Men’s basketball (15-11, 6-7 Atlantic 10) delivered one of its most complete performances of the season Friday night, defeating George Mason (21-5, 9-4 A-10) 72-53 in a crosstown rivalry matchup at the Smith Center.
With senior forward Rafael Castro, an A-10 standout and the team’s anchor in the frontcourt, sidelined with a foot injury for the fifth straight game, graduate student forward Luke Hunger once again filled the void. Hunger erupted for 31 points on 10-of-14 shooting, including a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc, also adding 10 rebounds to secure his third consecutive career-high scoring performance.
“My whole mindset is to stay positive and try to be the best teammate I can be,” Hunger said post game. “I knew there was going to be a time where the team needed me and needed me to step up.”
Junior guard Jean Aranguren provided a strong complement to Hunger’s dominance, finishing with 16 points on an efficient 7-for-8 shooting from the field and adding six assists to guide the offense. The Revolutionaries shot 50% as a team and controlled the paint with 34 points, compared to George Mason’s 22, while redshirt sophomore Christian Jones and junior guard Trey Autry each added eight points to round out the 19 point win.
The game, which snapped GW’s five-game losing streak to George Mason exactly two years after it began, unfolded as a low-possession battle between the Revs and Patriots — a style that has frustrated GW throughout the season.
But the Revs managed the slower pace by staying patient on the offense and tightening up on defense, slowly building a gap as the second half went on. Hunger said postgame the Revs focused on physicality and packing the paint to counter George Mason’s drive-heavy attack, making rebounding and aggressive post defense a top priority.
He said the team succeeded in late-game defense, an area that has hurt them this season, and made key stops against a slow-paced George Mason offense, responding in tight, low-possession situations.
“That’s been our kryptonite, teams that want to make it a very slow game,” Hunger said. “But we hopefully showed that we can dig down and get some stops and play really hard.”
The game opened with a layup from senior guard Masai Troutman, but the Revs quickly responded with a layup by Hunger and an Aranguren block to stop another Troutman layup. The Revs and Patriots traded baskets for the first 10 minutes of the half, though the Revs didn’t let Mason take the lead from the opening minute.
An official timeout with 10:32 to go in the first half had the Revs four points ahead of the Patriots, with GW sitting at 20 and George Mason at 16. At the timeout, Hunger had 12 points on 5/5 shooting, including 2/2 from three. Redshirt junior forward Garrett Johnson had five and Aranguren had three.
The next stretch turned into a slow, physical exchange. George Mason attacked the rim, but GW’s interior defense forced difficult shots, and both teams traded empty possessions for several minutes. Every basket was answered on the other end, and neither side could create real separation.
An Aranguren layup and free throw with three seconds remaining in the half sent GW into the locker room with a 32-30 edge after George Mason’s senior guard Fatt Hill briefly gave the Patriots a one point lead with 33 seconds left.
Leveraging momentum from that late response, the Revs were able to pull away in the second half, first with a Hunger 3-pointer to open the scoring. Jones followed with a triple of his own off an Autry assist at the 17:10 mark. Thirty seconds later, Autry delivered a layup off a feed from Jones, pushing GW ahead 41-33 at the 16:30 media timeout.
The game tilted in GW’s favor midway through the half, with Hunger converting through contact and later knocking down a pair at the line, stretching the lead to double digits. The Revs’ defense tightened, forcing the Patriots into contested jumpers and limiting second-chance opportunities.
With just over five minutes remaining, Hunger continued to lead the game, sinking two consecutive free throws at 5:20, pushing his personal total to 29 points. On the very next possession, he followed with a smooth midranger jumper, bringing him to 31 points and stretching GW’s lead comfortably into double digits.
Though Mason managed a few baskets — including a Hill jumper at 4:30 and a 3-pointer from Troutman at 2:23 — Hunger’s scoring burst kept the Patriots on their heels and energized the Smith Center, further cementing GW’s control late in the game.
Head Coach Chris Caputo said the team showed competitive stamina this week, bouncing back from close road losses and injuries to deliver a strong defensive performance at home. The Revs ended their four-game losing streak on Wednesday with a 75-70 home win against Rhode Island.
“I do think our guys feel like we’ve been tested in a lot of different ways, and we are prepared to play well down the stretch,” Caputo said, adding that Castro got his cast off on Thursday, and the team is working on straining it a bit every day.
Athletics partnered with Dream On 3 for Friday’s game, allowing a GW fan, Ava, to attend as a VIP guest of the gymnastics and cheer programs. The Bethesda native joined the cheerleaders on the court during select in-game moments and watched from seats behind the bench, kicking off a weekend of activities with GW Athletics.
Top officials, including Ellen Granberg and Chief Financial Officer Bruno Fernandes, a George Mason University alum, were also in attendance.
The Revs will next travel to Richmond, Virginia to play the VCU Rams on Tuesday.
