Nov. 14, 2008

Box Score

FAIRFAX, Va. - In the first game under head coach Jeri Porter, the George Mason women's basketball team put forth a strong season-opening performance despite an injury-depleted roster, but was unable to come away with a victory as Bucknell defeated the Patriots, 62-51, in non-conference action Friday evening at Patriot Center.

Mason (0-1), which held a 41-to-35 rebounding advantage in the game, was led by a career-best 20 points and three steals from sophomore Brittany Poindexter. She was joined in double figures by senior Whitney Ward's 12 points, while sophomore Eugenia Broadus fell one short of double-digit rebounds, pulling down nine boards. Amanda Brown led the Bison (1-0) offense with 22 points.

The Patriots came out of the opening tip strong, providing an answer to each of Bucknell's opening baskets as they used a 5-0 run to take the lead at 10-7 with just under six minutes expired. Mason did not trail the Bison for over 12 minutes thereafter, before a Brown 3-pointer with 90 seconds to go in the first half put Bucknell ahead 28-27. Cosima Higham added four more points to set the halftime margin at 32-27.

In the second half, Mason kept it close in the early minutes but could not regain the lead it controlled for most of the opening period and, leading by three at 42-39, Bucknell rattled off a 15-3 scoring run to take control of the scoreboard for good, as the Bison out-shot Mason by a 38.1-to-26.9 margin from the field in the second half.

With the loss, Mason snapped a six-game home non-conference winning streak dating back to the 2006-07 season and saw its record in season openers fall to 7-20 in Division I play.

The Patriots will look to bounce back quickly on Sunday as they host former CAA foe Richmond at 2 p.m. at Patriot Center.