RAMS BEAT GEORGE MASON, MOVE TO 3-0 IN CAA Box score Watch L.F.Likcholitov slam two of his 20 points 28.8-56K Low resolution ISDN-Cable High resolution Watch Willie Taylor slam dunk on GMU 28.8-56K Low resolution ISDN-Cable High resolution 1-10-01 RICHMOND, Va. - Senior L.F. Likcholitov (St. Petersburg, Russia/St. Petersburg Tech. Univ.) scored a career-best 20 points and pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds to lead Virginia Commonwealth to a 72-65 victory over rival George Mason in Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball Wednesday night at the ALLTEL Pavilion at the Stuart C. Siegel Center. With the win the Rams improved to 10-6 overall and 3-0 in the CAA, the program's best start in league play since its NCAA tournament campaign of 1995-96. VCU finished that year 14-2 in the conference and 24-9 overall en route to the CAA regular season and tournament championships. The Rams outscored George Mason 21-9 in the game's first eight minutes and led from start to finish. Likcholitov compiled 12 points and eight rebounds in the first half as VCU built a 36-26 lead at the break, but the Patriots regrouped and cut the Rams' margin to 43-42 on a tip-in by senior Erik Herring with 12:14 left to play. VCU countered with a 10-2 run to go up 53-44 with 8:14 remaining and held George Mason at bay the rest of the way to snap a six-game losing streak against the 1999-00 co-CAA regular-season champs. "Tonight was probably our most soli d effort," said VCU head coach Mack McCarthy. "We had intensity on defense and energy in the second half, and the guys did a great job of paying attention to tendencies and taking care of the defensive end." Senior Bo Jones (Richmond, Va/Huguenot) added 19 points in the win and limited Herring, who was averaging nearly 16 points per game, to just eight points on four-of-18 shooting. The Rams, who also outrebounded GMU 39-32 for the game, also received 11 points from sophomore Willie Taylor (Smyrna, Tenn./LaVergne) on the evening. Two-time CAA Player of the Year George Evans compiled his 28th career double-double for the Patriots in defeat, finishing with a game-high 26 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore Jon Larranga also contriubted 12 points off the bench for George Mason (8-5, 3-2 CAA) which lost for the second straight time in league competition. VCU looks to continue its winning ways when the Rams travel to William & Mary (4-9, 1-3 CAA) Saturday night at 7 p.m. The game can be heard live on the Rams on Radio Network (WLEE 990 AM & WHAP 1340 AM) as well as via the internet at www.vcur.edu/vcurams.