Jan. 15, 2006

Box Score

Fairfax, Va.--Sophomore forward Jessica Smith (Dartmouth, Mass.) netted a career-high 14 points and was one of four Patriots to score in double figures to help lead George Mason to a 70-51 victory over William & Mary Sunday afternoon at the Patriot Center. Mason improves to 5-9 overall (1-4 CAA) with this win, while William & Mary falls to 6-8 on the year (2-3).

With about nine minutes remaining in the first half, Mason was down by three points but answered with a 14-0 run to pull ahead, 28-17. Eight of these 14 points were scored by Smith and freshman walk-on Scarlett Williams (Fairfax, Va.) netted four of her 10 points in this four and a half minute span.

In the closing seconds of the first stanza, W&M Dani Kell made two free throws to put the Tribe just seven points back (35-28), but Mason sophomore Lateisha Wade (Willingboro, N.J.) scored as time expired to send the Patriots into the break with a 37-28 advantage.

The Patriots came out strong from the intermission as they collected five steals in the first five minutes, four of which were by senior guard Jen Daniels (Brigantine, N.J.). After Daniels completed a 3-point play at the line (11:52), Wade forced one of the Tribe's 17 turnovers and made a fast break lay-up to extend the Patriots lead, 49-33.

Sophomore forward Moni Akintunde (Laurel, Md.) scored two of her 14 points with about 20 seconds remaining, which gave the Patriots their largest lead of the contest (70-49) and finished the scoring for Mason.

Akintude registered her fifth double-double of the year with a game-high 11 boards, while Daniels added 11 points for Mason after sinking two three-pointers and making all three of her attempts at the charity stripe. Daniels also mimicked her career-high of five steals, while junior forward Tracy Ann Holness (Brooklyn, N.Y.) dished out a personal-best six assists.

Mason held Tribe sophomore forward Kyra Kaylor, who was sixth in the nation in rebounds per game (11.7) heading into today's contest, to just seven caroms. Kaylor, who leads the Colonial Athletic Association in scoring average, poured in a game-high 20 points in 29 minutes of play.

The Patriots shot 44 percent from the field, while the Tribe shot 18-of-51 (35 percent). W&M had a slight advantage on the boards, 37-36, while the Patriots had 16 assists to the Tribe's 10.

This marks the third time this season that the Patriots have scored 70 or more points and the second time they held their opponent to 51 points or less.

Mason will return to action on Jan. 20 when the Patriots face Old Dominion (6-7, 4-0) in Norfolk, Va. at 7 p.m.