Nov. 20, 2010

Box Score

WICHITA, Kan. - George Mason used a 16-4 scoring run late in the second half to cut the score to a one possession contest at 60-57 with 43.7 seconds on the clock. But Wichita State continued its strong showing at the free throw line, going 5-for-6 over the final 42 seconds to secure the 65-59 win in the Charles Koch Arena Saturday afternoon. Mason dipped to 1-2 on the season, while WSU improved to 2-1.

Three Patriots posted double figure scoring led by Taleia Moton with 17, nine coming in the second half. Amber Easter added 16, while Brittany Eley contributed 14. The Patriots out-rebounded the Shockers 45-37 and forced 17 WSU turnovers for 17 points. Angelee LaTouche pulled down 12 boards to lead Mason.

For Wichita State, Morgan Boyd led with 16 points, the only Shocker able to reach double figures, and Michelle Price secured 11 rebounds.

WSU was 12-for-23 from the free throw line in the second half and 20-for-35 overall. Meanwhile, Mason was 10-of-15 at the charity stripe. Jessica Diamond led the effort at the charity stripe for WSU, going 7-for-8, including the final 5-of-6.

The first half witnessed a defensive battle on both sides of the floor as the largest lead held was only five points by Wichita State at the 4:22 mark. Senior Eley led the Patriots in scoring with 10 points followed by Easter with nine. WSU narrowly won the rebounding edge in the first half, 20-18, but Mason's defense shined forcing 10 Shocker turnovers to Mason's four. The Patriots converted the Shocker turnovers into 10 points on the other end.

Mason held the lead five times in the opening 20 minutes and forced five ties. An Eley jumper at 16:05 gave the Patriots a one point lead before Eley's second field goal just over a minute later handed Mason a two point lead at 11-9. WSU climbed out to a four point advantage at 19-15 on a Jazimen Gordon free throw. The Shockers hit a trio of trey's in the first half as a Boyd basket beyond the arc resulted in Wichita State's five point advantage at 26-21. Mason battled back, tying the game twice more before Gordon hit a layup with 21 seconds left sending the Shockers into the break with a two point lead, 31-29.

Wichita State opened the second half with a 13-2 run to take a double digit lead, 44-31. Mason came out of the first media timeout in control, rattling off eight unanswered points to slice its deficit to five points, 44-39. Easter put up five points in the run and Moton added three. WSU responded with a 10-2 run of its own, pushing its lead back to 13 points, 54-41 with 9:24 to go. Boyd scored six points in the run. WSU held a steady lead until Rahneeka Saunders sparked a 16-4 Mason scoring run draining three free throws. The Patriots held the Shockers to four points over 6:38 of play, cutting the score to 60-57 with 43 seconds left to play. Diamond hit four consecutive free throws before Moton hit a jumper for a 64-59 ballgame. Diamond took the final trip to the charity stripe for the Shockers, hitting the back end of two for the final 65-59 score.

George Mason returns to the court opening its home slate on Tuesday, November 23 against UMBC. Tip is slated for a 7 p.m. start.