George Mason absolutely took down Coppin State Friday night, securing a 68-51 victory, with Baraka Okojie leading the charge with 14 points. This wasn’t just a win, it pushed the Patriots to a sweet 2-0 record early in the season, while Coppin State is still looking for their first dub at 0-2.
Patriots Came Out Firing, Took Control Early
From the jump, George Mason was in control. They grabbed the lead for good with a full 19:34 left in the first half, which is just insane dominance. When the halftime buzzer sounded, they were sitting pretty at 46-23. You love to see that kind of focus right out of the gate! Shane Pendergrass was a big reason for that early explosion, dropping nine points in the first half alone on his way to 13 total, including a three. Emmanuel Kanga also chipped in with 11 points, shooting efficiently at 5 of 8 from the field. Okojie wasn’t just scoring either, he snagged three steals, showing he was all over the court.
Second Half Saw a Shift, But Victory Was Never in Doubt
Now, here’s where things get interesting. Coppin State actually managed to outscore George Mason by six points in the second half. Yeah, you read that right. It’s a reminder that even when you’re up big, you can’t just coast. But even with that second-half push from Coppin State, George Mason still held strong for the win. Okojie was still leading the way for his squad in the second half, adding six more points to his game-high 14. For the Eagles, Tafara Gapare finished with 12 points, and both Brendan Johnson and Malik Shackleford each added eight, but it wasn’t enough to overcome that massive first-half deficit.
George Mason is looking to keep this momentum rolling when they hit the court against UMKC on Thursday. Coppin State is trying to turn their season around and get that first win as they host Cheyney on Monday. Can George Mason keep that early season intensity going for a full 40 minutes? We’ll be watching!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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