George Mason University Athletics

Women's Basketball Opens Conference Play Welcoming Georgia State

Women's Basketball Falls at VCU, 64-46

Box Score

George Mason Athletics Women's Basketball 1/9/2011 4:43:00 PM

RICHMOND, Va. – Despite three Patriots scoring in double figures, George Mason dropped a 64-46 decision at Virginia Commonwealth University Sunday afternoon in the Verizon Wireless Arena. Mason opened the contest limiting the Rams' shooting, but a late first half run from VCU allowed the Colonial Athletic Association opponent to pull away with a comfortable margin. VCU improved to 3-0 in CAA play and 8-5 overall, while Mason dipped to 7-7, 1-2.

Angelee LaTouche led all Patriots with 12 points, followed by Taleia Moton with 11 and Brittany Eley with 10. LaTouche also led Mason on the boards, securing seven, as the Patriots lost the rebounding edge, 43-31.

Mason held the nation's second leading scorer, Courtney Hurt, to eight points below her national average, as the junior pitched in a game-high 17 points to go along with seven rebounds, breaking a 12-game streak of consecutive double-doubles for the forward.

A struggle from the floor for both teams opened the contest leading to a small margin on the scoreboard with the largest lead only two points through the second media timeout. Eley drained a three-pointer from the left wing to put Mason in front 13-12 with 11:16 on the clock. Eley's triple was followed by a Brittany Poindexter jumper to give the Patriots a three point lead with 10:11 to play, but Jessica Lane cut the Rams' deficit to one point at the third media timeout and jumpstarted what became a 16-0 VCU run through the end of the half. The Rams owned a 13-point halftime lead 28-15 after keeping Mason scoreless for the final 10 minutes of the play. Eley accounted for seven of Mason's scoring as the Patriots were held to 26.3 percent shooting (5-for-19).

VCU kept its momentum alive in the second half, pulling away with a 33-15 lead before LaTouche broke the scoreless drought for the Patriots connecting on a pair of free throws at the 17:42 mark. Eley hit her second trey of the contest to cut Mason's deficit to 54-31 with 8:42 to play before Rahneeka Saunders connected on a three-pointer just over two minutes later for a 56-34 score. The Rams held their largest lead at 9:10, a 26-point advantage, as the Patriots' closest margin thereafter was the final 18-point difference, 64-46.

The Patriots rounded out this two-game road swing and return home to host three CAA opponents. UNC Wilmington visits the Patriot Center first on Thursday, January 13 for a 7 p.m. tilt.

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