Feb. 4, 2010

Box Score

FAIRFAX, Va. - A strong start by Hofstra combined with field goal shooting trouble for the George Mason women's basketball team ultimately led the Pride past the Patriots, 72-39, in Colonial Athletic Association action on Thursday evening at Patriot Center. The loss dropped the Patriots to 8-13 and 1-9 in CAA play, while the Pride improved to 5-5 in conference and 12-10 overall.

Senior Rashauna Hobbs led Mason for the second straight game as she chipped in 10 points. Leading the way for Hofstra was Nicole Capurso with 20 points, one of three Pride players in double figures.

Mason had a strong start to open the game, leading 5-4 at the 16:56 mark following an Eley jumper, but the Pride used a 19-3 run which spanned more than eight minutes to take a double-digit lead. After making two of its first four field goal attempts, the Patriots struggled from the field, going 2-of-20 before Hobbs' three from the top of the key with 55 seconds showing on the clock ended a stretch of seven minutes without a field goal.

In that time, Hofstra built a lead as large as 18 points before ultimately taking a 31-14 advantage into the halftime locker room. The Pride shot 56 percent from the field in the first half (14-25) compared to 19.2 percent for the Patriots (5-26), who were led by Eley's five points. Nicole Capurso had 11 points to pace the Pride, whose major advantage came in the paint. HU outscored Mason by a 20-2 margin in that category.

The Patriots were unable to advance on the Pride into the second half, as Hofstra continued to build on its lead. Mason's field goal shooting improved to 32 percent (8-25) in the second half, but the Pride continued to find success, shooting 64 percent (16-25).

Mason will next travel to Delaware to face the Fightin' Blue Hens on Sunday. After schedule changes due to the impending weather system that will affect the region this weekend, that game is set to begin at approximately 3 p.m., 45 minutes following the conclusion of the Delaware-UNC Wilmington men's basketball game which will be played at 12 p.m.