Jan. 2, 2005
Towson, Md.-Towson University (8-4, 1-0) defeated the George Mason Patriots (4-5, 0-1) 72-60 in the two teams' Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) season opener this afternoon at the Towson Center. Towson earned its first win in 13 tries over Mason.
A pair of Alis Freeman foul shots sparked a 12-2 Towson run to end the first half, and the Tigers went into the locker room behind by four at 40-36, after trailing the Patriots by as many as 12. Coming out of the break, Towson's Kelli Talbot made two quick lay ups to even the score at 40 with 18:02 remaining. A Tierra Jackson jumper at 16:52 gave the Tigers the lead for good at 42-40. Towson extended its lead to seven points three times over the rest of the game, but Mason wouldn't leave quietly. The Patriots cut Towson's advantage to two points three times, the last came with 4:25 left in the game after Julie Flanders hit a two-pointer to make it 60-58. Towson closed out the game by stringing together another 12-2 run and earned the team's largest lead of the game with 30 seconds left after a pair of Kelly Robinson free throws made it 72-60.
The two teams battled for the lead early, tying the score five times. Towson took an eight-point lead over the Patriots on a lay up by Robinson at 13:11 in the first half. George Mason knotted the score at 18 on a two-pointer by Flanders at the 11:29 mark and then took the lead a minute later with a three-pointer by Casey Quigley. Towson's LaShay Rose matched Quigley's trey with one of her own to draw the two teams even at 21 with 10:13 left in the first. From there, Mason ran out to a 35-23 lead on the strength of an 11-2 run started at 9:49 with a Flanders lay up. The Tigers pulled to within five at 40-35 with 1:35 left after answering with an 11-0 run of their own.
The Patriots had three players in double digits. Jen Daniels led GMU with 13 points and two steals. Moni Akuntunde scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Flanders chipped in ten points and nine boards for the Patriots in the loss. Tracy Ann Holness, Keyhana Wakefield, and Quigley each added eight points for Mason. Quigley was perfect from the field, hitting all three shots shot took including two three-pointers. Wakefield also had five assists. George Mason shot 53.8 percent from behind the three-point line and 40.3 percent from the floor.
Jackson notched her second straight double double, and fourth of the season, with a game-high 19 points and ten rebounds for the Tigers. She also had three blocks. Talbot scored 13 points on five-for-nine shooting. Freeman netted 12 points, including eight-of-ten from the line, and grabbed eight boards, five steals and had seven assists.
Robinson contributed 11 points and five rebounds in the win while Towson guard Brandi Harris added nine points on three-of-four shooting from behind the arc and handed out five assists.
Next up, the Patriots will host the Hofstra Pride on Thursday, January 6 at 7:00 p.m. in the Patriot Center.
