rebounds and career-high five assists.

In the first half, following the first media timeout, the Patriots scored seven-straight points, including a trey from the left wing by Gabe Norwood to open an 11-4 lead. The spurt prompted a Tribe timeout and W&M responded with a 9-0 run to take its first lead of the contest at 13-11. All the points in the run came courtesy of three pointers, as Smith converted a conventional 3-point play in the post, before Schneider and junior guard Kyle Carrabine (Naperville, Ill.) connected from opposite wings, giving W&M the lead.

It was the Nathan Mann show during the closing minutes of the first half, as he scored 11 of W&M’s final 18 points in the opening half, including a trio of 3-point field goals. The Tribe used an 11-2 run to open its largest advantage of the first half at 31-26, following another 3-point play from Smith with 2:15 remaining. The Patriots closed the half on a seven-point run, including back-to-back buckets from John Vaughan, to head to the locker room with a 33-31 cushion.

Kisielius scored the first four points of the second half. The Tribe opened the half by running a perfect backdoor cut, as Schneider fed a cutting Kisielius. Following a pair of free throws from the junior forward, W&M led 35-33. The two teams traded baskets, before another conventional 3-point play on the block by Smith once again pushed the W&M lead to 41-36.

George Mason pulled to within two at 46-44, thanks in large part to 5-of-6 from the free throw line by Thomas. The College once again responded. Mann connected on a trey from the left corner, before an Adam Payton steal and transition bucket pushed the Tribe lead to seven, 51-44, and prompted a GMU timeout.

With W&M leading, 57-51, the Patriots scored six straight points to even the contest. Dre Smith scored three straight points, before Thomas capped the run with a 3-point play on the block.

W&M countered was four-point streak of its own to retake the lead. Smith pulled down and offensive board, and Schneider hit a jumper with his foot on the line from the left wing, giving W&M a 59-57 lead. The cushion went up to four as Payton scored on a post up along the right block.

With under a minute remaining, Mann’s 3-point attempt from the left wing, narrowly rimmed out on a shot that would have put the Tribe up six at 66-60 with 39 seconds left. The Patriots missed on their attempt to draw even as Campbell threw up a wild attempt from the right wing that hit off the shot clock. The Patriots were forced to foul and Payton stepped the free throw line and converted on both to put W&M back up five.

Campbell cut the lead back to two points as he converted a conventional 3-point play. Amidst the George Mason full court press, Mann broke free and found sophomore forward Peter Stein for an easy lay-up to provide the final margin, 67-63.

W&M returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 6, when it hosts Northeastern for a noon tip at Kaplan Arena. The game will be broadcast live on the Comcast Network via CN8. The contest can also heard live over the Tribe Radio Network with Jay Colley, Charlie Woollum and Bill McDonald on the call. W&M basketball can also be heard over the Internet at TribeAthletics.com.

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