Jan. 11, 2005

Box Score

Fairfax, Va.--George Mason University's women's basketball team dropped a 53-48 decision to Columbia in a non-conference match-up Tuesday evening at the Patriot Center. With this loss, Mason's overall record now stands at 5-7, while the Lions improve to 8-5 overall.

Sophomore forward Kristin Higy (Akron, Ohio) opened up the scoring for both teams as she netted a lay-up in the first minute of play, but Columbia responded with a 10-2 run to put the score at 10-4 at the 12:51 mark. Mason pulled within one (12-11) after a lay-up by senior center Julie Flanders (St. Thomas, V.I.) with nine minutes remaining in the first half. The Lions then had a 10-0 scoring spurt, which was halted after Higy sank a jumper at 4:34 to put the score at 21-11. Columbia had its largest lead of the first stanza with seconds remaining after a made 3-pointer by Nicole Lesko to head into the break with a 33-20 lead.

Mason's switch to a zone defense in the second 20 minutes, stymied Columbia's outside shooting as the Lions shot 18 percent in the second half from beyond the arc compared to 67 percent in the first. Mason came all the way back from a 15 point deficit to tie the game at 41 (4:26) after a turnaround jumper in the paint by Higy from senior guard Lauren Hediger (Pittsburgh, Pa.). Columbia regained the lead and the Patriots kept it close with key 3-pointers down the stretch, but the Lions held on and claimed its eighth victory of the season.

Freshman guard Keyhana Wakefield (Albany, N.Y.) came off the bench to score a team-high 12 points for the Patriots, while Higy amassed a team second-best 11 in 36 minutes of play. Flanders grabbed a team-high seven rebounds, while Hediger collected five steals in the loss.

Columbia's Lisa Copeland led all scorers with 18 points as she shot 7-11 in the contest, while both Nicole Lesko and Sue Altman each pulled down six boards for the Lions.

Mason shot 34 percent (18-53), while Columbia was 21-46 on the night (46 percent). The Lions outrebounded the Patriots, 35-27, while Mason scored 24 points in the paint to the Lions 22.

Four minutes into the contest, junior guard Jen Daniels (Brigantine, N.J.) left the game due to an injury and did not return.

The Patriots will return to action when they face James Madison on Jan. 14 at the Patriot Center with tip-off slated for 7 p.m.