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Jahari Long scores 21 points as George Mason pounds No. 25 Saint Louis, 86-57

Jahari Long scores 21 points as George Mason pounds No. 25 Saint Louis, 86-57 | iNFOnews.ca
George Mason forward Riley Allenspach (35) and Saint Louis forward Paul Otieno (25) battle for the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Fairfax, Va. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

FAIRFAX, Va, (AP) — Jahari Long had 21 points and nine assists, and George Mason routed No. 25 Saint Louis 86-57 in the regular-season finale for both teams Saturday.

Kory Mincy added 15 points, five rebounds and five assists for the Patriots (23-8, 11-7 Atlantic 10), who defeated a ranked opponent for the first time since upending then-No. 16 Dayton on Feb. 21, 2024.

Dion Brown had 13 points for the Billikens (27-4, 15-3), who had already clinched the No. 1 seed in next week’s Atlantic 10 tournament. They shared the regular-season title with VCU, a team they defeated twice this season.

Senior center Robbie Avila, who entered averaging a team-high 13.0 points for Saint Louis, played only five scoreless minutes in the first half because of foul trouble. He finished with two points and one rebound in 12 minutes.

With Avila sitting for the final 12:05 of the first half, George Mason opened a 43-34 halftime lead. The Billikens could never get closer against the Patriots, who shot 57.6 percent for the game and 73.1 percent in the second half.

After Avila finally scored to make it 49-39, George Mason rattled off the next 17 points as Saint Louis went scoreless for 6:54. George Mason eventually built a 34-point lead. Besides a 25-point deficit in a Feb. 24 loss at Dayton, the Billikens had not trailed anyone by more than 15 all season.

Nick Ellington (13 points, 10 rebounds) and Emmanuel Kanga (13 points, 11 rebounds) both had double-doubles for George Mason, which outrebounded Saint Louis 41-26.

Up next

Saint Louis will play Fordham or George Washington in the Atlantic 10 quarterfinals in Pittsburgh on Friday.

George Mason will face La Salle or St. Bonaventure in Thursday’s Atlantic 10 second round.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Jahari Long scores 21 points as George Mason pounds No. 25 Saint Louis, 86-57 | iNFOnews.ca
George Mason guard Masai Troutman, left, and Saint Louis forward Brady Dunlap, right, battle for th ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Fairfax, Va. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Jahari Long scores 21 points as George Mason pounds No. 25 Saint Louis, 86-57 | iNFOnews.ca
Saint Louis forward Brady Dunlap, left center, goes to the basket against George Mason guard Devin Booker, right center, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Fairfax, Va. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Jahari Long scores 21 points as George Mason pounds No. 25 Saint Louis, 86-57 | iNFOnews.ca
Saint Louis guard Amari McCottry (4) goes to the basket against George Mason guard Jahari Long (2) and forward Nick Ellington (23) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Fairfax, Va. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Jahari Long scores 21 points as George Mason pounds No. 25 Saint Louis, 86-57 | iNFOnews.ca
Saint Louis guard Dion Brown (13) shoots against George Mason guard Kory Mincy (3) during the first half of an NCAA college asketball game, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Fairfax, Va. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

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Patrick Stevens

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