March 11, 2004

Box Score

NORFOLK, Va. - Senior forward Vernessa Neamo (Forestville, Md.) scored 18 points to lead three Patriots in double-figures, as second-seeded George Mason University beat seventh-seeded James Madison University, 84-67, in the first quarterfinal game of the 2004 Colonial Athletic Association Women's Basketball Championship Thursday afternoon at the Constant Convocation Center in Norfolk, Va.

Neamo shot 50.0% from the floor, hitting on 7-of-14 field-goal attempts, as the Patriots shot a season-high 52.7% (29-for-55) from the field overall. Junior guard Laura Kooij (Den Helder, Holland) scored 17 points, shooting 50.0% (6-for-12) from the field, and senior guard Jen Derevjanik (Staten Island, N.Y.) added 15 points for the Patriots.

"We were just ready to go. We were pumped to play them. We have a lot of seniors and we came out with leadership. We don't want to go home, we want to stay. Everyone should come out with fire; you have to bring it. You can't let anyone disrespect you," said Derevjanik.

With the win, Mason improves to 17-9 on the season and advances to Friday's first semifinal game, where it will face the winner of today's Hofstra-Virginia Commonwealth quarterfinal game. James Madison ends the year 13-18, finishing under .500 for only the second time in the last 20 years.

The Patriots outscored the Dukes 33-16 over the final 12:54 of the first half to claim a 48-31 advantage at half time, after the teams were locked at 15-15. Neamo scored 12 of her team-high 18 points in the first half. The closest the Dukes would come in the second half was a 15-point deficit, after freshman forward Meredith Alexis (Ashley, Pa.) scored on a layup with 1:36 remaining.

"We have six seniors and they have been significant role players, some since their freshman year. Two out of nine, there wasn't much separation between the teams and we just are not ready to go home," said Patriots' head coach Debbie Taneyhill.

Alexis posted her second double-double of the tournament with 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. In the Dukes two tournament games, Alexis registered 30 points and 30 rebounds and in the process broke the JMU single-season record for rebounds with her 322 carom this season. In addition, Alexis' 322 rebounds this season rank as the second-best single-season total in CAA history, behind only Old Dominion's Nyree Roberts' 384 rebounds in 1998.

Fellow freshman Shirley McCall (Collinsville, Va.) led the Dukes with 19 points and hauled in nine rebounds, while red-shirt senior Jody LeRose (Summersville, W.Va.) added 12 points and freshman Lesley Dickinson (Queens Village, N.Y.) chipped in with 11.

Neamo dished out four assists, recorded three steals and pulled down three rebounds in the victory, while Derevjanik handed out a game-high six assists for the Patriots. Junior center Julie Flanders (St. Thomas, Virgin Islands) grabbed a team-high and career-high 10 rebounds for Mason, with seven coming on the offensive end. Kooij added five boards and three steals.

The Patriots shot 53.3% (8-for-15) from behind the arc overall, including 3-for-3 in the second half, while Madison once again struggled from long distance, shooting 3-for-10 on the afternoon. The Dukes shot 7-for-24 (29.2%) from three-point range in their two tournament games.

The win gave George Mason its first CAA tournament victory since March 7, 2002, when the Patriots also defeated JMU in the quarterfinals.

The last time JMU finished sub-.500 was in 1998-99, when the Dukes went 11-20.

"Our expectation is to be there (CAA Championship) next year. We have the talent and the capabilities to be there now. Our goal this year was to win the CAA. Next year, we are going to come out with the same goal, the same expectations," said JMU head coach Kenny Brooks.