(Mitchell Richtmyre / Fourth Estate)
Patriots ride 51 combined points from backcourt duo to rise to 2-0
BY BRIAN A. HAYUM, SPORTS EDITOR
Despite Mason men’s basketball giving up 90 points to a high-energy Winthrop squad, graduate guard Jahari Long and junior guard Kory Mincy combined for 51 of the Patriots’ 96 points, as Mason went on to defeat the Winthrop Eagles, 96-90.
A 186-point affair is a change of pace for a Patriots team that prides itself on the defensive end, but Winthrop’s 90-point effort wasn’t enough to keep Coach Skinn from being a “happy man” in the postgame press conference.
“It’s been a while since I had two point guards give us 51 points combined,” he said.
The Eagles’ high-tempo style of play gave Mason a taste of their own medicine, causing eight first-half turnovers and building a lead of four by halftime, which made the Patriots have to adjust their style of play.
“Early on, we didn’t foul. We weren’t ourselves, we didn’t press, but in the second half, we got after it a little bit more,” Skinn said.
“To be able to go out there and not necessarily play the brand of basketball that we’re so used to playing … I’m proud of these guys.”
The Patriots scored 95+ points vs. a D1 opponent for the first time since 2016, and saw another offensive explosion from Mincy, who scored a team-high 29 points on 9-16 from the field.
“We don’t win this game tonight without his shot-making ability,” Skinn said.
Mincy’s 29-point performance comes off the back of a team-high 18 points in the Monday win over Wofford. Through his first two games, he’s averaged 23.5 points.
Long joined the scoring party, posting a career-best 22 points, eight rebounds and a team-high four assists. The Maryland transfer was one of three players to play 35 minutes or more.
After missing last season due to a knee injury, Long is finding his groove.
“I’m feeling a lot more comfortable,” Long said. “They [the coaching staff] just showed unbelievable faith in me, my teammates as well. Just practicing every day, and playing games, I’m just getting much, much more comfortable.
The season is young, but the backcourt duo is showing signs of exciting potential.
“The thing that I like with the combination of Kory and Jahari out there is that both can make plays,” Skinn said.
The shorthanded Patriots only had one guard on the bench after star senior guard Brayden O’Connor underwent surgery for a foot injury.
“Preseason First Team All-A-10 guard Brayden O’Connor sustained a foot injury in Monday’s 70-46 win over Wofford. He had a successful surgery on Thursday and a timetable for his return will be determined in the coming days,” read a press release given to members of the media.
The injury is a huge blow to the Patriots, who are now without the only remaining starter from last year’s historic team. O’Connor, who started all 36 games last season and led the team in assists, went down early in the first half of Monday’s win after crashing into the advertising board on the baseline.
The Patriots will look to stay unbeaten and move to 3-0 on Tuesday, Nov. 11, vs. the Catawba Indians. Free tickets are available for students on Mason360 and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.