Mason Scores 20 Points To Help USA Defeat Great Britain

Story Links

Aug. 27, 2001

BEIJING, China – University of Virginia guard Roger Mason, Jr., scored 20 points and grabbed six rebounds to help the USA team defeat Great Britain 91-62 on Monday (Aug. 27) in its second game of the quarterfinal round at the World University Games. The win improved the USA team’s record to 5-0, while Great Britain is now 3-1.

Mason, who is from Silver Spring, Md., has started all five games for the USA team. He made eight of 12 shots from the field, including two of five from three-point range, and made both of his free throws in the win over Great Britain. He also had two assists, one steal and no turnovers in a team-high 28 minutes of action.

Mason scored 14 of his points in the second quarter to help the USA erase a 20-14 Great Britain lead at the end of the first quarter. He scored 11 of those points in a 13-3 run to open the second period that gave the USA a 27-23 lead with 5:40 to go in the first half. The USA led 43-28 at halftime.

“Not necessarily,” Mason responded when asked if he was feeling hot with his shooting in the second quarter. “This team has a lot of great players and sometimes you just have to feel your way.

“We were struggling offensively and needed some points. I felt like I could get them. They gave me some opportunities beyond the arc and I took advantage of them. When they came up on me, I wanted to use my skills to go to the basket.”

Mason will be a junior at Virginia this fall.

Juan Dixon (Maryland) led the USA in scoring with 21 points and Lonny Baxter (Maryland) added 14 points. Melvin Ely (Fresno State) was the leading rebounder for the USA with nine.

The USA team plays its final quarterfinal round game on Tuesday (Aug. 28) against South Korea.