In the moments after the ball left C.J. Anderson’s hand and before it reached its final destination, the 4,261 Mullins Center fans as well as UMass and George Mason players and coaches watched it’s arc in nervous anticipation.
If it went in, UMass could celebrate, its losing streak in the rearview. The team would be energized and have something to build off, with the taste of the last two losses purged from it’s mouth.
If it missed, the Minutemen would face the anguish of another loss, their third straight, and the sting of reliving all the missed shots in key spots that could have changed the path and maybe the outcome of the game.
The open 3 from left of the free-throw line was a little too strong, skipping off the back of rim, then the glass before falling off as the clock ran out.
Anderson put his head in hands and several teammates slumped in similar dejected poses as the Minutemen fell to Patriots, 76-74, Saturday at the Mullins Center.
“I thought it was in. It was right on a line. I was feeling pretty good,” UMass coach Derek Kellogg said. “After 39 minutes and 58 seconds of the game and it comes down to that. It gives you a great satisfaction or a punch in the gut. Right now I’ve got a bunch of punches in the gut and the guys feel the same way.”
Anderson’s last attempt was one of several opportunities down the stretch that UMass couldn’t seize. In the final four minutes, the Minutemen missed three open 3-pointers and two free throws that would have either tied the game or put them ahead.
“At the end of the game, we executed just about everything I told the guy in the timeouts,” Kellogg said. “We just didn’t make a few of the plays and missed a couple free throws.”
The Minutemen held GMU leading scorer Marquisse Moore to just 10 points, barely half of his season-average of 18.3, but the senior guard hit a driving layup with 24 seconds left to put Mason ahead 74-69.
DeJon Jarreau tipped in Ty Flowers miss at the other end to keep UMass alive at 74-71 with 16 seconds left. Mason inbounded the ball to Otis Livingston, the league’s leading free-throw shooter, who was fouled and made both free throws with 12 seconds left to make it 76-71.
Jarreau buried a quick 3-pointer with 7 seconds left to make it 76-74 and UMass smothered Livingston hoping to induce a turnover, but instead forced the tie-up for which Mason had the possession arrow. Anderson didn’t wait for the inbound this time, fouling Livingston as he came off a screen going to receive the ball with 4.6 seconds left.
Livingston went to the line for a 1-and-1 with a chance to seal the win if he made both, but he missed the front end short.
Jarreau grabbed the rebound and took off up the floor. Clark was covered so Jarreau fed a trailing Anderson, who had the open look.
“I was a little nervous when the shot went up at the end of the game. I’m not going to lie. But sometimes you have to dodge a bullet,” GMU coach Dave Paulson said.
Anderson thought it was good out of his hands.
“I thought I hit,” Anderson said quietly. “As simple as that.”
The Minutemen, who have struggled to get out of the gate lately, were actually sharp offensively this time. They’d made five straight shots and led 14-13 with 14:28 left. But Mason scored the next eight points, which ballooned into an 18-7 run to lead 34-21 with 5:35 left. UMass, which has struggled to avoid fouls, appeared to almost overcorrect early, allowing Mason clearer paths to the basket.
Clark led UMass with 13 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Anderson added 11 points and 7 rebounds, while Jarreau had 10 points 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 blocked shots.
Otis Livingston led Mason (14-7, 4-4 Atlantic 10) with 22 points as the Patriots swept the season series.
UMass shot 10-for-29 from 3-point range helped by three each by Ty Flowers (11 points) and Luwane Pipkins (9). But the nine missed free throws (8-for-17) proved costly.
“Our free throws, we’ve got to get in here and work on those,” Kellogg said. “I’m hoping pretty soon we’ll win a couple of these games and give us an opportunity to get some wins in the win column.”
UMass (12-10, 2-7 A-10) is at La Salle, Wednesday at 7 p.m.