Jan. 3, 2003

Box Score

FAIRFAX, VA ... East Carolina sophomore Jennifer Jackson had game-high totals of 26 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Pirates to a 76-69 victory over host George Mason in a non-conference women's college basketball game Friday night at the Patriot Center.

East Carolina won for the fifth time in its last six games as it improved to 6-5, while George Mason dropped its second straight contest to fall to 3-4.

Junior Tali Robich had 16 points, eight rebounds and five assists for the Pirates, while junior Courtney Willis added 13 points.

Junior Jen Derevjanik led George Mason with 20 points and tied her career-high with eight assists. Sophomore Laura Kooij had a season-high 17 points, including five three-point field goals, and junior Vernessa Neamo added 16 points.

Robich scored five points in a 12-2 East Carolina run midway through the first half to take a 24-14 lead with 11:11 left in the period, but the Patriots answered with a 12-2 spurt of their own, with Kooij contributing five points, to tie the score at 26-26. Senior Shelbylynn McBride hit a three-pointer with 53 seconds remaining to provide Mason with a 31-30 lead at intermission. Jackson had 11 points for the Pirates and Kooij provided 11 for the Patriots.

George Mason opened the second half with a 9-3 run to take a 40-33 advantage, but East Carolina scored the next 10 points and went on a 20-5 spurt to take control with a 53-45 lead with 8:01 to play as sophomore Kris May-Richardson nailed a three-pointer. Mason kept the game close down the stretch, getting within 71-69 with 30 seconds remaining on a three-pointer by junior Susan Otim, but ECU converted five free throws for the final margin. The Pirates finished the game with a 48-31 edge in rebounding.

George Mason opens its Colonial Athletic Association schedule Sunday as it entertains James Madison at 2 p.m.