Jan. 4, 2007

Box Score

Fairfax, Va.--Junior forward Moni Akintunde (Laurel, Md.), who tied for a game-high 18 points, put Mason up by one with just 16 seconds remaining, but Lori Drake tipped in a lay-up for UNCW with one second left and converted the 3-point play to give the Seahawks a 59-57 win. With this loss, Mason falls to 6-5 on the year (1-1 CAA), while UNCW improves to 5-7 (1-0).

The game was close the entire first 20 minutes as the lead changed eight times and the score was tied on six occasions. At the five minute mark, sophomore center Jessica Smith (Dartmouth, Mass.) gave Mason a two-point advantage (23-21) after making a circus type shot in between two defenders. Then, in the closing minute, junior forward Whitney Ward (Columbia, Md.) made Mason's final field goal of the half and Mason went into the break down, 33-27.

Mason opened up the second stanza on a 6-0 scoring run to tie the game at 33 just four minutes in the half. UNCW answered as the Seahawks made back-to-back trifectas to give UNCW a 39-33 lead.

The Patriots scored six unanswered points to knot the contest at 43 (10:06), which included a made lay-up by junior guard Lateisha Wade (Willingboro, N.J.). She was fouled on the play and sank her attempt at the line to give Mason its first lead in 16 minutes (44-43). There were four lead changes and one tie in the final minute and Akintunde scored Mason's final four points, but the Patriots were not able to hold and dropped their first conference game of the season.

Drake finished with 18 points after shooting 7-of-13 from the field, while Greta Luksyte and Sahsha Taylor each tallied double figure points with 15 and 12, respectively.

Mason shot 38 percent on the night (23-of-61), while the Seahawks made 21-of-44 field goal attempts. The Patriots won the battle of the boards, 36-29, and also scored 32 points in the paint to UNCW's 16.

Mason will next face William & Mary on Jan. 7 in Williamsburg with tip-off set for 2 p.m.