FAIRFAX, Va. – Playing in its final non-conference game of the season, the VMI basketball team lost a close 68-66 contest to host George Mason Monday afternoon at the EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia.
 
Junior Jake Stephens led the way for VMI with his second double-double (14 points, 10 rebounds) of the season and third of his career.
 
The Keydets (5-4, 0-0) had a 15-0 run over five minutes midway in the first half and took its biggest lead at 30-15 on a Kamdyn Curfman three-pointer at the 5:15 mark. George Mason (3-1, 0-0) quickly changed the game with an 8-0 run in the final minute of the first half and trailed 34-31 at the break.
 
The Patriots scored 12 straight points early in the second half and tied the game on an AJ Wilson dunk and took their first lead since the opening minutes of the first half when Jamal Hartwell II rammed in a three-pointer from the left side to push George Mason ahead 43-40 with just under 15 minutes in the second half.
 
George Mason led 66-57 with 3:07 left but missed four consecutive free throws and the Keydets scored six unanswered points and pulled within 66-63 on a pair of Jake Stephens free throws with 47.1 seconds remaining. The Keydets got a stop and the ball back with 16 seconds left but Stephens' three-point try to tie it fell short and Xavier Johnson converted two free throws with four seconds left to put GMU ahead 68-63. Greg Parham nailed a 3-pointer with 0.4 left for the final margin.
 
VMI will take the rest of the week off from competition to observe Christmas Furlough before returning to face Samford on the road December 30 in Birmingham, Alabama.
 
VMI head coach Dan Earl:
 
"It was different than Gardner-Webb our last time out when had a huge hole and didn't have enough fight to come back. This game we came out and were strong at the beginning. Things were going well and then we got punched in the face the last minute of the first half when they scored eight straight. But we regrouped at halftime and came fighting back after they took the lead. Overall, I don't think we played our best game. Credit George Mason for playing very good defense. They made it tough for us and we didn't get a lot of threes off. We didn't shot a high percentage from two, either.
 
"We have to try to be more consistent for longer stretches. We didn't make enough plays. We had a great opportunity to win this game and let it slip away.
 
"Our guys have been working hard doing the right thing dealing with the coronavirus and I'm glad they are able to go home for a few days and see their families. We've asked them to all do their best and do the right thing at home and be disciplined so we can hit the ground running in conference play."