George Mason University Athletics

Eagles Use Strong Second Half to Pass Patriots, 46-43

Mason-American Box Score

George Mason Athletics Women's Basketball 12/2/2010 6:48:00 PM

WASHINGTON, D.C. - American used a strong second half to seal a three-point win, 46-43, over George Mason Thursday night in Bender Arena. Liz Leer erupted with 16 points in the second half for the Eagles, who shot 50 percent from the floor, as Mason dropped to 2-4 on the year. American used a 15-for-22 effort from the free throw line to improve to 4-4 on the season.

Mason was led in scoring by Evelyn Lewis with nine points followed by Taleia Moton and Rahneeka Saunders each with seven. Leer paced the Eagles with 18 points and Lisa Strack followed with 13.

American outshot the Patriots from the field 40-to-30 percent and narrowly won the rebounding edge, 37-35. Amber Easter led the Patriots on the glass with six boards, while the Eagles were paced by Leer with eight. Stack recorded five of American's nine steals, while Saunders picked up three of Mason's seven.

Held to only two points in the opening half, Leer came alive in the second half for the Eagles draining 10 points in the first nine minutes as American cut the score to 34-30 with 11:19 on the clock. The Eagles used a 6-0 run from the 7:28 mark to cut the score to one point, 40-39 with 5:19 to play.

American took its first lead of the contest on a pair of free throws from Strack coming out of the final media timeout of the game. The teams traded the one-point advantage before a Tori Halvorsen layup put the Eagles up by three, 45-42 with 1:29 to play. Moton hit the back end of a pair of free throws for a 45-43 score as the clock hit the 1:00 mark. Strack took the final trip to the charity stripe for the Eagles, connecting on one for the final 46-43 score.

The Patriots ran out to an 11-6 advantage in the first half using strong defense, holding the Eagles to only free throws in the first 10 minutes of play. American hit its first field goal at the 9:10 mark after shooting 16.7 percent (1-6) from the floor through the third media timeout. Mason built its lead to double digits, 20-10, on an Easter bucket, forcing American to call its second timeout of the opening half. Easter led the Patriots to a 25-18 halftime lead chipping in five points in the first half. Meanwhile, Moton, Saunders and Lewis each pitched in four points apiece.

Mason wraps up this two-game road swing with a contest at George Washington on Sunday. Tip in Charles E. Smith Center is slated for 1 p.m.