Box Score Game Book (pdf)
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Wofford men’s basketball team needed overtime but defeated George Mason 82-79 in the third place games of the 2010 Charleston Classic on Sunday afternoon at the Carolina First Arena. Jamar Diggs scored eleven points in overtime to propel the Terriers to the win.
Wofford is 2-3 on the season and George Mason is 2-2. The Terriers were led by Cameron Rundles with a career-high 26 points, while Jamar Diggs also had a career-high with 23 points. The Patriots were led by Luke Hancock with 17 points as he was 7-of-9 from the free throw line.
“I got into the guys a little bit,” said head coach Mike Young. “I thought George Mason played harder than our team in the first half and that is unacceptable. It was a sickening feeling to go down by seven at the half. They wore us out on the glass, which I can’t put my finger on. We were out-rebounded seven times last year and so far this year it has been four of the first five. We are going to have a good year. It was a great effort from our guys in the second half and we look forward to being back home on Wednesday.”
The Patriots scored first, but Wofford took a 4-3 lead with a bucket by Cameron Rundles. At 15:31, George Mason had an 8-7 advantage. A quick 6-0 run by the Patriots made it a 14-7 game before Jamar Diggs hit a jumper. With 10:31 left in the first half, the Terriers were down 20-11. A 7-0 run by the Terriers, that included five points by Cameron Rundles, cut the lead to 20-18 in just two minutes.
Wofford was able to make it a one-point game at 25-24 after a free throw by Jamar Diggs. Vertrail Vaughs hit a three for the Patriots to go back up 28-24 at the 5:10 mark in the first half. Wofford tied the game at 28 after a bucket from Noah Dahlman in the paint with 2:45 on the clock. The Patriots would go on a 10-3 run to end the half, including a three with one second left by Cam Long for a 38-31 lead at the break.
The Terriers scored first to open the second half, but four minutes into the period the Patriots held a 46-38 advantage. Terry Martin hit two buckets in the paint to cut the lead to 46-42 with 13:57 on the clock. Cameron Rundles rattled in a three at 13:35 to make it a one point game. Jamar Diggs hit a bucket and free throw to tie it up at 48.
A free throw by Noah Dahlman gave the Terriers their first lead of the night at 49-48 with 9:43 on the clock. The score was tied at 51 and 53 before Brad Loesing took a steal down the floor for a bucket and a 55-53 lead with 7:47 left in the second half. Noah Dahlman pushed the lead to 58-54 with a lay-up a minute later. The Patriots scored the next four points to tie it up again at 58, but a free throw by Jamar Diggs made it a 59-58 game at the four minute mark.
George Mason took a 61-59 lead with a bucket and free throw by Ryan Pearson with 2:23 remaining, but Wofford tied it with a lay-up by Brad Loesing. The game was tied again at 63, the Luke Hancock hit one free throw to take a 64-63 lead with 56 seconds left on the clock. Hancock added another free throw for a 65-63 lead, but Jamar Diggs answered with a lay-up with 17 seconds on the clock to tie it at 65 and the game went to overtime.
In overtime, the Patriots scored first with two free throws. Jamar Diggs then took over for the Terriers. He hit for eleven points in the extra period, with four of the points coming from the free throw line. Overall, the Terriers were 5-of-6 in overtime as they pulled out an 82-79 victory.
Wofford shot 46.0% from the floor and were 31.3% from three. From the free throw line, the Terriers were 65.5%. George Mason was 46.0% overall and were 33.3% from behind the arc. They were 66.7% from the line. The Patriots had a 52 to 26 advantage on the boards, but Wofford forced 17 turnovers while the Terriers had only five. Noah Dahlman fouled out with 56 seconds left in the game.
Jamar Diggs was named to the Charleston Classic All-Tournament Team, joining Chris Wright, Georgetown (MVP), Jason Clark, Georgetown, Richard Howell, NC State, and Shamari Spears, Charlotte.
Wofford will open the home slate on November 24 against Air Force in Benjamin Johnson Arena at 6:00 p.m.
