SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (Interstat) — Jahmere Tripp scored 23 points and Rhode Island used a dominant defensive performance to hand George Mason its second loss of the season, 74-65, in an Atlantic 10 men’s basketball game Saturday at the Ryan Center.

The Rams, who lost to the Patriots by 11 points just three weeks prior, flipped the script by forcing George Mason into a season-low two assists while committing only three turnovers themselves. That stark disparity fueled a decisive 11-2 advantage in points off turnovers and allowed Rhode Island to control the tempo throughout.

The most important part of the game was Rhode Island’s immediate and sustained defensive pressure, which rattled the high-powered Patriots from the opening tip. George Mason, which entered the game with an 18-1 record and a top-20 national ranking, looked out of sync offensively all afternoon. The Patriots’ two total assists were a glaring indicator of their inability to generate clean looks against the active Rams’ defense, which also registered seven blocks and five steals.

Rhode Island set the tone in the game’s opening minutes. After Keeyan Itejere won the opening tip, Tripp scored on a layup just 17 seconds in. Myles Corey then stole the ball on George Mason’s first possession and finished with a dunk. Another Patriots turnover led to a Tyler Cochran 3-pointer, staking the Rams to an 11-4 lead and forcing a George Mason timeout less than three minutes into the contest. The Patriots never led, and that early sequence established the defensive struggle that would define their day.

Tripp, a 6-foot-6 junior from Brooklyn, New York, was the offensive catalyst for Rhode Island, adding seven rebounds. His performance built on a strong outing in Wednesday’s win at Richmond. Tyler Cochran provided crucial support with 20 points, and Jonah Hinton added 13. The Rams shot efficiently, making 23 of 50 from the field and 22 of 29 from the free-throw line. Their offensive rating of 121.8 points per 100 possessions easily outpaced George Mason’s 113.2.

George Mason was led by Kory Mincy’s 19 points and six rebounds. Jahari Long scored 11 points, but the Patriots’ offense never found its rhythm. They shot just 4 of 16 from 3-point range and, despite attempting 24 free throws, could not string together enough scores to overcome the Rams’ consistent output. Emmanuel Kanga contributed nine points and five rebounds off the bench.

Rhode Island’s interior defense, anchored by Itejere’s four blocks, was particularly impactful, altering numerous shots at the rim and holding the Patriots to just 28 points in the paint. The Rams also excelled in transition, outscoring George Mason 16-3 on fast breaks.

The victory improved Rhode Island to 12-8 overall and provided a significant boost to its Atlantic 10 standing. The Rams, who were projected by analytics to have only a 20.9% chance of winning, outperformed the pregame spread that had installed George Mason as a two-point favorite. The total score of 139 points fell under the over/under line of 136.5.

George Mason, which fell to 18-2, saw its lengthy win streak snapped and will look to regroup on Wednesday when it hosts Davidson. The Patriots’ previous loss was at Virginia Tech on Dec. 6. Rhode Island faces a quick turnaround with a road game at Dayton on Tuesday.

The game was a stark contrast to the teams’ meeting on Jan. 3, which George Mason won 61-50. This time, Rhode Island’s defensive intensity and careful ball handling proved to be the difference, handing the Patriots a rare conference defeat and shaking up the early A-10 race.