By DCist contributor Hayden Alfano

George Mason continued it’s up-and-down season last night, blowing a 19-point second half lead and losing to Delaware, 73-68, in overtime. The loss dropped the Patriots to 10-5 overall and 2-2 in Colonial Athletic Association play. It’s a familiar theme for the team, which led Georgia St. by 13 at the break last Wednesday but couldn’t hang on, losing 66-64 at the buzzer. Those two troubling road losses sandwiched a 72-63 triumph over Towson last weekend. Back in November, the Patriots opened their conference season by pasting Drexel, 85-38.

It’s a disappointing turn in a season that had such a promising start. The road has been unkind to Mason, who — aside from the two impressive neutral-court victories over Kansas St. and South Carolina in Orlando during the Old Spice Classic — boasts just one win away from the Patriot Center.

The Patriots were dealt a blow in mid-December, when head coach Jim Larranaga announced that senior forward Darryl Monroe, sidelined after offseason toe injury, would redshirt this year. Monroe’s absence places even more of a burden on Will Thomas’ shoulders, and the senior has responded, notching seven double-doubles on his way to averages of 16.3 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. Those averages are good for fifth and second in the league, respectively. Junior guard John Vaughan has also stepped up, increasing his scoring average by five points from last year.

George Mason’s 2-2 conference mark makes them one of four teams tied for fourth place in the CAA standings, behind 4-0 Delaware, 3-1 Old Dominion, and 2-1 Virginia Commonwealth. The Patriots aren’t the only local CAA squad playing inconstistently, so the CAA is very much up for grabs. The possibility of an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, however, seems to have slipped away.

George Mason next takes to the hardwood this Saturday, squaring off against Northeastern at 2 p.m. in Fairfax.