NEWARK, DE – The University of Delaware shot just 31.4 percent from the field for the game, including just 4 of 23 from beyond the three-point line, as the Blue Hens dropped a 66-46 Colonial Athletic Association men’s basketball decision to George Mason Wednesday night at the Bob Carpenter Center.

George Mason (14-12, 8-8 CAA), which snapped a three-game losing streak, got a balanced effort as Will Thomas posted team-highs of 14 points and nine rebounds, Dre Smith added 13 points and five rebounds, and John Vaughan came off the bench to contribute 11 points to pace the Patriot effort. George Mason swept the season series from the Blue Hens after having downed Delaware 89-59 in Fairfax, VA back on Jan. 31.

Delaware (5-22, 3-13 CAA), which continues to play with just seven players due to injuries and defections, got another big effort from junior forward Herb Courtney (at right) who posted his eighth double-double this season with 19 points and 10 rebounds and from Sam McMahon, who added 16 points and five assists and was coming off consecutive games in which he scored 26 or more points. Henry Olawoye added eight rebounds and Brian Johnson dished out six assists for the Blue Hens.

The Blue Hens, who lost their second straight game and their fourth in the last five outings, suffered their most lopsided loss at home since falling to Saint Joseph’s 75-54 on Dec. 3, 2003. Delaware’s 22 losses ties the school record set by the 1978-79 team that finished with a 5-22 mark.

“This was one of those nights when our shots wouldn’t go in and we let that affect us on the defensive end,” said Delaware head coach Monté Ross, whose team shot just 16 of 51 from the field for the game, including 8 of 28 (28.6 percent) in the opening half. “George Mason’s fastbreak layups at the end of the first half really hurt us. They are good inside and outside and they have quality depth.”

The Patriots, who enjoyed their finest season in school history a year ago when they advanced to the NCAA Final Four, hit on 25 of 52 shots from the field, 6 of 15 three-pointers, and held a 37-29 advantage on the boards while committing just nine turnovers. The Patriots, who held an opponent under 70 points for the 23rd time in the last 24 games, entered the contest ranked first in the CAA in scoring defense at 58.4 points per game.

Neither team led by more than two points over the first nine minutes of the game and the Hens held their final lead at 11-10 advantage with 12:42 left in the opening half. But George Mason outscored Delaware 13-5 over the next seven minutes to go up 23-16 with 5:11 left and took a 30-20 lead into halftime as the Hens hit just one of their final seven shots from the field.

Delaware never got closer than eight points in the second half as George Mason pulled away early, outscoring the Hens 15-4 over the first eight minutes of the second stanza to push the lead to 45-24 with 12:01 left. Delaware never got closer than the final score as George Mason built the lead to as high as 29 points at 61-32 with 4:56 left.

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