Patriots Are Tripped Up

Hopes Are Pinned On At-Large Bid After Loss to Pride: Hofstra 58, George Mason 49

Folarin Campbell, right, and George Mason were overpowered by Carlos Rivera and Hofstra. The Patriots were outscored 31-16 in the second half. (By Scott K. Brown -- Associated Press)

RICHMOND, March 5 -- George Mason's hopes of winning the Colonial Athletic Association title evaporated in another miserable second half Sunday night, placing the Patriots' NCAA tournament wishes in peril.

After taking a 10-point first-half lead, the second-seeded Patriots scored just 16 points after intermission and quietly faded away, losing to No. 3 Hofstra, 58-49, in a methodical semifinal before 5,310 at Richmond Coliseum.

While the Pride (24-5) will look forward to facing top seed North Carolina Wilmington (24-7) in Monday's 7 p.m. final, the Patriots (23-7) will have to wait almost a week before finding out whether their otherwise outstanding season will be rewarded with an at-large berth.

The only time the CAA received multiple bids to the NCAA tournament was in 1986, and although the league will almost certainly gain two spots this year, the selection committee might simply take the finalists.

"I think the body of work this team has done" should earn the Patriots a berth, said George Mason Coach Jim Larranaga, who proceeded to make his case by referencing the CAA's overall strength, his team's Rating Percentage Index ranking and its losses to quality opponents. "We're very well deserving."

But Larranaga better hope the committee wasn't watching the Patriots' games in this tournament -- a ragged overtime victory over 10th-seeded Georgia State on Saturday in which they went the final nine minutes of regulation without a basket, and a quiet performance in the second half against Hofstra.

Whether the Patriots' next appearance is in the NCAA or NIT, they will be without senior guard Tony Skinn, who was suspended for one game by Larranaga for striking Hofstra star Loren Stokes in the groin with 55 seconds remaining.

Larranaga said in his postgame news conference that he didn't see the incident, but Skinn, who had just made a three-pointer to cut the deficit to four, left the game at that point and did not return. Later, after Larranaga discussed the matter with Athletic Director Tom O'Connor, the team announced the suspension.

The incident was the end to a baffling second half for the Patriots, who led 33-27 at the break but then proceeded to shoot 4 of 23. They went 5 minutes 43 seconds and then 7:14 without a field goal, and finished at 33 percent (they shot 49 percent during the regular season).

Sophomore forward Will Thomas was their only threat, scoring 17 points. Senior forward-center Jai Lewis, playing on two sprained ankles, took just six shots and had nine points.

Stokes, who needed more than 13 minutes to score his first points, finally shook loose from the Patriots' stingy defense and finished with 20 points. Back-court mate Carlos Rivera led the Pride with 25 points, 17 in the second half, and added 10 rebounds.

"In the first half, we really established our game plan very well and executed very well," said Larranaga, whose team lost to Hofstra twice in 10 days. "We got control of the game early but in the second half they completely shut us down with their defense both on the interior and the perimeter."

Despite their woeful shooting, the Patriots still managed a 40-36 advantage with 9:57 remaining on Lewis's free throws. But the Pride took the lead for good on two three-point plays by Stokes and Rivera and gradually pulled away.

George Mason made only two field goals in the last 12 minutes -- Thomas's converted offensive rebound and Skinn's late three-pointer -- to stir unpleasant memories of Saturday's second-half funk against lowly Georgia State.

Asked if he is worried about making the NCAA tournament, Thomas said: "I should be because we probably won't get an at-large bid because our league isn't considered one of the top leagues in the country. I'm hoping we get in."

· UNC WILMINGTON 69, NORTHEASTERN 54: The Seahawks never trailed in advancing to the final for the fifth time in seven years and the seventh time in 11 years. The Seahawks raced to a 15-5 lead and didn't let it slip below seven the rest of the half.

Guard T.J. Carter (Chopticon High) scored 13 of his 15 points in the first half and forward Beckham Wyrick contributed 11 points and 17 rebounds as UNC Wilmington built a 42-29 halftime lead and were never seriously threatened.

The Huskies (19-11), in their first year in the CAA after leaving the America East, are hoping for an National Invitation Tournament bid.