Jan. 15, 2008
Box Score
LYNCHBURG, Va. - Freshman Brittany Eley scored a season-high 15 points in her first start of the season, but the George Mason women's basketball team could not overcome a hot-shooting Liberty University team as the Flames defeated the Patriots, 69-54, in non-conference action on Tuesday evening at Vines Center. With the loss, Mason dropped to 7-7 on the season, while the Flames improved to 14-2 after winning their third game in a row.
Eley led the Patriots while senior C'Vette Henson also reached double figures with 10 points. Leading the way for Liberty were juniors Megan and Moriah Frazee, who chipped in 18 and 17 points each. The Flames out-shot Mason from the field by a 49.0-to-39.0 percent margin, and outrebounded the Patriots, 37 to 25.
Freshman Brittany Poindexter scored the opening basket of the game less than 20 seconds in, but the Flames responded with four points from Moriah Frazee to take their first lead of the game. The Patriots responded by tying the game on a Moni Akintunde basket, but an 8-3 Liberty run gave the Flames their largest lead at 12-7. Two field goals, including a three-pointer, from Henson tied the game once again at 12-12. Megan Frazee's basket returned the advantage to the Flames, but Henson continued her scoring spree with two straight baskets to give the Patriots the lead at the 9:28 mark.
That lead would hold up for over five and a half minutes, until Rachel McLeod's jumper put Liberty ahead, 26-25, with 3:52 showing on the clock. The see-saw battle continued throughout the duration of the period, with Mason taking a 31-28 lead with under two minutes remaining before an 8-0 LU run, including a buzzer-beating three pointer from Megan Frazee, set the halftime margin at 36-31. Both Moriah and Megan Frazee finished the first half with 11 points, while Henson's 10 points paced the Patriots in the opening period.
Neither team could break away coming out of the halftime intermission, until aided by seven straight points from Courtney Watkins, the Flames took a 47-36 lead. That lead grew as large as 17 with Bream's 3-pointer giving Liberty the 56-39 advantage. A 7-0 Mason run brought the Patriots within 10 at 56-46 with nine minutes left in the contest. However, the Patriots could move no closer as the Flames sealed their second win in a row over Mason, and the second in the all-time series.
The Patriots return to the court in two days when they host James Madison in Colonial Athletic Association action. Tip from Patriot Center is set for 7 p.m.
