FAIRFAX, VA -- George Mason senior forward Will Thomas posted a double-double with 24 points and 14 rebounds while senior guard Folarin Campbell added 19 points to lead the Patriots to a 70-58 Colonial Athletic Association men’s basketball victory over Delaware Wednesday night at the Patriot Center.

Delaware, which dropped to 11-15 overall and is now in a tie for sixth place in the CAA with an 8-8 league mark, got 15 points from junior guard Marc Egerson (at right), while senior forward Herb Courtney added 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Junior guard Brian Johnson was the third Blue Hen in double figures with 11 points and added a team-best five assists, while freshman D.J. Boney had eight points off the bench, his highest scoring output since December 8.

The Patriots, who improved to 19-8 overall and 11-5 in the CAA, also got 10 points and eight rebounds from Louis Birdsong while Dre Smith also scored 10 points. Mason, which improved to 12-1 at the Patriot Center this season, defeated Delaware for the sixth straight time in Fairfax and avenged a 73-68 overtime loss to the Blue Hens on January 9 in Newark.

Mason took a 32-21 halftime lead and appeared poised to break the game open after Thomas scored the first two baskets of the second period, but Delaware would answer with a run to get back into the contest. Egerson ignited the spurt with a three-point play, and after a jumper by Johnson, Courtney converted a fast break layup. Egerson then followed with a pair of free throws to close the 9-0 run and pull Delaware within 36-30 with 15:40 remaining.

However Mason answered with eight consecutive points, and after a tip-in by Courtney, the Patriots scored six more during a decisive 14-2 run that gave GMU a 50-32 advantage with 11:26 to play. Delaware made a final push when Boney nailed a three-pointer and then hit three free throws to make it a 52-40 game with 8:31 left, but Thomas and Smith countered with baskets and the Patriots would not be threatened the rest of the way.

“I’m proud of our guys for fighting for 40 minutes,” said UD second year head coach Monté Ross, whose team shot 35.3 percent from the field including just 5 of 22 from three-point range. “Our offensive deficiencies early hurt us and allowed George Mason to get a lead. We cut the lead to six in the second half, but their offensive rebounding hurt us when they went on a run.”

Delaware opened the game with four straight points, but Mason scored nine in a row and would not trail from there. The Patriots took their largest lead of the half at 32-18, but Courtney nailed a three-pointer from the right corner just before the buzzer to cut the Mason lead to 11 heading into the break.

Delaware travels to Toledo Saturday at 7 p.m. in the O’Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters.

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