Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Leonard Mendez scored 19 points, including the game-winning shot as time expired, to lead the Georgia State Panthers past the George Mason Patriots, 66-64, at the Georgia State Sports Arena.

Rashad Chase added 10 points and five rebounds for the Panthers (4-8, 1-1 CAA), who snapped a two-game losing streak. Georgia State's next game will be at Northeastern on January 5.

John Vaughn scored 18 points to lead the Patriots (9-4, 1-1). Will Thomas dropped 17 and grabbed eight boards for George Mason, who saw a two-game winning streak snapped. George Mason's next matchup will also come on January 5, when they host Towson.

Georgia State took its first lead of the game, 64-63, with 35 seconds to go on a Justin Billingslea layup. Dre Smith then made one-of-two free throws with 14 seconds left to tie the game at 64. However, Menedez drained a jumper from the top of the key as time expired to give Georgia State a 66-64 victory.

Smith opened the game with a three-pointer, and the Patriots turned that into an 8-2 run capped by a Louis Birdsong layup with 18:03 to play in the first half.

George Mason increased its lead to 22-10 after Vaughn hit a pair of free throws with 9:46 remaining. The Patriots went into halftime up 43-30 behind Vaughn's 15 first-half points.

The Panthers roared out of the gate after halftime, beginning the second half on a 15-2 run. D.J. Jones sparked the run with a jumper 21 seconds in, and the flood gates were left open until Chase made a layup with 12:46 left to tie the game at 45.

The teams exchanged baskets for the next four minutes and found themselves knotted up again at 53 after Georgia State's Mendez connected on a layup.

With 1:46 left in play and his team down 63-59, Mendez hit a three-pointer to pull the Panthers within one.