Feb. 5, 2006

Box Score

Williamsburg, Va. - Sophomore guard Lateisha Wade (Willingboro, N.J.) sank a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired with just 21 seconds left to help lead George Mason University's women's basketball team to its third-straight victory as the Patriots defeated William & Mary by a score of 58-55 Sunday afternoon at Kaplan Arena. Mason improves to 8-12 overall (3-7 CAA) with the win, while the Tribe falls to 10-10 on the year (6-5).

Sophomore forward Moni Akintunde (Laurel, Md.) did not waste any time scoring as she netted the first field goal of the game with just 11 seconds off the clock. The Tribe had its largest lead of the opening half of four at the 11:54 mark after a made 3-pointer by senior guard Lizzie Schiel, but Mason would respond with a mini-run to pull within a point (13-12 at 9:08.

Wade's lay-up with just under eight minutes remaining in the first half started a 9-2 run for Mason to give the Patriots a six-point lead (23-17). The score was tied a total of five times in the opening stanza, including a 26-26 tie in the closing minute, but freshman forward Colleen Shumaker (Haymarket, Va.) gave Mason a 2-point advantage heading into the lockerroom, 28-26, as she netted a lay-up off of a pass from senior guard Jen Daniels (Brigantine, N.J.) with 50 seconds remaining.

Wakefield dished out one of her five assists on the afternoon to sophomore forward Jessica Smith (Dartmouth, Mass.) at the 13:09 mark right under the basket to give the Patriots a 38-34 lead. In the next play, Smith stole the ball from the Tribe s Mindy Carter to which Daniels was then fouled and she made both attempts to extend Mason s lead to six (40-34).

Mason had its largest lead of nine at the eight-minute mark after Daniels netted one from long range (47-38), but the Tribe responded and pulled within two with about two minutes remaining. The Patriots held on and made two field goals, along with one free throw in the closing minutes to give them their fourth conference win of the season.

Daniels and Wade each scored 12 points for the Patriots, while Wakefield added 11 on the afternoon. Wakefield and Akintunde each grabbed seven rebounds and Wade added two blocks in the win.

The Tribe s Kyra Kaylor registered her 16th double-double of the season with a team second-best 17 points and a game-high 14 boards. Devin James led all scorers with 18 points and both James and Kaylor tallied three steals on the afternoon.

Mason shot 41 percent in its win (23-of-56), while the Tribe made 20 of its 54 attempts (37 percent). W&M had a slight advantage on the boards, 37-36, and also dished out more assists (14-12).

Mason has now won 13-straight games against W&M and are 18-9 overall when playing on the Tribe s home court.

The Patriots will return to action when they host Old Dominion on Feb. 10 at 7 p.m.