The Blue Hens (4-0 CAA, 7-7 overall) remained the only undefeated CAA team in league play after snapping a five-game losing streak against the Patriots (2-2 CAA, 10-5). It marks the first time that Delaware has won its first four conference games since the 1998-99 season.
Delaware took the lead for good at 68-66 when Herb Courtney sank a pair of free throws with 1:24 left in OT. The Hens ended up sinking 10-of-12 foul shots in overtime after going only 12 of 22 from the foul line in regulation.
The Patriots hit only two of six shots from the floor in overtime and missed a pair of free throws.
The Hens sent the game to overtime when a Brian Johnson three-point shot with 51 seconds remaining tied the game at 61-61.
Delaware had the final shot in regulation, but Egerson's off-balance jumper from the lane bounced off the rim with two seconds left.
After trailing by as much as 47-28 early in the second half, Delaware rallied to tie the game at 55-55 on Egerson's fadeaway jumper with 4:35 remaining in the contest. The Hens then took their first lead since the middle of the first half when Johnson's three-pointer put the Hens in front, 58-57 with 2:46 on the clock.
Using a full-court press in the second half, Delaware forced George Mason into 15 turnovers after halftime.
Besides Egerson, Courtney scored 19 points while Alphonso Dawson had 13 for the Hens.
The Patriots took their first lead of the night at 20-17 on Will Thomas' three-point play with 6:31 left before halftime. The play came in the middle an 13-0 run for George Mason that gave the Patriots a 26-17 advantage.
George Mason eventually outscored Delaware, 20-7, over the last nine minutes of the first half to take a 33-24 lead into halftime. Thomas had 11 points at intermission.
The Patriots' lead grew to as much as 47-28 on a basket by Thomas with 16:00 remaining in regulation.
Thomas ended up with 20 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Also scoring in double figures for the Patriots were John Vaughan (18 points), Folarin Campbell (10) and Louis Birdsong.
