George Mason pulls away late to beat UMass 68-63
AMHERST, Mass. (AP) — Justin Kier scored 22 points, Javon Greene added a career-high 19 points and George Mason beat Massachusetts 68-63 on Wednesday night.
The Patriots (10-8, 4-1 Atlantic 10 Conference) improved to 3-0 on the road in conference play. UMass (7-10, 0-4) has lost six of its last seven games.
Kier was 8 of 12 from the floor and Greene 6-of-11 shooting, and the duo each had eight of George Mason's 35 rebounds. Otis Livingston II chipped in with 12 points and four assists.
Rashaan Holloway and Carl Pierre scored 11 points apiece to lead UMass.
Trailing 54-50 with five minutes left, Greene hit a 3-pointer to spark a 13-2 run and the Patriots led 63-56 with 2:38 left. Layups from Holloway and Jonathan Laurent pulled the Minutemen to 63-60 with 57 seconds remaining. Kier scored on the next possession and then Greene's free throw made it 66-60 with 18 seconds to go.
Pierre hit another 3, but Livingston made a pair of free throws to seal it.
