Nov. 28, 2006
Box Score
Washington, D.C. - George Mason University's women's basketball team (1-2) notched its first win of the 2006-07 campaign as the Patriots defeated Howard (0-8) by a score of 80-77 in Washington, D.C. at Burr Gymnasium Tuesday night.
Mason began the game with on a 11-2 run, which included back-to-back treys from junior guard Lateisha Wade (Willingboro, N.J.). Wade was perfect from the field in the first half as she shot 5-of-5, three of which were from beyond the arc. Sophomore center Jessica Smith (Dartmouth, Mass.) was also perfect in the first 20 minutes as she was 3-of-3 from the field.
Junior forward Moni Akintunde (Laurel, Md.), who tallied a double-double with 19 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, scored the first six points for Mason in the second stanza to give Mason a 47-39 lead. With about eight minutes remaining in the contest, Akintunde converted a three-point play as she made her way through a few Howard defenders, was then fouled and made her attempt at the line to give Mason a 66-59 lead. At the 7:10 mark, junior guard Casey Quigley (Springfield, Va.) dished out one of her three assists of the night to Smith, who made her lay-up attempt to put the score at a 68-61 Mason advantage.
Howard pulled within two after junior guard Christina Aden made both of her attempts at the line to put the score at 68-66 at the six-minute mark. Mason followed up with a 5-0 run, which included a made trifecta by Quigley and two free throws by Wade to put the score at 73-68.
Only being ahead by one point, Wade netted a 2-pointer, was fouled on the play and made her attempt at the charity stripe to put the score at 76-72 with four minutes showing on the clock.
Howard made three-straight free throws to pull within three (80-77) with just 17 seconds left in the contest. After a timeout, HU junior guard Shannon Carlisle took a desperation shot from midcourt at the buzzer and missed, which gave Mason the 80-77 victory.
Mason shot 57 percent from the field (31-of-54), while HU was 24-of-62 (39 percent). Bison edged the Patriots on the boards, 34-32, while Mason had five blocks to HU's three.
The Patriots will return to action when they host Siena on Dec. 2 at the Patriot Center, at 4 p.m.
