March 4, 2009
Box Score
FAIRFAX, Va. - Sophomore Brittany Eley led the George Mason women's basketball team with a career-high 20 points, but with just six players in uniform, the Patriots fell to Delaware, 64-42, in the regular season finale on Wednesday evening at Patriot Center.
The Patriots finished the 2008-09 campaign with a 4-25 record and 2-16 mark in Colonial Athletic Association play, while the Fightin' Blue Hens improved to 15-14 overall and 7-11 in conference play.
Eley was the lone Patriot in double figures, although freshman Becky Cox pulled down a season-best 13 rebounds. Three Delaware players hit double figures, led by 17 points from Vanessa Kabongo.
Delaware opened on an 8-2 run but Mason cut the gap to two at the 13:44 mark as Robinson hit a free throw to make it 8-6. The Fightin' Blue Hens preserved their lead throughout the half, though Mason continued to pressure Delaware and never allowed the gap to extend into double-digits. Mason was down by nine before Cox drained a layup with 33 seconds to go, setting the halftime margin at 30-23.
Mason was even with Delaware off the glass, as each team pulled down 18 boards in the first half. The Patriots, though, were hampered by shooting woes, connecting on just 9-of-26 attempts from the field (34.6 percent). Meanwhile, the Blue Hens shot 43.3 percent in the period (13-30).
The Blue Hens opened the second half on a 10-3 run, expanding their lead into double figures for the first time as the Patriots were held without a field goal for the first 7:02 of the second half, a streak ended by an Eley 3-pointer. Mason's offensive struggles continued into the second half, though, as the Patriots connected on just three field goal attempts.
Prior to the game, Mason honored three seniors for whom Wednesday was their final home game: forwards Chynelle Rogers, Whitney Ward and Brittney Wilkins.
Mason will travel to the CAA Championship in Harrisonburg, Va., next week as the No. 12 seed, where they will face off against fifth-seeded UNC Wilmington at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday.
