Jan. 6, 2008
Box Score
FAIRFAX, Va. - In their previous five home games, the George Mason women's basketball team had found many different ways to win at Patriot Center. However, a 12-0 Delaware run to start the game proved too much to overcome as the Fightin' Blue Hens topped the Patriots, 64-49, in both teams' Colonial Athletic Association opener on Sunday afternoon.
Mason (6-5, 0-1) dropped its first home contest after opening 5-0 on their home court for the first time in school history, while the Blue Hens (2-11, 1-0) extended their win streak over Mason to seven games as they won their first game since Nov. 9.
The Patriot offense was led by sophomore Rashuana Hobbs, who reached double figures for the fourth straight time with 12 points. Senior Moni Akintunde added nine points to go with her team-best six rebounds, while classmates Lateisha Wade and C'Vette Henson each chipped in seven points. Delaware's offense was paced by career-best performances by Corinthia Benison and Ariene Jenkins, who scored 17 and 15 points, respectively.
The tough Delaware press defense held Mason without a field goal for the first 7:52 of the contest as UD built a 12-point lead. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Hobbs brought the Patriots within six at 12-6, but Mason could move no closer in the opening period as it shot a season-low 20.7 percent (6-29) from the field in the opening stanza. Delaware used 44 percent shooting (11-25) in the period to take a 28-18 lead, Mason's largest halftime deficit since being down 19 at Seton Hall on Nov. 16.
Delaware opened the second half in the same manner it began the first, striking first with a layup by Tesia Harris and a pair of Benison free throws. A 12-2 Mason scoring run brought the Patriots within four at the 10:53 mark when Akintunde completed a three-point play. Another layup by freshman Eugenia Broadus moved the Patriots even closer by setting the score at 37-35. However, the tough Delaware defense prevailed as Mason could not cut the gap any further. A Hobbs jumper with 54 seconds remaining provided a spark by bringing the Patriots within 10 at 57-47, but a 7-2 UD scoring advantage in the closing seconds sealed the Blue Hen victory.
Mason will look for its first CAA victory on Thursday when it hits the road for the first time in over a month, traveling to Hofstra for a 7 p.m. tip at the Mack Sports Complex.
