Nov. 27, 2009

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FAIRFAX, Va. - Freshman Amber Easter notched her first career double-double as the George Mason women's basketball team used stifling first-half defense in a 72-57 victory over North Carolina Central on Friday evening at the Patriot Center.

Mason improved to 3-2, the first time its record was above .500 in over two years, as Easter paced the offense with 20 points and 15 rebounds. She was joined in double figures by juniors Angelee LaTouche and Brittany Poindexter, who contributed 18 and 15 points, respectively. Joanna Miller led the Lady Eagles (0-5) with 21 points.

The first points for each team came from the charity stripe, as it was a 2-2 tie with just over two minutes elapsed. Easter connected on the first field goal of the contest at the 16:49 mark, and a 22-2 run by Mason pushed the gap into double figures, including 18 unanswered points.

NCCU connected on just one field goal in the first 15:35, shooting 1-for-12 in that span. The Lady Eagles did make a run of their own, putting together an 11-4 run to make it a 31-20 game, with each team contributing another basket to make it a 33-22 contest headed into the half. Poindexter and Miller each contributed 12 points in the first half, while Easter had five rebounds in the period.

It was all Patriots out of the locker room, opening the second half with a 12-2 run, including the first eight of the period. The Lady Eagles cut the deficit to single digits in the second half at 59-50 but could get no closer.

Mason will look to make it three in a row on Monday when it hosts Fairfield for a 7 p.m. tilt at the Patriot Center.